Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will get France's highest award, many Indians honored earlier

Why is it in news?

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will be honored with the Chevalier de la Legion d'honour, France's highest civilian award. Shashi Tharoor, who is always in the news for his fast-paced English, is once again making headlines. And the reason behind this is a recent announcement from the French government. In fact, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenin has written a letter to Congress MP Tharoor informing that the French government wants to honor him for his writings and speeches.

Highlights

• The National Order of the Legion of Honour, the highest award of France, was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in the year 1802. This honor is given to military officers and common citizens who have made excellent contributions in any field. The award was previously known as the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour.

• The motto of this very important award is 'Samman and Desh'. These awards are divided into five parts: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Comandieur (Commander), Grand Officer (Grand Officer) and Grand-Croix (Grand Cross).

• Significantly, Shashi Tharoor is not the first Indian to receive this French award. Even before him, many Indians have been honored with France's highest award. And in this list, E. Sreedharan, popularly known as Metro Man, Indian political activist S.R. Rana, the evergreen actor Shahrukh Khan, the conductor (directing the musical performance) Zubin Mehta, journalist Raja Mohan, Wipro founder Azim Premji, Tamil actor Kamal Haasan and many more.

Justice UU Lalit becomes 49th Chief Justice of India

Why is it in news?

• Justice Uday U Lalit became the 49th Chief Justice of India. Chief Justice of India NV Ramana recommended the name of Justice UU Lalit as his successor on August 4, 2022.

• It is noteworthy that the current Chief Justice of India NV Ramana is going to retire on August 27, 2022.

• The tenure of the new Chief Justice of India will be less than three months. He will be the only second judge after Justice SM Sikri (CJI from 1971-1973) to be elevated from the Bar to the rank of Chief Justice of India.

• Justice UU Lalit was appointed as a judge in the Supreme Court of India in August 2014.

Highlights

• Uday Umesh Lalit is a senior judge in the Supreme Court of India.

• Prior to his promotion as a judge, he was practicing as a senior advocate in the Supreme Court.

• Justice Lalit is the sixth senior advocate to be directly promoted to the top court of the country.

• He is due to retire on November 8, 2022.

• He will serve as the Chief Justice of India for a period of seventy-four days as the 49th CJI.

• Justice UU Lalit joined the Bar in June 1983.

• He started practicing in the Supreme Court of India in 1986.

• He worked with Soli Sorabjee, former Attorney General of India from 1986 to 1992.

• Justice UU Lalit was nominated as a senior advocate of the Supreme Court on 29 April 2004.

ONDC signs agreement with SIDBI

Why is it in news?

An MoU was recently signed between Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and 'Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)' to increase the participation of small and medium-sized businesses in e-commerce.

Highlights

• As a part of this MoU, SIDBI and ONDC will endeavor to help MSMEs to access ONDC's open network ecommerce platform.

• Under this, SIDBI's network will be linked to ONDC to revolutionize the small scale industry ecosystem.

• It will act as a driving force to initiate participation of small scale industries in e-commerce on a large scale.

• Both the institutions will conduct sessions with MSMEs to educate them about ONDC network, protocol and MVP definition.

• They will also organize accelerator programs to encourage MSMEs and enable them to join ONDC's network.

• To implement this initiative, SIDBI will support its strong linkages with all MSME industrial clusters in cities like Coimbatore, Morbi and Ludhiana.

Telangana government expands insurance coverage under 'Nethanna Bima' scheme

Why is it in news?

• Telangana State Government has announced the extension of insurance coverage for handloom and power loom weavers under the 'Nethanna Bima' (Weaver's Insurance) scheme.

• The state government has issued orders to increase the insurance coverage for weavers to Rs 5 lakh under the insurance scheme. Now the insurance coverage fixed for weavers has become at par with the insurance coverage of farmers.

Highlights

• More than Rs.29 crores have been sanctioned for implementing the scheme during this year. The cabinet sub committee had proposed to cover more than 55 thousand handloom and powerloom and allied weavers in the state.

• Insurance coverage will be extended to weavers in the age group of 18 to 59 years. Insurance benefit will be given to the family of the death of the weaver or ancillary worker. The scheme is likely to be launched next month.

• A senior official of the handloom department said that the department has been directed to prepare draft guidelines and submit them to the government for implementation of the scheme.

WHAT IS THE SMILE-75 INITIATIVE?

Why is it in news?

• The Government of India has formulated a comprehensive scheme named "Smile - Support for marginalized persons for livelihood and enterprise" to overcome the problem of desperation and begging.

• Under the Smile-75 initiative, 75 municipal corporations have been identified to implement holistic rehabilitation of people engaged in begging.

Highlights

• SMILE stands for "Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise".

• As a part of the initiative, the identified municipal corporations will incorporate a number of comprehensive welfare measures in collaboration with NGOs and other stakeholders for the persons engaged in begging.

• They will focus on economic linkages with rehabilitation, counselling, education, awareness, provision of medical facilities, skill development and other government welfare initiatives.

• This initiative has been started with the objective of making the towns and municipal areas beggar free and to strategize the rehabilitation process.

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has allocated Rs 100 crore to implement this scheme by the year 2025-26.

• Local urban bodies, civil society organizations or NGOs play an important role in addressing the act of begging through organized efforts.

• According to the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, BPBA (1959) begging is a criminal act in India in cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

• Under this act, officers of Social Welfare Department with the help of police conduct raids and apprehend beggars. Later, they are tried in special courts called 'Bhikhari Adalats'.