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■ e-Shram portal : • The Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the e-Shram Portal for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW), which will be seeded with Aadhaar.  • The e-Shram portal will cover all unorganised workers of the nation and help link them to social security schemes of the Government of India. • It is the first-ever national database of unorganised workers including migrant workers, construction workers, gig and platform workers, street vendors, domestic workers, agriculture workers, etc. • The Portal will prove to be a huge boost towards the last-mile delivery of the welfare schemes for crores of unorganized workers.  • Under the scheme, Rs 2.0 Lakh Accidental Insurance cover will be provided to every registered (on eShram portal) unorganised worker • If a worker is registered on the eShram portal and meets with an accident, he will be eligible for Rs 2.0 Lakh on death or permanent disability and Rs 1.0 lakh on partial disability. • Every registered unorganised worker shall be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12 digit with a unique Universal Account Number (UAN) and will be able to access the benefits of the various social security schemes through this card anywhere anytime. • Registration is totally free and workers do not have to pay anything. • The registration on the portal will be coordinated by the Labour Ministry, state governments, trade unions and Common Service Centres. □ Who is an Unorganised worker? • Any worker who is a home based-worker, self-employed worker or a wage worker in the unorganised sector including a worker in the organised sector who is not a member of ESIC or EPFO or not a Govt. employee is called an Unorganised Worker. □ Eligibility criteria : • An unorganised worker between the age of 16 - 60 years. • The worker must not be a member of EPFO/ESIC or NPS. • There is no income criteria for registering on eSHRAM as unorganised worker. However, he/she should not be an income tax payee. 

■ Methanol Economy : • The methanol economy is a suggested future economy in which methanol and dimethyl ether replace fossil fuels as a means of energy storage, ground transportation fuel, and raw material for synthetic hydrocarbons and their products. • NITI Aayog's 'Methanol Economy' programme is aimed at reducing India's oil import bill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and converting coal reserves and municipal solid waste into methanol.  • Although slightly lower in energy content than petrol and diesel, methanol can replace both these fuels in the transport sector, energy sector. • Blending of 15% methanol in gasoline can result in at least 15% reduction in the import of gasoline/crude oil. In addition, this would bring down GHG emissions by 20% in terms of particulate matter, NOx, and SOx, thereby improving the urban air quality. • On 5 October 2018, Assam Petrochemicals launched Asia’s first canister-based methanol cooking fuel programme. It helps to reduce the import of crude oil and striving towards the provision of a clean, cost-effective and pollution-free cooking medium. • Methanol Economy will also create close to 5 million jobs through methanol production/application and distribution services. • Additionally, Rs 6000 crore can be saved annually by blending 20% DME (Di-methyl Ether, a derivative of methanol) in LPG. This will help the consumer in saving between Rs 50-100 per cylinder. • Various production plants have been planned to be set up by the NITI Ayog. It has planned to substitute 10% of Crude imports by 2030, by Methanol alone. • Methanol & DME (Dimethyl Ether) are substantially cheaper than Petrol and Diesel. India can potentially reduce its fuel bill by 30% by 2030. • India’s first indigenously Designed High Ash Coal Gasification Based Methanol Production Plant at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Research and Development Centre, Hyderabad was inaugurated in 2021. □ Methanol (CH3OH) : • Methanol is an energy-producing fuel that can be used for transportation and cooking. • Methanol is a low carbon, hydrogen carrier fuel produced from high ash coal, agricultural residue, CO2 from thermal power plants and natural gas.  • Methanol does not have a carbon-carbon bond and is the simplest alcohol. It, therefore, does not emit Particulate Matter (PM) which is a major pollutant. • Methanol is a zero pollution fuel. Methanol burns efficiently in all internal combustion engines. It produces no particulate matter, no soot, almost negligible amounts of sulphur and nitrogen oxide based emissions. • China is the world's largest producer of methanol. China alone produces 65% of world Methanol and it uses its coal to produce Methanol. 

Consider the following statements on Atal Pension Yojana (APY)? 1) Atal Pension Yojana was launched in 2015. 2) It is administered by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority through National Pension System (NPS). 3) The age of the subscriber should be between 18-40 years and have a bank account are eligible for the scheme.

■ Atal Pension Yojana : • The scheme was launched on 9th May, 2015, with the objective of creating a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor, the under-privileged and the workers in the unorganised sector. • It is administered by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority through National Pension System (NPS). • Any citizen of India can join the APY scheme. The age of the subscriber should be between 18-40 years and have a bank account are eligible for the scheme. •  The contribution levels would vary and would be low if a subscriber joins early and increases if she joins late. • As a part of the scheme, people can make contributions in their Atal Pension Yojana account till the age of 60 years and get a monthly pension. This is a beneficial, since it provides people with an assured minimum pension sum to meet their expenses after they turn 60 years of age. • It provides a minimum guaranteed pension ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 on attaining 60 years of age. • The amount of pension is guaranteed for lifetime to the spouse on death of the subscriber. • In the event of death of both the subscriber and the spouse, the entire pension corpus is paid to the nominee. • Contributions to the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) are eligible for tax benefits similar to the National Pension System (NPS). □ Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority : • Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the statutory Authority established by an enactment of the Parliament, to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the National Pension System (NPS). • It works under the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance. □ National Pension System : • NPS is a government sponsored pension scheme. It was launched in 2004 for government employees. • Now, any individual citizen of India (both resident and non-resident) in the age group of 18-65 can join NPS.

■ Dugong : • Tamil Nadu will set up India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in the Palk Bay. • The reserve will spread over an area of 500 km in Palk Bay on the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu. The proposed conservation area has the highest concentration of dugongs in the country. • Palk Bay is a semi-enclosed shallow water body with a water depth maximum of 13 meters. It is located between India and Sri Lanka. • The Dugong, also called the sea cow, is a herbivorous mammal.  • Dugong is the State animal of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. • It is the only herbivorous mammal that is strictly marine and is the only extant species in the family Dugongidae. They graze seagrass, which is at a loss. • According to study (Das & Dey 1999), extreme weather events such as cyclones and high energy tidal storms may also contribute to the loss of seagrasses in the region. • They are found in over 30 countries. In India, it is distributed in shallow tropical waters in the Indo-Pacific region, they are found in the Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. • Proper conservation is the only way to save dugongs from extinction. □ Conservation Status: • Dugongs are listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.  • Dugongs are listed in "Appendix I" of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits the trade of the species and its parts. • It is listed under "Schedule I" of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. • The Government of India is also a signatory to the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) since 1983 where it has signed non-legally binding Memorandums of Understanding on the conservation and management of Siberian Cranes (1998), Marine Turtles (2007), Dugongs (2008) and Raptors (2016).  □ Threats : • Loss of seagrass habitats. • Water pollution. • Degradation of the coastal ecosystem due to developmental activities. • Dugongs are also victims of accidental entanglement in fishing nets and collision with boats, trawlers.

■ Subramanya Bharathiyar : • The great Tamil poet and nationalist Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi was born on 11 December 1882 at Ettayapuram in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu.  • Chinnaswamy Subramanya Bharathi, also called Bharathiyar was born to Chinnaswamy Iyer and Lakshmi Ammal. He was called Subbiah in his childhood. • At the age of 11, he won a debate in the court of Ettayapuram Raja and was bestowed the title ‘Bharathi’ (meaning blessed by Goddess Saraswati). • His participation and activities in Benaras Session (1905) and Surat Session (1907) of the Indian National Congress impressed many national leaders for his patriotic fervour. • At the historic Surat session of the Congress in 1907 when the party split into extremists and moderates, Bharathi sided with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and supported armed resistance against the authorities. • His patriotic songs inspired people to participate in the freedom movement in Tamil Nadu. • In 1919, he met Mahatma Gandhi. One year later in 1920, he resumed being the editor of Swadeshamitran in Chennai. • He condemned certain Shastras that denigrated women. He believed in the equality of humankind and criticised many preachers for mixing their personal prejudices while teaching the Gita and the Vedas. • In Pondicherry, he met Sister Nivedita, a Disciple of Swami Vivekananda, there he added Women’s rights in his policies along with several social issues. • There he took the Symbolism of Shakthi as the image of modern women who is powerful, strong, independent and also equal to men. • He used simple but effective words and rhythm. As a poet, his theme ranged from patriotism to nature, from romance to philosophy, from devotion to self-respect. • Bharathiyar writings are “Kannan Pattu”, “Nilavum Vanminum Katrum”, “Panchali Sabatam”, “Kuyil Pattu”. • His famous poems include Achamillai Achamillai, Suttum Vizhichudadar, Agni Sthomam, etc. • His poems have and continue to inspire millions of people around the globe. He is fondly called "Mahakavi(Great Poet)". • Bharathiyar’s work Panchali Sabatham depicted India as Draupadi, the British as Gauravas and the freedom fighters as Pandavas. He portrayed Mother India(Draupadi) struggling under English rule. • He translated Vedic hymns, Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra into Tamil. • He organised a huge public meeting in Madras in 1908 to celebrate ‘Swaraj Day’ and distributed free printed of his poem named ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Enthayum Thayum’, ‘Jaya Bharath’. • He passed away on 11 September 1921 aged just 38. • In 1949, he became the first poet whose works were nationalised by the state government. □ As a Social reformer : • He was against the caste system and declared there were only two castes, one is men and other is women. • He believed in women rights, gender equality and women emancipation. • He opposed child marriage, supported widow remarriage. He opposed the dowry system. • He himself removed his Sacred thread (“poonool” in Tamil). • He adorned many Scheduled caste people with Poonool. • He also fought for Temple entry for Dalits. • Bharathi had a clear India "Until Indians unite as children of Mother India, they will not achieve freedom". □ His Journals : • He began his career as sub editor in Swadeshamitran in November 1904. • He published astonishing “Sudesa Geethangal” in 1908. • He edited and published journals India, Vijaya. He also published an English monthly named Bala Bharatha and a local weekly of Pondicherry named Suryothayam. • In 1909, the British government banned ‘India’ and ‘Vijaya’ in India. • Inspired by the French revolution (Liberty, Equality and Fraternity), Bharathi printed the weekly newspaper named ‘India’ in red paper. • “India” was the first paper in Tamilnadu to publish political cartoons.