Today's Brief 3/03/2025

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1 .GeM Sees Growth in Women Seller Participation:  (GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has seen a notable rise in the participation of women entrepreneurs, now accounting for 8% of sellers and having successfully fulfilled orders totaling a substantial ₹46,000 crore.

This achievement underscores the growing economic empowerment of women through digital platforms and government procurement. Initiatives like SWAYATT are instrumental in fostering this growth, providing essential support and addressing the unique challenges faced by women-led businesses.

The significant order value highlights the real economic impact these entrepreneurs are making, demonstrating their capacity to compete and succeed in the public sector.

Partnerships with organizations like FICCI-FLO further solidify this positive trend, signaling a continued effort to expand opportunities and support for women entrepreneurs within the GeM ecosystem.

SWAYATT initiative, an acronym for "Startups, Women & Youth Advantage through e-Transactions," serves as a cornerstone of the Indian government's strategy to foster inclusive economic growth through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

Its primary objective is to broaden market access for historically underrepresented groups, including women entrepreneurs, youth, startups, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), within the realm of public procurement.

By simplifying business processes and providing direct access to government opportunities, SWAYATT aims to promote social inclusion and empower these groups. Specifically, the initiative focuses on targeted training and onboarding of last-mile sellers, with a notable emphasis on cultivating women entrepreneurship, demonstrated by features like the "Womaniya" storefront.

Through strategic partnerships with organizations like FICCI-FLO, SWAYATT facilitates crucial support and training, contributing to a tangible increase in the participation of women-led MSEs and startups on the GeM platform, and effectively addressing critical challenges related to market access, finance, and value addition

2 .Cyclone Garance.: (General Studies-III (250 marks)Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management)

Tropical Cyclone Garance delivered a devastating blow to Réunion Island, making landfall on its northern coast and unleashing destructive winds and torrential rainfall. The impact was severe, resulting in reported fatalities, widespread power outages, and significant disruptions to water supplies.

The severity of the cyclone prompted high-level warnings, reflecting the rare occurrence of such direct landfalls on the island. Even as the most intense phase subsided, severe weather conditions persisted, necessitating ongoing vigilance.

Recovery efforts are now underway, focusing on restoring power and water supplies, and providing shelter to those affected, as the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone.

Réunion Island, nestled in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar and southwest of Mauritius, stands as an overseas department and region of France, seamlessly integrating French culture with a breathtaking tropical landscape. This volcanic island boasts a dramatic topography, characterized by towering mountains, including the "active" Piton de la Fournaise and the "extinct" Piton des Neiges, alongside stunning cirques, verdant rainforests, and varied coastlines.

3 .The Padma Awards,GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations) one of India's most prestigious civilian honors, stand as a testament to exceptional achievements across a wide spectrum of fields.

These awards, categorized into Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri, recognize distinguished service of the highest order, high order, and in any field, respectively.

Annually announced on the eve of Republic Day, the awards celebrate contributions in areas such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service.

The President of India confers these honors at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, following recommendations made by a Padma Awards Committee constituted by the Prime Minister. The core purpose of the Padma Awards is to acknowledge and celebrate individuals who have made significant and impactful contributions to Indian society, and the president has approved the conferment of the awards for 2025.

4 . Blue Ghost (General Studies-III (250 marks)Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management)

by Firefly Aerospace's is a lunar lander developed to deliver scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon. As part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, the lander aims to support future human exploration under the Artemis program.

The first Blue Ghost mission launched on January 15, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After a 46-day journey, it successfully landed on the Moon's Mare Crisium on March 2, 2025.

Equipped with ten scientific instruments totaling 94 kilograms, Blue Ghost's 14-day mission includes experiments such as:

• Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER): Measures heat flow from the Moon's interior by drilling into the lunar surface.

  
  

• Lunar PlanetVac (LPV): Collects lunar soil samples for analysis or potential return to Earth.

  
  

• Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS): Generates electric fields to repel lunar dust from equipment surfaces.

  
  

This mission marks Firefly Aerospace as the second private company to achieve a successful lunar landing, following Intuitive Machines' earlier attempt.

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Achieves Successful Lunar Landing

5 .Ukraine Summit : (GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a summit in London with leaders from over a dozen European nations to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The summit focused on developing a European-led peace plan, which would later be presented to the United States for support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended, emphasizing the need for strong security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

Key outcomes included commitments to maintain military aid to Ukraine, increase economic pressure on Russia, and ensure Ukraine's involvement in any peace negotiations.

Additionally, the UK announced a £1.6 billion export finance agreement to supply Ukraine with over 5,000 air defense missiles, reinforcing its defense capabilities.

The summit also proposed forming a "coalition of the willing," comprising nations prepared to uphold any peace agreement and guarantee Ukraine's security.

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