(C) The Maiya Samman Yojana was launched in August 2024 by Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to empower women through direct financial aid. Initially, ₹1,000 per month was provided to women aged 18 to 50. In December 2024, following the government’s full majority, the amount increased to ₹2,500 per month. Due to delays, double installments for December 2024 and January 2025 (₹5,000 total) will be credited in January 2025. Currently, ₹1,415.44 crore has been transferred to 56.61 lakh women, aiming to boost household income, particularly in rural areas.

State Government Schemes to empower economically weaker women

Other State Schemes for Women

Ladali Bahin Yojana (Madhya Pradesh) Rs.1250

Majhi Ladaki Bahin Yojana (Maharashtra) Rs.1500

(Mukhya Mantri Ladali Bahin Yojana) Rajasthan Rs. 1000

Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana (Delhi) Rs. 1000

Aadabidda Nidhi (Andhra Pradesh) Rs. 1500

(A) Indonesia Joins BRICS as Full Member recently

Indonesia has officially become a full member of the BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Originally established in 2006 and formalized in 2009, BRICS aims to offer an alternative to the G7, which is led by the US. The group first held its summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and South Africa joined in 2010, further expanding its influence. Since then, BRICS has welcomed additional members like Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE. More than 30 countries, including Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, have shown interest or applied for membership, highlighting the growing global prominence of BRICS.

(C) Space Docking Experiment

The SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator aimed at demonstrating in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV. This technology is crucial for India’s space ambitions, such as Indian on the Moon, sample return from the Moon, and building Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). The primary objective is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of the spacecraft. Secondary objectives include demonstrating the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, which is essential for future applications like in-space robotics, composite spacecraft control, and payload operations after undocking. The mission consists of two spacecraft launched independently and simultaneously into a 470 km circular orbit at 55° inclination.

(B) Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government has launched the Police, Army Recruitment Training and Hunar (Parth) scheme to reduce unemployment in the state on January 8. Under the scheme, the state government is going to open Parth centers at 10 division-wise places in the state through the Sports and Youth Welfare Department. These centers will provide physical and mental training to the youth willing to join the Central Police Force, Central Paramilitary Force and Indian Army.

(D)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the list of films found eligible for Oscars 2025 on January 8. The 5 films from India are in the race of ‘Oscars 2025’ include Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life’, Surya’s ‘Kanguva’, Randeep Hooda’s ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar‘, Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ and Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha’s production ‘Girls Will Be Girls’.