Daily Current Affairs : 9-January-2025
The e-Shram portal is a vital digital platform aimed at providing social security and welfare benefits to the unorganized workforce in India. Recently, this portal has undergone an important upgrade, which makes it accessible in multiple languages. This improvement is a result of the integration of the Bhashini initiative, enhancing its reach to workers across the country.
What is the e-Shram Portal?
The e-Shram portal is a digital platform launched by the Government of India to register unorganized workers and provide them with various welfare schemes. These workers often face challenges in accessing government benefits due to a lack of awareness and language barriers. The upgraded portal now offers multilingual support in all 22 scheduled languages of India, making it easier for workers from different regions to access social security benefits.
The Bhashini Initiative: An Overview
Launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Bhashini initiative plays a crucial role in breaking down language barriers in India. By offering AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools, Bhashini enables the translation and delivery of digital services in Indian languages. This initiative supports the accessibility of services like the e-Shram portal by ensuring they can be used by individuals who speak different regional languages.
Key Features of the Bhashini Initiative:
- Multilingual Communication: Supports seamless translation to promote communication in various languages.
- AI and NLP Tools: Provides resources for developing AI-based translation tools for Indian languages.
- Open Resources: Shares tools and models with Indian MSMEs, startups, and innovators.
- Crowdsourcing Platform: “Bhashadaan” allows the public to contribute to the development of linguistic datasets through platforms like Suno India, Likho India, Bolo India, and Dekho India.
- Easy Accessibility: Available online and through dedicated mobile applications for ease of use.
Impact on Unorganized Workers
By integrating the Bhashini initiative, the e-Shram portal has become more inclusive. The multilingual functionality ensures that workers from diverse linguistic backgrounds can easily navigate the portal and access welfare schemes without facing language-related difficulties. This development will likely increase the portal’s adoption and help more unorganized workers benefit from government schemes, which could improve their living standards.
Important Points:
- The e-Shram portal provides social security and welfare benefits to unorganized workers in India.
- The portal has been upgraded to offer multilingual functionality in all 22 scheduled languages of India, making it more accessible.
- The upgrade is made possible through the Bhashini initiative, which supports language inclusivity on digital platforms.
- Bhashini initiative was launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
- Key features of Bhashini initiative:
- AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools for Indian languages.
- Local language translation for seamless communication.
- Open resources for Indian MSMEs, startups, and innovators.
- Crowdsourcing platform (“Bhashadaan”) for contributing linguistic data via Suno India, Likho India, Bolo India, and Dekho India.
- Accessible online and through mobile apps.
- The Bhashini initiative aims to eliminate language barriers and improve access to digital services for all, especially unorganized workers.
- The upgrade enhances the inclusivity of the e-Shram portal, allowing workers from diverse linguistic backgrounds to easily navigate and access government benefits.
- The initiative is expected to increase adoption of the e-Shram portal and improve the living standards of unorganized workers.
Why In News
The e-Shram portal, designed to provide social security and welfare benefits to unorganized workers, has now been upgraded with multilingual functionality across all 22 scheduled languages, leveraging the Bhashini initiative, making it more accessible to a diverse range of workers from different linguistic backgrounds and ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing crucial government services.
MCQs about The e-Shram Portal and the Bhashini Initiative
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What is the main objective of the e-Shram portal?
A. To register small businesses
B. To provide social security and welfare benefits to unorganized workers
C. To offer educational resources
D. To track the income of workers
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When was the Bhashini initiative launched?
A. 2020
B. 2021
C. 2022
D. 2023
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What technology does the Bhashini initiative use to improve language access?
A. Cloud computing
B. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP)
C. Blockchain technology
D. Virtual reality
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What is the purpose of the “Bhashadaan” platform in the Bhashini initiative?
A. To provide government grants
B. To allow users to contribute to linguistic datasets
C. To track language learning progress
D. To connect workers with job opportunities
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How many languages are supported by the upgraded e-Shram portal?
A. 10
B. 15
C. 22
D. 30
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