1.PM conferred with Seoul Peace Prize

About the Seoul Peace Prize

1. The prize has been awarded to those who have made their mark through contributions to the harmony of mankind, reconciliation between nations and to world peace.
2. Established in 1990, the Seoul Peace Prize was an effort to crystallise the Korean people’s yearning for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of the world.
3. It was initially established to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul, Republic of Korea – an event in which 160 nations from across the world took part, creating harmony and friendship and a worldwide atmosphere of peace and reconciliation.
4. Previous winners of the award include former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and renowned international relief organizations like Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam.

2.UN Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) Award

Shri Manoj Jhalani, Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has been conferred with the prestigious UNIATF Award for his outstanding contribution towards prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related SDGs.

United Nations Interagency Task Force (UNIATF)

1. The UNIATF on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases was established by the UN Secretary-General in June 2013 and placed under the leadership of WHO.
2. It aims to support governments, in particular in low- and middle-income countries, to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease.
3. Following the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, UNIATF’s scope of work was expanded in 2016 to include “NCD related SDGs” – i.e. mental health, violence and injuries, nutrition, and environmental issues that impact on NCDs.
4. The World Health Organization acts as a Secretariat and lead for the Task Force.
5. The UNIATF coordinates the activities of relevant UN organizations and other inter-governmental organizations to support Governments to meet high-level commitments to respond to NCD epidemics worldwide.
6. The Task Force reports once a year to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

3.Nobel Prize in Medicine

• The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been jointly awarded to James P. Allison from the US and Tasuku Honjo from Japan.
• By stimulating the inherent ability of our immune system to attack tumor cells Nobel Laureates established an entirely new principle for cancer therapy.
• Tasuku Honjo discovered a protein on immune cells and revealed that it also operates as a break, but with a different mechanism of action.

4.Nobel Prize in Physics

• Three scientists Arthur Ashkin of the U.S., Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada won the Nobel Physics Prize.
• Mr. Ashkin, 96, was honored for his invention of “optical tweezers” that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers.
• In 1987 Mr. Ashkin used the tweezers to capture living bacteria without harming them.
• Mr. Mourou and Ms. Strickland won for helping develop a method to generate ultra-short optical pulses, “the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind”.
• Mrs. Strickland is the third women ever and the first woman in 55 years to receive the prestigious award.
• Their technique is now used in corrective eye surgery and in making surgical stents. Recently, attosecond lasers have even made it possible to observe individual electrons.

5.Nobel Prize in Chemistry

• Ms. Frances Arnold US, Mr. George Smith, both from the US and Mr. Gregory Winter of Britain were awarded the prize for pioneering science in enzymes and antibodies.
• For the first time, scientists harnessed the power of evolution to produce novel proteins used in everything from environmentally friendly detergents and biofuels to cancer drugs.
• Ms. Arnold is the fifth woman to win a chemistry Nobel. Her research on enzymes led to the development of better industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

6.Nobel Peace Prize

• Who is awarded?
  • “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” (Excerpt from the will of Alfred Nobel)
• The Nobel Peace Prize for 2018 has been awarded to Congolese gynecologist Dr. Denis Mukwege and Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.
• Dr. Denis Mukwege has helped in the treatment of women who were raped by rebels during the civil war in Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Ms. Murad is one of an estimated 3,000 Yazidi girls and women who were victims of rape and other abuses by the Islamic State.

7.Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

 

• William Nordhaus and Paul Romer, from the US, won the 2018 Nobel Economics Prize for work in integrating climate change and technological innovation into economic analysis,
• William D. Nordhaus was awarded for integrating climate change into the long-run macroeconomic analysis.
• William Nordhaus was the first person to create a quantitative model that described the interplay between the economy and the climate.
• Paul M. Romer integrated technological innovations into the long-run macroeconomic analysis.

 

Dear students,

Civilsdaily will be hosting a session with KAMYAA MISRA (AIR 172 ) and KUNAL AGGARWAL (AIR 211)  tomorrow in New Delhi.

We have 5 slots remaining that we want to open to our community.

These are available on first come first serve basis. Interested students are required to email us on hello@civilsdaily.com with their phone numbers and educational background.

Soon after they will be sent a confirmation email. Since this interaction is free, we see a tendency among students to back out at the last moment. Hence, we request only those students to apply who will be able to make it.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

1.Janani Suraksha Yojana(JSY)

Objectives

• It is being implemented with the objective of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
• It is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme it integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care. The success of the scheme would be determined by the increase in institutional delivery among the poor families
• The women who deliver in Government hospitals, health centres or even in accredited private hospitals are eligible for the cash assistance, if she is above 19 years .

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

2.Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram(JSSK)

Objectives

• To provide better health facilities for pregnant women and sick neonates and eliminating “out-of-pocket” expenses.-Under this scheme, pregnant women are entitled for free drugs and consumables, free diagnostics, free blood whenever required, and free diet up to 3 days for normal delivery and 7 days for C-section
• This initiative also provides for free transport from home to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back home
• Similar entitlements have been put in place for all sick new borns accessing public health institutions for treatment till 30 days after birth.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

3.MAA-Mother’s Absolute Affection

Objectives

• A nationwide programme launched in an attempt to bring undiluted focus on promotion of breastfeeding and provision of counselling services for supporting breastfeeding through health systems.1. The programme has been named ‘MAA’ to signify the support a lactating mother requires from family members and at health facilities to breastfeed successfully.
• The chief components of the MAA Programme are Community awareness generation, Strengthening interpersonal communication through ASHA, Skilled support for breastfeeding at delivery points in public health facilities, and monitoring and award/recognition.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

4.Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram(RBSK)

Salient Features

• Under this, support is being provided to States/UTs for Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Services through early detection and early management of common health conditions classified into 4 Ds i.e Defects at birth, Diseases, Deficiencies, Development delays including disability.
• Treatment including surgeries at tertiary level is free of cost under this initiative.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

5.Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram

Objectives

This initiative goes beyond addressing sexual and reproductive health and introduces focus on nutrition, sexual & reproductive health, injuries and violence (including gender based violence), non-communicable diseases, mental health and substance misuse.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

6.Ayushman Bharat Scheme

Objectives

• National Health Protection Scheme will be launched to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families.
• Under this, up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each family per year in secondary and tertiary care institutions.
• This scheme will have 50 crore beneficiaries. So far under the National Health Insurance Scheme, insurance cover of Rs 30,000 was available only. This is a big increase in this regard.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

7.RASHTRIYA AROGYA NIDHI (RAN)

Objectives

• Financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line and who are suffering from major life threatening diseases, to receive medical treatment at any of the super speciality Hospitals/Institutes or other Government hospitals.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

8.Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

Objectives

• The primary objective of PMSSY is to correct the region imbalances in availability of affordable/reliable tertiary level healthcare in the country in general, and, to augment facilities for quality medical education in under-served or backward States, in particular.
• The PMSSY project was to be implemented across the country by the centre for which two major components of implementation was decided.
• The first was to set up bigger medical institutions like that of AIIMS located in New Delhi. A total of six such AIIMS like medical units were brought up in the country spread across various regions.
• The second component of the PMSSY scheme was to improve and upgrade all the medical colleges and institutions.
• There were a total of 13 such medical colleges spread across the country which needed up gradation and introduction to improved medical facilities and technologies. The PMSSY scheme will be implemented in three work phases.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

9.Mission Madhumeha

Objectives

• Effective management of Diabetes through Ayurveda.
• It was Launched on National Ayurvedic Day .
• The Mission will be implemented throughout the country through a specially designed National Treatment Protocol. 3.The guidelines in the protocol will be sent to various state governments, which will further circulate them across various medical institutions.
• The Madhumeha Assessment Tool (MAT) based on Ayurvedic philosophy has also been developed for the self-assessment of the people with regards to possibilities of diabetes.
• The government is set to launch a mobile app which will suggest Ayurvedic medicines for diabetic patients.
• The app will be meant for use by both practitioners of Ayurveda as well patients.
• It will help in identifying the type of diabetes a patient is suffering from as well as recommend which Ayurvedic medicines can be administered to a patient.
• The app is based on a set of guidelines issued by AYUSH.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of AYUSH

10.Indradanush scheme.

Objectives-

• It aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine preventable diseases.
• The Mission Indradhanush, depicting seven colours of the rainbow, aims to cover all those children by 2020 who are either unvaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health

11.National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS)

Objectives

• NPCDCS has a focus on awareness generation for behaviour and life-style changes, screening and early diagnosis of persons with high level of risk factors and there treatment and referral (if required) to higher facilities for appropriate management for those Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) including diabetes and hypertension.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

12.Test and Treat Policy for HIV

Objectives

• As soon as a person is tested and found to be positive, he will be provided with Antiretroviral Therapy irrespective of his CD count or clinical stage.1. The ART will be for all men, women, adolescents and children who have been diagnosed as a HIV + case.
• This will improve longevity, improve quality of life of those infected and will save them from many opportunistic infections, especially TB.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

13.Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme

Objectives

• Strengthening and improving quality of basic TB services addressing TB HIV co-infection, other co-morbidities and MDR-TB
• Engaging with care providers both in the public and the private sector
• Targeted intervention in the vulnerable population and strengthening urban TB control along with active case finding activities
• Integrating newer molecular diagnostics for TB in the health system (CBNAAT) for early diagnosis of MDR TB
• Leveraging of Information Communication Technology for enhancing TB notification and strengthening of monitoring1. Under the RNTCP, Government is committed to end tuberculosis by 2025.
• The strategies adopted for this purpose include strengthening and improving quality of basic TB services, engaging with providers other than public, addressing TB HIV co-infection, other co-morbidities and programmatic management of drug resistant TB.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

14.National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP)To eliminate leprosy from the country.

Objectives

• With a view to eliminating leprosy from the country, a three-pronged strategy has been adopted for early detection of leprosy cases in the community during 2016-17:
• Leprosy Case Detection Campaign for high endemic districts.
• Focused Leprosy Campaign for hot spots.
• Specific plan for Case Detection in Hard to reach areas.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

15.National Framework for Malaria Elimination

Objectives

The aims of the National Framework for Malaria Elimination in India 2016-2030 are:

• To Eliminate malaria (zero indigenous cases) throughout the entire country by 2030; and
• Maintain malaria-free status in areas where malaria transmission has been interrupted and prevent re-introduction of malaria.1. Eliminate malaria from all 26 States including 15 low (Category 1) and 11 moderate (Category 2) transmission States/Union Territories (UTs) by 2022;
• Reduce the incidence of malaria to less than 1 case per 1000 population per year in all States and UTs and their districts by 2024;
• Interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria throughout the entire country, including all 10 high transmission States and Union Territories (Category 3) by 2027; and
• Prevent the re-establishment of local transmission of malaria in areas where it has been eliminated and maintain national malaria-free status by 2030 and beyond.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

16.Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (ELF) Programme

Objectives

• National Health Policy (2002) has laid down the goal for elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis by 2015, which has now been revised to 2017, though global goal is 2020

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

17.LAQSHYA

Objectives

• Scheme aimed at improving quality of care in labour room and maternity operation theatre. The programme aims at implementing ‘fast-track’ interventions for achieving tangible results within 18 months.
• Under the initiative, a multipronged strategy has been adopted, including improving infrastructure upgradation, ensuring availability of essential equipment, providing adequate human resources, capacity building of healthcare workers and improving quality processes in the labour room.
• A healthcare facility achieving 70% score on NQAS will be declared ‘LaQshya’ certified. Facilities scoring over 90, 80 and 70% will get platinum, gold and silver badges respectively.
• Facilities achieving NQAS certification and having 80% satisfied beneficiaries will be given monetary incentive with medical college hospitals getting Rs 6 lakh and Rs 3 lakh for district hospitals.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

18.Suvidha

Objectives

The government has launched biodegradable sanitary napkins, priced at ₹2.50 per pad. The name is Suvidha.

Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers

19.SATH Programme

Objectives

• NITI Aayog has launched SATH, a program providing ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital’ with the State Governments.The vision of the program is to initiate transformation in the education and health sectors.
• The program addresses the need expressed by many states for technical support from NITI aayog.
• SATH aims to identify and build three future ‘role model’ states for health systems.
• NITI Aayog will work in close collaboration with their state machinery to design a robust roadmap of intervention, develop a program governance structure, set up monitoring and tracking mechanisms, handhold state institutions through the execution stage and provide support on a range of institutional measures to achieve the end objectives.
• The program will be implemented by NITI along with McKinsey & Company and IPE Global consortium, who were selected through a competitive bidding process.
• Niti aayog

20.National Health mission.

Objectives

• The broad objectives of this mission are as follows:
• Reduce MMR to 1/1000 live births
• Reduce IMR to 25/1000 live births
• Reduce TFR (Total Fertility Rate ) to 2.1
• Prevention and reduction of anaemia in women aged 15–49 years
• Prevent and reduce mortality & morbidity from communicable, non-communicable; injuries and emerging diseases
• Reduce household out-of-pocket expenditure on total health care expenditure
• Reduce annual incidence and mortality from Tuberculosis by half
• Reduce prevalence of Leprosy to <1/10000 population and incidence to zero in all districts
• Annual Malaria Incidence to be <1/1000
• Less than 1 per cent microfilaria prevalence in all districts
• Kala-azar Elimination by 2015, <1 case per 10000 population in all blocks.

The National Health Mission (NHM) has two Sub-Missions :

National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) covering urban areas

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) covering rural areas

Government Bodies related to environment conservation in India

Central Pollution Control Board

Established: It was established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

Objective: To provide technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Key Functions:

• Advise the Central Government on any matter concerning prevention and control of water and air pollution and improvement of the quality of air.
• Plan and cause to be executed a nation-wide programm for the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution
• Co-ordinate the activities of the State Board and resolve disputes among them
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to the State Boards, carry out and sponsor investigation and research relating to problems of water and air pollution, and for their prevention, control or abatement
• Plan and organise training of persons engaged in programme on the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution
• Organise through mass media, a comprehensive mass awareness programme on the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution
• Collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data relating to water and air pollution and the measures devised for their effective prevention, control or abatement;
• Prepare manuals, codes and guidelines relating to treatment and disposal of sewage and trade effluents as well as for stack gas cleaning devices, stacks and ducts;
• Disseminate information in respect of matters relating to water and air pollution and their prevention and control
• Lay down, modify or annul, in consultation with the State Governments concerned, the standards for stream or well, and lay down standards for the quality of air.
• Perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the Government of India.

 

National Biodiversity Authority

Established When: It is a statutory autonomous body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India established in 2003, after India signed Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992

Headquarter: Chennai

Objective of the body: Implementation of Biological Diversity Act, 2002

Key Functions:

It acts as a facilitating, regulating and advisory body to the Government of India “on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.”

Additionally, it advises State Governments in identifying the areas of biodiversity importance (biodiversity hotspots) as heritage sites.

 

National Tiger conservation authority

Established: It was established in December 2005 following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganised management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Reserves in India.

Headquarter: Delhi

Objective:

• Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives become legal.
• Fostering accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
• Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
• Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.

Key Functions:

• to approve the tiger conservation plan prepared by the State Government under sub-section (3) of section 38V of this Act
• evaluate and assess various aspects of sustainable ecology and disallow any ecologically unsustainable land use such as, mining, industry and other projects within the tiger reserves;
• provide for management focus and measures for addressing conflicts of  men and wild animal and to emphasize on co-existence in forest areas outside the National Parks, sanctuaries or tiger reserve, in the working plan code
• provide information on protection measures including future conservation plan, estimation of population of tiger and its natural prey species, status of habitats, disease surveillance, mortality survey, patrolling, reports on untoward happenings and such other management aspects as it may deem fit including future plan conservation
• ensure critical support including scientific, information technology and legal support for better implementation of the tiger conservation plan
• facilitate ongoing capacity building programme for skill development of officers and staff of tiger reserves.

 

Animal Welfare Board of India

Established When: It was established in 1962 under Section 4 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960.

Headquarter: Ballabhgarh, Haryana

Objective: To advise Government on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country.

Key Functions:

• Recognition of Animal Welfare Organisations: The Board oversees Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs) by granting recognition to them if they meet its guidelines. The organisation must submit paperwork; agree to nominate a representative of the Animal Welfare Board of India on its Executive Committee; and to submit to regular inspections. After meeting the requirements and an inspection, the organisation is considered for grant of recognition.
• The AWBI also appoints key people to the positions of (Hon) Animal Welfare Officers, who serve as the key point of contact between the people, the government and law enforcement agencies.
• Financial assistance: The Board provides financial assistance to recognised Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs), who submit applications to the Board. Categories of grants include Regular Grant, Cattle Rescue Grant, Provision of Shelter House for looking after the Animals, Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programme, Provision of Ambulance for the animals in distress and Natural Calamity grant.
• Animal welfare Laws and Rules: The Board suggests changes to laws and rules about animal welfare issues. In 2011, a new draft Animal Welfare Act was published for comment. Guidance is also offered to organisations and officials such as police to help them interpret and apply the laws.
• Raising awareness: The Board issues publications to raise awareness of various animal welfare issues. The Board’s Education Team gives talks on animal welfare subjects, and trains members of the community to be Board Certified Animal Welfare Educators.

 

Forest Survey of India

Established When:  It is a government organization in India under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for conducting forest surveys and studies. The organization came into being in, 1981.

Headquarter: Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Objective

The objective of the organization is monitoring periodically the changing situation of land and forest resources and present the data for national planning; conservation and management of environmental preservation and implementation of social forestry projects.

Key Functions

• The Functions of Forest Survey of India are:
• To prepare State of Forest Report biennially, providing assessment of latest forest cover in the country and monitoring changes in these.
• To conduct inventory in forest and non-forest areas and develop database on forest tree resources.
• To prepare thematic maps on 1:50,000 scale, using aerial photographs.
• To function as a nodal agency for collection, compilation, storage and dissemination of spatial database on forest resources.
• To conduct training of forestry personnel in application of technologies related to resources survey, remote sensing, GIS, etc.
• To strengthen research & development infrastructure in FSI and to conduct research on applied forest survey techniques.
• To support State/UT Forest Departments (SFD) in forest resources survey, mapping and inventory.
• To undertake forestry related special studies/consultancies and custom made training courses for SFD’s and other organizations on project basis.

Forest Survey of India assesses forest cover of the country every 2 years by digital interpretation of remote sensing satellite data and publishes the results in a biennial report called ‘State of Forest Report'(SFR).

Central Zoo Authority of India

Established: It was established in 1992 and constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.

Headquarter: Delhi

Objective 

The main objective of the authority is to complement the national effort in conservation of wildlife.

Standards and norms for housing, upkeep, health care and overall management of animals in zoos have been laid down under the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992.

Key Functions

• Since its inception in 1992, the Authority has evaluated 513 zoos, out of which 167 have been recognized and 346 refused recognition.
• The Authority’s role is more of a facilitator than a regulator.  It, therefore, provides technical and financial assistance to such zoos which have the potential to attain the desired standard in animal management. Only such captive facilities which have neither the managerial skills nor the requisite resources are asked to close down.
• Apart from the primary function of grant of recognition and release of financial assistance, the Central Zoo Authority also regulates the exchange of animals of endangered category listed under Schedule-I and II of the Wildlife (Protection Act) among zoos.
• Exchange of animals between Indian and foreign zoos is also approved by the Authority before the requisite clearances under EXIM Policy and the CITES permits are issued by the competent authority.
• The Authority also coordinates and implements programmes on capacity building of zoo personnel, planned conservation breeding programmes and ex-situ research including biotechnological intervention for conservation of species for complementing in-situ conservation efforts in the country.