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Subject: Governance

Important aspects of Society

  • Verdict on Maratha reservation ignores inequality within intermediate castes

    The article highlights the issues with Maratha reservation judgement delivered by the Supreme Court which rejected the positive discrimination of lower classes of dominant caste.

    About the verdict

    • The Supreme Court rendered a unanimous verdict on the validity of the SEBC Act, 2018 that was to grant reservation to Marathas.
    • The court held that the classification of Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class was unreasonable.
    • Court held that Maratha belonged to a politically dominant caste with significant economic resources.

    Justification for 50% limit

    • The court also concluded that the majority opinion in the Indra Sawhney case was correct and that the limit of 50 per cent for caste-based reservation did not need consideration by a larger bench.
    • The court justified the fixed quantitative limit on caste-based reservation by postulating that it was intrinsic to the fundamental principle of equality.
    • The court highlighted the need to safeguard the interests of unreserved sections and said that all sections have progressed after 70 years of independence.
    • Based on this, the court rejected the state’s argument that the breach of the limit was necessitated by the fact that the population of backward classes was over 80 per cent.

    Missed opportunity to acknowledge growing socio-economic differentiation within the dominant castes

    Growing income difference

    • If in 2011-12, the average per capita income of the Marathas was second only to the Brahmins at Rs 36,548, against Rs 47,427.
    • Their highest quintile -20 per cent of the caste group- got 48 per cent of the total income of the Marathas with a mean per capita income of Rs 86,750.
    • The lowest quintile earned 10 times less (Rs 7,198) and the 40 per cent poorest got less than 13 per cent of the total income of the caste — and were lagging behind the Scheduled Castes elite.
    • In fact, the mean incomes of the highest Dalit quintile, Rs 63,030, and that of the second-highest, Rs 28,897, were above those of the three lowest quintiles of the Marathas.

    What explains growing income difference

    • This is partly due to changes on the education front. 
    • The percentage of graduates among Dalits in 2004-05 was 1.9 per cent and has more than doubled to 5.1 per cent in 2011-12.
    • The corresponding figure for the OBCs was 3.5 per cent and has doubled to 7.6 per cent, while for the Marathas it was 4.6 per cent in 2004-05 and has come up to 8 per cent in 2011-12.
    • Correlatively, the percentage of salaried people among the Dalits was about 28 per cent in Maharashtra in 2011-12, as against 30 per cent among the Marathas.

    Issues with the Maratha quota judgment

    •  The Court refused to recognise the need for positive discrimination of the lower classes of the dominant castes which continue to be seen as a dominant bloc.
    • It fails to admit the complexity that the role of class has introduced in post-liberalisation India.
    • This is unequivocal confirmation of a dated approach to social realities and a purely arithmetic limit that finds no expression in the Constitution.
    • The judgement also raises the issue of judicial supremacy in the broad area of social policy as it could lead to undesirable exclusion of beneficiaries.
    • The court seems to have forgotten its own observation in NM Thomas case that functional democracy postulates participation of all sections of the people and fair representation in administration is an index of such participation.

    Conclusion

    The Supreme Court has rejected the determination of Marathas as backward by holding that their relative deprivation and under-representation with regard to other sections of the general category did not entitle them to affirmative action.

  • [pib] SAGE (Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine) Initiative

    The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the SAGE (Seniorcare Aging Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal for elderly persons.

    SAGE Initiative

    • The SAGE will be a “one-stop access” of elderly care products and services by credible start-ups.
    • The start-ups will be selected on the basis of innovative products and services.
    • Their products should be able to provide across sectors such as health, housing, care centers, apart from technological access linked to finances, food and wealth management, and legal guidance.
    • The start-ups who have applied will be selected by an independent screening committee of experts.
    • A fund of upto Rs.1 crore as one-time equity will be granted to each selected start-up.

    Why need such initiative?

    • India’s elderly population is on the rise as per surveys.
    • The share of elders, as a percentage of the total population in the country, is expected to increase from around 7.5% in 2001 to almost 12.5% by 2026, and surpass 19.5% by 2050.
    • There is an urgent need to create a more robust eldercare ecosystem in India, especially in the post-COVID phase.

  • Caste-wise split in MGNREGA wage payments

    The Centre has asked the States to split wage payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme into separate categories for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and others from this financial year.

    What is MGNREGA?

    • The MGNREGA stands for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005.
    • This is a labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘Right to Work’.
    • The act was first proposed in 1991 by P.V. Narasimha Rao.

    The objectives of the MGNREGA are:

    • To enhance the livelihood security of the rural poor by generating wage employment opportunities.
    • To create a rural asset base that would enhance productive ways of employment, augment and sustain a rural household income.

    What is so unique about it?

    • MGNREGA is unique in not only ensuring at least 100 days of employment to the willing unskilled workers, but also in ensuring an enforceable commitment on the implementing machinery i.e., the State Governments, and providing a bargaining power to the labourers.
    • The failure of provision for employment within 15 days of the receipt of job application from a prospective household will result in the payment of unemployment allowance to the job seekers.
    • Any Indian citizen above the age of 18 years who resides in rural India can apply for the NREGA scheme. The applicant should have volunteered to do unskilled work.
    • Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant’s residence, and minimum wages are to be paid.
    • Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.Among the following who are eligible to benefit from the “Mahatma Gandhi national rural employment guarantee act”?

    (a) Adult members of only the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households.

    (b) Adult members of below poverty line (BPL) households.

    (c) Adult members of households of all backward communities.

    (d) Adult members of any household.

    What is the move?

    • States were asked to verify if job cards for SC and ST beneficiaries were being properly allocated at the field level.
    • They were told they would be given fund allocations according to this criterion, indicating that labour budgets would also be segregated on a caste basis.
    • It was aimed at timely wage payments.

    Reasons behind

    • There is some inbuilt positive discrimination in the scheme, reflected in the fact that more than 50% of workers are women and almost 40% are SC/ST.
    • However, it felt that the proposed reform would not help SC/ST workers, but would expose all workers to further uncertainties as the system struggles with changes.

    Issues with the announcement

    • Workers’ advocates feared this move would cause unnecessary delays and complications in the payment system, and worried that it could lead to a reduction in scheme funding.
    • The rationale was very simple. It is not as if the payments made to SC and ST are not reported on the NREGA website, but overall, in terms of the budgetary outlay.
    • When people take an assessment merely on the Budget head under which the programme is budgeted, then they miss out on this intricate nuance.
    • So the Finance Ministry advised that both the Centre and States should make Budget provisions under SC and ST components as well.

  • Model Tenancy Act 2019

    The Union Cabinet has approved the Model Tenancy Act (MTA) to be sent to the States and Union Territories to enact legislation or amend laws on rental properties.

    Model Tenancy Act

    • MTA is aimed at opening up of the vacant housing stock for rental housing purposes and helping bridge the trust deficit that exists between tenants and landlords by clearly delineating their obligations.
    • The housing and urban affairs ministry had floated the draft model tenancy law in July 2019.

    Major provisions of MTA

    (1) Rent Court and Rent Tribunal:

    • To ensure speedy redressal of disputes, the Act calls for establishing a separate Rent Court and Rent Tribunal in every state/UTs to hear appeals for matters connected to rental housing.
    • Only the rent court and no civil court will have the jurisdiction to hear and decide the applications relating to disputes between landowner and tenant and matters connected with it.
    • It calls for the disposal of complaints and appeals by the Rent Court and Rent Tribunals within 60 days.

    (2) Tenancy Agreements:

    • It also seeks to establish an independent authority in every state and Union Territory for the registration of tenancy agreements.
    • Under the Act, unless otherwise agreed in the tenancy agreement, the landlord will be responsible for activities like structural repairs except those necessitated by damage caused by the tenant etc.
    • On his part, a tenant will be responsible for drain cleaning, switches and socket repairs, kitchen fixtures repairs, replacement of glass panels in windows, doors and maintenance of gardens and open spaces, among others.

    For residential and commercial properties

    • The Act will apply to premises let out for residential, commercial or educational use, but not for industrial use. It also won’t cover hotels, lodging houses, inns, etc.
    • This model law will be applied prospectively and will not affect existing tenancies.
    • It seeks to cover both urban as well as rural areas.
    • The Act says that a security deposit equal to a maximum of two month’s rent in the case of residential premises and a maximum of six month’s rent in the case of non-residential premises would have to be paid by the tenants.

    How will states implement it?

    • As per the MoU signed under PMAY-U, the states and union territories would legislate or amend the existing rental laws on the lines of the MTA.

    Why was a need felt to bring this on?

    (1) For a rental economy

    • Without a well-rounded rental policy and the proper implementation of the rental contracts, there was no sound mechanism to resolve tenant-landlord conflicts.
    • Property owners find it challenging to evict tenants if they misuse the property.
    • To steer clear of such complications, such property owners often chose to keep these homes vacant instead of renting them out.

    (2) Unattractive rental yield

    • In India, the rental yield for residential property is quite low, even in bigger cities. It is in the range of 1.5% to 3% of the capital values.
    • This has disincentivized people from investing in second or third homes which could be rented out.
    • Often, they also prefer to leave their properties vacant in case they return to India.
    • NRIs avoid leasing their residential properties for fear of squatters and dealing with the legalities of eviction.

    How will MTA help?

    (1) Unlocking homes

    • It will unlock vacant houses for rental purposes
    • It will enable the creation of adequate rental housing stock for all the income groups thereby addressing the issue of homelessness.

    (2) Helping migrants

    • Rental housing is a preferred option for students and migrants.
    • It will balance the rights of both landlords and tenants.

    (3) Effective negotiations

    • There is no monetary ceiling under MTA, which enables parties to negotiate and execute the agreement on mutually agreed terms.
    • It will give confidence to landlords to let out their vacant premises, the housing ministry said.
    • The Act also tries to address how a renter can legitimately increase the rent.

    (4) Control over encroachments

    • It has proposed limiting the advance security deposits to two months’ rent and has also suggested heavy penalties for tenants who decide to overstay.
    • Those who do may have to shell out double the rent for two months and even four months.

    (5) Rights of tenants

    • The landowner cannot cut power and water supplies in case of a dispute and would have to provide a 24-hour notice to tenants to carry out repair work.
    • Should the landlords wish to increase the rent, they will need to provide a three-months notice to the tenants.
    • These measures would go a long way in protecting the rights of a tenant as it regulates the rent hikes that tenants have had to face.

    Challenges ahead

    While the proposals of the Act have been widely welcomed, their implementation may not be very simple.

    (1) Not Binding nature

    • The Act is not binding on the states as land and urban development remain state subjects.
    • Like in the case of RERA, the fear is that states may choose not to follow guidelines, diluting the essence of the Model Act.

    (2) Issues over paltry rents

    • Also, the Model Act is prospectively applicable and will not affect the existing tenancies.
    • The repeal of rent control Acts can be governed by political exigencies.
    • This may be a complicated process in cities like Mumbai, where tenants have occupied residential properties in prime areas for absurdly low rents.

  • Child labour in India

    The article highlights the risk posed by pandemic to the gains made by India on reducing the child labour in India.

    Child labour in India

    • A Government of India survey (NSS Report No. 585, 2017-18) suggests that only 79.6%. of the children in the age group of 14-17 years are attending educational institutions (formal and informal).
    • The Census of India 2011 reports 10.1 million working children in the age group of 5-14 years.
    • Out of whom 8.1 million are in rural areas mainly engaged as cultivators (26%) and agricultural labourers (32.9%).
    • UNESCO estimates based on the 2011 Census record 38.1 million children as “out of school” i.e.18.3% of total children in the age group of 6-13 years.
    • A Rapid Survey on Children (2013-14), jointly undertaken by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and UNICEF, found that less than half of children in the age group of 10-14 years have completed primary education.

    How policies and initiatives helped reduce child labour in India (2001-11)

    • Child labour in India decreased in the decade 2001 to 2011.
    • Policy interventions such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005, the Right to Education Act 2009 and the Mid Day Meal Scheme have paved the way for children to be in schools along with guaranteed wage employment (unskilled) for rural families.
    • Efforts towards convergence of government schemes is also the focus of the implementation of the National Child Labour Project.
    • Ratifying International Labour Organization Conventions Nos. 138 and 182 in 2017, the Indian government further demonstrated its commitment to the elimination of child labour.
    • The Ministry of Labour and Employment-operated online portal allows to share information and coordinate on child labour cases at the national, State and local levels for effective enforcement of child labour laws.

    Challenges ahead

    • The economic contraction and lockdowns have worsened the situation, posing a real risk of backtracking the gains made in eliminating child labour.
    • With increased economic insecurity, lack of social protection and reduced household income, children from poor households are being pushed to contribute to the family income.
    • With closure of schools and challenges of distance learning, children may drop out leaving little scope for return unless affirmative and immediate actions are taken.
    • As many schools and educational institutions are moving to online platforms for continuation of learning, the ‘digital divide’ is a challenge that India has to reconcile within the next several years.
    • The NSS Report titled ‘Household Social Consumption on Education in India’ suggests that in 2017-18, only 24% of Indian households had access to an Internet facility.
    • The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2020 survey highlights that a third of the total enrolled children received some kind of learning materials from their teachers during the reference period (October 2020) as digital mode of education was opted for.

    Way forward

    •  It is through strategic partnerships and collaborations involving government, employers, trade unions, community-based organisations and child labour families that we could make a difference building back better and sooner.
    • We need a strong alliance paving our way towards ending child labour in all its forms by 2025 to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8.7.

    Consider the question “What are the policy measures and programmatic intervention implemented to reduce the child labour in India. How Covid-19 threatens the gains made on reducing the child labour?”

    Conclusion

    To deal with the child labour challenge, we need the right level of commitment among all the relevant stakeholders and the right mix of policy and programmatic interventions are present.

  • WB Bureaucrat Transfer Issue

    West Bengal CM has announced that the outgoing Chief Secretary would be appointed Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister.

    Story so far

    • A senior IAS officer has been the subject of a tussle between the Centre and the state government over the last few days.
    • He was due to begin an extension of three months after retiring as Chief Secretary, but the Centre instead asked him to report and join the Government of India.
    • He did not do so.

    How officers get an extension?

    • Rule 16(1) of DCRB (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules says that “a member of the Service may be given an extension of service for a period not exceeding three months in the public interest, with the prior approval of the Central Government”.
    • For an officer posted as Chief Secretary of a state, this extension can be for six months.

    Central Deputation

    • In normal practice, the Centre asks every year for an “offer list” of officers of the All India Services willing to go on central deputation.
    • Rule 6(1) of the IAS Cadre Rules says an officer may with the concurrence of the State Governments concerned and the Central Government, be deputed for service under the Central Government or another State Government…”
    • It says “in case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the Central Government and the State Government or State Governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the Central Government.”

    Issues with such deputation

    • Because of the Rule, states have to bear the brunt of arbitrary actions taken by the Centre, while the Rule makes it difficult for the Centre to enforce its will on a state that refuses to back down.

    What next

    • The Centre cannot take action against civil service officials who are posted under the state government unless the latter agrees.
    • Rule 7 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, states that the authority to institute proceedings and to impose penalty will be the state government.
    • For any action to be taken against an officer of the All India Services, the state and the Centre both need to agree.

  • [pib] Research Design & Standards Organization

    RDSO (Research Design & Standards Organization) of Indian Railways has become the FIRST Institution to be declared SDO under the “One Nation One Standard ” mission of BIS ( Bureau of Indian Standards).

    About RDSO

    • Research Designs & Standards Organization (RDSO), Lucknow, \ is the sole R&D Wing of the Ministry of Railways.
    • It is one of India’s leading Standard formulating Body undertaking standardization work for the railway sector.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    1. The Standard Mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes.
    2. AGMARK is a quality Certification Mark issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    What is One Nation One Standard mission?

    • The purpose of setting standards and enforcing them is not to bring back “inspection raj” but to ensure that quality products are made available to consumers.
    • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the only national body that frames standards, has come out with more than 20,000 standards for various products and services so far.
    • Besides this, there are about 50-odd agencies that have framed about 400 standards in the country.
    • There are multiple standards in the country for a single product/service. The new mission is to converge such standards with the BIS.

    Objectives of the mission:

    • No one should feel the need to go abroad to get a quality certification.
    • Lab testing in India should be of world standards. Modern equipment and the latest technologies would be used there.

    Why such a move?

    • Having uniform national standards will help in making it mandatory for more products.
    • The government proposes to set Indian standards in line with the global benchmarks, just like other countries enforce their standards on imported products.
    • The Centre, through this move, wants foreign goods coming into India to comply with Indian standards.

    Back2Basics: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

    • BIS is the National Standards Body of India working under the aegis of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
    • It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986.
    • The organization was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), set up under the Resolution of the Department of Industries and Supplies in September 1946.
    • The ISI was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
    • A new Bureau of Indian standard (BIS) Act 2016 has been brought into force with effect from 12 October 2017.
    • The Act establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.

  • Different types of fungus due to Covid

    Context

    As India is still reeling under the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, Black, White and Yellow Fungus infections have brought along unending woes, pressuring the already stressed healthcare system. These fungal infections have been attributed to COVID-19 and led to prolonged morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients

    Black Fungus

    What is black fungus (Mucormycosis)?

    • Mucormycosis, previously known as zygomycosis and sometimes called black fungus, is a serious fungal infection, generally in people with less ability to fight infection.
    • Mucormycosis is a rare but serious infection that is caused by a group of moulds called mucormycetes.
    • It mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.
    • It reduces the ability to fight environmental pathogens.
    • It can also happen on the skin after a burn, cut or other type of skin wound through which the fungus enters the skin. It can also affect the brain
    • People having co-morbities, variconazole therapy, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids or prolonged ICU stay can get predisposed to the fungal infection.

    Types of Mucormycosis

    • Sinuses and brain (rhinocerebral): Most common in people with poorly controlled diabetes and in people who have had a kidney transplant.
    • Lungs (pulmonary): The most common type of mucormycosis in people with cancer and in people who have had an organ transplant or a stem cell transplant.
    • Stomach and intestine (gastrointestinal): More common among young premature and low birth weight infants, who have had antibiotics, surgery, or medications that lower the body’s ability to fight infection.
    • Skin (cutaneous): After a burn, or other skin injury, in people with leukaemia, poorly controlled diabetes, Graft-versus-host disease, HIV and intravenous drug use.
    • Widespread (disseminated): When the infection spreads to other organs via the blood.

    Symptoms of Mucormycosis

    The symptoms of Black Fungus infection are:

    For Brain Mucormycosis

    1- One-sided facial swelling
    2- Headache
    3- Nasal or sinus congestion
    4- Black lesions on nasal bridge or upper inside of the mouth
    5- Fever

    For Pulmonary Mucormycosis

    1- Fever
    2- Cough
    3- Chest pain
    4- Shortness of breath

    For Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis

    1- Abdominal pain
    2- Nausea and vomiting
    3- Gastrointestinal bleeding

    Who are at risk of getting infected with Black Fungus?

    1- Diabetes
    2- Cancer
    3- Organ transplant
    4- Stem cell transplant
    5- Neutropenia 
    6- Long-term corticosteroid use
    7- Hemochromatosis (excess of iron)
    8- Skin injury due to surgery, burns, or wounds
    9- Pre-maturity 
    10- Low birth weight 

    Where are these fungi found?

    • Mucormycosis is caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. It is naturally found in air, water and even food.
    • It enters the body through fungal spores from the air or can also occur on skin after a cut, burn, or skin injury.

    Mucormycosis affecting COVID-19 patients

    • Patients who have high levels of diabetes are at a higher risk of contracting covid-19. When this occurs, they are treated with steroids which compromises their immunity.
    • According to doctors, steroids can prove to be a trigger for mucormycosis. While steroids help in reducing inflammation in lungs they can decrease immunity and increase blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic covid-19 patients alike.
    • Medicines used in treating Covid-19 tend to bring down the count of lymphocytes.
    • Lymphocytes are one of the three types of white blood cells whose job is to defend our body against disease-causing pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
    • The reduced count of lymphocytes leads to a medical condition called lymphopenia, making way for opportunistic fungal infection in Covid-19 patients.

    Treatment

    • While it is treated with antifungals, mucormycosis may eventually require surgery.
    • To maintain adequate systemic hydration, the treatment includes infusion of normal saline (IV) before infusion of amphotericin B and antifungal therapy, for at least 4-6 weeks.

    Life after surgery for mucormycosis

    • Mucormycosis can lead to loss of the upper jaw and sometimes even the eye.
    • Be it the eye or upper jaw, these can be replaced with appropriate artificial substitutes or prostheses.

    Yellow Fungus

    • Yellow Fungus, dangerous than white or black fungus, is another fungal infection that has been attributed to COVID-19. Health experts say it is a fatal infection.
    • Yellow Fungus is commonly found in reptiles.
    • Yellow fungus initially develops by the presence of moulds (a type of fungi) in the environment. It may be present with unnecessary fatigue, rashes, burning sensation on skin etc.
    • It may not start from the lungs but it invades internal organs of the body and affects the entire functioning.

    Potential causes of yellow fungus

    • Prolonged use of steroid.
    • Contaminated environment.
    • Uncontrolled diabetes.
    • Unhygienic or dirty surroundings.
    • Unhygienic habits.
    • Lesser immunity.
    • Co-morbidities.

    Symptoms of Yellow Fungus

    • Weight loss
    • Reduced appetite
    • Lethargy
    • Pus leakage
    • Sunken eyes
    • Organ failure

    Treatment

    • Like mucormycosis, the treatment for yellow fungus is Amphoteracin-B injection

    Prevention

    • Keep your room, home and surroundings as clean as possible
    • Remove stale food and fecal matter immediately to check bacterial and fungal growth.
    • Keep the humidity of the room and home under check as excessive humidity promotes bacteria growth. Just like for Covid patients maintaining clean air flow inside the room and homes is necessary.
    • Coronavirus positive patients must immediately start treatment so complications like yellow fungus do not develop.

    White Fungus

    • White Fungus or Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by a yeast (a type of fungus) called Candida.
    • Candida normally lives on the skin and inside the body, in places such as the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina, without causing any problems.
    • Candida can cause infections if it grows out of control or if it enters deep into the body (for example, the bloodstream or internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain).
    • The most common species that causes infection is Candida albicans.
    • Patients of white fungus show Covid-like symptoms but test negative; the infection can be diagnosed through CT-Scan or X-ray.

    Cause

    • This infection can be caused due to low immunity, or if people come in contact with things that contain these moulds like water, etc.
    • Children and women are more at risk of contracting the fungal infection.
    • Like the black fungus, white fungus is also more likely to afflict people with compromised immune systems, pre-existing medical conditions, AIDS, a recent kidney transplant or diabetes.

    Symptoms

    • People experience symptoms similar to Covid if it reaches the lungs such as chest infection, despite testing negative for the virus.
    • White fungus affects the lungs as well as other parts of the body including the nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts and mouth.

    Diagnosis/Treatment

    • CT scans or X-Rays can reveal the condition.
    • Patients with the white fungus are currently being treated with known anti-fungal medication.

    Prevention

    • Special caution is required of moulds in water that can lead to infection.
    • Proper sanitation is very important.

    Way Forward

    • Use of Steroids must be curbed down in the treatment of Covid to prevent low immunity in patients.
    • The fungus must be dealt as a pandemic and not just a regular post Covid complication.
    • All necessary medicines needed for the treatment of above mentioned Fungus must be made available in the hospital.
    • Government should run awareness campaigns about these funguses as a preventive measure.

  • Mid Day Meal Scheme

    The Centre has decided to give about ₹100 each to children studying in Class 1 to Class 8 in government schools, who are beneficiaries of the Mid Day Meal scheme.

    Mid Day Meal Scheme

    • The Midday Meal Scheme is a school meal programme in India designed to better the nutritional standing of school-age children nationwide.
    • It is a wholesome freshly-cooked lunch served to children in government and government-aided schools in India.
    • The programme supplies free lunches on working days for children in primary and upper primary classes in government, government-aided, local body and alternate innovative education centres, Madarsa and Maqtabs.
    • Serving 120,000,000 children in over 1,265,000 schools and Education Guarantee Scheme centres, it is the largest of its kind in the world.
    • The programme has undergone many changes since its launch in 1995. The Midday Meal Scheme is covered by the National Food Security Act, 2013.

    The scheme aims to:

    1. avoid classroom hunger
    2. increase school enrolment
    3. increase school attendance
    4. improve socialization among castes
    5. address malnutrition
    6. empower women through employment

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.An objective of the National Food Security Mission is to increase the production of certain crops through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country. What are those crops?

    (a) Rice and wheat only

    (b) Rice, wheat, and pulses only

    (c) Rice, wheat, pulses, and oilseeds only

    (d) Rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables

    What is the new move?

    • The money, ₹1200 crore in total, will be given to 11.8 crore children through direct benefit transfer as a one-time payment.
    • The money comes from the cooking cost component of the scheme, it said.
    • This decision will help safeguard the nutritional levels of children and aid in protecting their immunity during challenging pandemic times.

  • What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)?

    The ongoing World Health Assembly has declared January 30 as ‘World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day’.

    Neglected Tropical Diseases

    • NTDs are a group of infections that are most common among marginalized communities in the developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
    • They are caused by a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms.
    • These diseases generally receive less funding for research and treatment than malaises like tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS and malaria.
    • Some examples of NTDs include snakebite envenomation, scabies, yaws, trachoma, Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.

    Significance of global recognition

    • NTDs affect more than a billion people globally, according to the WHO. They are preventable and treatable.
    • However, these diseases and their intricate interrelationships with poverty and ecological systems — continue to cause devastating health, social and economic consequences.
    • A major milestone in the movement to recognize the global burden of these diseases was the London Declaration on NTDs that was adopted January 30, 2012.
    • The first World NTD Day was celebrated informally in 2020. This year, the new NTD road map was launched.