News In Short-09-10-2024

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is likely to cover the treatment of Alzheimer’s, dementia and other illnesses that mainly affect the elderly.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme

• It was launched in 2018, by the Government of India with the aim of achieving universal health coverage. It has two key components;

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri- Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) 
• Ayushman Arogya Mandir 

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri- Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)

• AB PM-JAY is the largest publicly funded health assurance scheme in the world which provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
• Coverage: It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days of post – hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.
  • The beneficiary can visit any empanelled public or private hospital in India to avail cashless treatment.
  • There is no restriction on the family size, age or gender.
• Eligibility:  The inclusion of households is based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas, respectively.
  • This number also includes families that were covered in the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) but were not present in the SECC 2011 database.
• Funding: The funding for the scheme is shared by the Centre and the state in a 60:40 ratio.
  • However, for North-Eastern states, Himalayan states (such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh), and Union Territories, the ratio is 90:10.

Ayushman Arogya Mandir – The component led to creation of 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), renamed as Ayushman Arogya Mandir. – They are created by upgrading the Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and rural and urban Primary Health Centres (PHCs), to bring health care closer to the community.  – The aim is to provide Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) along with the provision of follow-up care to the patients in the community.  – The essential health services along with the provisioning of essential medicines and diagnostics are provided closer to the community through these centers.

Source: ET

India Eliminated Trachoma: WHO

Syllabus : GS 2/Health

Context

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that India has eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem becoming the third country in the South-East Asia Region to achieve this milestone.

About: Trachoma

• It is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
• It is contagious, spreading through contact with the eyes, eyelids, nose or throat secretions of infected people, if left untreated it causes irreversible blindness.
• WHO has termed Trachoma as a neglected tropical disease and according to its estimates around 150 million people worldwide are affected by Trachoma and 6 million of them are blind or at risk of visually disabling complications.

India’s effort

• Trachoma was amongst the leading causes of blindness in the country during 1950-60. 
• The Government of India launched the National Trachoma Control Program (1963) and later on Trachoma control efforts were integrated into India’s National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB).
• WHO–SAFE strategy was implemented throughout the country wherein SAFE stands for Surgery adoption, Antibiotics, Facial hygiene, Environmental cleanliness etc.
• As a result, in 2017, India was declared free from infective Trachoma. However, surveillance continued for trachoma cases in all the districts of India from 2019 onwards till 2024.

Source: PIB

India – Nepal Agreement for Petroleum Infrastructure

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• Nepal and India have reached the Business to Business (B2B) Framework Agreement regarding the development of petroleum infrastructure in Nepal.

About

• A 50-kilometre petroleum pipeline from Siliguri of India to Charali in Nepal will be built. Similarly, a Smart Greenfield Terminal will be constructed at Charali. 
• The government of India will provide a grant to build a 62-kilometre petroleum pipeline in Nepal. 
• Likewise, a Smart Greenfield Terminal with 91,900 kiloliters capacity will be built in Nepal with the technical assistance of the Indian government. 
• Significance: This Agreement is supposed to be a key milestone in the India-Nepal energy partnership. 
  • Transportation of petroleum products will be convenient from India to land-linked Nepal, which will significantly reduce costs for Nepal Oil Corporation. 
  • The infrastructure will mitigate handling losses & environmental risks, prevent road congestion and support Nepal’s energy security during natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

Source: AIR

Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY)

Syllabus :GS 2/Health

Context

• The Union Health Ministry has doubled the monthly nutrition support under Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) for tuberculosis (TB) patients from existing Rs. 500 per month/patient to Rs. 1,000/month/patient for the entire duration of the treatment.

What is Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY)?

• It is a centrally sponsored scheme under National Health Mission (NHM), and all notified TB patients are beneficiaries of the scheme.
• It was launched in 2018 and is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The monetary assistance scheme is expected to aid nutritional recovery, improve response to treatment and outcomes and reduce mortality due to TB in India.

Do you know?

• India has the highest burden of TB and it kills an estimated 4,80,000 Indians every year. 
• Although elimination of tuberculosis is one of the sustainable development targets to be achieved by 2030 by the world, India has set the target of 2025.

Source: PIB

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) 

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance 

In News 

• Total enrolments under Atal Pension Yojana (APY)  have crossed 7 crore, with over 56 lakh enrolments in FY 2024-25.

About Atal Pension Yojana (APY) 

• It was launched on 9th May 2015 and aims to offer universal social security, targeting the poor, underprivileged, and unorganised sector workers.
• It is administered by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the overall administrative and institutional architecture of the National Pension System (NPS). 
• It provides a guaranteed pension for life to the subscriber, extends the same pension to the spouse after their demise, and returns the accumulated corpus to the nominee after both pass away.

• Eligibility: Open to bank account holders aged 18 to 40 who are not income taxpayers, with contributions varying based on the chosen pension amount.
  • Subscribers receive a guaranteed minimum monthly pension of Rs. 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, or 5000 after the age of 60, depending on their contributions.
• Progress : The scheme, now in its 10th year, focuses on bringing vulnerable sections of society under pension coverage, supported by efforts from Banks and SLBCs/UTLBCs.

Source :PIB

USCIRF Report on India

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance/IR 

In News

• The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a country update on India

USCIRF:

• It is an independent U.S. federal agency created under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
• It monitors global religious freedom based on international standards like Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• It is distinct from the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF) of the U.S. State Department, which releases more formal reports impacting U.S. foreign policy.
• Functions: It publishes annual reports listing countries for potential designation by the U.S. State Department as “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC)” or Special Watch List (SWL).
  • Countries designated as CPCs are subject to policy actions, including potential sanctions.

USCIRF’s 2024 Update on India:

• It  highlighted deteriorating religious freedom conditions, including killings, lynchings, arrests of minority individuals, and demolition of places of worship.
• It claims a “deteriorating trajectory” for religious freedom in India, citing discriminatory laws like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, anti-conversion laws, and cow slaughter laws.
  • It recommends India be designated as a CPC.

India’s Response:

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected the report, labeling the USCIRF as a “biased organisation” with a “political agenda”.
• It criticized the report as misrepresenting facts and promoting a motivated narrative about India.

Source: TH

Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory

Syllabus: GS 3/Space 

In News 

• The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory has been inaugurated at Hanle, Ladakh.

MACE Observatory

• It  is the largest imaging Cherenkov telescope in Asia.
• It is the highest Cherenkov telescope in the world, situated at an altitude of ~4,300 m.
• It is an indigenous project built by BARC with support from ECIL and other Indian industry partners.
• Significance: The telescope will advance India’s role in cosmic-ray research and study high-energy gamma rays to better understand the universe’s energetic events like supernovae, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts.
  • It promotes scientific research while contributing to the socio-economic development of Ladakh.
  • It will complement global observatories, furthering India’s contributions to multi-messenger astronomy and strengthening international collaborations in space research.
  • The project is part of India’s pioneering efforts in cosmic-ray research, following the legacy of Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, and will serve as a beacon for future astrophysical explorations.

Source: PIB

Humsafar Policy

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

Context

• The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways launched the ‘Humsafar Policy’.

About

• The policy offers highway users a convenient, safe, and enjoyable experience while empowering entrepreneurs, generating jobs, and enhancing livelihoods for service providers. 
• Key features: The following essential facilities will be introduced across national highways;
  • Hygienic and well-maintained toilets;
  • Dedicated rooms for baby care and wheelchair provisions,
  • EV charging stations at strategic points,
  • Restaurants and food courts at regular intervals,
  • Dormitories at fuel stations to provide short-term accommodation.

Source: AIR

Plankton Bloom

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• As per a study, the Unusual plankton bloom off Madagascar coast in 2020 was driven by drought in southern Africa.

About

• Dust emitted from southern Africa was transported and deposited into the nutrient-limited surface waters southeast of Madagascar, which stimulated the strongest phytoplankton bloom of the last two decades
• A plankton bloom refers to a sudden increase in the population of plankton—both phytoplankton (microscopic plants) and zooplankton (microscopic animals)—in aquatic ecosystems.
  • Physical conditions and nutrient levels can lead to high abundances of particular plankton types. 
  • These plankton “blooms” are common throughout the world’s oceans.
  • Blooms can be quick events that begin and end within a few days or they may last several weeks. 
  • They can occur on a relatively small scale or cover hundreds of square kilometers of the ocean’s surface.

Source: DTE

Silicosis 

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• There is a pattern emerging in Panna’s mining communities, where silicosis often goes undiagnosed and mistaken for TB.

Silicosis 

• Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust, often found in industries such as mining, construction, and stone cutting. 
• It leads to inflammation and scarring of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. 
• Symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain, which may develop years after exposure.
  • Chronic Silicosis: Develops after long-term exposure to low levels of silica dust.
  • Accelerated Silicosis: Occurs with higher levels of exposure over a shorter period.
  • Acute Silicosis: Results from extremely high exposures over a brief period, leading to severe lung damage.
• Silicosis isn’t contagious as it is not caused by a virus or bacteria. 
• There’s no cure for silicosis because the lung damage can’t be reversed. 

Source: DTE

70th National Film Awards

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• President Droupadi Murmu gave away the 70th National Film Awards to the winners in various categories.

About

• National Film Awards are the most prestigious awards, which are announced annually to honor the best filmmaking talent across the country. 
• It aims at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance.
• The awards are given in three sections – Features, Non-Features and Best Writing on Cinema.

History 

• The awards were first presented in 1954 and were known as the ‘State Awards’.
  • At the time, only best films in different regional languages were recognised and awarded. 
• Separate awards for artists and technicians were instituted in 1968 for the films of 1967. 
• Nargis Dutt and Uttam Kumar being the first actress and actor to get the Best Actress and Best Actor Awards respectively.

Key Recipient of the Awards

• Best Feature Film: Aattam (The Play)
• Best Non-feature film: Ayena (Mirror)
• Best Actor: Rishab Shetty (Kantara)
• Best Actress: Nithya Menen (Thiruchitrambalam) and Manasi Parekh (Kutch Express)
• Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty was honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2022.

Source: TH