GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 2
Topic: Health
Homoeopathy doctors making outstanding contribution to patient care, teaching and research will be awarded on World Homoeopathic Day.
Context: The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Naik has said Homoeopathy being most efficacious and cost effective treatment of medicine, Government is committed for its further propagation as a matter of policy. He said, in India, it is used as one of the most preferred systems, be it for the day-to-day illness, or chronic ailments.
- India has about 200 colleges, more than 8000 clinics in public sector and almost 300 thousand registered practitioners of homeopathy. High quality education is necessary to place Indian Homoeopathy at world level. To provide standard education in these colleges, periodical inspections, reviews and interaction with the college authorities are being done on a regular basis. The Minister urged the doctors to contribute in improving the quality of education by informing the Government about the shortcomings in any policy related to Homoeopathy. HMAI can keep a close watch on the quality of education being imparted in the institutions and can inform the Government of any corruption noticed in admissions, granting recognition and in examinations, he added.
- The Union Minister further said that during last three years, AYUSH Ministry has taken up unique initiatives for integration of Homoeopathy and its physicians in National Program for the prevention of Cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes, Cancer and Stroke, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram,Mother & Child Healthcare etc.
- Highlighting the other new initiatives, the AYUSH Minster said, “to mark the special services of Homoeopathy doctors contributing significantly in patient care, teaching and research; special awards will be distributed every year on 10thApril on the occasion of World Homoeopathic Day.”
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) was launched in 2013 and it aims at early identification and early intervention for children from birth to 18 years to cover 4 ‘D’s viz. Defects at birth, Deficiencies, Diseases, Development delays including disability.
The services aim to cover children of 0-6 years of age in rural areas and urban slums in addition to children enrolled in classes I to XII in Government and Government aided Schools. It is expected that these services will reach to about 27 crores children in a phased manner.
Once the child is screened and referred from any of these points of identification, it would be ensured that the necessary treatment/intervention is delivered at zero cost to the family.
Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Services under RBSK envisages to cover 30 selected health conditions for Screening, early detection and free management. States and UTs may also include diseases namely hypothyroidism, Sickle cell anaemia and Beta Thalassemia based on epidemiological situation and availability of testing and specialized support facilities within State and UTs.
Child screening under RBSK is done at two levels – community level and facility level. While facility based new born screening at public health facilities like PHCs / CHCs/ DH, will be by existing health manpower like Medical Officers, Staff Nurses & ANMs, the community level screening will be conducted by the Mobile health teams at Anganwadi Centres and Government and Government aided Schools.
GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 3
Topic: Space Technology
Dr Jitendra Singh lauds distinguished contribution of Ahmedabad Space Application Centre.
Context: Currently, Dr Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Dept of Atomic Energy and Space is on a two-day visit to Gujarat and he held a detailed review meeting with ISRO scientists at the Space Application Centre located in Ahmedabad.
- Dr Jitendra Singh has lauded the valuable contribution made by Space Application Centre (SAC) Ahmedabad in providing original inputs for enriching India’s Space Programme and also for performing the role of value addition to several of the prestigious Space missions launched by ISRO from Sriharikota.
- He made a special note of appreciation for some of the advanced technology developed at SAC, Ahmedabad with regard to origami lens, indigenously developed MMIC, Airborne low mass x-band Mini-SAR for strategic applications and disaster management, optical trans-receiver satellite mobile radio
- ISRO platforms have tremendous potential to extend Tele-education to remote and underserved areas and the same has been effectively extended even to the peripheral areas of Northeast and hill States. In this regard, he mentioned recent MoU signed by the Department of Space, Government of India with the Department of Education, Government of Jammu & Kashmir.
- It was observed that India has already emerged as a world leader in the field of Space Technology. This has not only vindicated the noble initiative of the founding fathers of ISRO like Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Satish Dhawan, but has also set an example before other countries about how the Space Technology can be used effectively even for non-Space Satellite Mission Programmes.
- The Department of Space has entered into MoUs with a number of other Ministries. This has enabled the application of Space Technology in an effective manner for several important programmes of Government of India, including Smart City programmes, Geo-MNREGA, Tele-Education and Tele-Medicine.
Topic: Defense
Defence Minister Flags off Navika Sagar Parikrama.
Context: Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Defence Minister flagged-off Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini (INSV Tarini) with an all women crew from INS Mandovi boat pool, Goa. The mission has been titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’ and is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew and shall attempt to circumnavigate the globe on Indian Navy’s sailing vessel INSV Tarini.
- The crew is expected to return to Goa in April 2018, on completion of the voyage. The expedition will be covered in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports viz. Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).
- The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lamba expressed satisfaction at the continuation of the legacy of Indian Navy’s Ocean sailing expeditions which commenced in 1988 with expedition ‘Samudra’. This was followed by first solo circumnavigation by Captain Dilip Donde (Retd) and non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by Cdr Abhilash Tomy resulting in India joining a select group of nine nations which have achieved such feats. He said that the present circumnavigation by an all women crew is an extension of the above efforts and reflection of the Government’s efforts at Women Empowerment –“Nari Shakti”.
- INSV Tarini is a 55-foot sailing vessel, which has been built indigenously, and was inducted in the Indian Navy earlier this year, thus showcasing the ‘Make in India’ initiative on the World forum. INSV Tarini is being skippered by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lt. Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.
- During the voyage, the crew would monitor and report marine pollution on the high seas, as also interact extensively with local PIOs during various port halts to promote Ocean sailing.
- During their voyage, the crew would also collate and update Meteorological/ Ocean/ Wave data on a regular basis for accurate weather forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD) and subsequent analysis by research and development organisations.
- The expedition titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’ is in consonance with the National policy to empower women to attain their full potential. It also aims to help discard the societal attitudes and mind-set towards women in India by raising visibility of their participation in a challenging environment.
- Sailing encourages the use of environment friendly non-conventional renewable energy resources and this expedition therefore aims at harnessing renewable energy.
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