17 Dec 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Ramna Kali Temple
2. Misleading Advertisements of Herbal Medicine
3. Kalanamak Rice
4. India - Vietnam Cooperation in the Postal Sector
5. The ‘Order of Druk Gyalpo’

1. Ramna Kali Temple

Related to India and its neighbourhood relations, GS II

Prelims: About Ramna Kali Temple, Operation Searchlight

Mains: India’s role in the Liberation of Bangladesh

Context: The President of India inaugurated the renovated Sri Ramna Kali Temple on his maiden state visit to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

About the temple:

• The Ramna Kali temple was destroyed by Pakistani forces in an army operation which was called Operation Searchlight. 
• The temple was set on fire and destroyed the lives of many devotees and people residing in it.
• The Ramna Kali Bari was comprised of the temple and a housing complex. 
• The renovation and conservation of the temple has been supported by India in association with the government of Bangladesh. After 50 years of the liberation war, the temple was renovated and inaugurated.
• This historic temple stands as an example of the spiritual and cultural connection between India and Bangladesh.

Read more about India – Bangladesh Relations in the linked article.

2. Misleading Advertisements of Herbal Medicine

Relevant for Issues related to health, GS II

Prelims: About AYUSH, AYUSH 64

Mains: Regulations to prevent misleading information about drugs 

Context: The Ministry of AYUSH has taken an initiative to prevent the spread of misleading information about herbal medicines through advertisements by strengthening the existing regulations. 

Intervention by Ministry of Ayush:

• The ministry is all set to implement a central sector scheme of Pharmacovigilance of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy drugs which intends to educate the consumers and the practitioners.
• The Pharmacovigilance scheme will carry out surveillance and report adverse drug reactions.
• There has been a significant increase in misleading advertisements on herbal medicines which were reported by the Pharmacovigilance centres.
• The Ministry of Ayush had also signed an MoU with the Advertising Standards Council of India for suo moto monitoring of such advertisements made in print and electronic media. This MoU also ensures strict action against the defaulters.

GAMA:

• The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution maintains a portal called Grievance Against Misleading Advertisement (GAMA) wherein the complaints against misleading advertisements can be registered.    
• An officer from the Ministry of Ayush is assigned as the nodal officer to handle the complaints related to AYUSH products. 
• The complaints received in the GAMA portal are forwarded to the State Licensing Authorities for taking appropriate action.

The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954:

• This Act includes provisions to prohibit misleading claims by the manufacturing companies on drug substances along with AYUSH medicines.
• According to the Act, the concerned state government has the power to enforce the provisions of the Act and take necessary steps.
• The states and union territories have been issued with directives to appoint officers for inspection of any premises or examine or seize any record related to the misleading advertisements. 
• Section 3 of the Act makes it clear that no person shall engage themselves in the publication of advertisements of drugs which claims to bring the following consequences:
• The use of the drug will result in the miscarriage of women or prevent conception
• Will improve the capacity of sexual pleasure
• Drugs dealing with menstrual disorder 
• Drugs dealing with diagnosis and treatment or prevention of any disorder

Penalties under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act:    

• Under Section 7 of the Act, contravention of any rules mentioned in the Act will lead to imprisonment which can be extended to 6 months with a fine based on the situation.
• The recurrence of offense of spreading misleading information about drugs will result in imprisonment which may extend to 1 year and might be accompanied by a fine as the situation demands.

3. Kalanamak Rice

Related to Marketing of Agricultural produce, GS III

Prelims: About the rice variety, One district One product, GI tag

Mains: Significance of conserving indigenous rice varieties

Context: It has been reported that the production and export of Kalanamak variety has significantly increased in the last three years.

About Kalanamak Rice:

• It is a non-basmati scented rice variety.
• It is grown in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh and it is named so because of its black husk.
• This rice variety upholds larger hopes for the farmers and rice exporters to promote indigenous varieties of rice and conserve the traits of rice native to the subcontinent. 
• In March 2021 the government of Uttar Pradesh celebrated Kalanamak Rice Festival in order to promote the One district and One Product campaign.
• It has high salt content and overshadows basmati due to its agronomic potential.

Benefits of Kalanamak Rice:

• Highly resistant to notorious rice diseases like panicle blast, stem rot and brown spot that cause huge crop losses for the farmers, unlike the Dehradun basmati which is highly susceptible to diseases. 
• The Bacterial blight is rarely observed.
• Requires low water content and doesn’t need standing water during transplantation.
• Can be grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Low input and labour cost.
• It was observed that the 2001-2003 drought in the Terai region left the Kalanamak rice yield unaffected.

The Kalanamak Belt:

• The region where Kalanamak rice is grown comprises the Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh bordering Nepal along with Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Basti, Gonda and Gorakhpur. This stretch of area is known as the Kalanamak belt.
• The Kalanamak rice from the Siddharthnagar district is conferred with the GI tag.

4. India – Vietnam Cooperation in the Postal Sector

Related to Bilateral groupings involving India’s interests, GS II

Prelims: About the cooperation 

Mains: Significance

Context: A letter of intent has been signed in the field of Communications between India and Vietnam.

Important Highlights: 

• This bilateral cooperation stands firm with the objective of opening new avenues for both countries to collaborate in the areas of communications and posts.
• A comprehensive strategic and economic partnership will further the relationship between the Republic of India and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 
• The letter of intent offers emphasis to facilitate and promote sharing of information and experience, implement the human resource development projects, better the postal designated operators and service providers of both the countries.
• It was highlighted that India is going to develop a strong network of communications with the help of optical fibres and benefit 6 lakh villages. This will be a welcoming step to mitigate the issue of the digital divide. 
• There has been discussion on the collaboration of both countries in the field of the 5G network. 

5. The ‘Order of Druk Gyalpo’

Related to India and its neighbourhood relations, GS II

Prelims: Important facts of India – Bhutan Relationship

Mains: Significance of Bhutan in India’s foreign policy

Context: The Prime Minister of India has been honored with Bhutan’s highest civilian award known as the Order of Druk Gyalpo during the celebration of Bhutan’s National Day for his outstanding contributions to strengthening the bilateral friendship.

Read more about India – Bhutan Relations in the linked article

Read previous PIB here.

December 17th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here