11 Feb 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. One Ocean Summit
2. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay
3. Generic Names of Medicine in medical prescription
4. National Rail Plan 2030

1. One Ocean Summit

Syllabus: GS III, Conservation

Prelims: UNESCO, World Bank, WMO

Mains: Efforts of the international bodies to conserve the marine ecosystems

Context: France has organised the One Ocean Summit in collaboration with the United Nations and the World Bank. The high-level session of the summit was virtually attended by the Prime Minister of India. Other heads of state included Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan and Canada.

Objective: 

• The Summit intended to encourage the international community to take attentive steps towards protecting and conserving the ocean ecosystem along with the sustainable use of maritime resources. 
• The major idea is to collaborate on marine issues and convert the shared responsibility into achievable commitments. 

Intervention by UNESCO:

• The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO works effectively to coordinate the scientific programme addressing the major challenges of the ocean ecosystem. 
• UNESCO has organised thematic workshops in the midst of the One Ocean Summit that include “The Science we Need for the Ocean we Want” and “Educate to the Sea, Ocean for Youth”. This aims to promote ocean science knowledge and boost conservation and sustainable management of the ocean. 
• UNESCO has announced at the summit that 80% of the seabed will be mapped by 2030 accompanied by support from the member states and the private sector.

About the Summit:

• The Summit involved discussions to take various initiatives for the conservation of marine ecosystems considering the following intentions:
  • Protecting the marine ecosystem
  • Sustainable fisheries
  • Fight pollution
  • Eliminating plastics from entering the marine environment
  • Mitigate the impacts of climate change
  • Improved governance of oceans
• OceanOPS, a joint centre of the World Meteorological Organisation and the IOC-UNESCO, will launch the Odyssey project that will be endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in support of the Global Ocean Observing System. 
• The summit emphasised the current and future challenges of maritime cultural heritage.

2. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay

Syllabus: GS I, Personalities

Prelims: About Deendayal Upadhyay

Mains: Vision for India’s development in the light of Indian political philosophy

Context: The Prime Minister paid homage to the illustrious personality of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his death anniversary.

About Deendayal Upadhyay:

• He promulgated the principles of sarvodaya (progress for all) and swadeshi (self-sufficiency).
• He wrote a biography on Shankaracharya.
• His village in the Mathura district called Chandrabhan has been named after him as Deendayal Dham.
• He popularised the political philosophy of integral humanism which encourages simultaneous and integrated programmes of the body, mind, intellect and soul of each human being. 
• Pandit Deendayal’s vision for India was in alignment with decentralised polity and an economy that reflects self-reliance. 
• He opposed the flourishing of western concepts like individualism, democracy, socialism, communism or capitalism in India. Therefore he was against the post-independent westernisation of the country.

3. Generic Names of Medicine in medical prescription

Syllabus: GS II, Statutory, regulatory bodies

Prelims: Medical Council of India, National Medical Commission

Context: The National Medical Commission Act 2019 and its provisions have been discussed in the Parliament

A Brief Overview:

• The act mandates the availability of the generic names of the prescribed drug making it binding for all medical practitioners. 
• The National Medical Commission strengthened its Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) along with the state medical councils to take disciplinary actions against the doctor for disobeying the norms of the act.

About EMRB:

• The EMRB checks the ethical aspects related to the usage of pharmaceuticals and their prescription by the doctors regulating the unethical practices in medicine. 
• It is entrusted to maintain the National Registers of all licensed medical practitioners.
• The board maintains regular interaction with the State Medical Councils to regulate the conduct of the medical professionals and practitioners.
• It is empowered to execute appellate jurisdiction on the basis of actions taken by the State councils. 

Read the details of the National Medical Commission in the linked article.

4. National Rail Plan 2030

Syllabus: GS III, Infrastructure, Railways

Prelims: About the National Rail Plan, PPP

Mains: Role of the National Rail Plan in the creation of a future-ready railway system

Context: The National Rail Plan 2030 has been formulated by the Indian Railways.

Aim of the Plan:

• This plan intends to expand the operational capacities and commercial policy initiatives to enhance the share of Railways in freight to 45%.
• The major objective is to increase the capacity over the demands which would result in the overall growth by involving Public-Private Partnership. 

Read more on the National Rail Plan in the link.

Read previous PIB here.

February 11th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here