26 Feb 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana
2. Veer Savarkar
3. The Exercise Eastern Bridge - VI
4. National Polio Immunisation Drive, 2022

1. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Syllabus: GS II, Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre

Prelims: About Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Context: A distribution camp has been inaugurated to provide daily living aids and assistive devices to senior citizens under ‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana: Salient Features

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the camp will be organised in collaboration with ALIMCO (Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India)  and the district administration. 
• This is a central sector scheme that aims to distribute physical aids and assisted living devices for senior citizens belonging to BPL (Below Poverty Line) category. It is fully funded by the central government.
• This will enable a free of cost distribution of the devices based on the extent of disability in the eligible senior citizens.
• In case of multiple disabilities in the same person, the assistive devices will be given with respect to each disability or impairment.
• One year of free maintenance of the aids and devices will be undertaken by ALIMCO.
• Identification of beneficiaries in each district will be done by the state government and administration of union territories through a committee chaired by Deputy Commissioner/ District Collector. 
• The data of BPL beneficiaries receiving Old Age Pension can be used in the identification process. 
• To the highest extent of possibility, 30% of the beneficiaries in each district shall be women. 
• The devices will be distributed through camps.

Devices provided:

• Walking sticks
• Elbow crutches
• Walkers
• Tripods/Quad Pods
• Hearing Aids
• Wheelchair
• Artificial Dentures
• Spectacles

Implementation of the Scheme:

• The expenditure for the implementation of the scheme will be borne by the Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund. 
• ALIMCO, a PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, will be the sole implementing agency of the scheme.

2. Veer Savarkar

Syllabus: GS I, The Freedom Struggle- important contributors

Prelims: About Veer Savarkar

Mains: Savarkar’s contribution in the freedom struggle of India

Context: The Prime Minister offered homage to the iconic personality of Veer Savarkar on his death anniversary

About Savarkar:

• Veer Savarkar was an Indian politician, activist and a writer.
• He occupies an area of significance in the freedom struggle of india. 
• He served as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha and opposed the Quit India Movement and was a critic of the Indian National Congress.
• He was sentenced to 50 years in the cellular jail for revolting against the Morley-Minto reforms (Indian Councils Act of 1909).
• After his release from jail, he worked against untouchability in Ratnagiri. 
• He authored ‘The History of the War of Indian Independence’ which offered an analysis of the 1857 revolt. He was the first writer to call for India’s first war for Independence against the British. 

Read more about Veer Savarkar in the linked article

3. The Exercise Eastern Bridge – VI

Syllabus: GS III, Various security forces

Prelims: About the ‘Eastern Bridge-VI’ exercise.

Context: A five day air exercise named ‘Eastern Bridge-VI’ has been conducted by India and Oman

The Eastern Bridge Exercise: Exploring more

• It is an Indo-Oman air exercise that was successfully conducted at Jodhpur.
• The year 2022 marks its sixth edition. 
• The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) collaborated with the India Air Force with a shared intention of providing operational exposure along with the mutual exchange of best practices for the enhancement of operational capabilities of both the Air Forces. 
• Oman is India’s strongest defence partner in the Gulf region and shares bilateral exchanges with all three services. This exercise furthers the defence collaboration between the two countries and exemplifies a consistency in the partnership. 
• The exercise will witness the participation of the Indian fighter aircraft Sukhoi – 30 and Oman’s F-16.  

Also read about the Indian Fighter Aircrafts in the linked article

4. National Polio Immunisation Drive, 2022

Syllabus: GS II, Issues relating to health

Prelims: About Polio vaccine

Mains: Initiatives of the government to address the issues related to the health of every child in the country

Context: The National Polio Immunisation Drive, 2022  has been launched to vaccinate every child below five years of age against Polio. 

About the Immunisation Drive:

• This initiative indicates the government’s active involvement in the strategic fight against Polio virus boosting India’s public health policy.
• Under the vision of Universal Immunisation Programme, the focus is to protect every child from deadly diseases by carrying out extensive vaccination drives. This is in line with the objective of Swastha Bharath. 
• The government has also ensured to introduce the injectable inactivated Polio Vaccine in its routine immunisation program.

Read about Immunisation Drive in India in the linked article

Polio Eradication Programme in India:

• India responded to a resolution passed by the World Health Assembly for global polio eradication with firm commitment.
• The National Immunisation Day was launched in India in 1995 and it is popular as Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme.
• In states with high risk, multiple rounds of sub national immunisation day (SNID) have been conducted over the years.
• All children under five years of age have been provided with oral polio drops. 
• Surveillance through acute flaccid paralysis has been carried out to detect paralysis due to Poliovirus transmission. 
• All states and union territories have developed a Rapid Response Team (RRT) to respond to any Polio outbreak in the country along with an Emergency Preparedness and Response Team for indicating steps to be taken to tackle polio cases. 

About Poliomyelitis:

• Polio or Poliomyelitis is a contagious and life threatening disease caused by Poliovirus. 
• It leads to paralysis by invasion of the brain and spinal cord by the virus. 
• It is transmitted from person to person. 
• So far, vaccination has been the best protection against the virus. 
• It spreads majorly through the faecal-oral route by ingestion of contaminated food or water.
• It has a seasonal transmission tendency in temperate climates with the highest chance of occurrence in summer and autumn. 
• Majority of the population is asymptomatic to polio infections and shed the virus in the stool and transmit it to other individuals.
• The symptoms are accompanied by abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea and influenza-like illness. 
• Many people with paralytic poliomyelitis recover completely and in some cases the muscle function returns to some extent. 
• Very few people get flaccid paralysis which is a clinical manifestation accompanied by weakness or paralysis and reduced muscle tone. 
• Other symptoms include stiffness of neck, back or legs.

Image Source : istockphoto.com

Read previous PIB here.

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