Workshop on Artificial Bio Organs

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology

Context :

In order to strengthen Indo-Australian Cooperation and achieve development of 3D printing industry in both the countries, Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has recently organized a one-day workshop on Organ Bio Printing at the Kalam Convention Center.

About Workshop:

The workshop explored 3D printing, an innovative technology that covers all medical disciplines and offers new opportunities in diagnostics and therapy.
From diagnostic visualization to surgical planning, patient-specific models provide an added value for patients and physicians.

Source :- PIB

Project ‘SPARROW-CBIC’ for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) in SPARROW

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Project ‘SPARROW-CBIC’ for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) in SPARROW (Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window) for Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ Officers of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) implemented.

Project Sparrow :

SPARROW stands for Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW).
It is a project for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) for Officers of CBIC.
The Directorate General of Human Resource Management (DGHRM), the HR arm of CBIC is the implementing agency for this project.
SPARROW-CBIC brings a complete change in APAR management of such a large number of Group B & C officers of CBIC which would in turn lead to better HR Management.
Earlier,online writing of APARs in SPARROW for IRS(C&CE) Officers had already been implemented.Now,online writing of APARs in SPARROW has been launched for Group B & C officers of CBIC.
In Performance Appraisal,assessment of performance of employees is undertaken periodically for determining their output and their abilities. Performance appraisal is carried out to serve many purposes such as promotion , compensation, training and so on.

Significance :

This Project leverages modern technology for enhancing the overall efficiency and morale of the huge workforce working in Central GST and Customs formations of CBIC.
It is an important milestone in the journey towards digitisation and paper less working.

Source :- PIB

Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019

GS PAPER - 03 DISASTER MANAGEMENT - Disaster and disaster management.

Context :

A high-level Indian delegation headed by Dr P.K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, is participating in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019 being held at Geneva.
While presenting the Country Statement, Dr Mishra briefed on the steps taken by India, after the adoption of the Sendai Framework.

More about the news:

India hosted the First ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise’ in the National Capital Region in October 2017.
Likewise, in February 2019, India hosted a meeting on Disaster Risk Management of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), an intergovernmental organization of 22 members and nine dialogue partners.
These Exercises provided a platform for sharing Best Practices on all aspects of DRR, and for strengthening regional response and coordination among BIMSTEC and IORA member countries.
In order to encourage innovation and recognise the exceptional contributions of organisations and individuals to disaster risk management in the country, Government of India has instituted an annual national award in the name of our great freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Sendai Framework :

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) is the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda, with seven targets and four priorities for action.
It was endorsed by the UN General Assembly following the 2015 Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR).
The Sendai Framework is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement.
The framework recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.
It aims for the following outcome: The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries

7 Global Targets :

Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower average per 100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020-2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.
Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020 -2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.
Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.
Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030.
Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.
Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of this Framework by 2030.
Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030.

The Four Priorities for Action:

Understanding disaster risk
Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk
Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience
Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction

Need of Hour :

There is an urgent need to ensure that the new infrastructure to be created anywhere should be resilient to disaster.
In this direction, India has initiated a dialogue with more than 40 countries to build a Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. Such a Coalition would benefit both developed and developing countries and serve as a knowledge and capacity development platform for promoting disaster resilient infrastructure.

Source :- PIB

Global Drug Survey: Indians lead world in seeking help to reduce drugs intake

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

The Global Drug Survey (GDS) 2019 has reported that Indians lead the world seeking help to reduce their alcohol intake.
This is the first time the survey has polled respondents from India.

Global drug Survey :

The Global Drug Survey (GDS) is an anonymised, online survey that uses a detailed questionnaire to assess trends in drug use and self-reported harms among regular drug users and early adopters of new trends.
Though the survey is not designed to determine the prevalence of drug behaviour in a population, it throws light on stigmatised behaviours and health outcomes of a hidden population that is otherwise difficult to reach and can be used to inform targeted interventions.

Key Highlights :

Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis were the most common stimulants used by Indians.
Of the nearly 1,00,000 respondents from 30 countries, Indians reported ‘being drunk’ on an average of 41 times in the last 12 months — behind the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Australia and Denmark in that order but well above the global average of 33 times.
Indian respondents to the survey appeared more than other nationalities eager for help with reducing their alcohol intake.
According to the 2019 GDS, 51% of the respondents wanted to ‘drink less’ in the following year and 41% ‘wanted help to do so’ — again the highest percentage among other countries.
About 6% of the female Indians surveyed reported seeking ‘emergency medical treatment’ in the last 12 months. The global female average was about 13%.
None of the males in India reported seeking medical treatment, compared to the global average of 12%.
Alcohol and tobacco apart, the most used drugs globally were cannabis, MDMA (or Ecstacy), cocaine, amphetamines, LSD (or ‘acid’), magic mushrooms, benzodiazepines, prescription opioids, ketamine, nitrous oxide.

Source :- The Hindu

Source of Malappuram fever still elusive

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health

Context :

The Kerala Health Department is striving to identify the genesis of a fever outbreak in different parts of Malappuram district that claimed five lives.

More about the news:

Over 60 people had symptoms of encephalitis or inflammation of the brain, and around 20 had symptoms of meningitis or inflammation of the meninges, the three membranes lining the skull and vertebral canal and enclosing the brain and the spinal cord.
A few encephalitis cases were reported from Kozhikode district too during the period.
Headache, fever, muscle pain, disorientation and vomiting were the common symptoms noticed. Some had body fatigue and dizziness.
The presence of an entero virus, which is transmitted through the intestine, was reportedly confirmed in the cerebrospinal fluid of one of the patients when tested at the virology lab attached to the Government Medical College, Alappuzha.
Encephalitis and myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscles, are some of its manifestations.
Sources pointed out that the symptoms of some patients were structurally similar to that of Japanese Encephalitis.
However, it is yet to be confirmed whether the infection was caused by a virus or a bacteria, or the combined effect of both.

Source :- The Hindu

ICGS Vigraha sails into sunset

GS PAPER - 03 SECURITY - Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Context :

Indian Coast Guard Ship Vigraha which has been the frontline offshore patrol vessel of the Indian Coast Guard has been decommissioned from service on May 15,2019.

ICGS Vigraha :

ICGS Vigraha was the seventh offshore patrol vessel built by Mazagon Dock Limited which was commissioned in 1990.
The ship was later based at Visakhapatnam and has been instrumental in protecting the east coast in general and Andhra Pradesh coast in particular.
During the 29 years of service, the ship participated in major Coast Guard operations involving search and rescue, anti-poaching, pollution response, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, repatriation and joint exercises with other services.

Source :- The Hindu

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16th MAY 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

Workshop on Artificial Bio Organs

Project ‘SPARROW-CBIC’ for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) in SPARROW

Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019

Global Drug Survey: Indians lead world in seeking help to reduce drugs intake

Source of Malappuram fever still elusive

ICGS Vigraha sails into sunset

Workshop on Artificial Bio Organs

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology

Context :

In order to strengthen Indo-Australian Cooperation and achieve development of 3D printing industry in both the countries, Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has recently organized a one-day workshop on Organ Bio Printing at the Kalam Convention Center.

About Workshop:

The workshop explored 3D printing, an innovative technology that covers all medical disciplines and offers new opportunities in diagnostics and therapy.

From diagnostic visualization to surgical planning, patient-specific models provide an added value for patients and physicians.

Source :- PIB

Project ‘SPARROW-CBIC’ for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) in SPARROW

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Project ‘SPARROW-CBIC’ for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) in SPARROW (Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window) for Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ Officers of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) implemented.

Project Sparrow :

SPARROW stands for Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW).

It is a project for online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) for Officers of CBIC.

The Directorate General of Human Resource Management (DGHRM), the HR arm of CBIC is the implementing agency for this project.

SPARROW-CBIC brings a complete change in APAR management of such a large number of Group B & C officers of CBIC which would in turn lead to better HR Management.

Earlier,online writing of APARs in SPARROW for IRS(C&CE) Officers had already been implemented.Now,online writing of APARs in SPARROW has been launched for Group B & C officers of CBIC.

In Performance Appraisal,assessment of performance of employees is undertaken periodically for determining their output and their abilities. Performance appraisal is carried out to serve many purposes such as promotion , compensation, training and so on.

Significance :

This Project leverages modern technology for enhancing the overall efficiency and morale of the huge workforce working in Central GST and Customs formations of CBIC.

It is an important milestone in the journey towards digitisation and paper less working.

Source :- PIB

Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019

GS PAPER - 03 DISASTER MANAGEMENT - Disaster and disaster management.

Context :

A high-level Indian delegation headed by Dr P.K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, is participating in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019 being held at Geneva.

While presenting the Country Statement, Dr Mishra briefed on the steps taken by India, after the adoption of the Sendai Framework.

More about the news:

India hosted the First ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise’ in the National Capital Region in October 2017.

Likewise, in February 2019, India hosted a meeting on Disaster Risk Management of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), an intergovernmental organization of 22 members and nine dialogue partners.

These Exercises provided a platform for sharing Best Practices on all aspects of DRR, and for strengthening regional response and coordination among BIMSTEC and IORA member countries.​

In order to encourage innovation and recognise the exceptional contributions of organisations and individuals to disaster risk management in the country, Government of India has instituted an annual national award in the name of our great freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Sendai Framework :

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) is the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda, with seven targets and four priorities for action.

It was endorsed by the UN General Assembly following the 2015 Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR).

The Sendai Framework is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement.

The framework recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.

It aims for the following outcome: The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries

7 Global Targets :

Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower average per 100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020-2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.

Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020 -2030 compared to the period 2005-2015.

Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.

Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030.

Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.

Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of this Framework by 2030.

Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030.

The Four Priorities for Action:

Understanding disaster risk

Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk

Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience

Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction

Need of Hour :

There is an urgent need to ensure that the new infrastructure to be created anywhere should be resilient to disaster.

Source :- PIB

Global Drug Survey: Indians lead world in seeking help to reduce drugs intake

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

The Global Drug Survey (GDS) 2019 has reported that Indians lead the world seeking help to reduce their alcohol intake.

This is the first time the survey has polled respondents from India.

Global drug Survey :

The Global Drug Survey (GDS) is an anonymised, online survey that uses a detailed questionnaire to assess trends in drug use and self-reported harms among regular drug users and early adopters of new trends.

Though the survey is not designed to determine the prevalence of drug behaviour in a population, it throws light on stigmatised behaviours and health outcomes of a hidden population that is otherwise difficult to reach and can be used to inform targeted interventions.

Key Highlights :

Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis were the most common stimulants used by Indians.

Of the nearly 1,00,000 respondents from 30 countries, Indians reported ‘being drunk’ on an average of 41 times in the last 12 months — behind the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Australia and Denmark in that order but well above the global average of 33 times.

Indian respondents to the survey appeared more than other nationalities eager for help with reducing their alcohol intake.

According to the 2019 GDS, 51% of the respondents wanted to ‘drink less’ in the following year and 41% ‘wanted help to do so’ — again the highest percentage among other countries.

About 6% of the female Indians surveyed reported seeking ‘emergency medical treatment’ in the last 12 months. The global female average was about 13%.

None of the males in India reported seeking medical treatment, compared to the global average of 12%.

Alcohol and tobacco apart, the most used drugs globally were cannabis, MDMA (or Ecstacy), cocaine, amphetamines, LSD (or ‘acid’), magic mushrooms, benzodiazepines, prescription opioids, ketamine, nitrous oxide.

Source :- The Hindu

Source of Malappuram fever still elusive

16^th MAY 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

These Exercises provided a platform for sharing Best Practices on all aspects of DRR, and for strengthening regional response and coordination among BIMSTEC and IORA member countries.