Yoga in school curriculum : Vice President                                                              

Insurance Cover for Risk-Prone Crops                                                                      

Technology and Doubling Farmers’ Income                                                             

Janani Suraksha Yojana                                                                                              

Anaemia in women                                                                                                       

2019 Trafficking in Persons Report                                                                            

Three in four people with epilepsy in low-income countries may die early: WHO                                                                                                                                     

Supreme Court halts road works through tiger reserves                                       

India’s NSG membership not on Kazakhstan meeting agenda,says China         

Yoga in school curriculum : Vice President

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

Context :

• The Vice President of India has called for popularizing Yoga and making it part of the school curriculum to promote healthy lifestyles and combat growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country.

More about the news :

• Lifestyle diseases and physical fitness have become a matter of concern for a section of our population.

• Improper food habits were harming health and the Vice President cautioned young people against consuming junk food.

• He also said that “Instant food means constant disease” and that the native food practices handed down from generations were suited for each region and had to be adopted by people.

• He also said that tremendous pressure in daily life had to be countered with the science of Yoga. Yoga would help not just to achieve physical well-being, but also to lead a better life by making enlightened choices.

• He emphasised on balance in all spheres. And, said that a true yogi develops harmonious relationships with the self, others and the environment that form the foundation of healthy societies and a healthy planet.

• Introducing Yoga in schools would make people adopt it from a young age. Yoga can help achieve physical and mental well-being.

• Many schools in other countries had made Yoga a mandatory part of the curriculum.

                                                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

Insurance Cover for Risk-Prone Crops

GS PAPER - 03 AGRICULTURE - agricultural produce and issues and related constraints

Context :

• Government has conducted several studies to measure and quantify the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture.

Key Findings of the Study :

• There are clear indications of climate change all over the country. There has been a sharp increase in the mean annual temperature in India in the last 30 years.

• Major crops classified as risk prone under the impacts of climate change with reduced productivity are – Rice & Wheat especially in the Indo Gangetic Plains, Maize in Mid Indo-Gangetic Plains (MIGP) & Southern Plateau (SP), Sorghum & potato in West Bengal, and Southern Plateau.

• Productivity is expected to increase in Soybean, Groundnut, Chickpea & Potato in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, Apple in Himachal Pradesh.

                                                                                                                            Source :- PIB

Technology and Doubling Farmers’ Income

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

Context :

• The Government has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers' income and recommend a strategy to achieve that goal by the year 2022.

• The technologies include Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Block chain Technology, Internet of Things etc.

Major technology interventions include :

•  Kisan Suvidha mobile application

  • The app facilitates dissemination of information to farmers on the critical parameters viz., Weather; Market Prices; Plant Protection; input dealers (Seed, Pesticide, Fertilizer) Farm Machinery; etc.

  • This helps farmers make informed decisions to sell produce at the right price and right time.

•  Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) :

  • It has compiled more than 100 mobile apps developed by ICAR, State Agricultural Universities  and Krishi Vigyan Kendras and uploaded on its website.

  • These mobile apps developed in the areas of crops, horticulture, veterinary, dairy, poultry, fisheries, natural resources management and integrated subjects,  offer valuable information to the farmers, including package of practices, market prices of various commodities, weather related information, advisory services, etc.

•  mKisan Portal :

  • For sending advisories on various crop related matter to the registered farmers through SMSs.

•  e-National Agriculture Market initiative :

  • To provide farmers an electronic online trading platform.

•  Integrated Scheme of Agricultural Marketing :

  • To improve/create scientific storage capacity for storing farm produce, processed farm produce and to reduce post-harvest storage loss.

•  Soil Health Card Scheme :

  • Soil health card provides information to the farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving crop productivity and soil fertility.

• National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm) :

  • To farmers on seed components, transfer of technologies, production inputs and water carrying devices.

  •  Financial assistance is also being provided under this scheme for block demonstration, frontline demonstration, farmers training to educate farmers to adopt modern techniques of farming to yield good crop economically.

•   Use of  space technology for various programmes/ areas such as Forecasting Agricultural Output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land-based Observations project,  Coordinated programme on Horticulture Assessment and Management using geo-informatics project, National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System, Rice-Fallow Area Mapping and intensification, geo tagging of infrastructure and assets created under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana,  and Crop Insurance.

• Using machine learning process along with different computer algorithm for crop classification and area estimation.

• Setting up of Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Agricultural Technology Management Agencies at district level for dissemination of technologies among farm community.

• In addition, farmers are provided information through Focused Publicity Campaigns, Kisan Call Centres, Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres of entrepreneurs, Agri Fairs and exhibitions, Kisan SMS Portal, etc.

                                                                                                                          Source :- PIB       

Janani Suraksha Yojana

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

Context :

• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Health Mission (NHM).

Janani Suraksha Yojana :

• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Health Mission (NHM).

• The Yojana was launched on 12th April 2005.

•  It is being implemented in all states and UTs with special focus on low performing states.

  • JSY is a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme and it integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care.

• Objectives: It was Launched for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, to promote institutional delivery among pregnant women especially with weak socio-economic status i.e. women from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and BPL households.

• Cash assistance: Under the JSY, eligible pregnant women are entitled to cash assistance irrespective of the age of mother and number of children for giving birth in a government or accredited private health facility.

• Area of Focus: The scheme focuses on poor pregnant woman with special dispensation for states that have low institutional delivery rates, namely, the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir.

  • While these States have been named Low Performing States (LPS) under the scheme, the remaining States/UTs have been named High Performing States (HPS).

• The scheme also provides performance-based incentives to women health volunteers known as ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) for promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.

                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

Anaemia in women

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

Context :

• According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)–IV (2015-16), the prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15 to 49 years is 53% and among adolescent girls aged 15-19 years is 54%.

Under the National Health Mission (NHM), the steps taken to tackle anaemia  are:

• Anaemia Mukt Bharat(AMB): 

  • launched in the year 2018 as part of Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI)Program for accelerating the annual rate of decline of anemia from one to three percentage points.

  • The target groups for AMB are Children 6-59 months, 5-9 years, Adolescent Girls & Boys of 10-19 years, Women of Reproductive Age (15-49 years), pregnant Women and Lactating mothers.

•  Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme :

  • Implemented to meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst adolescent girls and boys.

  • The intervention under WIFS includes supervised weekly ingestion of Iron Folic Acid (IFA) tablet.

  • To control worm infestation biannual deworming with Albendazole is provided.

•  Health management information system & Mother Child tracking system is being implemented for reporting and tracking the cases of anaemic and severely anaemic pregnant women.

• Universal screening :

  • Universal Screening of pregnant women for anaemia is a part of ante-natal care and all pregnant women are provided iron and folic acid tablets during their ante-natal visits through the existing network of sub-centres and primary health centres and other health facilities as well as through outreach activities at Village Health & Nutrition Days (VHNDs).

•  Pradhan MantriSurakshitMatritvaAbhiyan (PMSMA) :

  • launched to focus on conducting special ANC check up on 9th of every month with the help of Medical officers/ OBGYN to detect and treat cases of anemia.

•  Operationalization of Blood Bank:

•  in District Hospitals and Blood Storage Unit in sub district facilities such as Sub-Divisional Hospital/ Community Health Centers is being taken to tackle complications due to severe anaemia.

                                                                                                                                     Source :- PIB

2019 Trafficking in Persons Report

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

Context :

• The U.S. State Department has released the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 2019. India continued to be placed in Tier-2 on the country trafficking scale.

• The U.S. State Department report has used the International Labour Organisation (ILO) data.

Key Findings :

• There are 25 million adults and children suffering from labour and sex trafficking all over the world. In 77% of the cases, victims are trafficked within their own countries of residence, rather than across borders.

• The number of victims trafficked domestically was high compared to foreign victims being trafficked in all regions of the world except Western and Central Europe, the Middle East, and certain East Asian countries.
   

  • Victims of sex trafficking were more likely to be trafficked across borders while victims of forced labour were typically exploited within their own countries.

• The report stresses on the implementation of the Palermo Protocol. The countries need building legal frameworks to prosecute traffickers and provide care for survivors.

India’s Position :

• India is placed in Tier 2: The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period.

• The report highlights efforts by the government to crack down on trafficking and convicting traffickers.

• The government took some action following reports of government complicity in forced labour and sex trafficking, although the systemic failure to address forced labour and sex trafficking in government-run and government-funded shelter homes remained a serious problem. The report also highlighted the government’s failures in this regard.

Recommendations for India:

•  It includes amending the definition of trafficking in Section 370 of the Penal Code to include forced labour trafficking and ensure that force, fraud, or coercion are not required to prove a child sex trafficking offence,

• To establish Anti-Human Trafficking Units in all districts with dedicated funding and clear mandates.

                                                                                                                                                        Source :- The Hindu

Three in four people with epilepsy in low-income countries may die early: WHO

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

Context :

• A report “Epilepsy, a public health imperative” has been released by the World Health Organization and leading non-governmental organizations for epilepsy, states that More than 75 percent of people with epilepsy in low-income countries are at risk of premature death, due to lack of access to anti seizure medicines.

Key Findings of the Report :

• About 80 percent of people with epilepsy live in low- and middle-income countries.

  • In low- and middle-income countries, early death among people with epilepsy is significantly higher than in high-income countries.

• More than 75 percent of people with epilepsy in low-income countries are at risk of premature death, due to lack of access to anti-seizure medicines.

  • The reasons include possible lack of access to health facilities when seizures are long-lasting or occur close together without recovery in between, and preventable causes such as drowning, head injuries and burns

• The report states that the treatment gap for epilepsy is unacceptably high, when 70 percent of people with the condition can be seizure-free when they have access to medicines that can cost as little as $5 per year and can be delivered through primary health systems.

• Roughly half of adults with epilepsy have at least one other health condition. The most common are depression and anxiety.

  • Around 23 percent of adults with epilepsy will experience clinical depression during their lifetime and 20 per cent will have anxiety.

• Mental health conditions such as these can make seizures worse and reduce the quality of life.

  • Development and learning difficulties are experienced by 30-40 percent of children with epilepsy.

• Stigma also prevents people from taking treatment.

• The Report states that “political will” facilitates the integration of diagnosis and treatment for epilepsy into the primary health services.

                                                                                                           Source :- Down To Earth

Supreme Court halts road works through tiger reserves

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Context :

• The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the construction of roads in the ecologically sensitive area within Rajaji Tiger Reserve and traversing a critical corridor connecting the Corbett Tiger Reserve

Issue :

• The area where the road was being constructed supports four tigers per 100 square kilometers.

• The State had failed to take necessary approvals for constructing the road which traverses an animal corridor between Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Corbett tiger reserve.

  • There appear to be numerous violations of the Forest Conservation Act.

  • It is apparent that the advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has not been taken.

  • Permission from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife has also not been taken.

• The reserve forest area which also formed a part of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve rich in wildlife including many endangered species.

• The roads, bridges and culverts were being constructed illegally in the ecologically sensitive area on Laldhang- Chillarkhal road without the approval of NTCA under the Wildlife Act.

                                                                                                                          Source :- The Hindu

India’s NSG membership not on Kazakhstan meeting agenda,says China

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Context :

• China said India’s membership issue was not on the agenda of the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s meeting in Astana (Kazakhstan) on 21st June, 2019.

More about the news:

• It also stated that discussion on India’s entry into the 48-nation club would take place only after reaching a specific plan on non-NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) members’ participation in the grouping.

• It has also refused to suggest a deadline by which such a consensus can be reached among the member states.

• Ever since India applied for the membership of the NSG in May 2016, China has been insisting that only those countries which have signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) should be allowed to enter the organisation.

• Majority of the NSG member states including the US, Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Finland , Sweden and Norway back for India’s membership in the grouping considering its non-proliferation record.

• India is keen to become a member of NSG as it seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power generation and also enter the export market in coming years.

NSG :

• The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was created following the explosion in 1974 of a nuclear device by a non-nuclear-weapon State (India), which demonstrated that nuclear technology transferred for peaceful purposes could be misused.

• It is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through the implementation of two sets of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports.

• The grouping has 48 participating governments and the NSG Guidelines are implemented by each member in accordance with its national laws and practices.

• The NSG takes decisions by consensus.

                                                                                                                      Source :- The Hindu

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