Daily NEWS 15 February 2024

Eat Right India initiative:
•    FSSAI certified over 500 hospitals as 'Eat Right Campuses.'
•    Objective: Ensure safe, healthy, and sustainable food for all Indians
•    Adopts a mix of regulatory, capacity building, collaborative, and empowerment approaches.
•    Aligned with the National Health Policy 2017
•    FSSAI is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
Chronic diseases:
•    CDSCO approved Boehringer's Jardiance for chronic kidney disease in India.
•    CDSCO is the national regulatory authority for drug approval and clinical trials.
•    Chronic diseases last for 3 months or longer and may worsen over time.
•    Common types include cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis.
•    Occur more frequently in older adults.
•    Can be controlled but not cured.
AHIDF Scheme:
•    Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying launched the realigned AHIDF Scheme
•    Objective: Incentivize investments in dairy, meat processing infrastructure, and animal feed plants
•    Scheme type: Central Sector Scheme
•    Eligible entities include individual entrepreneurs, private companies, dairy cooperatives, FPOs, MSMEs, etc.
•    Provides interest subvention of 3% for up to 8 years and a ceiling on the loan amount.
•    Offers credit guarantee cover up to 25% of the term loan.
•    Allows for a loan of up to 90% of the estimated/actual project cost.
Diphtheria
•    WHO releases guidelines for clinical management of diphtheria.
•    Diphtheria is an infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria.
•    It spreads through respiratory droplets.
•    Infects respiratory tract and skin.
•    Incubation period is 2 to 5 days.
•    Symptoms include weakness, sore throat, mild fever, and swollen glands in the neck.
•    Vaccines are available.
Vermin
•    Vermin Kerala urges amendment of Wildlife Protection Act.
•    Wild boar declared as vermin.
•    Vermins are animals that threaten humans, crops, livestock, or property.
•    Section 62 of WPA allows for declaration of vermins.
•    Section 11 (1) (a) empowers Chief Wildlife Warden to permit killing of specified wild animals.
•    WPA amended to reduce schedules from six to four.
Cuscuta dodder:
•    Cuscuta dodder choking Chengalpet forests and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
•    Cuscuta dodder is an invasive weed native to North America.
•    Also known as Akashbel or Amarbel.
•    Parasitic angiosperm plant that grows on host plants and kills them.
•    Threatens local vegetation in Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
•    Located in Chengalpattu District (erstwhile Kancheepuram) of Tamil Nadu.
 
Changes introduced in National Film Awards Regulations
•    Reflects suggestions from Committee for Rationalization of Film Awards.
•    Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director renamed as 'Best debut film of a director' Prize money now only goes to the director.
•    Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration renamed as 'Best feature film promoting national, social and environmental values'.
•    Merges award sections for social issues and environment conservation.
•    Dadasaheb Phalke Award money increased to Rs. 15 lakh.
•    Swarn Kamal awards prize money increased to Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh for Rajat Kamal winners across categories.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs):
•    A novel method for directly synthesizing Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on glass substrates at a temperature of 750 °C has been developed.
•    It used Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) Technique.
About Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs):
•    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are nanocarbon materials with tubular structures composed of rolled-up graphene sheets.
•    They can be single walled (SWCNT) or multi-walled (MWCNT).
•    Properties of CNTs include high surface to volume ratios, enhanced conductivity and strength, biocompatibility, etc.
•    Applications of CNTs include rechargeable batteries, flexible electronics, aerospace, transparent electrodes, touch screens, supercapacitors, and medicine.
 
Madagascar (Capital: Antananarivo)
•    Indian PM met President of Madagascar on the occasion of the World Governments Summit 2024 (Dubai).
Political Boundaries:
•    Island country, lying off the southeastern coast of Africa.
•    Maritime borders: Comoros, France, Mauritius, Mozambique, and Seychelles.
Geographical features:
•    Physiographic Division: Central plateau, the coastal strip in the east, and the zone of low plateaus and plains in the west.
•    Major Rivers: Mangochi River.
•    Highest point: Maromokotro.
 
Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) Recognition by UN
•    TAL recognized as UN World Restoration Flagship
o    6 other initiatives also recognized for support.
o    Recognized initiatives eligible for UN technical and financial support.
o    Namami Gange initiative recognized in 2022.
About Terai Arc Landscape (TAL):
•    Trans-boundary biodiversity hotspot launched in 2001.
o    Critical habitats for tigers, rhinos, elephants, etc.
•    Aims to conserve ecosystems of Terai and Churia hills.
o    Covers protected areas like Corbett Tiger Reserve, Rajaji National Park
•    Extends over 900 km from Bagmati River (Nepal) to Yamuna River (India).
o    Covers 5.10 million hectares and supports over seven million people.
About World Restoration Flagship (commenced in 2022):
•    Recognized under UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-30).
•    Led by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and FAO.
•    Objective to prevent, halt, and reverse ecosystem degradation worldwide.
•    Selection based on Geographic and probability of success criteria.
•    Progress monitored through Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring.
Recognized other six world Restoration Flagships initiatives:
  
Parliamentary Standing Committee releases Report on 'Employment Generation and Revenue Earning Potential of Fisheries Sector'
Status of Fisheries Sector:
•    India is the third largest fish producer globally.
•    Second in aquaculture fishing after China.
•    Contribution of freshwater and marine fisheries is 75% and 25% respectively.
•    Recognized as the Sunrise Sector.
o    Sunrise sector growing at a faster rate and is expected to become significant in the future.
Opportunities in Fisheries Sector:
•    Nutritional and food security benefits.
•    Economic benefits through exports.
Challenges in Fisheries Sector:
•    Poor value chain leading to post-harvest losses.
•    Untapped potential in large dams.
•    Low commercial breeding of species with medicinal and nutritional properties.
•    Issues like overfishing and harmful fishing practices.
Key Recommendations:
  
•    Improve infrastructure and encourage private participation in development schemes.
o    Strengthen fishing harbors and fish landing centers.
•    Promote cage culture in reservoirs.
•    Establish a separate research council for the fishery sector.
•    Explore interest-free loans for farmers under the Kisan Credit Card initiative.
Steps Taken for Fisheries Sector:
•    Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
•    National Genetic Improvement Facility.
•    Establishment of the National Fisheries Development Board.
•    National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases.
•    Promotion of Fish Farmer Producer Organizations.
•    River Ranching Scheme and Artificial Reefs.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) issued Draft Regulations on Bima Sugam:
•    Bima Sugam is an insurance electronic market with open standards and an interoperable platform.
o    One-stop solution for all insurance stakeholder’s vis-a-vis customers, insurers, intermediaries, or insurance intermediaries.
Regulatory framework for Bima sugam:
•    Bima Sugam will be established as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013.
•    Shareholding will be widely held among life, general, and health insurers to prevent any single entity from having a controlling stake.
•    Services will be based on a consent-based architecture, and consumers will not be charged for using Bima Sugam.
•    IRDAI will nominate two members to the Board of the Company.
Significance of Bima Sugam:
•    It will provide insurance companies with real-time access to validated data from multiple touchpoints.
•    It aims to increase insurance penetration and density by improving the availability, accessibility, and affordability of insurance products and services.
o    Insurance density is computed as the ratio of premiums to population (per capita premium), and insurance penetration is defined as the percentage of insurance premiums to GDP.
•    Promotes transparency, efficiency, and collaboration across the insurance value chain.
About IRDAI:
•    IRDAI is a statutory body established under the IRDA Act, 1999.
•    Its main purpose is to supervise and develop the insurance sector in India.
•    Key objectives include protecting policyholders' interests, ensuring the orderly growth of the insurance industry, and facilitating the speedy settlement of genuine claims.
International Energy Agency (IEA) to start full membership talks with India.
•    Announcement made after IEA's Ministerial Meeting and 50th Anniversary events.
•    India joined as an associate member in 2017 and requested full membership in 2023.
o    Signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2021 to strengthen cooperation in global energy security, stability, and sustainability.
Criteria for IEA membership:
•    Must be an OECD member.
•    Must have crude oil reserves equivalent to 90 days of net imports.
o    With storage in refineries and depots, India's strategic oil reserves cover 9.5 days of the country's total oil demand, or 66 days.
•    A program of demand control aimed at reducing the country's oil usage by up to 10%.
•    Laws and procedures to guarantee that all oil businesses operating under its control provide information upon request.
•    The final say on a nation's admission to the IEA is held by the IEA Governing Board.
Significance for India
•    Recognized for strategic importance in global energy and climate challenges.
•    Important for energy security as India is the third-largest energy consumer.
International Energy Agency:
•    HQ in Paris, established in 1974 after the 1973-1974 oil crisis.
•    Objective is to help members respond to oil supply disruptions.
•    31 members and 8 associate members.
•    Functions include energy security, technical cooperation, and research.
•    Publishes World Energy Outlook and World Energy Investment reports.
Scheme Guidelines for Pilot Projects on Green Hydrogen in Transport Sector
•    Ministry of New & Renewable Energy released guidelines under NGHM.
•    NGHM launched in 2023 to promote Green Hydrogen demand, production, utilization, and export.
•    SIGHT and Green Hydrogen Hubs are sub-components of NGHM.
Key Features:
•    Implementing agencies nominated by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
•    Scheme to run till 2025-26 with budget of Rs. 496 Crores.
Key Objectives:
•    Validate technical feasibility and performance of Green Hydrogen vehicles.
•    Support Green Hydrogen as fuel in buses, trucks, and four-wheelers.
Need for Promoting Green Hydrogen in Transport Sector:
•    Decarbonization to reduce carbon emissions from transport sector.
•    Reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
•    Fulfill Panchamrit commitment for net zero emissions by 2070.
Key Challenges:
•    Lack of clean hydrogen value chain infrastructure.
•    Retrofitting vehicles for Green Hydrogen use.
•    Lack of R&D and international standards.
Other Initiatives for Decarbonization of Transport Sector:
•    FAME scheme for Electric Vehicles.
•    Bharat Stage VI Emission Standards.
•    Forum for Decarbonising Transport by NITI Aayog and WRI.
•    Promotion of Biofuels Blending under EBP Programme (20% blending of ethanol in petrol under Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme).
Nuclear Fusion Power Generation with JET:
•    JET is a tokamak in the UK that produced controlled fusion power with deuterium and tritium.
o    Tokamak is a machine that uses magnetic fields to confine plasma in a donut shape.
•    Nuclear fusion combines atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.
Advantages of Nuclear Fusion:
•    No carbon emissions, only produces small amounts of helium.
•    Abundant fuels like Deuterium can be extracted from water.
•    Reliable power generation for longer periods.
Challenges of Nuclear Fusion:
•    High temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius required for fusion.
•    Neutron radiation can travel far into the containment structure.
India's Fusion Initiatives:
•    Joined the ITER project in 2005 to build the world's largest tokamak reactor.
•    The Institute of Plasma Research (IPR) under the Department of Atomic Energy leads India's fusion program.