Comprehensive Current affairs 20 October 2020

SC shows delay in filing of appeals by central government.

Indian Apex Court has deprecated the “inordinate delays” by government authorities in filing appeals before it, and said they “must pay for wastage of judicial time” and such costs can be recovered from officers responsible.

A bench headed by Justice S K Kaul said the apex court cannot be a place for the governments to walk in when they choose ignoring the period of limitation prescribed in the statute.

The top court noted the explanation given in the application for condonation of delay which stated that it was due to unavailability of documents and process of arranging them and also that in “bureaucratic process works, it is inadvertent that delay occurs”.

The bench noted that such approach is being adopted and the object appears to be to obtain a certificate of dismissal from the Supreme Court to put a quietus to the issue and thus, say that nothing could be done because the highest court has dismissed the appeal. It noted in its order that no doubt, some leeway is given for “government inefficiencies” but the sad part is that authorities

keep on relying on judicial pronouncements for a period of time when technology had not advanced and a greater leeway was given to the government.

Survey finds 3/4 rural Indians cannot afford nutritious diet.

Three out of four rural Indians cannot afford a nutritious diet, according to a paper recently published in journal Food Policy.

Even if they spent their entire income on food, almost two out of three of them would not have the money to pay for the cheapest possible diet that meets the requirements set by the government’s premier nutrition body, it says.

Unlike the Economic Survey’s ‘Thalinomics’, which provided a rosier picture of meal costs, this study uses the wages of unskilled workers who make up a larger proportion of the population than industrial workers, and includes items such as dairy, fruit and dark green leafy vegetables that are essential as per India’s official dietary guidelines.

The National Institute for Nutrition’s guidelines for a nutritionally adequate diet call for adult women to eat 330 gm of cereals and 75 gm of pulses a day, along with 300 gm of dairy, 100 gm of fruit, and 300 gm of vegetables, which should include at least 100 gm of dark green leafy vegetables.

Selecting the cheapest options from actual Indian diets — wheat, rice, bajra, milk, curd, onions, radish, spinach, bananas the study calculated that a day’s meals would cost RS.45 (or RS.51 for an adult man).

World Standards Day.

Every year on October 14, the world celebrates International Standards Day, also known as World Standards Day.

Worlds Standard Day (WSD):

• The aim is to promote awareness about the essentiality of ‘standardisation to global economy’ for enhancing peace and prosperity without harming our planet Earth.

 

• World Standards Day also pays tribute to the thousands of volunteers around the world who participate in standardization activities.

• World Standards Day 2020 is themed – ‘Protecting the planet with standards’ – aims to seize the opportunity to combat climate change with the power of international standards.

• Since 1970, World Standards Day has been celebrated in various ways throughout the world. Conferences, exhibitions, seminars, TV and radio interviews, and even “World Standards Week” events take place annually on or around 14 October.

• The World Standards Day was chosen by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Bureau of Indian Standards:

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

• It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986.

• The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS.

• The organisation was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), set up under the Resolution of the Department of Industries and Supplies.

• As a corporate body, it has 25 members drawn from Central or State Governments, industry, scientific and research institutions, and consumer organisations.

• Its headquarters are in New Delhi, with regional offices in Eastern Region at Kolkata, southern Region at Chennai, Western Region at Mumbai, Northern Region at Chandigarh and Central Region at Delhi and 20 branch offices. It also works as WTO-TBT enquiry point for India.

 

 

• A new Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) Act 2016 which was notified on 22 March 2016,has been brought into force with effect from 12 October 2017. The Act establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.

Bangladesh invites India to join 50years of country’s independence.

Bangladesh has invited Indian PM Modi to join the celebrations of the 50 years of the country’s independence on March 26 next year, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

Dr.Momen said, Bangladesh and India will celebrate Bangladesh's 50 years of independence together next year. He hoped that Modi will join in the celebrations in Dhaka.

A virtual meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh is also likely to take place later this year. The Bangladesh's Foreign Minister said, the existing relations between Bangladesh and India have set an example for the world by resolving bilateral issues through dialogue and discussions. He referred to land and maritime boundary issues as an example in this context.

Earlier, PM Modi was scheduled to visit Bangladesh to join in the birth centenary celebrations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. But the visit was cancelled due to the Corona pandemic.

India-Srilanka begins annual naval exercise-SLINEX.

The 8th annual joint exercise between Indian and Sri Lankan navies - SLINEX-20 - will begin today off Trincomalee coast. The 3-day exercise will continue till 21st of October. The Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by SLN Ships Sayura and Gajabahu led by Rear Admiral BandaraJayathilaka, the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, Sri Lanka Navy.

Indigenously built ASW corvettes Kamorta and Kiltan under the command of Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, will represent the Indian Navy. Defence Ministry said, Indian Navy Advanced Light Helicopter and Chetak helicopter embarked onboard IN ships, and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft will also be participating.

 

 

WHO releases Global Tuberculosis Report,2020.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently released the Global Tuberculosis Report, 2020. The report Highlights the impact of COVID-19 on Tuberculosis (TB) related deaths. It says that COVID-19 might increase the TB deaths by 0.2 to 0.4 million worldwide.

• As per the report, India registered a decline in Tuberculosis cases by 85% in April 2020 after the lockdown was imposed. However, the number of TB deaths could be between 2,00,000 and 4,00,000.

• Philippines, Indonesia and South Africa accounted to 44% of global TB cases in the world.

• India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Russia accounts for two-thirds of global TB cases.

• Largest burden of drug-resistant TB were reported in India, China and Russia.

•TB cases reduced by 9% while TB deaths increased by 14% between 2015 and 2019.As per the report, around 14 million people were treated between 2018 and 2019 for TB.

• Report says, treatment is moving ahead of the five-year target, set by WHO, of reaching 40 million between 2018 and 2022. But, the COVID-19 is the biggest hurdle to achieve these targets currently.

• Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical staffs have been reallocated to look after the corona patients. Because of the, TB patients are not being given proper care.

• Other reasons could be restriction in movement of people, procurement and transportation of TB medicines have been reduced and the loss of wages. This has made difficult for people to access the health centres and proper treatment.

 

 

NCTP claims government deliberating on making special ID card for transgenders.

The government is deliberating on making a special identity card for transgender community members that will help in linking them with various social welfare schemes, a member of the recently-constituted National Council for Transgender Persons said.

• The Centre had in August constituted the National Council for Transgender Persons (NCTP) to formulate policies, programmes, draft legislation and projects regarding members of the community for achieving equality and full participation by them.

• The council was established in August by the Centre in exercise of the powers conferred by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

• According to the Act, the functions of the council include advising the Centre on the formulation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects with respect to transgender persons; monitoring and evaluating the impact of policies and programmes designed for achieving equality and full participation of transgender persons.

India test fires BRAHMOS super-sonic cruise missile.

BRAHMOS, the supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired today from Indian Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea. The missile hit the target successfully with pin-point accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy for the successful launch. Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development and DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy, congratulated the scientists and all personnel of DRDO, BrahMos, Indian Navy and industry for the successful feat.

DRDO Chairman Dr Reddy said, BRAHMOS missiles will add to the capabilities of Indian Armed Forces in many ways.

 

 

BRAHMOS as a prime strike weapon will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges, thus making the destroyer another lethal platform of Indian Navy.

The highly versatile BRAHMOS has been jointly designed, developed and produced by India and Russia.

MOSAiC Expedition begain.

Recently, the Year-long MOS Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) Expedition began from Norway and concluded at the port of Bremerhaven, Germany. It was a project organized by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany.

• It is an International Research expedition to study the physical, chemical, and biological processes that coupled the Arctic Atmosphere, Sea ice, Ocean, and Ecosystem.

• It is the first year-round expedition into the central Arctic exploring the Arctic climate system.

• During the year-round operation of research, the distributed regional network of observational sites were set up on the sea ice surrounding the ship icebreaker RV Polarstern.

• The icebreaker RV Polarstern is a German Research Vessel which is mainly used for research in the Arctic and Antarctica.

• The results of MOSAiC will contribute to enhance understanding of the regional and global consequences of Arctic climate change and sea-ice loss and improve weather and climate predictions.

• The region’s sea ice has been steadily shrinking in recent decades, and summer ice coverage this year was the second lowest since satellite measurements began in 1979.

• The Warming has also caused sharp declines in older and thicker ice.

• The information is collected about the ocean, ice, clouds, storms and ecosystems of the Arctic would prove invaluable in helping scientists understand the region, which is warming faster than any other part of the planet.

 Regional Raw Drug Repositories.

Regional Raw Drug Repository for AYUSH Systems launched at Chennai.

Regional Raw Drug Repositories (RRDRs):

• RRDRs are important components of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, National AYUSH Mission.

• The repositories play an important role in medicinal plants cultivation.

• As a step in this direction, the Ministry of AYUSH, through the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), initiated the establishment of the National Raw Drug Repository and

Regional Raw Drug Repositories.

• The collaborating institutes as identified by the NMPB are the National Institute of Siddha,with the Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, and the Siddha Central Research

Institute, all three located in Chennai.

• The RRDR in Chennai would play a major role in the collection, documentation, and authentication of raw drugs collected from the agro-climatic region, that is, the Southern Plateau Region.

• This RRDR will not only act as collection centres of raw drugs available and used in the southern region but also as an accredited reference library for authentication of raw drugs and establish standard protocols and keys for authentication of raw drug used in the Herbal Industries.

Background & Significance:

• Medicinal plants form the major resource base of India’s indigenous health care traditions.

• Their relevance has grown substantially in the current pandemic scenario, thanks to their disease preventive effects.

• The outreach and acceptability of AYUSH systems, both nationally as well as globally, are dependent on the uninterrupted availability of quality medicinal plants based raw material.

 

• Though most of the raw drugs are commonly available, there is a lack of scientific documentation that makes research on these medicines very difficult. This also reduces the chances of commercial exploitation of these Medicines.

• Easy availability of authentic scientific data of the raw drugs will promote research on the medicines belonging to the AYUSH system which will lead to further propagation of these systems.

• Currently, India has more than 9000 manufacturing units for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy medicine.

• However, the quality of medicines produced by these units critically depends upon the manufacturing process followed as well as the quality of raw material.

• The Government has made it mandatory for all manufacturing units to adhere to the Good Manufacturing Practices as notified under Schedule T of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act

1940.

Focus on mains:

Inauguration of 21st All India Conference of Directors.                      

The 21st All India Conference of Directors, Fingerprint Bureau 2020 and the e-Cyber Lab set up by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) were inaugurated recently.

• The month of October is observed as National Cyber Security Awareness Month and e-Cyber Lab will Provide virtual experience in investigation of cyber-crimes.

Impacts:

• Digitization of records and fingerprint data is an important step forward in documenting and tracking crimes and criminals and expressed his confidence that the fully computerized National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).

 

 

• Fingerprint is an essential tool because of its uniqueness, permanency, individuality and ease in acquisition.

• NAFIS will be a game changer in investigation of crime. NAFIS will also provide aid to investigating officers in identifying criminals based on their fingerprints on real time basis.

Central Finger Print Bureau (CFPB):

• CFPB is the apex body in the country which coordinates, guides, monitors and provides technical support to the State Finger Print Bureau, as well as investigating agencies and international organizations in all matters related to the Finger Print Science.

Background:

• The World’s First Finger Print Bureau was set up in Calcutta in1897.

• A CFPB was established at Shimla in 1905, however it was closed in 1922 as a result of retrenchment proposals of the Inchcape Committee.

• The Present CFPB came into existence in 1955 under the administrative control of Intelligence Bureau at Delhi.

• It was relocated to Kolkata in 1956. The administrative control of CFPB shifted to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 1973, and since July, 1986, this has been under the administrative control of NCRB.

Objectives:

• To maintain Finger Print record slips of the accused person convicted in various Acts.

• To conduct search relating to unidentified Interstate arrested/suspected persons received from police stations and other investigating agencies in India.

• To maintain the fingerprints of international criminals and red corner notices sent by Interpol and to conduct search on references received from foreign countries, through Interpol.

 

• To undertake examination of questioned finger impressions on documents received from

Central Government Departments/ Undertakings/Courts of law.

• To impart training in Fingerprint Science to State/Central Police personnel and to personnel from foreign countries under `Technical Co-Operation Scheme’ (TCS) of Colombo Plan, ‘Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan’ (SCAAP) and `International Technical and Economic Cooperation’ (ITEC).

• To co-ordinate the work of the State Finger Print Bureau and give necessary guidance in all matters relating to Fingerprint Science.

• To conduct the All India Conference of Directors of Finger Print Bureau.

• To conduct All India Board Examination annually for accrediting Finger Print Experts.

• To conduct competition in Finger Print science at the All India Police Duty Meet.

National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS):

• National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) is a unique “real time” criminal identification system which will collect fingerprints of over 80 lakh criminals in the country and put in place a robust web-based system to identify them.

• NAFIS will be installed at the NCRB and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) connectivity will be used to provide access to all the users.

• NAFIS will enhance the ability to discern crime patterns and modus operandi across states, and communicate with the State Police departments to assist in crime prevention.

• NCRB is hosting the system and implementing it on a turnkey basis, selecting solution providers through a bidding process.

• The NCRB will allocate separate space for each state at the NAFIS centre. Each state will have complete control over its data, while read-only permission will be given to the other states.

 

• Provisions will be made for the States which already have AFIS to share their data with NAFIS using a bridge software without disturbing their operations.

World Mental Health Day 2020.

Recently, World Mental Health Day was observed on 10th October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilising efforts in Support of Mental Health.

Highlights:

• Its 2020 theme is ‘Mental Health for All, Greater Investment – Greater Access’.

• The Big Event for Mental Health is the first ever global online advocacy event on mental health, hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the day.

• The Surveys have indicated that the pandemic is increasing mental health problems.

• Half the respondents from seven countries in a survey by non-profit International Society for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement reported negative effects on mental health.

• More than two-thirds of the queries were from those aged 21-40. Anxiety, stress and panic attacks were the most commonly discussed topics.

• More than 90% of respondents to a survey of Harvard Medical School reported increased worry, frustration, boredom or anxiety, In the United States.

• The global economic cost of mental illness is expected to be more than USD 16 trillion over the next 20 years, which is more than the cost of any other non-communicable disease.

• People in younger age, Female Gender and those with comorbidities reported more Psychological Impact.

Causes Related to Pandemic:

 

 

• It has increased isolation and loss of income which are well known Triggers of mental helalth conditions.

• The disease itself has been reported to lead to neurological and mental Complications such as delirium, agitation and stroke.

• The Covid-19 has disrupted or halted mental health services in 93% of the Countries.

• Lack of funding for huge challenges posed by pandemic and Mental Health Issues.

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) pointed out that countries are spending less than 2% of their health budget on Mental Health.

• Only around 1% of the international aid available for health is earmarked for mental Health.

Indian Scenario:

• A report published in The Lancet Psychiatry in February 2020 indicates that in 2017, there were 197.3 million people with mental disorders in India.

• The top mental illnesses were depressive disorder (45.7 million) and anxiety disorder (44.9million).

• The contribution of mental disorders to the total DALYs in India increased from 2.5% in 1990 to 4.7% in 2017.

• Depressive disorder and anxiety disorder contributed the most to the total mental disorders DALYs.

• Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) is the burden of disability associated with a disease or disorder can be measured in units called disability -adjusted life years (DALYs).

• It represent the total number of years lost to illness, disability, or premature death within a given population.

 

 

• Budgetary Spending of the year 2020 began with a reduction of budget allocation for mental health in India.

• India’s healthcare budget in 2018 was Rs. 52,800 crore, of which Rs. 50 crore was for mental health and that was reduced to Rs 40 crore the following year.

• India is barely spending 0.5% of the health budget on this sector.

• Initiatives: The Mental Health Care Act (MHCA) 2017 came into force in 2018 to meet the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which India ratified in 2007.

• KIRAN: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a 24/7 toll-free helpline to provide support to people facing anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health concerns.

• Manodarpan Initiative is an initiative of the Ministry of Education under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

• It is aimed to provide psychosocial support to students, family members and teachers for their mental health and well-being during the times of Covid-19.

About Mental Health Care Act, 2017

• Right to make an Advance Directive, wherein patients can state on how to be treated or not to be treated for the illness during a mental health situation.

• Right to appoint a Nominated Representative: A person shall have the right to appoint a nominated representative to take on his/her behalf, all health related decisions like:

• Right to access Mental Health Care,

• Right to Free & Quality Services,

• Right to get Free Medicines,

 

• Right to Community Living,

• Right to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

• Right to live in an environment, safe and hygienic, having basic amenities,

• Right to Legal Aid.

• No Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) without anesthesia.

• The act brought changes in Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (which criminalized attempted suicide). The attempt to commit suicide is punishable only as an exception.

Way Ahead:

• Increasing the number of psychologists and psychiatrists alone won’t help. Stigma and awareness are two separate issues although interlinked. They need to be addressed in parallel in order to tackle the burden of Mental Illness.

• Community Partnership, by forming self-help groups of carers families along with NGO’s which brings Community Participation and helps reduce the social stigma associated with Mental Illness.

• Increasing mental healthcare facilities and related infrastructure through more resource allocation in the budget.

• Adequate Mental healthcare professional availability. Empathetic Service delivery:

Delivery of services should be sensitive, compassionate and free from stigma and Discrimination in Public Healthcare Institutions.