NATIONAL:

India to contribute USD 5 Millions in 2019 to UN Palestine refugee agency

• India pledged USD 5 million in 2019 to the UN Palestine refugee agency.

The agency's difficult financial situation due to voluntary contributions from a limited donor base and called for ensuring sustained fiscal support for its work.

India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu the government increased its annual financial contribution four fold to the UNRWA core budget from USD 1.25 million in 2016 to USD 5 million in 2018.

They attended a meeting of the General Assembly Ad Hoc Committee for Voluntary Contributions to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

They mark of India's solidarity with the Palestine refugees.

India's support for UNRWA's work is providing assistance to about 5.4 million Palestine refugees to help them achieve their full human development potential.

As part of the Government of India's ongoing assistance programmes in Palestine to strengthen capacity-building efforts focused on institutions, services, and training personnel.

The country is providing 150 places for Palestinian professionals every year under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation program. 

During the last five years, under an India-Palestine development partnership, 17 agreements signed in the fields of agriculture, health care, information technology, youth affairs, consular affairs, women's empowerment, and media.

About Palestine

President: Mahmoud Abbas

Prime Minister: Mohammad Shtayyeh

Uttar Pradesh State government has started DASTAK campaign against communicative diseases Acute Encephalitis Syndrome.

• Uttar Pradesh State government has started  DASTAK campaign against communicative diseases Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) disease on 1 July in the State. DASTAK campaign will run from 1st to 31st July.  This campaign is part of the State’s comprehensive Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy. The vector-borne disease sensitive states have been marked.

Aim:

The campaign was started with an aim to create awareness about  the communicable diseases JE and AES.

Under this state-wide campaign, teams will reach every village of the state to create awareness about  the communicable diseases JE and AES.

It will also ensure the availability of clean drinking water, initiate sanitation drive, ensure vaccination and early treatment so that disease should be nipped in the bud.                                  

About AES and JE:

Japanese encephalitis (JE) a vector-borne viral disease, caused by a group B arbovirus (Flavivirus) and transmitted by Culicine mosquito.

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is most widely caused by Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus. Encephalitis is an inflammation or swelling and irritation of the brain. It is also called acute viral encephalitis or aseptic encephalitis.

Symptoms: The symptoms include mild flu-like symptoms such as a high fever, personality changes, convulsions (seizures), severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, confusion,  problems with speech or hearing, hallucinations, memory loss, drowsiness and coma.

Encephalitis can not be prevented, but illnesses that may lead to it can be avoided.

Why awareness is needed in India?

The incidence of AES and JE in Bihar is increasing since 2009. AES claimed 150 lives in 2019. The highest incidence reporting for AES in Bihar are from Patna, Jehenabad, Nawada, Gaya, Lakhisarai, Gopalganj, Siwan, East Champaran and West Champaran. People should be educated and awareness about the disease should be created among the people.

AES in Uttar Pradesh: After Bihar, UP is being affected with vector-borne disease. The disease hits the peak during monsoons, from July to October.

The State government has taken measures for AES disease.

The bed capacity at BRD has been increased to 428 from 272, the annual medicine budget has been raised from Rs.2.5 crore to Rs.13 crore, while 16 lakh persons are being vaccinated each year and 3.5 lakh paramedics trained to assist in treatment.

Rajya Sabha passes J&K Quota Bill, extends President’s rule.

• The Rajya Sabha passed Jammu and Kashmir reservation bill on July 1, 2019 also extends President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir. This bill provides 3% reservation for people in the State living near the international border (LOC). Home Minister Amit Shah replied to the debate on the motion and the bill that Centre government has no objection to hold Assembly elections in the State. He said security forces have raised certain concerns and he hoped that the Election Commission will take a decision at the earliest.

Lok Sabha passes teachers’ reservation Bill.

• The Lok Sabha has passed the Central Educational Institutions (Reservations in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill-2019 on July 2, 2019. The bill seeks to provide for the reservation of posts in appointments by direct recruitment of persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Educationally Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections to teachers’ cadre in Central Educational Institutions. The bill will replace the Ordinance promulgated in this regard.

INTERNATIONAL:

US Senate passes legislative provision to give India NATO ally-like status.

• The United States Senate has passed a legislative provision that brings India at par with America's NATO allies and countries like Israel and South Korea for increasing defence cooperation. The National Defence Authorisation Act or NDAA for the fiscal year 2020, was passed by the Senate India Caucus Co-Chair Senator John Cornyn with the support of Senate India Caucus Co-Chair Senator Mark Warner. The Act provides for increased US-India defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean in the areas of humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism, counter-piracy and maritime security.

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