GK and Current Affairs Updates

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik will inaugurate AROGYA, a comprehensive national level fair on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi on 12th December, 2015. The Ministry of AYUSH has been organizing AROGYA Fair in  major cities across India since 2005.
- Objectives: 
1. To create awareness among the members of the public about the efficiency of the AYUSH System, 
2. Cost effectiveness of AYUSH system and the availability of herbs and plants used for prevention and treatment of common ailments at their door steps through various mass media channels to achieve the objective of health for all.

About Ministry of AYUSH
- Established on 9th November 2014 for providing enhanced healthcare to the public. 
- The Department of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) was renamed as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November 2003, with a view to provide focused attention to the development of Education and Research in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy systems.

Brief Description about the system
1. Ayurveda
"AYURVEDA’ in totality means ‘Science of life’. It incorporates all aspects of life whether physical, psychological, spiritual or social.
2. Yoga
Yoga is a discipline to improve or develop one’s inherent power in a balanced manner. It offers the means to attain complete self-realisation. 
3. Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a system of man building himself in harmony with the constructive principles of Nature on physical, mental, moral and spiritual planes of living. 
4. Unani
This system of medicine is originated in Greece. It is the natural way of treating almost all major diseases with the help  herbal medicines.
5. Siddha
Siddha system is one of the oldest systems of medicine in India . It is largely therapeutic in nature.
6. Homeopathy
It is a system of complementary medicine in which ailments are treated by minute doses of natural substances that in larger amounts would produce symptoms of the ailment.  
 

An inter-Ministerial consultation has been sought on the proposal for setting up of a national level coordination agency to be called ‘Organised Crime Investigation Agency (OCIA)’.

- Objective:1. To investigate, collect intelligence of the cases of human trafficking and other organized crimes 2. Train law enforcement officers 3. Coordinate in rescue and rehabilitation of victims.

- Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development.

About Human Trafficking

It is defined as the trafficking in Persons by recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.

Constitutional protection against trafficking

Article 23 of the Indian Constitution prohibits trafficking in human beings, forced labour and other forms of forced labour.

Other provisions in law for protection from Human trafficking

1. Under section 2(D) of the Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection of Children) Act,2000 rescued  children suffering from trauma after an incidence of trafficking are provided care and protection 2. Sections 23,24,25,26 of the Juvenile Justice Act deals with various forms of exploitation of children that are declared to be cognizable offences.

Government Legislation and International Laws

1. Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTVPA): Intended to combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes 2. UN Convention for the Suppression of the Traffick in Persons: It is an international legislation that India has signed to support the elimination of human trafficking in India. 3. Immoral traffic prevention act of 1956- This law was passed in order to remove prostitution stemming from women trafficking in New Delhi, India. 4.Criminal Law Ordinance 2013: The Criminal Law Ordinance was created in order to make trafficking illegal in India.

Different projects and initiatives of government

1. Comprehensive Scheme “Strengthening law enforcement response in India against Trafficking" 

Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned this scheme. It intends to empower people against this evil through Training and Capacity Building. It has been proposed to establish 330 Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs ) throughout the country and impart training to 10.000 police officers through Training of Trainers (TOTs) component.

2. NODAL CELL FOR MONITORING ACTION TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING:

The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up a Nodal Cell for dealing with matters relating to trafficking in human beings. The Cell is inter alia responsible for collecting and analyzing the data related to trafficking from the State Governments/UT Administrations, identifying problem areas and analyzing causes for their being source/transit/destination areas, monitoring action taken by the State Governments/UT Administrations for combating the crime and organizing co-ordination meetings with the nodal Police Officers of States/UTs.

India and United Kingdom launched a joint initiative “2016: UK-INDIA Year of Education and Research”.

- Objective:  to deepen bilateral relations across education, research & innovation.

- The third phase of UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI-III) will provide a basic framework for the bilateral cooperation between India and UK over the next 5 years. It will focus on leadership and faculty development, integration of skills in the education system, e-partnership & research incubation, and enhancing mobility

Other Initiatives by Govt of India

1. GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks)

- Ministry: Ministry of Human Resource Development

- Aim: intended to enlarge and deepen the interface of India’s institutions of higher learning and globally recognised institutions of academic eminence.

- The academic interface will enlarge, and increasingly enable international academic collaboration as the GIAN programme offers a basis and a platform for a long-term cooperation.

- Benefits:

1. It will help to garner the best international experience into our systems of education.2. Enable interaction of students and faculty with the best academic and industry experts from all over the world.3. A system of Guest Lectures by internationally and nationally renowned experts would be evolved along with a comprehensive Faculty Development Programme not only for new IITs, IIMs, IISERs but also other institutions in the country.

- Objectives to be achieved through this program:

1. Develop high quality course material in niche areas, both through video and print that can be used by a larger body of students and teachers.2. To increase the footfalls of reputed international faculty in the Indian academic institutes.3. Provide opportunity to our faculty to learn and share knowledge and teaching skills in cutting edge areas.4. To provide opportunity to our students to seek knowledge and experience from reputed International faculty.5. To create avenues for possible collaborative research with the international faculty6. To increase participation and presence of international students in Indian academic Institutes.7. Opportunity for the students of different Institutes/Universities to interact and learn subjects in niche areas through collaborative learning process.8. Provide opportunity for the technical persons from Indian Industry to improve understandings and update their knowledge in relevant areas.9. Motivate the best international experts in the world to work on problems related to India.

2. IMPRINT India

IMPRINT is the first of its kind MHRD supported Pan-IIT + IISc joint initiative to address the major science and engineering challenges that India must address and champion to enable, empower and embolden the nation for inclusive growth and self-reliance. This novel initiative with a twofold mandate is aimed at:

(a) Developing new engineering education policy (b) Creating a road map to pursue engineering challenges.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched Indian Remote Sensing Satellites in thematic series viz. Resourcesat, Cartosat and Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1).

 Main Purpose: The images acquired can be used for-1. mapping and monitoring of agricultural crops & its condition,2. crop acreage estimation & production forecast,3. crop phenology & growth;4. site suitability for crops,5. cropping system analysis,6. watershed monitoring & management,7. command area management and drought assessment. 8. varied applications in natural resource management, infrastructure planning and disaster management. 

Other recently launched satellites by ISRO

ASTROSAT

Recently launched by ISRO carries five payloads to study the stars and galaxies in ultraviolet, optical and X-ray wavelength bands.

Functions:(i) pointing the instruments to view stars and galaxies,(ii) measuring the intensity and spectra of the source using onboard detectors,(iii) storing the measurements from the detector in the onboard storage,(iv) transmission of the data to the Ground station for scientific analysis.

GFI released a report stating India is the fourth largest exporter of black money with an average annual outflow of $51.03 billion.

Recommendations by GFI to curb these outflows:

1. World leaders should focus on curbing opacity in the global financial system, which facilitates these outflows.

2. Policymakers should require multinational companies to publicly disclose their revenues, profits, losses, sales, taxes paid, subsidiaries and staff levels on a country-by-country basis.

3. Governments should significantly boost their customs enforcement by equipping and training officers to better detect intentional misinvoicing of trade transactions.

A deal has been signed for the Club World Cup between FIFA and Alibaba E-auto Reflecting China's vast marketing potential.Alibaba Group is the world's largest online and mobile commerce company.

About FIFA(Fédération Internationale de Football Association)

- The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is the governing body of the association of football, futsal and beach football.

- Headquaters: Zurich,Switzerland.-FIFA’s primary objective is "to improve the game of football constantly and promote it globally in the light of its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, particularly through youth and development programmes".

Forest Survey of India stated an increase in 112 sq. km. of mangroves forest. In 2013 there was decrease of 36 km sq.

Mangrove Forests in India1. Mangroves of Gujarat,2. Ratnagiri Mangroves,3. Andaman and Nicobar Islands4. Sunderban5. Cauvery Delta6. Krishna godavari7. Mahanadi 8. Goa

- About Management of Mangroves in India

1. The Sundarbans mangroves, located in the Bay of Bengal (partly in India and partly in Bangladesh), were the first mangroves in the world to be put under scientific management.

2. The 1976 amendment to the Indian Constitution, states that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife.

3. The Government of India set up the National Mangrove Committee in the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1976 to advise the government on  mangrove conservation and development.

4. On the basis of the National Mangrove Committee's recommendation, 15 mangrove areas were identified for conservation.

Some Legislative framework

1. The Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provide protection to the flora and fauna of the country.

2. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 states that no forest area shall be diverted for any non-forestry purpose without prior approval of the Government of India.

3. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 has had a crucial role in the conservation and management of mangrove ecosystems.

Telangana Intellectual Property Crime Unit (TIPCU) is the first anti piracy unit of India, setup by the state of Telangana.

Functions:

1. To monitor online piracy

2. To recommend blocking of websites.

3. To prosecute the pirates and choke their revenue sources.

Based on: The unit is based in London’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU).

It has been decided to organize Def Expo 2016 in Quitol, Naqueri Betul in Quepem area of South Goa, in the State of Goa. The Government of Goa was requested to make approximately 150 acres of land available for the purpose. However, Government of Goa has not allotted any land formally for the purpose to the Ministry of Defence. This Expo will promote the Make in India campaign.

About Defence expo 2015

- The eight edition of Def-Expo, India was held in February 2015.- 232 foreign companies from 32 countries participated in the show along with 15 country pavilions. - Def-Expo 2015 provided a platform to all the exhibitors to display their latest technologies and products and an opportunity to explore/tap the market and business potential for mutual benefits.

A number of steps have been taken by the Government to promote use of generic medicines. Circulars/ instructions have been issued from time to time to all Central Government hospitals, CGHS dispensaries and State Governments for encouraging prescription of generic medicines.

-Indian Government initiative: Jan Jagriti Abhiyan to encourage use of generic medicines to increase their availability.  

- What is Generic Drugs: A generic drug is a pharmaceutical product, usually intended to be interchangeable with an innovator product, which is manufactured without a licence from the innovator company and marketed after the expiry date of the patent or other exclusive rights.

- Approval procedure of generic drugs: Drug companies must submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for approval to market a generic product. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, more commonly known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, made ANDAs possible by creating a compromise in the drug industry.  Generic drugs are certainly as effective as, but much cheaper than, brand-name drugs.Generic Drugs are as much effective as brand drugs because Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand name product. Generic drugs need not contain the same inactive ingredients as the brand name product. When it comes to pricing, there is a big difference between generic and brand name drugs. On an average, the cost of a generic drug is 80 to 85 percent lower than the brand name product.