IASbaba's Flagship Course: Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) - 2024 Read Details
(Topic: Indian society)
To promote the socio-economic development of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities, the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) has been constituted for a period of three years extendable up to 5 years with following terms of reference:-
In addition, the following schemes are being implemented by the Central Government through State Government/UT Administrations for the DNTs:-
A Committee under the Chairmanship of Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog has taken up the task of identification of DNT communities which are yet to be formally classified.
NITI Aayog has assigned the task of ethnographic survey of 62 tribes to the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) to conduct the studies of these communities in different parts of India
(Topic: Welfare of Women)
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is for expanding access of women to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian or social grounds. The amendments include substitution of certain sub-sections, insertion of certain new clauses under some sections in the existing Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, with a view to increase upper gestation limit for termination of pregnancy under certain conditions and to strengthen access to comprehensive abortion care, under strict conditions, without compromising service and quality of safe abortion.
It is a step towards safety and well-being of the women and many women will be benefitted by this. Recently several petitions were received by the Courts seeking permission for aborting pregnancies at a gestational age beyond the present permissible limit on grounds of foetal abnormalities or pregnancies due to sexual violence faced by women. The amendments will increase the ambit and access of women to safe abortion services and will ensure dignity, autonomy, confidentiality and justice for women who need to terminate pregnancy.
(Topic: Labour and employment)
The Code on Wages, 2019 which has been notified on 8th August, 2019 universalises and creates a statutory right of minimum wages for all workers whether in organized or unorganised sector. A new concept of statutory floor wage has also been introduced in the Code on Wages. The Code also provides that the minimum wages are to be ordinarily reviewed and revised by the appropriate Governments in intervals not exceeding five years.
(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education)
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has recommended introducing contemporary subjects like Artificial Intelligence in curriculum, at relevant stages.
(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education)
In order to provide impetus to vocational education the allocation in 2021-22 for National Apprenticeship Training Scheme has been kept at Rs. 500 crore. Further, UGC has already issued guidelines for Apprenticeship/Internship Embedded Degree Program.
(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)
Research, technology in artificial intelligence is being promoted and implemented in the country through a network of 25 technology hubs working as a triple helix set up under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
IUSSTF’s USIAI Initiative focuses on AI cooperation in critical areas that are priorities for both countries. USIAI will serve as a platform to discuss opportunities, challenges, and barriers for bilateral AI R&D collaboration, enable AI innovation, help share ideas for developing an AI workforce, and recommend modes and mechanisms for catalyzing partnerships.
The U.S.-India AI Initiative will provide an opportunity for key stakeholder groups to share experiences, identify new R&D areas and opportunities that would benefit from synergistic activities, discuss the emerging AI landscape, and address the challenges of developing an AI workforce.
The ambitious flagship initiative, USIAI, leverages IUSSTF’s unique ability to bring together key stakeholders from India and the United States to create synergies that address challenges and opportunities at the interface of science, technology, and society. Over the next year, IUSSTF will conduct a series of roundtables and workshops to gather input from different stakeholder communities and prepare White Papers that identify technical, research, infrastructure, and workforce opportunities and challenges, and domain-specific opportunities for R&D in healthcare, smart cities, materials, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing.
(Topic: India and other countries)
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Maldives on Cooperation in Sports and Youth Affairs
(Topic: International forums)
The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Trilateral Cooperation Forum is a unique platform which brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents. All three partners are developing pluralistic, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious nations.
IBSA is committed to inclusive sustainable development, in pursuit of the well-being for their citizens and those from the other developing nations. The principles, norms and values underpinning the IBSA Dialogue Forum are participatory democracy, respect for human rights, the Rule of Law and the strengthening of multilateralism. IBSA lays efforts in the South-South cooperation beyond the conventional areas of exchange of experts and training.
During the consultation, the Forum discussed key issues that contribute towards the transformation of women’s lives; by highlighting initiatives, policies and best practices for gender inclusive economy for transformation as well as for elimination of gender based discrimination and violence against women, which in the coming time will help not only in understanding each other’s’ systems and programmes but will also carve a strategic roadmap to promote gender equality agenda for achieving sustainable development goals. The Forum emphasized on the necessity to raise voice on various multilateral fora to highlight the development priorities of the associate countries and emphasized how gender equality makes sound economic sense.
The participating countries also lauded the efforts of Government of India in helping out other countries to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic by way of providing vaccines, masks, sanitizers, PPE Kits etc.
(Topic: International forums)
PM Modi highlighted few key areas that need to be accorded priority:
First, CDRI must embody the central promise of the Sustainable Development Goals, that is, "leave no one behind". This means that we have to put the concerns of the most vulnerable nations and communities first. In this regard, the Small Island Developing Nations that are already experiencing the impacts of worsening disasters must have easy access to all the technology, knowledge and assistance that they consider necessary. We must have the capability and support to adapt global solutions to the local context.
Second, we must take stock of the performance of some of the key infrastructure sectors - particularly health infrastructure and the digital infrastructure that played a central role during the pandemic. What are the lessons from these sectors? And how can we make them more resilient for the future? At the national and sub-national level we have to invest in capabilities for integrated planning, structural design, availability of modern materials, and a large number of skilled personnel in all infrastructure sectors. There is need for Research and Development in all these areas.
Third, in our quest for resilience, no technological system should be considered too basic or too advanced. The CDRI must maximize the demonstration effect of the application of technology.In Gujarat, we built India's first hospital with base isolation techniques. Now base isolators for earthquake safety are manufactured in India itself.In the current context, we have many more opportunities. We must harness the full potential of geo spatial technologies, space-based capabilities, data science, artificial intelligence, material sciences, and combine it with local knowledge to pursue resilience.
And finally, the notion of "resilient infrastructure" must become a mass movement galvanizing the energies of not just the experts, and formal institutions but also communities, and particularly the youth. A social demand for resilient infrastructure will go a long way in improving compliance to standards. Investing in public awareness and education is a key aspect of this process. Our education system must enhance the awareness of locally specific hazards and their possible impact on infrastructure.
Just as the fight against the pandemic mobilized the energies of the world's seven billion people, our quest for resilience must build on the initiative and imagination of each and every individual on this planet.
Coalition for Disaster resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
(Topic: Indian Economy)
India’s overall (merchandise and services) export was US$ 394.96 billion during 2020-21 (April-January) as compared to US$ 443.24 billion during 2019-20 (April-January), i.e. a negative growth of 10.89%.
During 2020-21 (April-January), India’s overall import was US$ 400.84 billion as compared to US$ 514.57 billion during 2019-20 (April-January), i.e. a negative growth of 22.10%.
India’s overall trade deficit was US$ 5.88 billion during 2020-21 (April-January) as compared to US$ 71.33 billion in 2019-20 (April-January), with a high reduction of trade deficit of US$ 65.45 billion.
In order to increase the production and exports of Pharma, Agriculture, Automobile, and Defence items and to re-energize India’s trade performance, some of the key steps taken are:
(Topic: Security)
The Government has taken several policy initiatives and reforms to promote indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence equipment in the country and enable development or transfer of technologies in the country.
Modernisation, upgradation and sustenance of military equipment and weapons is a continuous process and constant endeavour to equip the Armed Forces with modern weapon systems/ equipment being carried out under various procurement provisions (DAP & DPM). Also in emergencies as in the prevailing situation, special procurement powers to enhance the operational capability are given to Service Headquarters.
DRDO has played a major role in the development of state-of-the-art platforms, weapon systems and sensors and upgradation of defence equipment in the country which in turn has enhanced capacity of the Armed Forces to tackle the present security scenario of the country efficiently.
(Topic: Science and Technology)
Dr. Vinu Mohan A.M., scientist at CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, has introduced a flexible low cost, wearable sensor that can track sweat for monitoring the health and physiological status of the human body. It can obviate the necessity of blood and other invasive tests.
The wearable microfluidic sensor, which does not need a clean room, can be used for in situ monitoring of biomarkers such as lactate, Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), and Alkaline/acidic nature (pH) simultaneously from sweat samples. Using the INSPIRE Faculty fellowship, Dr. Vinu is improving upon the sensor to make it stretchable as well so that it can monitor the sweat during exercising and biking.
He is also exploring other reliable biofluids such as saliva and fluid in tissues as they contain abundant chemical markers that could reflect the underlying physiology of the human body. They are also in-parallel focusing on developing wearable energy storage devices as they are essential for powering wearable electrochemical sensors. An all-printed solid-state flexible and stretchable supercapacitor having serpentine-shaped, interdigitated, freestanding interconnects was recently developed and used as energy buffering element for powering a wearable pulse rate sensor.
(Topic: Space)
As gas and dust fall toward a black hole, they form a disk around it. As material piles up in the disk, it heats up to temperatures in excess of millions of degrees. A fraction of this infalling matter is ejected in the form of winds.
Scientists have tracked the generation of this wind and how it is driven by the disc of diffused swirling materials around the black hole called an accretion disc. Matter flowing out due to the wind should contaminate the environment play a major role in the evolution of the region harbouring these black holes. Therefore how such a process can be triggered need to be ascertained. Though these processes are still at the level of theoretical prediction, consensus has not been reached.
By blowing dense gas from the galactic nucleus and by halting inward flows from the galactic halo, the winds play a vital role in shaping the evolution of the black hole host galaxy. Hence the mechanism of generation of these winds and what drives them has intrigued scientists for a long as it helps them explore host galaxies.
(Topic: Science and Technology)
Scientists from Bangalore have developed a highly reliable, High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMTs) that is a normally OFF device and can switch currents up to 4A and operates at 600V. This first-ever indigenous HEMT device made from gallium nitride (GaN) is useful in electric cars, locomotives, power transmission and other areas requiring high voltage and high-frequency switching would reduce the cost of importing such stable and efficient transistors required in power electronics.
Power electronic systems demand high blocking voltage in OFF-state and high current in ON-state for efficient switching performance. Specific transistors called HEMTs made of aluminium gallium nitride/ gallium nitride (AlGaN/GaN) provides an edge over silicon-based transistors as they allow the systems to operate at very high voltages, switch ON and OFF faster, and occupy less space. Commercially available AlGaN/GaN HEMTs use techniques to keep the transistor in normally OFF state, which affects the stability, performance and reliability of the device.
The developed technology is a first of its kind, which uses a type of chemical called ternary oxide (composed of two different metal ions combined in an oxide matrix or Al, Ti and O), which behaves like material having larger positive charge concentration (p-type material). It does away with intrinsic reliability and performance issues of the in-use industrial techniques for e-mode HEMTs, allowing the development of efficient power switching systems.
This device will now be taken up for the prototype development and field-testing level (TRL 5). The scientists used aluminium titanium oxide as the gate oxide, where the percentage of aluminium could be controlled during the fabrication process. Since aluminium titanium oxide is stable, it resulted in high reliability of the transistor.
The projected overall power device market is set to cross the 18 Billion $ mark by 2020, out of which the market for HEMTs is projected to cross the 5 Billion US$ market. So, GaN HEMTs will acquire a major share of the power device market. With a growing market for electric vehicles in India, such an indigenous development can make India self-reliant for transistor technology.
Artificial photosynthesis to provide solutions for carbon capture and conversion
(Topic: Science and Technology)
Scientists have found a method to mimic nature’s own process of reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, namely photosynthesis, to capture excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This artificial photosynthesis (AP) harnesses solar energy and converts the captured carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide (CO), which can be used as a fuel for internal combustion engines.
In artificial photosynthesis (AP), scientists are essentially conducting the same fundamental process in natural photosynthesis but with simpler nanostructures. However, there are plenty of hurdles to overcome as a successful catalyst to carry out AP.
A team of Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India,designed and fabricated an integrated catalytic system based on a metal-organic framework (MOF-808) comprising of a photosensitizer (molecules which absorb light and transfer the electron from the incident light into another nearby molecule) that can harness solar power and a catalytic centre that can eventually reduce CO2.
The scientists have immobilized a photosensitizer, which is a chemical called ruthenium bipyridyl complex ([Ru(bpy)2Cl2]) and a catalytic part which is another chemical called rhenium carbonyl complex ([Re(CO)5Cl]), inside the nanospace of metal-organic framework for artificial photosynthesis. Both these molecular entities stay in close proximity in the confined nano-space of a porous metal-organic framework system resulting in excellent CO2 uptake capability at room temperature. This synthetic strategy empowers efficient solar light-driven photocatalysis.
The developed catalyst exhibited excellent visible-light-driven CO2 reduction to CO with more than 99% selectivity. The catalyst also oxidizes water to produce oxygen (O2). The photocatalytic assembly, when assessed for CO2 reduction under direct sunlight in a water medium without any additives, showed superior performance of CO production. Being heterogeneous, the integrated catalytic assembly can be reused for several catalytic cycles without losing its activity.
(Topic: Science and Technology)
Dr. Sonu Gandhi, a Scientist at the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, who has recently developed a smart nanodevice for the detection of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and Japanese encephalitis (JE), has been awarded the prestigious SERB Women Excellence Award.
The award instituted by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), recognises and rewards outstanding research achievements of young women scientists in frontier areas of Science and Engineering.
The smart nanodevice developed by her group helped in detection of the biomarkers of the diseases using graphene functionalised with amine and conjugated with specific antibodies.
The developed sensor offers several key advantages, such as ultra-high sensitivity, ease of operation, and a short response time, that can be easily integrated into a chip for point-of-care testing. The developed sensor exhibited a clear advantage over conventional techniques, and it is highly sensitive. They can improve early diagnosis of the diseases, ensuring prompt, more effective, and less expensive treatment.
Her work is based on understanding the mechanism of interaction between nanomaterials and biomolecules on the surface of devices called transducers that receive energy from one system and transmit it for the development of a new generation of biosensors for clinical diagnosis of bacterial and viral disease, veterinary and agricultural applications, food analysis and environmental monitoring.
Prelims oriented News
Prime Minister of Finland: H.E. Ms. Sanna Marin
The second edition of Indo-Uzbekistan Joint Field Training Exercise: EXERCISE DUSTLIK-II
World Leprosy Day: 30th January
GRAM UJALA in Bihar: A customized program for rural India, based uniquely and innovatively on carbon finance. LEDs will be available for only Rs 10 each for each household, in exchange for working condition old incandescent lamps. Each household will get up to 5 LEDs.
India-UK Cancer Research Initiative: To support high quality research to deliver innovative and translatable outputs that accelerate progress against cancer outcomes in both the countries, and which also have the potential to have major global impact.
Under the initiative, the core challenges have been identified and seven seed grants have been awarded. The seven seed grants awarded are to work on affordable approaches to improve early diagnosis of symptomatic cancers; affordable screening tools to improve early detection of cancer; risk factors to better understand regional variations in incidence, enabling new approaches to cancer prevention; computational approaches that can reduce the cost of cancer care delivery; affordability of effective cancer treatments; affordable screening tools to improve early detection of cancer; and affordability of effective cancer treatments.
SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium: The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) was set up for genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in India. In INSACOG, 10 laboratories were designated in India for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) with the objectives: to ascertain the current status of new variant of SARS COV-2 in the country; to establish a sentinel surveillance for early detection of genomic variants with public health implication; to determine the genomic variants in the unusual events/trends (super spreader events, high mortality/ morbidity trend areas etc).
Silk Samagra: An Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI) for the overall development of Silk industry in the Country with an aim & objective to scale up production by improving the quality and productivity and to empower downtrodden, poor & backward families through various activities of sericulture in the country. The raw silk production in the country has shown increasing trend during last five years due to implementation of the "Silk Samagra" scheme and other initiatives of Government.
India TB Summit: Accorded high priority to eradicating Tuberculosis in India by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of 2030. The Government of India is committed to scale up access to free diagnosis through rapid molecular tests also providing information on drug resistance, free treatment for all people with TB, with best-quality drugs and regimens, financial and nutritional support to patients, use of digital technologies for notification and adherence and linking with interface non-governmental agencies to strengthen private sector engagement.
The National TB Elimination Programme’s ambitious National Strategic Plan (NSP) embraces bold strategies with commensurate resources to rapidly decline TB incidence and mortality. NTEP has instituted many innovations such as contracting of Patient Provider Support Agencies (PPSAs) to enhance engagement with the private sector, strengthening community engagement through TB Forums at the National, State and District levels, and integrating TB services across all levels in the Health System, including the Ayushman Bharat- Health & Wellness Centres, thereby, making TB an essential part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care.
The new initiatives taken at sub-national level to strengthen community level engagement and to make it a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care:
Depth of Himalayan Glaciers: A proposal has been initiated by National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) Ministry of Earth Sciences to estimate thickness of Himalayan glaciers using innovative airborne radar surveys in collaboration with established Indian researchers in India and abroad.
DAE plans to rope in private agencies for Nuclear Medicine: A research reactor dedicated to medical isotope production is envisaged to be executed under Public Private Partnership. In this partnership, Government through the Department of Atomic Energy, plans to extend support to the investors for processing and production of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals both for diagnosis and therapy of cancer as well as functional evaluation of organs.
Indigenously built Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility L58 Commissioned: at Port Blair
Policy on Liquefied Natural Gas: To promote the usage and distribution of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the Government has put LNG imports under Open General Licensing (OGL) category and establishment of LNG infrastructure, including LNG terminals is also under 100% FDI (automatic route).
Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (Har Medh Par Ped) Scheme: Launched in 2016-17 to encourage tree plantation on farm land along with crops/ cropping system to help the farmers get additional income and make their farming systems more climate resilient and adaptive.
Manipur emerges as the model state for Van Dhan Vikas Yojana: The Van Dhan Vikas Yojana is a programme for value addition, branding & marketing of Minor Forest Produces by establishing Van Dhan Kendras to facilitate creation of sustainable livelihoods for the forest-based tribes. One major scheme that has contributed to increasing employment and income generation among the tribal population is the Van Dhan tribal start-ups programme, a component of the The ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP’ Scheme.
The focus of these initiatives is to make India self-reliant under the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan, with the motto, Go Vocal for Local Go Tribal – Mera Van Mera Dhan Mera Udyam. Manipur, in particular, which has emerged as the Champion state where the Van Dhan programme has emerged as a major source of employment for the local tribals
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojna (PMKMY) Scheme aims to provide social security net for the Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) by way of pension, as they have minimal or no savings to sustain their livelihood during their old age and to support them in the event of consequent loss of livelihood. Under this scheme, a minimum fixed pension of Rs.3,000/-per month will be provided to the eligible small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 years. The Scheme is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age of 18 to 40 years.
Scheme for Women Farmers: States and other Implementing Agencies to incur atleast 30% expenditure on women farmers. These schemes include Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms, National Food Security Mission, National Mission on Oilseed & Oil Palm, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, Sub-Mission for Seed and Planting Material, Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture.
PM Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana: The main interventions under the scheme to be achieved by FY 25-26 are:
The measures under the scheme focus on developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels viz. primary, secondary and tertiary and on preparing health systems in responding effectively to the current and future pandemics/disasters. The PMASBY targets to build an IT enabled disease surveillance system by developing a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels, in Metropolitan areas & strengthening health units at the Points of Entry, for effectively detecting, investigating, preventing and combating Public Health Emergencies and Disease Outbreaks.
Rakhi Garhi Is Being Developed as One of The Five Identified Iconic Archaeological Sites
Deep Ocean Mission: The Deep Ocean Mission is proposed as multi-ministerial multi-disciplinary programme with emphasis on development of deep sea technology, exploration of deep sea mineral resources and biodiversity, acquisition of a research vessel for exploration, deep sea observations, and capacity building. Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal agency for implementing the programme. The major objectives proposed under Deep Ocean Mission are as follows:
National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP): The overall objective of the Project is to undertake suitable structural and non-structural measures to mitigate the effects of cyclones in the coastal states and UTs of India. NDMA under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is implementing the Project in coordination with participating State Governments and the National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM).The Project has identified 13 cyclone prone States and Union Territories (UTs), with varying levels of vulnerability.
The main objective of the NCRMP is to reduce vulnerability of coastal communities to cyclone and other hydro meteorological hazards through;
Gaganyaan programme envisages sending humans in space
Schemes of Welfare Measures for Transgender Persons
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has submitted a concept note for scheme of Welfare measures for Transgender Persons. The Ministry has given funds to National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC)for conducting skill development of members of Transgender Community. So far, the corporation has sanctioned skill development training programmes for 330 members of transgender community to 7 Sector Skill Councils and Training Institutes. Funds have been also released to National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) for implementing various welfare programmes like setting up of pilot shelter homes, conducting workshops.
A composite scheme is being formulated for the welfare of Transgender Persons for which a concept note has already been submitted.Out of Rs 150.00 lakhs released to NBCFDC, Rs 118.05 lakhs has been used by Corporation, so far, for providing Subsistence Allowance/ration kits to 6,940 persons during Covid period.16 health camps were organised wherein 1,240 transgender persons undertook medical consultation. A COVID helpline was setup for providing counselling to distressed callers from the transgender community during lock-down. NBCFDC also disbursed subsistence allowance of Rs.1500/- per person directly into the account of the 5,711 Transgender Persons left without livelihood due to COVID-19 lockdown.
National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) is setting up of 13 pilots of Garima Greh (Shelter Homes) for Transgender Persons. One Garima Greh has already been inaugurated at Vadodara, Gujarat. NISD has also conducted awareness generation programs onDrug Abuse Prevention for Transgender Persons.
Early Detection of Drug Problems and Action Taken To Address Them
To analyse the extent of drug abuse in the country, Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment has conducted the first National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi during 2018.
National Ayush Mission
Under NAM, Grant-in-aid is being provided to State/UT Governments for development and promotion of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) as per their proposed State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs).
Objectives
National Medicinal Plants Board: Government of India has enacted the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to regulate the access to biological resources and / or associated knowledge for certain activities the user of the biological resources needs to share the benefits in fair and equitable manner with the provider of the biological resources. Ministry of AYUSH is presently implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM). Under ‘Medicinal Plants’ component of the NAM scheme supporting market driven cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants in identified cluster/zones with in selected districts of States and implemented in a mission mode throughout the country. As per the scheme guidelines, the support is provided for:
Conservation of Ancient Folk Cultures: To protect, preserve & promote various forms of folk art and ancient folk cultures throughout the country including Jharkhand, Bihar and Kerala, the Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs).
Demise of Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair: A Kathakali maestro
Namami Gange
About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
Objectives