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INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION

THE CONTEXT: Prime Minister of India launched countrywide Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

ABOUT AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION

• Prime Minister announced the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 last year. The mission is currently being implemented in the pilot phase in six Union Territories.
• The mission will include a health ID for every citizen that will also be used as their health account. Personal health records can be linked to this account and viewed with the help of a mobile application.
• This health account will contain details of every test, every disease, the doctors visited for check-ups, the medicines taken and the diagnosis.
• A Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) will act as a repository of all healthcare providers across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
• This will ensure ease of doing business for doctors and hospitals and healthcare service providers.

SOURCE: PIB

2. CONVERGENCE BETWEEN DAY-NULM AND PMFME

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has organised the launch event of the Convergence between PM Formalisation of Micro-food processing Enterprises (PMFME)&Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) scheme.

ANALYSIS:

• Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) launched the PMFME scheme as a part of “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan” to enhance the competitiveness of individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment & promote formalization of this sector.
• Financial assistance in the form of Seed Capital, Credit linked subsidy for Capital investment and creation of Common Infrastructure are available to the micro-food processing industries, including those run by SHGs.
• MoHUA is implementing a flagship Scheme named DAY-NULM, which has mobilised over 61 lakhs urban poor women into SHGs and their federations. Out of these, approximately 32,000 SHGs have been identified by States/ UTs to be involved in Food Processing activities.
• Both the Schemes have been converged to benefit members from these SHGs.
• Guidelines have already been issued by MoHUA to States/ UTs.The online IT module developed on DAY-NULM MIS has also been launched today to help in the effective implementation of this convergence.
• This module uses verification and authentication features like Aadhaar Authentication and e-KYC, Mobile Number Validation through OTP and on-spot photography of beneficiaries.
• It ensures a seamless workflow from ULB to the State Nodal Agency (SNA) of PMFME and also enables online approval of eligible applications.
• This module sends SMS on the registered mobile of the beneficiary to update the application status.

SOURCE: PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. SUNDARBANS IS EVALUATED AS ENDANGERED

THE CONTEXT: The Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem in India is evaluated as ‘endangered’ by a global team of researchers using the IUCN’s Red List of Ecosystems framework.

ANALYSIS:

• A global team of researchers has evaluated the Indian Sundarbans ecosystem to be endangered driven by historical clearing of mangroves and diminishing fish populations.
• The analysis uses the Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) framework developed by the IUCN. It is analogous to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• The assessment calls for ‘cautious optimism because of the slowdown in historically high rates of mangrove clearing, and recently stabilising tiger populations.
• However, ongoing threats such as reduced freshwater and sediment supply must be effectively monitored and managed.

SOURCE: MONGABAY

INDIAN ECONOMY

4. INDIA EMERGES AS DUBAI’S SECOND-BIGGEST TRADE PARTNER

THE CONTEXT: India has emerged as Dubai’s second-biggest trading partner.

ANALYSIS:

• Dubai had a trading volume of 86.7 billion dirhams with China in H1 (first half) of 2021. It is followed by India and the U.S.
• Trade with India has increased by 74.5% year-on-year to 67.1 billion dirhams in 2021 from 38.5 billion dirhams in H1 of the year 2020.
• China recorded a growth of 30.7% growth year-on-year. It is having a total trade of 66.3 billion dirhams with Dubai in H1 2021.
• In H1 2021, the US traded 32 billion dirhams with Dubai. This amount has increased by 1% year-on-year from 31.7 billion dirhams in 2020.
• Saudi Arabia was placed at fourth position with a trade value of 30.5 billion dirhams. It has increased by 26% as compared to the H1 quarter of 2020.

SOURCE: TOI

INDIAN SECURITY

5. AKASH PRIME MISSILE

THE CONTEXT: A new version of the Akash Missile – ‘Akash Prime’ has been successfully flight tested from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

ANALYSIS:

• The missile intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aerial target mimicking enemy aircraft, in its maiden flight test after improvements.
• In comparison to the existing Akash System, Akash Prime is equipped with an indigenous active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for improved accuracy.
• Other improvements also ensure more reliable performance under low-temperature environments at higher altitudes.
• A modified ground system of the existing Akash weapon system has been used for the current flight test.
• The range stations of ITR comprising Radars, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Telemetry stations monitored the missile trajectory and flight parameters.

SOURCE: PIB

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q. Consider the following statements about Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

1. A health ID for every citizen will be used as their health account.
2. A Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) will act as a repository of all healthcare providers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only                                                   b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2                                      d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: CDM is a market mechanism developed under Kyoto Protocol.
• Statement 2 is correct: It helps developed countries to compensate for excess emission of Greenhouse gases by acquiring carbon credits generated by green projects in developing countries like India.
• Statement 3 is correct: It is an example of carbon offsetting as overall carbon emissions are not reduced rather they are offset to other locations.