ASSAM

Jaapi, Xorai And Gamosa – Assam

Due to the upcoming parliamentary elections, decorative jaapis (field hats), hand-woven gamosas and bell-shaped metal xorais often appear in Assam. Highlights:

Jaapi: It is a conical hat made of bamboo covered with dried tokou (a palm tree found in the upper rainforest of Assam).

Today, most shawls in Assam are made by artisans in a village in the Nalbari districts.

Gamosa: It has a wide range of uses. It can be used as a towel (uka gamosa) at home or in public functions (phulam / floral gamosa) to attract prominent figures or celebrities.

Xorai: It is made of bell-shaped metal. It is essentially a tray with a stand on the bottom, with or without a cover. It can be found in every Assamese family.

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

World Bank approves USD 32 million project to improve health services in Mizoram

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a USD 32 million project to improve management capacity and quality of health services in Mizoram, a world bank statement said.

In a comprehensive quality assurance programme which would enable quality certification of health facilities, it said.

The key focus will be to strengthen the effectiveness of the state health insurance programme, build synergies with
the Government of India’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY), and thereby reduce financial barriers in accessing hospital services, prevent catastrophic out of pocket expenditure for health by poor families and expand coverage.

The Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project will benefit the people across the state. It will also benefit healthcare personnel by strengthening their planning and management capabilities along with building their clinical skills and competencies.

In 2019-20, under-five mortality in Mizoram was 24 per 1,000 live births, and the prevalence of stunting among under-five children was 28.9 per cent which increased marginally from the previous survey (2014-15).

The project will also focus on the proper management of bio-medical waste management in Mizoram through segregation, disinfection, and collection while safeguarding the environment.

INTERNATIONAL

Defence Acquisition Councils Plans-US

The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) will undertake multi-billion dollar deals for armed drones from the United States and advanced submarines under the Project-75I. Highlights:

India has been seeking to purchase 30 armed drones from the United States, each serving 10, but this process has been repeatedly delayed in the past few years.

Although the Navy has urgent requirements for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, in view of the high cost of the platform, its practicality in the Army and Air Force is still in doubt.

The Navy has introduced two MQ-9B Sea Guardian unarmed drones purchased from the United States. Project-75I:

The 75I-class submarine is the successor to the 75-class Kalvari-class submarine of the Indian Navy.

This project is being processed through the Strategic Partnership (SP) model of the Defense Procurement Procedure.

This project is part of a 30-year plan for the construction of indigenous submarines and was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1999. About Defence Acquisition Council:

The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) is the highest decision-making body in the Ministry of Defense, responsible for determining new policies and new capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.

The Minister of Defence is the chairman of the Defense Acquisition Council.

It was established in 2001 after the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on “Reforming the National Security System”, that is, after the Kargil War (1999).

NATIONAL

GI Tag for Pochampally Ikkat

Pochampally Ikkat has been granted Geographical Indiaction (GI) Status. Pochampally Ikkat: Pochampally Ikat or resist dyeing involves a sequence of tying and dyeing the bundled yarn parts into a predetermined color scheme before weaving. During the Nizam era, they were exported to Myanmar (Burma), West Asia and East Africa, where they are called Asian rumors. The word “Ikat” is derived from the Malay-Indonesian mangikat, which means to bind, tie or entangle.

DRDO conducted Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Test

DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet. Highlights:

The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet is a missile propulsion technology jointly developed by India and Russia.

DRDO successfully conducted a flight demonstration of SFDR technology from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, on the coast of Odisha.

The successful test of SFDR technology has provided Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with technical advantages, enabling it to enhance long-range air-to-air missiles.

Currently, this type of technology is only available in a few countries in the world.

Establishment of Techbharat

The Union Health Minister announces the establishment of Techbharat in 2021 Highlights:

This is an e-conference center that brings together stakeholders from the HealthTech and Edutech departments.

This is the second e-conference organized by Laghu Udyog Bharati and the IMS Foundation.

Techbharat promotes interaction and discussion among thousands of domestic and foreign participants, including policy makers, government representatives, industry members, investors, and start-ups to build resource-rich partnerships and boost growth in the sectors.

Ease of Living Index released by MoHUA

Recently, Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 was released. Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Highlights:

Aim of EoLI: To measure the well-being of Indian citizens in 111 cities under the pillars of Quality of Life, Economic capacity and Sustainability

“Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020” also added a “Citizen Perception Survey” to the index, with a weight of 30%.

Published rankings of cities with a population of more than one million and cities with a population of less than one million.

Bangalore placed in the Best performer in the “Million+” category.

Shimla placed in the Best performer in the “Less than a Million” category.

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