ASSAM

• Assam to set up 19 new cancer hospitals
• Assam is soon going to set up 19 new cancer hospitals across the state, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at the launch of ‘Atal Amrit Abhiyan: Medical Benefits Under Cashless Mode’, a state healthcare initiative.

• The state government has tied up with Tata Trust to set up the cancer hospitals.

• The state government also announced a new scheme to provide medical assistance for the care of children suffering from birth-related defects. “For a paradigm shift in the healthcare delivery system in the state, the Assam government will soon launch the Samartha scheme. It is in an advanced stage of implementation. 

  INTERNATIONAL

   

  ·        Bisket Jatra Being Celebrated In Nepal

   

  • The Jatra begins in Nepal.
  • It is believed that the festival started during Malla dynasty. In Nepal, the famous Bisket Jatra is being celebrated in Bhaktapur and other parts of Kathmandu valley.
  • The nine-day annual festival marks beginning of Nepali new year.
  • The Jatra begins four days before the start of new year.

   

  ·        FAO Designates 14 New Sites As GIAHS

   

  • Fourteen new sites have been designated as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS),including the first ones in Europe.
  • As with other designated sites, these systems highlight agricultural traditions that promote sustainability, safeguard biodiversity and protect the environment while supporting the social and economic development necessary for stable, decent livelihoods.
  • The 14 new sites range from oases to rice terraces, wasabi cultivation to raisin production.

   

  Gk bit – GIAHS

   

  The objectives of GIAHS are

   

  • To understand and appreciate the nature friendly agricultural practices of local and tribal populations around the world.

   

  • To document indigenous knowledge.

   

  • To conserve and promote these knowledge at global scale to promote food security, sustainable development.

   

  • Twosites recognized in India and 6 more recognized as potential sites

   

  The two sites are-

   

  Koraput, Odisha

   

  Kashmir Valley, Pampore region

   

  Potential Sites are –

   

  Kuttanand-Kerala

   

  Ladakh – Jammu & Kashmir

   

  Raika-The Raikas are a pastoral caste Camel herding is their heritage

   

  Korangadu-Tamilnadu

   

  Catamaran Fishing – Tamilnadu

   

  Soppina betas syaytem-Western ghats

   

  NATIONAL

   

  • Vice President Launches Atal Amrit Abhiyan

   

  • The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that there is a need to create health coverage schemes that provide widest coverage to the young, aged and infirm and those suffering from both critical acute and chronic ailments.

   

  • He was addressing the gathering after launching the Atal Amrit Abhiyan by Assam Government, which seeks to provide access to quality medical care to 3.2 crore people, in Guwahati, Assam.

   

  • The Governor of Assam, Prof. Jagadish Mukhi and the Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal were present on the occasion.

   

  Gk bit – Atal Amrit Abhiyan

   

  • The state government of Assam is implementing a health insurance scheme named as Atal Amrit Abhiyan in the state. Under the scheme, the government is providing an insurance coverage of up to Rs. 2 lakh per year to each family of the state. The scheme was originally launched on 25 December 2016.

   

  • Launched to mark the 92nd birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the scheme will offer coverage against 437 illnesses in six disease groups, namely, cardiovascular, cancer, kidney, neo-natal, neurological conditions and burns.

   

  • Both Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families, with annual income below Rs 5 lakh, are eligible for the scheme.

   

  • Bihar has highest rate of crime against SC/STs

   

  • According to latest data released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Bihar has the highest rate of crimes against Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe population.

   

  • As per NCRB data, crime against SC/ST is lowest in West Bengal.

   

  • Madhya Pradesh reported the highest rate of crime (43.4%) against SCs specifically, while West Bengal had the lowest at 6%.

   

  • Rajasthan reported the highest rate of crime (12.9%) against STs specifically, while West Bengal had the lowest at 1.6%.

   

   

  • Govt plan a Rs 637-crore Clean Air Programme

   

  • The Modi government has finalised a Rs 637-crore National Clean Air Programme to improve the air quality in India.

   

  • The 20-point programme shifts the onus of fighting air pollution to the state governments.

   

  • The programme, India’s first attempt at working out a coordinated system to curb air pollution, requires all the states to frame their own Clean Air Programmes.

   

  ·        Commerce Ministry Launches Digital Platform For MSME Exporters

   

  • Commerce and Industry Minister launched the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) GlobalLinker platformfor MSME exporters in New Delhi.

    

  • This move is aimed at assisting the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in exports.
  • This initiative will help in expanding India’s multi-focused export strategy and also aid in connecting art and artisans to the market.
  • FIEO GlobalLinker is setup with a view to making the business growth of SMEs simpler, more profitable and enjoyable.