GS- 2 Paper
Topics covered– Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.
Janaushadhi Sugam
Context
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers launched a mobile application “Janaushadhi Sugam”.
About Janaushadhi Sugam
- Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. Of India launched a campaign ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ (PMBJP).
- It aims to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through special kendra’s known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra.
- Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra (PMBJK) has been set up to provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy as expensive branded drugs.
- Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementing agency of PMBJP.
- Government has launced Janaushadhi Sugam, a mobile application.
- It would have user-friendly options like- to locate nearby Janaushadhikendra, direction guidance for location of the Janaushadhikendra through Google Map.
- It will search Janaushadhi generic medicines, analyse product comparison of Generic vs Branded medicine in form of MRP & overall Savings, etc.
Significance of the Scheme
- It will ensure access to quality medicines.
- It would extend the coverage of quality generic medicines. That will reduce the out of pocket expenditure on medicines and thereby redefine the unit cost of treatment per person.
- The campaign will create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity so that quality is not synonymous with only high price.
- It will create demand for generic medicines by improving access to better healthcare through low treatment cost and easy availability wherever needed in all therapeutic categories.
Generic Medicine
- A generic drug is a medication created to be the same as an already marketed brand-name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use.
- Generic medicines are unbranded medicines which are equally safe and having the same efficacy as that of branded medicines in terms of their therapeutic value.
- These similarities help to demonstrate bioequivalence, which means that a generic medicine works in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as its brand-name version.
- The prices of generic medicines are much cheaper than their branded equivalent.
GS- 2 Paper
Topics covered– Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential.
Project SURE
Context
Union Textiles Minister launches Project SURE on Sustainable Fashion Day.
About Project SURE
- The SURE project is a commitment by India’s apparel industry to set a sustainable pathway for the Indian fashion industry.
- SURE stands for ‘Sustainable Resolution’ – a firm commitment from the industry to move towards fashion that contributes to a clean environment.
- The five-point Sustainable Resolution is as follows:
- Develop a complete understanding of the environmental impact of the garments being currently produced by our brand.
- Develop a sustainable sourcing policy for consistently prioritizing and utilizing certified raw materials that have a positive impact on the environment.
- Make the right decisions about how, where, and what we source across the value chain by selecting sustainable and renewable materials and processes and ensuring their traceability.
- Communicate our sustainability initiatives effectively to consumers and media through our online and physical stores, product tags/labeling, social media, advertising campaigns and events.
- Through these actions, shift a significant percentage of our supply chain to a sustainable chain by the year 2025, addressing critical global issues such as climate change, contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and building a world that is safe for the future generations, as an acceptance of a responsibility we all share.
Significance
- It will address the needs of an increasingly conscious consumer who would prefer to buy from a brand that is environmentally conscious and engages in environmental protection.
- It will also underline the need for collaboration across the sector in order to bring about innovation and transformative change.
- Project SU.RE aims to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, especially SDG-12 for responsible consumption and production.
- This framework would help the industry reduce its carbon emissions, increase resource efficiency, tackle waste and water management, and create positive social impact to achieve long-term sustainability targets.
GS- 2 Paper
Topics covered– e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
National Digital Library of India
Context
The Union Human Resource Development Minister launched the new digital initiative of HRD Ministry ‘National Digital Library of India’on the occasion of National Reading Day.
About NDLI
- National Digital Library of India (NDLI) is a project of the Ministry of Human Resource Development under the aegis of National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT).
- It is developed by IIT Kharagpur.
Objective
- The objective of National Digital Library of India is to make digital educational resources available to all citizens of the country to empower, inspire and encourage learning.
- Repository host contents from multiple subject domains like technology, science, humanities, agriculture and others.
- Repository integrates contents from different Indian Institutional Repositories.
Key features
- NDL is the Single Window Platform that collects and collates metadata from premier learning institutions in India and abroad, as well as other relevant sources.
- It is a digital repository containing textbooks, articles, videos, audio books, lectures, simulations, fiction and all other kinds of learning media.
- More than 60 types of learning sources are available.
- Educational material available for users ranging from primary to post graduate level.
- It makes quality learning resources available to all learners and has 1.7 Crore content from more than 160 sources, in over 200 languages.
For Prelims-
Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin
Context
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers announced that “Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin” will now be available at only One Rupee per pad.
Highlights
- The Government of India launched “Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin” at Rs 2.50 per pad on the eve of the World Environment Day 4thJune 2018.
- In order to make these sanitary pads more affordable and accessible to the women of India, Government of India has now decided to make these pads available at rate of only Rs 1.00/- per pad.
- Jan Aushadhi Suvidha comes with a special additive, which makes it biodegradable when it comes in contact with oxygen after being discarded.
- Till 31st July 2019, over 1.30 crore pads were sold at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras.
- This will ensure ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the underprivileged women of the country.
- It will also help in fulfilling the Prime Minister’s dream of “Clean India & Green India” as these pads are Oxo-biodegradable and environment friendly.
Special Tiger Force for Corbett Tiger Reserve
- UttarakhandGovernment has decided to for Special Tiger Force for Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR).
- Corbett Tiger Reserve will check illegal human intrusion into the reserve through villages located on its fringes.
- It will serve as a second layer of protection for tigers at the CTR.
