1.PM pays tribute to Bal Gangadhar Tilak On His 100th Death Anniversary
News: Prime minister has paid tribute to the freedom fighter and educationist Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his 100 death anniversary.
Facts:
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak: He was an Indian nationalist, teacher and an independence activist.He was also conferred with the title of Lokmanya.
- As Educationist:
- He founded the Deccan Education Society in 1884 along with his associate Gopal Ganesh Agarkar and others to create a new system of education that taught young Indians nationalist ideas through an emphasis on Indian culture.
- The Society also established the Fergusson College in 1885 for post-secondary studies.
- Indian National Congress(INC):
- Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890.He opposed moderate attitude.He along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio of leaders with extremist outlooks.
- Home Rule League: Tilak helped found the All India Home Rule League in 1916–18 with G. S. Khaparde and Annie Besant.
- Tilak’s Home Rule League worked in Maharashtra, Central Provinces and Karnataka and Berar region.Besant’s League was active in the rest of India.
- Newspapers: Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English)
- Books: Shrimadh Bhagvad Gita Rahasya and Arctic Home of the Vedas.
- Significance:
- The declaration of Tilak “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it” served as an inspiration for future revolutionaries during India’s struggle for freedom.
- A book ‘Indian Unrest’ written by Valentine Chirol, an English journalist stated Tilak the ‘father of Indian unrest’.
2.eVIN reaches 32 states & UTs to be rolled out soon in remaining areas: Health Ministry
News: The Ministry of Health has said that Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) has reached 32 states and Union territories and will be rolled out in the remaining areas soon.
Facts:
- Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network(eVIN): It is an innovative technological solution aimed at strengthening immunization supply chain systems across the country.
- Aim: To provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country.
- Implementation: It is being implemented under National Health Mission (NHM) by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Additional Facts:
- National Health Mission: It was launched by the Government of India in 2013 subsuming the National Rural Health Mission(NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission(NUHM).
- Aim: To attain universal access to equitable, affordable health care services, accountable and responsive to people’s needs with effective inter-sectoral convergent action to address the wider social determinants of health.
3.Draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy, 2020
News: The Ministry of Defence(MoD) has released draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020(DPEPP 2020).
Facts:
Aim: To provide impetus to self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
Objectives
- To achieve a turnover of Rs 1,75,000 Crores (US$ 25Bn) including export of Rs 35,000 Crore (US$ 5 Billion) in Aerospace and Defence goods and services by 2025.
- To develop a dynamic and competitive Defence industry including Aerospace and Naval Shipbuilding industry to cater to the needs of Armed forces with quality products.
- To reduce dependence on imports and take forward “Make in India” initiatives through domestic design and development.
- To promote export of defence products and become part of the global defence value chains.
- To create an environment that encourages R&D, rewards innovation, creates Indian IP ownership and promotes a robust and self-reliant defence industry.
Focus Areas: The Policy brings out multiple strategies under following focus areas: Procurement Reforms, Indigenization & Support to MSMEs/Startups, Optimize Resource Allocation, Investment Promotion, FDI & Ease of Doing Business, Innovation and R&D, DPSUs and OFB, Quality Assurance & Testing Infrastructure and Export Promotion
Key Provisions of the Policy:
- Negative List: A negative list of weapons/platforms would be notified with year-wise timelines for placing an embargo on import of such items.
- Technology Assessment Cell(TAC): It would be created to design, develop and produce indigenously and own the design rights and Intellectual Property(IP) of the systems.
- Indigenisation Portal: The portal will be developed for DPSUs/ OFB/ Services with an industry interface to provide development support to MSMEs/Startups/Industry for import substitution.
- Defence Investor Cell in the Department of Defence Production will provide handholding to MSMEs, investors and vendors in defence production for resolving issues with Central, State and other authorities.
4.COVISHIELD phase 2, 3 trials get DCGI nod
News: Drugs Controller General of India(DCGI) has given approval to Serum Institute of India(SII) to conduct Phase II+III clinical trials of Oxford University AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine(COVISHIELD).
Facts:
- COVISHIELD: The Oxford vaccine “AZD1222” is being called Covishield in India.
- The Serum Institute of India(SII) has entered into a manufacturing partnership with biopharma major AstraZeneca to produce this Oxford vaccine.
Additional Facts:
- DCGI: It is a department of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization(CDSCO) responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids and vaccines in India.It comes under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
- Case Fatality Rate(CFR): It is the proportion of deaths from a certain disease compared to the total number of people diagnosed with the disease for a particular period.
5.NGT stays felling of coconut trees on Agatti island
News: The National Green Tribunal(NGT) has granted an interim stay on felling of coconut trees on Agatti Island in Lakshadweep.
Facts:
- Agatti Island: It is situated on a coral atoll called Agatti atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
- The Island is located at a distance of 459 km from Kochi (Kerala) and is located to the west of Kavaratti Island.
- Kavaratti is the capital of the UT of Lakshadweep.
Additional Facts:
- National Green Tribunal(NGT): It was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.The responsibility of the tribunal is to work on the disposal of cases related to environmental protection, conservation of forests and other natural resources.
6.CSIR announces Young Scientist Award 2020
News: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) has announced the Young Scientist Award for the year 2020.
Facts:
- Young Scientist Award: It was introduced in 1987 by CSIR in order to promote excellence in various fields of science and technology.
- Categories: The awards are given in following fields: a) Biological Sciences b) Chemical Sciences c) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences d) Engineering Sciences e) Physical Sciences.
Additional Facts:
Other Award in News:
- Skoch Award: It was instituted in 2003 and is the highest civilian honour in the country conferred by an independent organisation.
- The awards recognise leadership and excellence in accelerating socio-economic changes in the fields of governance, finance, banking, technology, corporate citizenship, economics infrastructure and inclusive growth.
