UPSC News Diary Today 29-09-2022

”UPSC News Diary Today” is every day published in the evening between 6-7 PM and contains all current affairs articles from the day on a single platform. ”UPSC News Diary Today” covers various topics from UPSC Syllabus and is very helpful and time managing for UPSC Aspirants. The framing of this daily current affairs compilation article is easy to read and understandable also.

In the ”UPSC News Diary Today” article, we focus on both UPSC Preliminary and Mains exam-oriented current affairs & prepare a gist of daily important news articles from leading National Newspapers, PIB, and other various official sources.

36th National Games

Why in news?

• PM Modi will inaugurate the 36th National Games at a grand Opening Ceremony to be held at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.

Key Points

• National Games are being held in the state of Gujarat for the very first time.
• The National Games will be organised between 29th of this month to 12th of next month
• Nearly 15 thousand sportspersons, coaches, and officials from across the country will be participating in 36 sports disciplines, making it the biggest National Games ever.
• The sporting events will be organised in six cities of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.
• The mascot is named as Savaj which means cub in Gujarati. The anthem is based on the theme of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Lumpy skin disease

Key Points

• Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a virus from the family Poxviridae, genus Capripoxvirus. Sheeppox virus and goatpox virus are the two other virus species in this genus.
• LSDV is highly host specific and causes disease only in cattle (Bos indicus and B. taurus) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).
• LSDV is not zoonotic, so humans cannot get affected by the disease.
• The disease is characterized by viremia, nodules on the skin, sit-fast formation, weight loss, emaciation, and reduction in milk and meat production.
• Transmission occurs in a wide variety of biotypes, from semi-desert to temperate grasslands and irrigated land. It has the potential to extend its range further.
• The morbidity rates for LSD during outbreaks vary between 10 and 20% although it has been reported in some places to be as high as 45%, and mortality rates of 1 to 5% are considered usual.

How to control it?

• Successful control and eradication of LSD relies on early detection of the index case, followed by a rapid and widespread vaccination campaign.
• It is unlikely that total stamping-out (killing all clinically affected cattle and unaffected herd-mates) and partial stamping-out (killing only clinically affected cattle) alone, in the absence of vaccination, can eradicate LSD.
• There is no known carrier state. Once an animal has recovered, it is well protected and cannot be the source of infection for other animals.
• In infected animals that do not show clinical signs, the virus may remain in blood for a few weeks and eventually disappear.

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

Key Points

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is a Government flagship scheme which aims to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage.
• PM launched this scheme from Jharkhand on 23rd September 2018.
• It is the world’s largest scheme fully financed by the government that aims at providing health assurance of up to five lakh rupees to more than 50 crore people of the country.
• This scheme provides a cover of  5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
• It is a completely cashless and paperless scheme and its benefits are portable across the country.
• So far over 23 thousand hospitals have been empanelled under it.
• Over 1.20 lakh Ayushman Bharat – Health & Wellness Centres across the country are providing screening for various diseases including Non-Communicable diseases.
• It is greatly helping in early diagnosis and generating more awareness on the risk factors of Non-Communicable diseases.
• Over 19 crore Ayushman Cards have been made in the country spanning its coverage in 33 States/UTs, and more than 24 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Account ABHA numbers have also been generated so far.

International Year of Millets 2023

International Year of Millets 2023: A Timeline

• It was in 2018 that the government of India decided to mark the National Year of Millets.
• In the same year, the government also notified millets as nutri-cereals and included them under the POSHAN Mission Abhiyan.
• Later, India pitched the proposal to United Nations for declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• As a result, with the support of 72 other countries, India’s initiative to promote millet was recognized and United Nations General Assembly has recently declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• It was a proud moment for Indian farmers as India is the largest producer of millet in the world. Accounting for 20 % of global production and 80 % of Asia’s production.

Why Millet is called a superfood?

• Millets are called the super grain because of their high nutritional value.
• According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) millets are high in dietary fibre.
• Specifically, millet contains 7-12 % protein, 2-5 % fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre.
• Due to their high density of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and dietary fibre, millets are also excellent grains to alleviate malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency.
• Additionally, millets do not require high-quality soil to grow and hence can easily cater to the need of the growing population.

Swachh Toycathon

Swachh Toycathon- Relevance for UPSC Exam

• GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges
  • Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Swachh Toycathon in News

• Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched Swachh Toycathon under the National Action Plan for Toys.
• Secretary, MoHUA, Mr. Manoj Joshi launched the Swachh Toycathon by unveiling the online platform on MyGov portal and releasing the toolkit.

Swachh Toycathon

• About: Swachh Toycathon is a competition for new ideas to transform waste into toys.
  • Swachh Toycathon competition is being launched under the ‘Swachh Amrit Mahotsav’.
• Mandate: Swachh Toycathon aims to the toy industry environment friendly, and a step towards achieving circularity in toy sector.
  • The Swachh Toycathon competition seeks to explore solutions for use of waste in creation or manufacturing of toys.
• Participation: The Swachh Toycathon is a national competition for individuals and groups.
• Themes: It is based on three broad themes-
  • FUN & LEARN: It seeks ideas for design and early prototype of toys from waste at home, workplace and surroundings,
  • USE & ENJOY: It seeks ideas for design and models of games and play in the park/open spaces made from waste and
  • NEW & OLD: It seeks ideas/solutions/working models for circularity in toy industry.
• Assessment Criteria: The assessment criteria will be based on-
  • Novelty of Idea
  • Design
  • Safety
  • Usage of Waste Material
  • Scalability and Replicability
  • Future Waste and climate and social implications.
• Organisers: Swachh Toycathon is being organized by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
  • The Center for Creative Learning, IIT Gandhinagar is MoHUA’s Knowledge Partner for the initiative, they will be providing support on aspects of pedagogy and creativity.

What is Swachh Amrit Mahotsav?

• Swachh Amrit Mahotsav is a fortnight of activities to galvanize action around Swachhata from 17^th 2022, Seva Diwas, till 2^ndOct. 2022, Swachhata Diwas.

India’s Toy Industry

• The Toy Industry in India has historically been import dependent. Lack of raw-material, technology, design capability etc. led to huge imports of Toys and its components.
• In 2018-19, Toys worth USD 371 Mn (Rs. 2960 cr.) were imported into our country.  A large proportion of these toys were unsafe, substandard, counterfeit, and cheap.
• To address the import of low-quality and hazardous toys and to enhance domestic manufacturing of toys, several strategic interventions have been taken by government.
• Some key initiatives include increase of Basic Custom Duty from 20% to 60%, implementation of Quality Control Order, mandatory sample testing of imported toys, granting more than 850 BIS licenses to domestic toy manufacturers, development of toy clusters etc.
• Several promotional initiatives including The India Toy Fair 2021, Toycathon 2021, Toy Business League 2022 were conducted to promote indigenous toys to encourage innovation and new-age design to suit global requirements.

Toy Industry Boom in India

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan- Relevance for UPSC Exam

• GS Paper 3: Environment- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan in News

• Recently, guidelines on ‘Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan- Ranking of Cities’ were released under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) at National Conference of Ministers of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan

• About: Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan promotes ranking of 131 cities in the country for implementing City Action Plans prepared as part of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for reducing air pollution upto 40% by 2025-26.
• Associated Ministry: Minister for Environment, Forest and climate Change (MoEFCC) will launch and see overall implementation of Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Ranking of Cities.
• Categories: 131 cities are categorized into three groups based on population in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Ranking.
  • 47 cities are in the first group having population more than 10 lakh.
  • 44 cities are in the second group having population between 3 to 10 lakh.
  • Third group consists of 40 cities having population less than 3 lakh.

Ranking Method for Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan

• Under Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan, Cities are required to do the self-assessment as per the framework provided on PRANA online portal. This assessment is carried out annually.
• Cities have to report implementation of activities and measures taken in respect of solid waste management, road dust management, management of construction and demolition waste, control of vehicular emissions and industrial pollution.

Importance of Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan City Ranking

• Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2022 Ranking provides a tool to cities to plan their actions in order to improve the air quality.
• Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan City Ranking is not based on the measurement of the air quality parameters to rank the cities.
  • It is based on the actions taken by the cities to improve the air quality in different domains.
  • The actions taken by the cities would result in the improvement of air quality.
• It thus, provides a planning implementation tool to improve the air quality and the assessment of the cities regarding how better they have aligned their actions to improve the air quality.

National Conference of Environment Ministers

• Themes: National Conference of Environment Ministers was organized under six themes with topics focusing on-
  • LiFE and Combating Climate Change (Updating State Action Plans on Climate Change for Mitigation of Emissions and Adaptation to Climate Impacts);
  • PARIVESH (Single Window System for Integrated Green Clearances);
  • Forestry Management;
  • Prevention and Control of Pollution;
  • Wildlife Management;
  • Plastics and Waste Management.
• Participation: The Ministers of Environment, Forest and Climate Change from across the country participated in the National Conference of Environment Ministers.
  • State Forest and Environment Ministers, the concerned State Secretaries as well as Chairmen of State PCBs / PCCs along with PCCFs also participated in the two-day National Conference of Ministers’ of EF&CC.

Swachh Vayu Diwas- International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

‘SymphoNE’ Conference

‘SymphoNE’ Conference- Relevance for UPSC Exam

• GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges
  • Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

‘SymphoNE’ Conference in News

• Recently, Minister for DoNER, Tourism & Culture Shri G. Kishan Reddy launched the two-day virtual conference ‘SymphoNE’.

‘SymphoNE’ Conference

• About: The Virtual Conference ‘SymphoNE’ being organized by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
• Mandate: ‘SymphoNE’ 2022 aims to create a roadmap to showcase the unexplored beauty of North East India & boost the tourism Sector in North Eastern Region.
• Participation: It would ideate, discuss & formulate the ideas & suggestions by Thought Leaders, Policy Thinkers, Social Media Influencers, Travel & Tour Operators And The Senior Officials of Ministry of DoNER and State Departments.
• Significance: SymphoNE aims to develop one-stop solution to eliminate all obstacles that are being faced by the tourists, and the tour operators while carrying out the operations for the visitors while-
  • Solving Logistics & infrastructural facilities,
  • Lack of awareness about the locations among the tourist and
  • Spreading necessary information among the people, and marketing/promotional activities.

Varanasi nominated as the first-ever SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital

Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojna

Introduction

• The Northeastern region is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse regions in the World, and each state takes pride in a range of cultures and traditions.
• The 2011 Census mentions 135 recognised scheduled tribes and 250 ethnic communities in the region.
• Examples of prominent tribes are Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, Adi, Mizo, Karbis Nyishi, Angami, Konyak, Bhutia, Kuki, Rengma, Bodo and Deori.

What is Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojna?

• Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojna is an initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribals by harnessing the wealth of forest i.e. Van Dhan.
• The programme aims to tap into the traditional knowledge & skill sets of tribals by adding technology & IT to upgrade it at each stage and to convert the tribal wisdom into a viable economic activity.
• The Van Dhan Yojana or Van Dhan Scheme is a component of the The ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP’  was launched on 14th April, 2018.
• Implemented by TRIFED as the nodal agency at the national level, the Van Dhan start-ups is a well-thought master plan for the socio-economic development of the tribal population of the country. Its crucial steps are enumerated below –
  • An initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal gatherers and transforming them into entrepreneurs.
  • The idea is to set-up tribal community-owned Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Clusters (VDVKCs) in predominantly forested tribal districts.
  • A VDVK Cluster shall constitute of 15 tribal SHGs / Van dhan Kendras, each comprising of up to 20 tribal NTFP gatherers or artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Cluster.
  • 100% Central Government Funded with TRIFED providing Rs. 15 lakhs for each 300 member Van Dhan Kendra Cluster.

Key points about Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana

What is TRIFED?

• Registered under the then Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act 1984, TRIFED came into existence in 1987 as the national nodal agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, working towards the socio-economic development of the tribal people from all states.
• TRIFED started its operations in 1988 with its head office in New Delhi.
• In its mission to empower these downtrodden tribal people, by promoting the economic welfare of their communities across India (through development of marketing and the sustained upgradation of their skills), TRIFED started the procurement and marketing of tribal art and craft items through its first retail outlet called TRIBES INDIA in New Delhi in 1999.
• TRIFED is responsible for developing, designing and pivoting PMVDY across India.

What is Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)?

• The ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP’ Scheme stand out in particular as a beacon of change that has impacted the tribal ecosystem as never before.
• Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which draws its strength from The Forest Rights Act of 2005, aims to provide remunerative and fair prices to tribal gatherers of forest produces.

What is VDVK?

• VanDhan Vikas Karyakram has been effectively implemented across the country.
• The country-wide initiative targets livelihood generation for tribal gatherers and transforming them into entrepreneurs.
• This involves the setting-up tribal community owned Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) in predominantly forested tribal districts.

Huge Success in North East

• The Van Dhan Yojana has emerged as an important source of employment generation for tribal gatherers and forest dwellers and the home-bound tribal artisans and is taking our tribal brethren towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and self-reliance. Nowhere is this more visible than in our North-Eastern States.
• The North-East is leading the way with 80% of the established VDVKs.
• Manipur, in particular, which has emerged as the Champion state where the Van Dhan programme has emerged as a major source of employment for the local tribals and this achievement was duly recognised by the central government by conferring it the “Champion State” title in October, 2020.
• The most significant aspect of the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana programme in Assam is the creation of a brand called ‘TRISSAM’ in order to bring about a uniform identity for all products manufactured by the tribal beneficiaries.
• Bamboo cultivation has remained a sustainable livelihood option for about 5,000 tribal families of Tripura, and value-addition of various bamboo items such as ‘bamboo water bottle’ (An eco friendly innovation of the Bamboo and Cane Development Institute,Tripura) under PMVDY has begun to redefine the lives of the poor tribal communities with major income generation.

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