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By admin: Dec. 6, 2024

Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet to be conferred the Indira Gandhi Peace prize.

Tags: Awards

Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet to be conferred the Indira Gandhi Peace prize.

Why in the news?

• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2024 will be conferred on former Chilean president and prominent human rights voice Michelle Bachelet, a statement issued by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust said December 6, 2024.

About The Indira Gandhi Prize:

• The Indira Gandhi Prize, or the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, also known as Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, is the prestigious award accorded annually byIndira Gandhi Memorial Trust to individuals or organisations in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace,development and a new international economic order; ensuring that scientific discoveriesare used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope of freedom. 
• The prize carries acash award of 2.5 million Indian rupees and a citation.
• A written work, in order to be eligible for consideration, should have been published. 
• The panel constituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trustconsists of prominent national and international personalities including previous recipients. 
• The recipients are chosen from a pool of national and international nominees

Significance:

• The award is in recognition of her work to improve gender equality, human rights and democracy.

SECI Wins 3rd PSU Transformation Award for “Innovative Product Development” Why in the news?

Tags: Awards

SECI Wins 3rd PSU Transformation Award for “Innovative Product Development”

Why in the news?

• Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Ltd under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy bagged the 3rd PSU Transformation Award under the “Innovative Product Development” category for 'Firm and Dispatchable RE (FDRE) Supply to DISCOMs on a Demand Following Basis',on 05th December 2024 atNew Delhi.

About the  Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI):

• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is a public sector enterprise (CPSE) that develops and expands renewable energy capacity in India. 
• SECI wasestablished in 2011 to help implement the National Solar Mission (NSM) and promote the use of renewable energy
• SECI has introduced the innovative power supply model of Firm and Dispatchable RE (FDRE) working with several DISCOMs and States to understand their energy demands and design models that cater to their renewable power requirement.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launches PMeVIDYA DTH 24x7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language.

Tags: Government Schemes

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launches PMeVIDYA DTH 24x7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language.

Why in the news?

• Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched thePMeVIDYA DTH 24x7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language (ISL) today in New Delhi. 

About PM e-Vidya channel :

• An exclusive PM e-Vidya channel devoted to the promotion of the Indian Sign Language has been conceptualised to promote ISL as a language as well as a school subject, so that the larger population has access to learning the language. 
• This 24x7 Channel will disseminate learning content for school children (Central & State Curriculum), teachers, teacher educators and other stakeholders in the area of career guidance, skill training, mental health, class-wise curricular content, communication skills, as well aspromotion of Sign Language as a language subject, just like verbal languages like Hindi, English etc., for all. 
• The content will also be available on YouTube.

Significance:

• This critical initiative supports the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends promotion of Indian Sign Language to foster a more inclusive educational environment.
• Para 4.22 of NEP states that ‘Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardized across the country, and National and State curriculum materials developed, for use by students with hearing impairment. Local sign languages will be respected and taught as well, where possible and relevant.’
• Channel 31 to help unlock unmatched talent and bridge the gap between the hearing-impaired and hearing world.
• Empowering individuals through Indian Sign Language is the need of the hour to build a truly inclusive and progressive society

COMMISSIONING OF INS TUSHIL

Tags: Defence

COMMISSIONING OF INS TUSHIL

Why in the news?

• The Indian Navy is all set to commission its latestmulti-role stealth guided missile frigate, INS Tushil, at Kaliningrad, Russia, on 09 Dec 24.
• The ceremony will bepresided over by the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, as the Chief Guest, with many high ranking Russian and Indian government and defence officials present.

About  INS TUSHIL:

• INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigates of the Project 1135.6 of which, six are already in service – three Talwar class ships, built at Baltiysky shipyard, St. Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, built at Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad.
• INS Tushil, the seventh in the series, is the first of the two upgraded additionalfollow-on ships, the contract for which was signed in Oct 2016 between JSC Rosoboronexport, Indian Navy and the Govt. of India.
• The ship’s name,Tushil, means ‘the protector shield’ and its crest represents the ‘Abhedya Kavacham’ (impenetrable shield).
•  Along with its motto, ‘Nirbhay, Abhedya aur Balsheel’ (Fearless, Indomitable, Resolute), the ship stands as a symbol of the Indian Navy’s undying commitment to protect and safeguard the nation’s maritime frontiers.
• This 125 metre, 3900 ton ship, packs a lethal punch and is an impressive blend of Russian and Indian cutting edge technologies and best practices in warship construction. 
• The ship’s new design provides it with enhanced stealth features and better stability characteristics. 
• With the collaboration of Indian naval specialists and Severnoye Design Bureau, the indigenous content of the ship has been enhanced to an impressive 26% and the number of made-in-India systems have more than doubled to 33. .

Singnificance:

• Upon commissioning,INS Tushil will join the ‘Sword Arm’ of the Indian Navy, the Western Fleet, under the Western Naval Command and will rank amongst the most technologically advanced frigates in the world.
• It will not only be a symbol of the Indian Navy’s growing capabilities, but also the resilient collaborative strength of the India-Russia partnership.
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Cabinet approves setting up of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas in the uncovered districts of the country.

Tags: National News

Cabinet approves setting up of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas in the uncovered districts of the country.

Why in the news?

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approvedsetting up of 28 Nvodaya aVidyalayas (NVs) in the uncovered districts of the country under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme (Central Sector Scheme). 

Important points:

• The total estimated requirement of funds for establishment of the 28 NVs is Rs. 2359.82 crore spread over a period of five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29.
•  This includes a capital expenditure component of Rs. 1944.19 crore and operational expenditure of Rs. 415.63 crore.
•  The administrative structure for implementing the project will require creation of posts at par with the norms fixed by the Samiti for running of one full fledged NV with a capacity of 560 students. Hence, 560 x 28 = 15680 students would benefit. 
• As per norms in vogue, a full-fledged NV provides employment to 47 persons and accordingly, approved 28 NavodayaVidyalayas will provide direct permanent employment to 1316 individuals.  
• Construction and allied activities for creating the school infrastructure are likely to generate employment opportunities for many skilled and unskilled workers.  
•   Due to its residential nature, each Navodaya Vidyalaya will generate opportunities to the local vendors for supply of essential commodities such as food, consumables, furniture, teaching material etc. and for local service providers such as barber, tailor cobbler, manpower for housekeeping & security services etc.

About  Navodaya Vidyalayas:

• The NVs are fully residential, co-educational schools providing good quality modern education from Class VI to XII to the talented children, predominantly from the rural areas without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition. 
•  Admissions to these schools are done on the basis of a Selection Test. Approx. 49,640 students are admitted in NVs to class VI every year.

HUDCO has launched the "Uphaar milk program" Scheme in Chhattisgarh.

Tags: State News

HUDCO has launched the "Uphaar milk program" Scheme in Chhattisgarh.

Why in the news?

• Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO), a Navratna CPSE, has taken a pivotal step toward addressing child malnutrition by launching a Milk Scheme inChhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, and Mungeli districts.

Key points:

• The scheme was officially inaugurated on November 30, 2024, by Shri Tokhan Sahu, Honorable Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, at Government School Sendiri, where nutritious milk was distributed to students.
• The initiative will benefit approximately 8,000 students from 28 schools in Rajnandgaon, 43 schools in Bilaspur, and 27 schools in Mungeli for one year.
• Special focus has been given to tribal areas and girls’ schools to ensure maximum impact.
• As part of itsCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the scheme aims to enhance children’s nutrition and health.
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Nafithromycin: Country’s First Indigenous Antibiotic

Tags: Science and Technology

Nafithromycin: Country’s First Indigenous Antibiotic

Why in the news?

• After three decades of research and hard work, India has led the way with the creation ofNafithromycin, the country’s first indigenous Macrolide antibiotic.

What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) ?

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines.
• As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability and death. 
• While AMR is a natural process driven by genetic changes in pathogens over time, its spread is significantly accelerated by human activities, particularly the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial drugs in humans, animals, and plants. 
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a major global health issue, with around 6 lakh lives lost in India each year due to resistant infections.

 About Nafithromycin:

• Nafithromycin was officially launched on November 20, 2024, by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. 
• Developed by Wockhardt with support from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Nafithromycin, marketed as "Miqnaf," targets Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP) caused by drug-resistant bacteria, which disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.

Important points:

• This groundbreaking antibiotic is ten times more effective than current treatments like azithromycin and offers a three-day treatment regimen, significantly shortening the recovery time while improving patient outcomes. 
• Nafithromycin is designed to treat both typical and atypical drug-resistant bacteria, making it a crucial tool in addressing the global health crisis of AMR (Anti-microbial Resistance).
•  It boasts superior safety, minimal side effects, and no significant drug interactions.
• Nafithromycin’s development marks a historic milestone as the first new antibiotic in its class to be introduced globally in over 30 years. 
• The drug, which has undergone extensive clinical trials across the U.S., Europe, and India, has been developed with an investment of Rs.500 crores and is now awaiting final approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
• This innovation exemplifies the power of public-private collaboration and underscores India’s growing capabilities in biotechnology. 

Significance:

• Nafithromycin’s successful introduction represents a major leap in the fight against AMR, offering hope for treating multidrug-resistant infections and saving lives worldwide.
• This remarkable achievement marks a pivotal moment in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, showcasing India’s growing capabilities in pharmaceutical innovation.
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