1. Former Pope Benedict XVI dies aged 95
Tags: Person in news International News
According to a statement released by the Vatican the former Pope Benedict XVI died on 31 December 2022 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. He was 95 years old.
The head of the Catholic Church, former Pope Benedict, was the first pope in 600 years to resign. He resigned in 2013 and was replaced by the present pope Francis.
Pope Benedict was the first German to become pope in 1000 years. He was the head of the Vatican City from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013.
He was born as Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger on April 16, 1927, in the southern German village of Marktl, close to Austria.
Pope and Vatican City
Pope is a title which is given to the Bishop of Rome who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. He is also the head of the sovereign country of Vatican City.
Roman Catholics are the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. The other branches of Christianity are Protestants and orthodox (Eastern).
Vatican City is the world’s smallest country which is located within the Italian capital city of Rome.
It is also the least populated country in the world.
The Holy See is the name given to the government of the Roman Catholic Church, which is led by the pope as the bishop of Rome.
St. Peter, disciple of Jesus Christ, was the first Pope. Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity.
2. RBI launches Utkarsh 2.0 for the period 2023-2025
Tags: National Economy/Finance
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on 30 December 2022 launched the second phase of the central bank’s medium term strategy for strengthening regulatory and supervisory mechanisms called Utkarsh 2.0.
The first strategy framework (Utkarsh 2022) covering the period 2019-2022 was launched in July 2019. It became a medium-term strategy document guiding the Bank’s progress towards realization of the identified milestones.
Utkarsh 2.0 like the Utkarsh 2022 has six Vision statements as well as Core Purpose, Values, and Mission statements. Collectively, they create a strategic guiding path.
The Vision in Utkarsh 2.0 that will guide the Reserve Bank of India over the period 2023-25 are:
- Excellence in performance of its statutory and other functions,
- Strengthened trust of citizens and Institutions in the RBI;
- Enhanced relevance and significance in national and global roles; • Transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance;
- Best-in-class and environment-friendly digital and physical infrastructure; and
- Innovative, dynamic and skilled human resources.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Reserve Bank of India was set up under the Reserve Bank of India act 1934. It started functioning from 1 April 1935.
It was nationalized in 1949 and now the government of India is the owner of RBI.
It has the power to regulate Banks under the Banking Regulation Act 1949.
It has the power to regulate the Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) under the RBI act 1934.
RBI is also the regulator of the digital payment system under the Payment and settlement act 2007.
Headquarters of RBI: Mumbai
Governor of RBI : Shaktikanta Das
3. MoU signed for commercial production of indigenously developed vaccine ‘Lumpi-ProVac’
Tags: Science and Technology National News
An MoU for the production of Goat Pox Vaccine and “Lumpi-Provac” vaccine was signed in Nagpur on December 29, 2022 in the presence of Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Parshottam Rupala and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde.
Important facts
Rupala praised the commendable effort put forth by ICAR in developing indigenous vaccine Lumpi-ProVac for LSD.
Lumpi-ProVaccine is used for the prophylactic immunization of animals against Lumpy Skin Disease.
The vaccine technology will meet the standard of the market and significantly provide a defence mechanism to control the devastating lumpy skin disease.
Goat pox vaccine is currently used to control lumpy Skin Disease in livestock and has been shown to be effective against lumpy.
Union Minister Rupala further highlighted the relevance of the technology and requested the IVBP, Pune to start manufacturing the vaccine at a large scale without any delay.
National Centre for Veterinary Type Culture, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE), Hisar (Haryana), in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar (UP) developed a homologous live-attenuated LSD vaccine, named Lumpi-ProVacInd.
Agrinnovate India Limited (AgIn), the commercial arm of DARE, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, granted “Non-Exclusive Rights” for Commercial production of “Lumpi-ProVac”, to Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP) , Pune.
Lumpy Skin Disease
It is caused by infection of cattle or buffalo with the poxvirus Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV).
The virus is one of three closely related species of the genus Capripoxavirus.
The other two species are Sheeppox virus and Goatpox virus.
Due to its infectious nature and its impact on the economy, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOIE) has declared it a notable disease.
4. India’s first underwater metro to become operation by December 2023
Tags: National Economy/Finance State News
According to the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation, India's first underwater metro service, the East-West Metro Corridor project is expected to be completed by December 2023.
The metro line, which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah via Kolkata with a stretch below the Hooghly River, is currently operational between Sector V and Sealdah stations.
Of the total 16.55 km length of the project, 9.30 km length between Sector V and Sealdah is operational. The remaining 7.25 km length is likely to be operational by December 2023.
The twin tunnel down the Hooghly River will be around half a kilometer which will be covered in less than a minute by the metro train.
The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation is a Government of India company which is implementing the East- West Metro Corridor project.
The first metro rail system in India was also started in Kolkata from Dum Dum to Tollygunge in 1984.
Metro Rail system
- The first metro rail system in the world was started in London on 10 January 1863.
- First metro in India; Kolkata Metro which started its operation 24 October 1984 between Dum Dam to Tollygunge. It was started with the help of the Soviet Union.
- Largest metro rail in operation in India: Delhi Metro (390.14 km: Source DMRC as on 7 March 2022). It started operation on 24 December 2002.
- Smallest Metro: Ahmedabad metro ,6 km
- The metro rail systems in operation in India are in the cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Kochi Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Noida, and Pune. (total 15 cities )
5. G Kamala Vardhan Rao appointed the chief executive officer of FSSAI
Tags: National Person in news
G Kamala Vardhana Rao was appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on 29 December 2022.
G Kamala Vardhana Rao is a 1990 batch IAS officer from Kerala cadre. He was previously the managing director of the Indian Tourism Development Corporation.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been set up under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- It was set up on 5 September 2008.
- It comes under the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
- FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
Headquarters: New Delhi
6. All manufacturing activities of Marion Biotech’s Noida unit stopped after inspection
Tags: National News
All manufacturing activities at Marion Biotech's Noida unit have been halted by the Union health ministry as India launches a probe into deaths linked to cough syrup in Uzbekistan.
Important facts
Further investigations are underway into the deaths of 18 children in Uzbekistan allegedly linked to cough syrup.
Samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises in Noida and sent to the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL) in Chandigarh for testing.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is in regular touch with the national drug regulator of Uzbekistan regarding the matter which happened on 27 December.
Marion Biotech does not sell Dok-1 Max in India and its only export has been to Uzbekistan.
About Marion Biotech
Marion Biotech is a licensed manufacturer and holds the licence for manufacturing Dok-1 Max syrup and tablets for export purposes granted by the Drugs Controller.
So far, 18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory illness have died after taking Dok-1 Max Syrup.
Ethylene glycol was found in the tested series of Doc-1 Max syrup.
Prior to the incident in Uzbekistan, the death of 70 children in Gambia earlier this year was linked to cough syrup manufactured by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
7. NHA release beta version of lightweight, robust, and ABDM-compliant HMIS
Tags: National National News
The National Health Authority (NHA) released a beta version of the lightweight, robust, and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission-compliant Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) on 29th December.
Important facts
It envisions to provide a digital platform for healthcare service providers, especially focusing on private clinics and small healthcare facilities.
This beta version will allow doctors to create and receive Ayushman Bharat health accounts for patients as well as manage their calendar, appointments and patient details in a single window.
It will also facilitate e-prescription services and view past health records and prescriptions for registered patients and offer video consultations.
It will digitise small clinics and improve the searchability of healthcare providers in India.
Features of the beta version of HMIS
ABDM Compliance: Allows doctors to create and obtain ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) for their patients.
Facility Management: Allows doctors to manage their calendars, appointments and patient details in a single window.
Digital Services: Allows doctors to view past health records and prescriptions of registered patients and conduct video consultations.
e-Prescription Services: Digitally standardised prescription sharing using multiple parameters with options to modify/customise prescription layout.
About National Health Authority (NHA)
It is the apex body which is responsible for implementing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
It is entrusted with the role of strategy formulation, creation of technical infrastructure and implementation of "National Digital Health Mission" to create a national digital health ecosystem.
About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
Launched - By PM Narendra modi on 27th September 2021
It will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.
This will not only simplify the procedures of hospitals but will also enhance the ease of living.
The digital ecosystem will also enable many other features such as digital consultation, patient consent for physicians to access their records, etc.
With the implementation of this scheme old medical records cannot be destroyed as every record will be stored digitally.
The project has been implemented in pilot phase in six states and union territories.
8. NHA release beta version of lightweight, robust, and ABDM-compliant HMIS
Tags: National National News
The National Health Authority (NHA) released a beta version of the lightweight, robust, and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission-compliant Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) on 29th December.
Important facts
It envisions to provide a digital platform for healthcare service providers, especially focusing on private clinics and small healthcare facilities.
This beta version will allow doctors to create and receive Ayushman Bharat health accounts for patients as well as manage their calendar, appointments and patient details in a single window.
It will also facilitate e-prescription services and view past health records and prescriptions for registered patients and offer video consultations.
It will digitise small clinics and improve the searchability of healthcare providers in India.
Features of the beta version of HMIS
ABDM Compliance: Allows doctors to create and obtain ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) for their patients.
Facility Management: Allows doctors to manage their calendars, appointments and patient details in a single window.
Digital Services: Allows doctors to view past health records and prescriptions of registered patients and conduct video consultations.
e-Prescription Services: Digitally standardised prescription sharing using multiple parameters with options to modify/customise prescription layout.
About National Health Authority (NHA)
It is the apex body which is responsible for implementing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
It is entrusted with the role of strategy formulation, creation of technical infrastructure and implementation of "National Digital Health Mission" to create a national digital health ecosystem.
About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
Launched - By PM Narendra modi on 27th September 2021
It will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.
This will not only simplify the procedures of hospitals but will also enhance the ease of living.
The digital ecosystem will also enable many other features such as digital consultation, patient consent for physicians to access their records, etc.
With the implementation of this scheme old medical records cannot be destroyed as every record will be stored digitally.
The project has been implemented in pilot phase in six states and union territories.
9. Election Commission proposes remote voting for inter-state migrants
Tags: National National News
The Election Commission of India has moved a proposal to all political parties to enable domestic migrants to vote for their home constituencies from their place of stay through a new remote EVM (RVM).
Important facts
RVM has been developed with the help of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). It is based on the currently used EVM system.
The Election Commission has sought written views of all recognized national and state-level parties by January 30, 2023, and has scheduled a demonstration of the RVM prototype to party representatives on January 16.
The Election Commission has also sought views of political parties on legal, administrative and technical challenges in implementing it.
According to the Election Commission, the Multi Constituency Remote EVM for Domestic Overseas Voters can handle 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth.
It is expected that this step will help in boosting voter turnout and strengthen the democratic process of India.
Why has the proposal of remote voting been brought by the Election Commission?
There were 834 million registered voters in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections out of which only 66.44% voted.
In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the number of registered voters increased to 912 million while the voter turnout was barely 67.40%.
Registered voters are unable to vote for various reasons, the main reason being domestic migration.
Voters who are absent from their home places on the day of poll, even if they want to vote but are unable to reach their constituencies to vote due to various reasons.
That is, a large part of the population is disenfranchised due to the need for work or lack of resources to travel.
This goes directly against the EC’s “No voter left behind” goal.
10. Election Commission proposes remote voting for inter-state migrants
Tags: National National News
The Election Commission of India has moved a proposal to all political parties to enable domestic migrants to vote for their home constituencies from their place of stay through a new remote EVM (RVM).
Important facts
RVM has been developed with the help of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). It is based on the currently used EVM system.
The Election Commission has sought written views of all recognized national and state-level parties by January 30, 2023, and has scheduled a demonstration of the RVM prototype to party representatives on January 16.
The Election Commission has also sought views of political parties on legal, administrative and technical challenges in implementing it.
According to the Election Commission, the Multi Constituency Remote EVM for Domestic Overseas Voters can handle 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth.
It is expected that this step will help in boosting voter turnout and strengthen the democratic process of India.
Why has the proposal of remote voting been brought by the Election Commission?
There were 834 million registered voters in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections out of which only 66.44% voted.
In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the number of registered voters increased to 912 million while the voter turnout was barely 67.40%.
Registered voters are unable to vote for various reasons, the main reason being domestic migration.
Voters who are absent from their home places on the day of poll, even if they want to vote but are unable to reach their constituencies to vote due to various reasons.
That is, a large part of the population is disenfranchised due to the need for work or lack of resources to travel.
This goes directly against the EC’s “No voter left behind” goal.
