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9th, September, 2022

 

Topic: Governor Participates in ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’

 

Importance: Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains

 

Importance for Prelims: Himachal Current Events (Economic and social development- sustainable development poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives, etc.)

Importance for Mains Exam:

  • PAPER-V: GENERAL STUDIES-II: Unit II: Topic: Issues relating to the quality of life: livelihood, poverty, hunger, disease and social inclusiveness.

 

What is the news?

  • Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar participated in “Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan”.

Who launched this?

  • It was virtually launched by President Smt. Droupadi Murmu from Rashtrapati Bhavan through video conference.

 

About this virtual launch:

  • The virtual launch event showcased India’s accelerated progress through the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) owing to commitment at the highest levels.
  • At the ceremony, the President of India appreciated the tireless efforts of the healthcare workers, community leaders, and citizens for managing the Covid-19 pandemic and underlined the need to adopt a similar whole-of-society approach to eliminate TB from the country.
  • Video film showcasing the initiatives taken by the Governor’s for TB Mukt Bharat was also displayed on the occasion.

 

President of India also launched the Ni-kshay Mitra:

  • The President of India also launched the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative to ensure additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to those on TB treatment, and encouraged elected representatives, corporates, NGOs, and individuals to come forward as donors to help the patients complete their journey towards recovery.

 

How this will help?

  • The Ni-kshay 2.0 portal will facilitate in providing additional patient support to improve treatment outcome of TB patients, augmenting community involvement in meeting India’s commitment to end TB by 2025 and leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) opportunities.

About National TB Elimination Program (NTEP):

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis bacteria. It spreads through air when a person suffering from tuberculosis cough, sneeze or spit. TB remains to be a major public health problem in India. TB control efforts are initiated countrywide since 1962 with the inception of the National TB Control Program.

  • The program was reviewed and revised strategy was pilot tested in 1993. The Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) was launched in 1997 with implementation of Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course Strategy, the program is further renamed as the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program in the year 2020 by Central TB Division, Government of India, DOTS strategy is based on five components:

 

  1. Political and administrative commitment.
  2. Good quality diagnosis, primarily by sputum smear microscopy.
  3. Uninterrupted supply of quality drugs.
  4. Directly observed treatment (DOT).
  5. Systematic monitoring and accountability.

 

What is a new change in national TB elimination program NTEP?

  • It is no longer known as the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), and has been rechristened as the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP). The change in name is in line with the larger goal of eliminating the disease by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals target.
  • The goal to end TB by 2025 got a much needed boost with the World Health Organization stating that the indigenously developed a molecular test (TrueNat MTB) for diagnosing pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB and rifampicin-resistant TB has high diagnostic accuracy. Being battery-operated, the diagnostic tool will be used in peripheral TB centers in India. This will help reduce the delay in diagnosis and enable early initiation of treatment to break the transmission cycle and achieve better cure rates.
  • As a first step, TrueNat MTB will be available at community health centers and would slowly be extended to primary health centers across the country. There are 5,500-6,000 community health centers and about 25,000 PHCs. While States will be procuring the diagnostic machine directly from the Goa-based manufacturer, the Central government is in the process of procuring 1,500 machines for the high-load TB microscopy centers.
(News Source: Himachal Government & National Health Mission)

 

 

Topic: Cooperative societies in the state.

 

Importance: Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains

 

Importance for Prelims: Himachal Current Events (Economic and social development- sustainable development poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives, etc.)

Importance for Mains Exam:

  • PAPER-V: GENERAL STUDIES-II: Unit II: Topic: Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Civil Society in Governance in India.

 

What is the news?

  • The state Cooperation Minister, Suresh Bhardwaj, informed Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah that around 19 lakh people were associated with cooperative societies in the state.
  • Minister gave the information during a conference of Cooperative Ministers of various state, which Amit Shah was heading, at New Delhi.

Data shared:

  • 4,881 cooperative societies were registered in the HP and of these 2,178 were primary cooperative societies.
  • The state had started ‘Yuva Sahakar Yojana’ initiative to engage the youth in Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO).

 

Youth Participation:

  • The committees formed under this scheme will have at least 60 per cent youth and the inspectors of the department have been authorised to assist in their functioning.
  • A task force has also been constituted for the smooth implementation of the programme.
  • So far, 16 new FPOs had been formed and the work of about 30 more organisations was in the final stage in the state.

 

What are cooperatives?

  • According to the International Co-operative Alliance, cooperatives are people-centred enterprises owned, controlled and run by and for their members to realize their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations.

 

How it is formed in India?

  • In India, a cooperative society can be formed under provisions of the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912. The provisions state that at least 10 people above 18 years, having the capacity to enter into a contract with common economic objectives, such as farming and weaving among others, can form a cooperative society.

 

History of Indian cooperatives:

1) Cooperative societies in India have evolved since the pre-independence period. At the end of the 1890s, many farmers revolted against the oppression of money lenders in the western Maharashtra. In 1904, the British government in India implemented a law – the Cooperative Society Act, 1904 for poor farmers who relied on the loans of pawnshops for agriculture.

2) The provisions of that act were later expanded to include cooperative financing agencies and banks in rural and urban areas. However, during World War II, cooperative societies in India faced problems due to rising prices of agricultural commodities.

3) After independence, the Indian “cooperative movement” gained ground. The government has realized that the cooperative sector is an important part of the recovery of the rural economy. They have plans for that area in their series of five-year action plans. Each village was encouraged to have at least one co-operative corporation.

4) It also helped setting up cooperative farms.

5) Co-operative societies in India have shifted from the agricultural market to the credit sector, and later to large-scale sectors, housing, fishing, banks, etc. This has resulted in the creation of different types of cooperative societies in India.

Types of Cooperative Societies in India:

  • Depending on the membership and type of business, cooperative societies in India are classified primarily into 6 types.

 

1) Agricultural Cooperative Society:

  • The agriculture sector in India is the largest sector, the country’s farmers need to make profit for their products. Unfortunately, this industry is economically weaker because of many causes, some of which are the indebtedness of farmers, costly equipment, agents or intermediaries, etc.
  • Farmers invest the capital necessary for consolidating agricultural equipment, seeds, fertilisers, etc.
  • They earn more by cooperative farming than by individual farming, as the profit is divided according to their land shares.

 

2) Credit Cooperative Society:

  • Cooperatives which provide financial services to their members such as deposits, short-term loans, etc.
  • All those who deposit in these societies are their members.
  • These corporations raise money with deposits from their members and provide them with short-term loans at a low interest rate.
  • These schemes benefit members by protecting them from the high interest rates of commercial banks that do not always meet the needs of farmers or economically weak sections.

 

3)  Producer Cooperative Society:

  • These societies play an essential role in the development of medium and small enterprises in India.
  • These cooperatives are for producers such as fishery owners, farmers, artisans and local artisans, and many more.
  • The best example is one of the most important co-operatives in India, AMUL dairy.
  • The products are grouped and distributed by the cooperative itself, without the involvement of middlemen. That creates a direct producer-consumer relationship.
  • Buyers for the product may be its members or non-members or the general public alike.

 

4) Consumer Cooperative Society: 

  • These cooperatives are formed by consumers.
  • For obtaining household goods at an affordable price, the consumers for such cooperatives buy the goods in bulk to reduce the cost and sell them to its members (and non-members also) at lower prices.
  • Buying and selling in bulk also offer price reductions, an additional advantage for consumers.
  • These cooperatives establish shops for the sale of all products under one roof. For example, Apna bazaar is a consumer cooperative in India.

 

5) Marketing Cooperative Society:

  • In the same way that agricultural cooperatives support farmers for pre-agricultural needs, marketing cooperatives support them for marketing or selling their products.
  • These cooperatives allow farmers to sell their products cost-effectively.
  • They also make services like a sale platform, cold storage, grading of the produce, etc. accessible to the farmers.
  • Fruits, vegetables, cotton, and sugarcane cooperatives are the largest and most demanded marketing cooperatives.

 

6) Housing Cooperative Society:

  • Housing is a big issue for the average person in cities and towns with skyrocketing land prices. In this situation, people create cooperatives to purchase the land, build houses and sell them to members.
  • To be part of the cooperative, a member must either purchase a home or purchase shares in the cooperative. 
    (News Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Topic: Hamirpur: Nadaun’s Vanshika Parmar crowned Miss Earth India

 

Importance: Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains

 

Importance for Prelims: Himachal Current Events(Person in News)

Importance for Mains Exam:

  • PAPER-IV: GENERAL STUDIES-I: Unit III: Topic: Society : Himachal Current Events(Person in News)

 

What is the news?

  • Nadaun’s Vanshika Parmar crowned Miss Earth India

Why important?

  • Vanshika Parmar of Nadaun, Hamirpur, is the first-ever girl from the state to become Miss Earth India 2022 at the tender age of 19.

 

Where this finale was held?

  • The Miss Earth India finale was held this week at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, where Vanshika was selected as India’s official representative for Miss Earth 2022.
  • Now, Vanshika will represent India internationally at the Miss Earth pageant in November in the Philippines where she will compete with representatives from over 90 countries for the coveted crown.

 

About Miss India Earth:

  • Miss Earth India or Miss India Earth is a title given to the Indian woman who represents India at Miss Earth, an annual, international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. The current national pageant which chooses the Indian representative for Miss Earth is Miss Divine Beauty of India.
  • Miss Earth is one of the top alpha and mega beauty pageants of the world.
  • Miss Divine Beauty is the licensed franchise holder of Miss Earth India that sends representatives from India to Miss Earth.

There are four major international beauty pageants which are mentioned below:

1- Miss Earth
2- Miss International
3- Miss Universe
4- Miss World

  • The oldest among these is Miss World, which was founded in 1951 and was first won by Kiki Håkansson of Sweden. The most recently instituted among the four is Miss Earth, which was founded in 2001, where Catharina Svensson of Denmark was the inaugural winner.
(News Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Topic: New Decisions by Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBSE)

 

Importance: Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains

 

Importance for Prelims: Himachal Current Events(Education Sector)

Importance for Mains Exam:

  • PAPER-V: GENERAL STUDIES-II: Unit II: Topic: Institutional framework, Policies and Interventions for development in various sectors in India.

 

What is the decisions?

  • The Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBSE) in a meeting held here today decided to restore the facility of medical reimbursement for its retired employees. The facility was ended for the retired staff in 2014.

Decision taken:

  • Honorarium given to contingent workers who are employed in book depots of HPSEB will also be raised from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per month.
    Daily refreshment allowance of teachers and workers employed in examination checking or other allied work has been increased from Rs 30 to Rs 40 per day.
  • HPBSE Chairman SK Soni said it was decided that all board employees, including those who had retired, would be entitled to reimbursement for indoor medical treatment as per the government rules. However, the board would give a fixed amount of Rs 400 for outdoor medical consultation.
  • The board would have to bear an additional financial burden between Rs 70 lakh and Rs 80 lakh per annum.
  • The board has also decided to revert to annual system of examination for Classes IX and XI. But the semester system of examination will continue for Classes X and XII.
  • In another decision, only those students will be allowed to appear in Class VIII examination of the HPBSE’s open school program who have completed education till Class V in regular schools.
  • The decision has been taken as per the directions of the Union Ministry of Education in order to increase the strength of students in primary classes.
  • The board’s buildings across the state would be named after freedom fighters, social workers and scientists.
  • The administrative block of HPBSE headquarter in Dharamsala would be named after former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

 

About Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBSE):

1) The Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, Dharamshala came into existence in 1969 as per Himachal Pradesh Act No. 14 of 1968 with its head-quarter at Shimla later shifted to Dharamshala in January 1983.

2) The Board started with a staff of 34 officials which has subsequently increased to 643. The Education Board prescribes syllabus, courses of instructions and text books for school education in Himachal Pradesh besides conducting examinations based on courses listed.

3) At present, the Board conducts examination for the following classes and courses: 10th, 10+2, JBT and TTC. As many as 5 Lakh candidates annually appear in the examination conducted by the Board. Presently more than 8000 schools are affiliated with the Board. The Board has set up 1846 Examination centres throughout the state.

4) Board also publishes text books for class 1st to 12th. Apart from a Liaison Office at Shimla, the Board has also established 26 Book Distribution & Guidance/Information Centres in the state to cater to the needs of students.

(News Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Topic: Himachal writes to Centre to declare LSD as epidemic

 

Importance: Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains

 

Importance for Prelims: Himachal Current Events (Epidemic)

Importance for Mains Exam:

Importance for Mains Exam:

  • PAPER-VI: GENERAL STUDIES-III: Unit III: Topic: Himachal Agricultural Challenges

 

What is the news?

  • The state government today urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to declare the lumpy skin disease (LSD) as an epidemic. There has been a sudden spurt in cases of the disease among cattle in nine districts of the state.

Deaths due to LSD:

  • As many as 2,309 head of cattle have died and 55,926 have been infected with the disease in the state till now — Sudesh Mokta, Director-cum-special secretary, Revenue.

 

Already declared LSD as a scheduled disease by State:

  • State Animal Husbandry Department had declared the LSD as a scheduled disease under Chapter II, Section 6 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animal Act 2009.
  • However, seeing the recent surge in cases, Sudesh Mokta, Director-cum-Special Secretary, Revenue, wrote to the Central government, requesting it to declare the disease as an epidemic.

 

Director-cum-Special Secretary, Revenue shared:

  • Disease had cast a shadow on the livestock in the state and so needs to be declared as an epidemic.
  • It is only after the disease is declared as an epidemic that the disaster, relief and rehabilitation component of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) can be provided to aggrieved farmers. You are therefore requested that the matter for declaring the LSD as an epidemic may be considered for calamity purpose.

 

Worst hit areas:

  • Nine districts have been affected by the disease but Sirmaur, Shimla and Solan are the worst-hit districts. Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Kullu have so far not reported any LSD case.
  • Kangra has also been affected badly. It has witnessed the death of 566 head of cattle while 18,625 head of cattle have been infected. Una district has reported the death of 556 head of cattle while 8,585 head of cattle have been infected. Solan district has witnessed 336 deaths while 7,491 head of cattle have been infected with the disease.
  • The Animal Husbandry Department claimed that over 1.40 lakh vaccines had been provided to curb the spread of the disease. The Himachal Kisan Sabha has demanded that the LSD be declared as an epidemic, as a large number of farmers in the state are dependent on dairy farming.

 

What is epidemic?

  • A large number of people or animals suffering from the same disease at the same time.

 

LSD is Epizootic too:

  • Epizootic disease is a disease event in an animal population akin to an epidemic in humans. It generally refers to outbreaks of disease which cause serious economic or public health issues and are of major importance in the international trade of animals and animal products.

Lets understand Epidemic, Pandemic and Endemic:

 

WHAT IS AN EPIDEMIC?

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes an epidemic as an unexpected increase in the number of disease cases in a specific geographical area. Yellow fever, smallpox, measles, and polio are prime examples of epidemics. An epidemic disease doesn’t necessarily have to be contagious. West Nile fever and the rapid increase in obesity rates are also considered epidemics. Epidemics can refer to a disease or other specific health-related behavior (e.g., smoking) with rates that are clearly above the expected occurrence in a community or region.

 

WHAT IS A PANDEMIC?

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) declares a pandemic when a disease’s growth is exponential. This means the growth rate skyrockets, and each day cases grow more than the day prior. In being declared a pandemic, the virus has nothing to do with virology, population immunity, or disease severity. It means a virus covers a wide area, affecting several countries and populations.

 

WHAT DOES ENDEMIC MEAN?

  • A disease outbreak is endemic when it is consistently present but limited to a particular region. This makes the disease spread and rates predictable. Malaria, for example, is considered endemic in certain countries and regions.

 

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PANDEMICS AND EPIDEMICS?
  • The WHO defines pandemics, epidemics, and endemic diseases based on a disease’s rate of spread. Thus, the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic isn’t in the severity of the disease, but the degree to which it has spread.
  • A pandemic cuts across international boundaries, as opposed to regional epidemics. This wide geographical reach is what makes pandemics lead to large-scale social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship. It’s important to note that a once-declared epidemic can progress into pandemic status. While an epidemic is large, it is also generally contained or expected in its spread, while a pandemic is international and out of control.

 

What is the Lumpy Skin Disease?

  • According to a report by GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) disease is caused by a virus called the Capripoxvirus and is “an emerging threat to livestock worldwide”. It is genetically related to the goatpox and sheeppox virus family.
  • LSD infects cattle and water buffalo mainly through vectors such as blood-feeding insects. Signs of infection include the appearance of circular, firm nodes on the animal’s hide or skin that look similar to lumps.
  • Infected animals immediately start losing weight and may have fever and lesions in the mouth, along with a reduced milk yield. Other symptoms include excessive nasal and salivary secretion. Pregnant cows and buffaloes often suffer miscarriage and in some cases, diseased animals can die due to it as well.

 

Have such outbreaks occurred earlier and are humans at risk?

  • This is not the first time LSD has been detected in India. The disease has been endemic in most African countries, and since 2012 it has spread rapidly through the Middle East, Southeast Europe and West and Central Asia. Since 2019, several outbreaks of LSD have been reported in Asia. In May this year, Pakistan’s Punjab also reported the deaths of over 300 cows due to LSD.

Why have Africa, Asia saw so many dangerous viruses emerge recently?

In September 2020, a strain of the virus was discovered in Maharashtra. Gujarat too has reported cases over the last few years sporadically, but currently, the point of concern is the number of deaths being reported, and whether vaccination catches up to the rate at which the disease is spreading.

  • According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), of which India is a member, mortality rates of 1 to 5 per cent are considered usual. The disease is not zoonotic, meaning it does not spread from animals to humans, and humans cannot get infected with it.
  • While the virus does not spread to humans, “milk produced by an infected animal will be fit for human consumption after boiling or pasteurisation as these processes will kill the viruses, if any, in the milk”, said Prof J B Kathiriya, Assistant Professor with the department of veterinary public health and epidemiology of Kamdhenu University’s College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in Junagadh.

 

How can the spread of the disease be prevented?

  • Successful control and eradication of LSD relies on “early detection followed by a rapid and widespread vaccination campaign”, as per the WOAH. Once an animal has recovered, it is well protected and cannot be the source of infection for other animals.
(Source: Tribune & Indian Express)

 

 

Some More HP News:

1) Chief Justice AA Sayed has introduced a change in the order of cases and dedicated every Thursday as ‘hearing day’, to prioritise final hearing matters.

  • As per the new roaster issued by the High Court, regular hearing matters will be taken up on every Thursday. For the purpose, three Division Benches and five single Benches have been constituted.
  • The norm is to hear miscellaneous and fresh matters first and regular matters later on working court days. Often fresh matters take up the court’s time on usual working days, leaving less time for regular hearing matters.