Current Affairs

03rd to 09th February 2013

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Febr u ar y 2013

Current Affairs

03rd to 09th
National, Bilateral, International, Science and Tech Issues Hideout of dormant TB bacteria found
 The dormant tuberculosis bacteria in humans are present in a non replicating, dormant but viable state, and can get reactivated to cause active TB in people who have been successively treated earlier.  The study published demonstrates that a particular kind of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (CD271{++}CD45{+-}) provide a safe shelter for the dormant TB bacteria.  Recurrence of TB after successful drug treatment remains a big challenge in controlling the disease.  Recurrence could happen either due to reactivation of the dormant TB bacteria residing somewhere inside the body or through re - infection.  The stem cells have an efficient way of removing TB drugs that can kill the bacteria, thus providing the bacteria a perfect environment to remain viable for extended periods of time.  Besides bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, the study found viable nonreplicating TB bacteria in lung mesenchymal stem cells too.

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Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram

 It is part of the National Rural Health Mission.  The programme will be extended to cover all districts of the country in a phased manner, ultimately hoping to cover 27 crore children.  Under the scheme, children will be screened for 30 common ailments/health conditions, so that there is the possibility of early medical intervention, in case there is such need.  Birth defects like Downs syndrome, congenital cataract, deafness and heart defect, deficiency conditions like anaemia, malnutrition and goitre, developmental delays and disabilities like hearing impairment and vision impairment are among the conditions for which children will be screened under this scheme.  Mobile health teams will be dedicated to the screening of children, and two AYUSH doctors (one male and one female), nurse and a pharmacist would be available for the service in every block.  All children in the 0-6 age range enrolled in anganwadis would be screened at least twice a year; all children in government schools and in schools aided by the government would also be regularly screened for the above mentioned conditions.  Newborn children will also be screened for possible birth defects in health facilities where deliveries take place.  Children with deficiencies, disabilities or diseases would be referred to higher centres for further investigation and treatment.

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Current Affairs

Febr u ar y 2013

Alternative Learning Systems

03rd to 09th
China to get Gwadar port
 The Pakistan cabinet has formally agreed to hand over the operation of its strategically located Gwadar port to China.  This virtually confirms Chinas String of Pearls strategy, which may have significant implications for India.  The Pakistan cabinet transferred the responsibility of the Gwadar port from Singapores Port of Singapore Authority International to Chinas Overseas Port Holdings.  China has encountered opposition from the Balochi people, who have objected to the Chinese taking over their lands.  Pakistan expects China to turn Gwadar into a naval base.  For China, Gwadar could be a conduit for energy flows, by transporting oil and gas from the port to Chinas Xinjiang province.  This would help China insulate its energy flows from the turbulent waters of the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea.

Dornier-228
 India has handed over Dornier-228 surveillance aircraft to Seychelles.  The Dornier-228 is manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).  HAL-DO-228 can be used as Regional Airliner, Air Taxi, for VIP/Executive Transport, Maritime Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Intelligence warfare and for Troop Transport, Para Jumping, Pollution detection and control, Search and Rescue, Casualty evacuation Ambulance, Cargo and Logistics Support, Calibration of Airport Nav-aids, Geographical surveys, Aerial photography, Antisubmarine roles and as Observer training.  National Coast Guard of Mauritius also utilizes two HAL supplied DO-228s for surveillance of their coast line and VIP transport.  The maritime aircraft is equipped with combination of 360 degree Surveillance Radar, Forward Looking Infra Red System, Electronic Surveillance Measures System, Pollution Detection and Control Equipment, Satellite Communication, Data Link, Speech Secrecy, Traffic Collision and Avoidance System, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System and host of other customer specified sensors.  HAL-DO-228 production in India was launched with Vayudoot, the first regional airlines of the country.

India Austria
 A Social Security Agreement was signed between India and Austria on 4th February 2013.  The social security pact will also provide for cooperation in area of labour market expansion with Austria where over 17,000 Indian professionals are working currently.

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Alternative Learning Systems

Febr u ar y 2013

Current Affairs

03rd to 09th
 Under the agreement, Indian workers on shortterm contracts of up to five years will not be required to make any social security contribution in Austria provided they continue to make social security payments India.  The relief will be available to Indian workers even if an Indian company sends its employees to Austria from a third country.

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 Similar relaxation will be provided to Austrian citizens working in India.  As per the pact, Indian workers will be entitled to export of their social security benefits if they relocate to India after completion of their service in Austria.  Self- employed Indians will also be entitled to export of the benefits on their relocation to India.  Though professionals posted in foreign countries continue to make such payments in India, they are compelled to pay social security tax in the host countries too leading to double contribution.

Tiger count begins in Nepal

 Nepal has begun a three-month-long census of its tigers which were declared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an endangered species in 2010.  The census simultaneously kicked in five conservation areas, which include three national parks; Chitwan, Bardiya, Banke and two wild life reserves; Shuklaphanta and Parsa.  While all these areas lie in the Terai plains of Nepal, the first counting was inaugurated in Shuklaphanta reserve of the far-west region.  Nepal is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger which lives in the dense forests of Terai plains.  The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it as an endangered species in 2010.  According to an earlier head count, there were around 200 tigers in Nepal.  While poaching is a major threat to Nepals tigers for its valuable skin and body parts, tigers often sneak into human settlements due to encroachment in their own habitats and deforestation in some areas.  In a bid to provide more roaming space and habitats to tigers, the Banke National Park that covers an area of 550 square km was created in 2010 in the mid-western plains of Nepal.

New lakes crop up in Himalayas

 Glacier melting over a 47-year period has led to formation of seven new glacial lakes in ChandraBagha Basin of western Himalayas.  Preliminary findings of an ongoing study showed that glacier lakes underwent continuous changes between 1963 and 2010.

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Current Affairs

Febr u ar y 2013

Alternative Learning Systems

03rd to 09th
 Geographical Information System (GIS) tools and high resolution remote sensing technology were used to delineate glacier lakes situated in inaccessible Himalayan terrain.  In all, 15 large glacier lakes situated at an elevation between 4069 meters to 5252 meters were chosen for monitoring the changes that occurred.  Continuous ice-melting due to glacier recession (loss of ice due to excess melting) caused the formation of seven new lakes near the mouth of the glaciers.  These were formed as moraine-dammed lakes and the glacier-lake area was estimated to have increased approximately by 2591 sq.meters during the 47-year period.

 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the proposal for the merger of National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) and National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP) into a new scheme called the `National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems` (NPCA).  The merged scheme shall be operational during the XII Plan Period at an estimated cost of Rs.900 crore on 70:30 cost sharing between the Central Government and respective State Governments and 90:10 for North-East States.  It is proposed to avoid overlap, promote better synergies and to ensure conservation and management works, with the objective of conserving aquatic ecosystems (lakes and wetlands), through implementation of sustainable conservation plans and governed with application of uniform policy and guidelines.  The principal objectives of the new scheme will be holistic conservation and restoration of lakes and wetlands for achieving desired water quality enhancement, besides improvement in biodiversity and the ecosystem, through an integrated and multidisciplinary approach with a common regulatory framework.  The scheme would contribute to reduction of pollution loads and improvement in goods and services provided by these water bodies to stakeholders.  The new scheme will have conservation and management of lakes and wetlands in the country within its scope, to include inventory and information system on lakes and wetlands national level directive on criteria for lakes and wetlands, regulatory framework, capacity building at state government and local body levels, evaluation etc.

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National Lake Conservation Plan + National Wetlands Conservation Programme