Daily Prelims Notes 14 October 2020

  • October 14, 2020
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN
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Table Of Contents

  1. OATH OF GOVERNOR
  2. e-VIN
  3. ICMR
  4. WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
  5. RAW DRUG REPOSITORY
  6. FATF
  7. QUAD

1. OATH OF GOVERNOR

Subject: Polity

Context: After recent controversy between Maharashtra CM and Governor , the oath of office of governor has gained importance.

Concept :

  • Article 159 of Indian Constitution mentions about the Oath or Affirmation by the governor.
  • The oath of office to the governor is administered by the chief justice of the concerned state high court and in his absence , the senior most judge of that court available.
  • Governor swears to,

         a) to faithfully execute the office

         b) to preserve , protect and defend the constitution and the law; and

         c) to devote himself to the service and well being of the people of the state.

2. e-VIN

Subject: Science and tech

Context: Union Health Ministry has said that the e-VIN network is going to be repurposed for the delivery of the COVID-19 Vaccine.

Concept :

  • It is an indigenously developed technology system that digitizes vaccine stocks and monitors the temperature of the cold chain through a smartphone application.
  • eVIN aims to support the Government of India’s Universal Immunization Programme by providing real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in these states.
  • It is being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
  • The integrated solution combines:

Technology : Online real-time information on vaccine stocks and storage temperature to facilitate evidence-based decision-making.

Governance: Systemizing record keeping, upgrading logistics and encouraging good practices to ensure efficient vaccine logistics management.

Human Resources: To empower the state cold chain network by building the capacities of handlers and managers at each stage of vaccine supply.

Additional Information :

Universal Immunization Programme

  • It was launched by the government in 1985, to prevent mortality and morbidity in children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.
  • Under UIP free of cost vaccination is provided against twelve vaccine-preventable diseases i.e. Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis B, Pneumonia , Meningitis due to Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib), Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Rotavirus diarrhoea.
  • The programme is one of the largest health programmes in the world. Despite being operational for many years, UIP has been able to fully immunize only 65% of children under 1 year of age.

3. ICMR

Subject: National Organization

Context: ICMR chief has said that India is taking 100 days as the cutoff period in the identification of reinfection of novel coronavirus cases.

Concept:

Indian Council of Medical Research

  • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research. ( HQ -New Delhi).
  • Its mandate is to conduct, coordinate and implement medical research for the benefit of the Society; translating medical innovations into products/processes and introducing them into the public health system.
  • It is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

4. WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Subject: International Report

Context : Indian Economy is expected to contract by 10.3% in current fiscal year and the world by 4.4% ,according to IMF(WEO).

Concept :

World Economic Outlook

  • WEO is a survey by the IMF that is usually published twice a year in the months of April and October.
  • It analyzes and predicts global economic developments during the near and medium term.
  • In response to the growing demand for more frequent forecast updates, the WEO Update is published in January and July between the two main WEO publications released usually in April and October.

International Monetary Fund

  • IMF is an organization working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
  • Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 189 countries that make up its near-global membership. India Joined on December 27, 1945.
  • The IMF’s primary purpose is to ensure the stability of the international monetary system—the system of exchange rates and international payments that enables countries (and their citizens) to transact with each other.
  • The Fund’s mandate was updated in 2012 to include all macroeconomic and financial sector issues that bear on global stability.

5. RAW DRUG REPOSITORY

Subject: Science and tech

Context :A Regional Raw Drug Repository (RRDR) for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines for the southern plateau region is being set up at the National Institute of Siddha, Chennai.

Concept:

  • The repository will serve as a library-cum-museum and house database of raw drugs of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha in the southern region.
  • This repository will provide A to Z details of a drug, comprising all scientific data, under one roof.
  • Though most of the raw drugs are commonly available, there is a lack of scientific documentation that makes research on these medicines difficult.
  • Easy availability of authentic scientific data of raw drugs will promote research on the medicines belonging to the AYUSH system.
  • The establishment of RRDRs was a component of the Union government’s National AYUSH Mission.
  • National Medicinal Plants Board (under AYUSH Ministry), has initiated the establishment of the National Raw Drug Repository and Regional Raw Drug Repositories.

6. FATF

Subject: International Organisation

Context: Pakistan likely to remain on FATF grey list.

Concept:

Financial Action Task Force

  • The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris.
  • The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
  • Its Secretariat is located at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris.
  • Member Countries: it consists of thirty-seven member jurisdictions. India is one of the members.

FATF has two lists:

  • Grey List: Countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are put in the FATF grey list. This inclusion serves as a warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.
  • Black List: Countries known as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) are put in the blacklist. These countries support terror funding and money laundering activities. The FATF revises the blacklist regularly, adding or deleting entries.
  • The FATF Plenary is the decision making body of the FATF. It meets three times per year.

Status of Pakistan:

  • Pakistan, which continues to remain on the “grey list” of FATF, had been given the deadline till the October 2020 to ensure compliance with the 27-point action plan against terror funding networks and money laundering syndicates, or face black listing.

Additional Information:

Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG)

  • It is a regional body comprising nine countries: India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus.
  • It is an associate member of the FATF.

7. QUAD

Subject: International Relations

Context:  Chinese Foreign Minister said USA was aiming to build an “Indo-Pacific NATO” that would be founded on the U.S., India, Japan and Australia grouping.

Concept:

QUAD

  • Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is the informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
  • The idea of Quad was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. However, the idea couldn’t move ahead with Australia pulling out of it, apparently due to Chinese pressure.
  • In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending “Quad” Coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence (especially China).
Prelims Notes