COVID-19 now a pandemic : WHO
Context :
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that according to its assessment , COVID-19 “can be characterised as a pandemic.”
WHO has been assessing this outbreak round-the-clock and deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction”.
What is a pandemic :
A “pandemic” is declared when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations.
Declaring a pandemic has nothing to do with changes to the characteristics of a disease, but is instead associated with concerns over its geographic spread. According to the World Health Organization.
How does the WHO decide whether to call it a pandemic :
Cases that involve travellers who have been infected in a foreign country and have then returned to their home country, or who have been infected by that traveller, known as the “index case”, do not count towards declaring a pandemic. There needs to be a second wave of infection from person to person throughout the community.
Once a pandemic is declared, it becomes more likely that community spread will eventually happen, and governments and health systems need to ensure they are prepared for that.
When is a pandemic declared :
Ultimately, the WHO gets the final say. There is no threshold, such as a certain number of deaths or infections, or number of countries affected, that needs to be met. For example, the Sars coronavirus, identified in 2003, was not declared a pandemic by the WHO despite affecting 26 countries.
Declaring Covid-19 a pandemic, what will it mean :
The WHO has stressed that using the word “pandemic” does not signal a change in its advice. It is still urging countries to “detect, test, treat, isolate, trace and mobilise their people”.
India invokes 123-year-old Epidemic Disease Act
Context :
GoI is to invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. The 123-year old Law is to be invoked in order to limit the spread of the outbreak. The announcement comes after WHO declaring COVID-19 as GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
Highlights :
- The Central government has declared that all the states and Union Territories (UTs) should invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.
- The move comes as COVID-19 cases crossed the 70 mark on 12 March.
- The Act is meant to contain dangerous epidemic diseases.
- The Law confers special powers upon local authorities to implement measures necessary to control epidemics.
- Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 states that When at any time the State Government is satisfied that the State is threatened with an outbreak of any dangerous epidemic disease, the State Government, may take, or require or empower any person to take, such measures and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any person. It is necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof and may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses incurred, including compensation if any, shall be defrayed.
Animal Protection Index 2020
Context :
The international animal welfare charity, World Animal Protection , released the global Animal Protection Index 2020.
Animal Protection Index (API) :
This index, prepared by World Animal Protection, is a ranking of 50 countries around the globe according to their legislation and policy commitments to protecting animals. Explore the findings to discover how your government can help improve the lives of animals in your country.
Aim :
The aim of API is to showcase where countries are doing well, where they fall short on animal welfare policy and legislation, in order to take steps to improve.
How its Ranks :
The Animal Protection Index has given each country an overall score. These scores fall within scoring bands, where A represents the highest results and G identifies countries with the most room for improvement. Select countries to view their full profile in detail or alternatively choose up to four countries to compare their scores.
India’s performance :
India secured a ‘C’ ranking in the index, along with countries like Spain, New Zealand, Mexico, and France.
Source : the hindu
Mineral Law Amendment Bill 2020
Context :
Parliament passed The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for amendments in Mines & Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.
Rajya Sabha passed the bill while Lok Sabha already passed this bill on 6th March, 2020. The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020, will open a new era in Indian coal & mining sector specially to promote Ease of Doing Business.
Mines and Mineral Laws :
The Bill proposes to remove end-use restrictions for participating in coal mine auctions, and it will open up the coal sector fully for commercial mining for all domestic and global companies. The process for the passage of the bill was underway when the House was adjourned following protests by Opposition members over controversial remarks by a Rajasthan MP against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family members.
Highlights :
- The bill explains about the coal sector completely for commercial mining. It intends to remove end-use restrictions to participate in coal mine auction.
- The ordinance allows coal mining by any company present in industries other than steel and power and does away with the captive end-use criteria.
- While the move will help create an efficient energy market, usher, in competition, and reduce coal imports, it may also bring an end to state-run Coal India Ltd’s (CIL) monopoly.
- It is world’s fourth-largest coal reserves, India imported 235 million tonnes (mt) of coal last year, of which 135mt valued at ₹171,000 crore could have been met from domestic reserves, coal and mines minister.
Related : Mineral Law Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha
Minority Schemes for Jammu and Kashmir
Context :
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs implements programmes /schemes for the six (6) centrally notified minority communities namely, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs .
Schemes :
Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme – For educational empowerment of students.
— Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme – Provide fellowships in the form of financial assistance.
— Naya Savera – Free Coaching and Allied Scheme – The Scheme aims to provide free coaching to students/candidates belonging to minority communities for qualifying in entrance examinations of technical/ professional courses and Competitive examinations.
— Padho Pardesh – Scheme of interest subsidy to students of minority communities on educational loans for overseas higher studies.
— Nai Udaan – Support for students clearing Prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PSC) Staff Selection Commission (SSC) etc.
— Nai Roshni – Leadership development of women belonging to minority communities..
— Seekho Aur Kamao – Skill development scheme for youth of 14 – 35 years age group and aiming at improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.
Ministry of Minority affairs has also sanctioned a special project for Skill Training of Youths in the two UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh through an MoU signed with National Skill Development Corporation and National Skill Development Fund under Seekho aur Kamao.
— Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) restructured in May 2018 earlier known as MsDP – Implemented for the benefit of the people from all sections of the society in identified Minority Concentration Areas for creation of assets in education, skill and health sectors.
— Jiyo Parsi – Scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India.
— USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) launched in May 2015.
— Nai Manzil – A scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts launched in Aug. 2015.
— Hamari Dharohar- A scheme to preserve rich heritage of minority communities of India under the overall concept of Indian culture implemented since 2014-15.
Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020 introduced in Lok Sabha
Context :
Major Port Authorities Bill 2020 was introduced in the Loksabha by the minister of state for shipping (I/C) Shri Mansukh MANDAVIYA.
Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020 (Highlights)
- The Billseeks to provide for regulation, operation and planning of Major Ports in India and to vest the administration, control and management of such ports upon the Boards of Major Port Authorities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
- Decentralizing decision making and to infuse professionalism in governance of major ports.
- It would help to impart faster and transparent decision making benefiting the stakeholders and better project execution capability.
- The Bill is aimed at reorienting the governance model in central ports to landlord port model in line with the successful global practice. This will also help in bringing transparency in operations of Major Ports.
- The Bill proposes to repeal the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.
- The Bill is not aimed at the privatization of government ports. The number of labour trustees will remain the same as earlier.