Insights Daily Current Affairs, 14 June 2017
Paper 2 Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
51 EMR Schools made Functional during The Last three years
Ministry of Tribal Affairs has actively initiated various efforts during the last three years to make more Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) functional. As a result, 51 new EMRS were made functional during the last three years. 161 EMR Schools are functional right now, while this figure was at 110 in the year 2013-14. More than 52 thousand tribal students are taking education in 161 EMR Schools of 26 States.
- In order to further educational opportunities for more ST children, Government has sought to extend the facility of EMRSs in all the 672 Blocks where ST population is more than 50% of the total population in a span of next five years.
What you need to know about Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)?
Eklavya Model Residential School Scheme was started in 1998 and first school was started in the year 2000 in Maharashtra. EMRSs have been functioning as institutions of excellence for tribal students.
- A total of 259 schools have been sanctioned during the last 17 years, out of which, 72 EMRS were sanctioned during last three years.
- As per existing EMRS Guidelines of 2010, at least one EMRS is to be set up in each Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) / Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) having 50% ST population in the area.
- The capital cost for setting up the school complex, including hostels and staff quarters etc. has been earmarked at Rs. 12 crore with a provision to go up to Rs.16 crore in hill areas, deserts and islands. Recurring cost during the first year for these schools would be Rs. 42000/-per child, with a provision of raising it by 10% every second year to compensate for inflation etc.
Sources: pib.
Paper 2 Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
India to be Co-Partner Country in ANUGA 2017
India has signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Participation in the ANUGA Exhibition with Ms Katharina C Hamma, Chief Operating Officer, Koelnmesse GmBH (Organizers of ANUGA).
ANUGA Background:
ANUGA – an acronym for Allgemeine Nahrungs Und Genußmittel Ausstellung (General Food and Non- essential Provisions Exhibition) is the world’s biggest and most important trade fair for Food and beverage trade. It takes place biennially (every 2 years). ANUGA 2017 is the 34th edition.
- ANUGA offers an extensive supporting programme with Lectures, Special exhibition and attractive industry events
- ANUGA is the leading export platform with 7,189 exhibitors from 109 countries with over 85% of Exhibitors from abroad.
- 1,60,000 decision makers from the retail and out-of-home market from 192 countries visited during last ANUGA. 66% of the industry visitors are foreigners.
Sources: pib.
Paper 2 Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
India ratifies two key ILO conventions on child labour
India has ratified two key ILO conventions on child labour concerning the elimination of child labour, the Minimum Age Convention (No 138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No 182).
- India is the 170th ILO member state to ratify convention No 138 and 181st member to ratify convention No. 182.
Minimum Age Convention:
The Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, is a Convention adopted in 1973 by the International Labour Organization.
- It requires ratifying states to pursue a national policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labour and to raise progressively the minimum age for admission to employment or work.
- Countries are free to specify a minimum age for labour, with a minimum of 15 years. A declaration of 14 years is also possible when for a specified period of time. Laws may also permit light work for children aged 13–15 (not harming their health or school work). The minimum age of 18 years is specified for work which “is likely to jeopardise the health, safety or morals of young persons”. Definitions of the type of work and derogations are only possible after tripartite consultations (if such a system exists in the ratifying country).
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention:
The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, was adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1999.
- By ratifying this Convention, a country commits itself to taking immediate action to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labour.
- The ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) is responsible for assisting countries in this regard as well as monitoring compliance. One of the methods used by IPEC to assist countries in this regard are Time-bound Programmes.
- The convention includes forms of child labour, which are predefined worst forms of child labour. They are also sometimes referred to as automatic worst forms of child labour.
Background:
India is a founder member of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which came into existence in 1919.
- At present, the ILO has 187 members.
- The principal means of action in the ILO is the setting up of International standards in the form of Conventions, Recommendations and Protocol.
- India had so far ratified 45 Conventions, out of which 42 are in force. Out of these 4 are Fundamental or Core Conventions.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 2 Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
India has second highest number of obese children in world: Study
India has the second highest number of obese children in the world after China, according to an alarming study which found that 14.4 million kids in the country have excess weight.
Highlights of the study:
- Globally, over two billion children and adults suffer from health problems related to being obese, and an increasing number die from these conditions. However, of the four million deaths attributed to excess body weight in 2015, nearly 40% occurred among people whose body mass index (BMI) fell below the threshold considered “obese”.
- Among the 20 most populous countries, the highest level of obesity among kids and young adults was in the US at nearly 13%; Egypt topped the list for adult obesity at about 35%. Lowest rates were in Bangladesh and Vietnam, respectively, at 1%.
- China with 15.3 million and India with 14.4 million had the highest numbers of obese children; the US with 79.4 million and China with 57.3 million had the highest numbers of obese adults in 2015.
- The prevalence of obesity has doubled since 1980 in more than 70 countries and has increased in most other nations, the study said. Although the prevalence of obesity among children has been lower than among adults, the rate of increase in childhood obesity in many countries was greater than that of adults.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 2 Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Panama dumps Taiwan, supports One-China policy
In a jolt to Taiwan and boost to Beijing’s diplomacy, Panama has severed ties with the country and recognised it as an “indispensable” part of China under the “One-China Policy”. With Panama switching sides, Taiwan’s decades-old attempt to act as a “sovereign country” would likely face fresh challenges.
- Over the years Beijing has tried to choke Taiwan diplomatically in a bid to force the self-ruled island to accept itself as a part of China.
What is One-China Policy?
The policy states in diplomatic acknowledgement that there is only one Chinese government. Under the policy, any country that wants diplomatic relations with mainland China must break official ties with Taipei that it considers a ‘breakaway province.’
How China has been trying to choke Taiwan in recent years?
Beijing doesn’t trust present Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and her ruling party, which advocates independence for Taiwan. After Tsai came to power last year, China had cut official communication channels with her government in a bid to pressure her to accept that Taiwan is part of China.
- A year ago, Taiwan had diplomatic ties with 23 countries. But in the last one year itself, as many as three countries have severed diplomatic ties with the country, which is claimed by China as its own — a part of the mainland.
- In 2007, Costa Rica was the first of Taiwan’s Central American partners to switch allegiance to China. It was southern African nation of Malawi in 2008. Gambia in West Africa followed suit in 2013. Last year, small African states Sao Tome and Principe switched ties from Taiwan to China.
Sources: the hindu.
Facts for Prelims:
Successful Flight Test of ATGM Nag:
- The Anti-Tank Guided Missile Nag was successfully flight tested in the desert ranges of Rajasthan.
- Nag is a third-generation, fire-and-forget, anti-tank guided missile developed by India’s state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to support both mechanised infantry and airborne forces of the Indian Army.
- The missile incorporates an advanced passive homing guidance system and possesses high single-shot kill probability. It is designed to destroy modern main battle tanks and other heavily armoured targets.
- Nag can be launched from land and air-based platforms. The land version is currently available for integration on the Nag missile carrier (NAMICA), which is derived from a BMP-2 tracked infantry combat vehicle.
- The Nag missile was indigenously developed under the Indian Ministry of Defence’s integrated guided missile development programme (IGMDP), which also involved the development of four other missiles that are Agni, Akash, Trishul and Prithvi.
Army’s Super-40:
- It is a coaching initiative by the Army that has been training local children to take Engineering Entrance Examination.
- The coaching is conducted at Srinagar by Army, its training partner Centre for Social Responsibility & Learning (CSRL) and Petronet LNG.
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH):
Parents of a CAH child, have started a support group called ‘CAH Support India’ (www.cahindia.org) involving a community of parents, grandparents and caregivers of CAH children. The International Coalition for Endocrine Patient Support Organisations worldwide has listed this support group as the first such group for endocrine disorders in India.
What you need to know about CAH?
- CAH is an inherited disorder that affects the adrenal glands where the glands cannot produce cortisol and aldosterone, and instead produce an unwanted excess amount of androgens.
- A child with CAH lacks enzymes the adrenal glands use to produce hormones that help regulate metabolism, the immune system, blood pressure, and other essential functions. Parents with children suffering from it often have great difficulty in the upbringing of the child, including treatment, getting school admission and other support issues.
