What’s in news?

➢ World Antibiotic Awareness Week is celebrated

throughout the world every year in the month of

November.

➢ It aims to draw attention to the effective use of

antibiotics (a type of antimicrobial) in preventing and

containing antimicrobial resistance.

➢ The global theme for 2019 is “Antibiotics: handle with care”.

Key Data’s:

➢ Antibiotics are lifesaving medications, but only if they work against the organism

causing infection. Antimicrobial resistance may impact on life saving health care,

such as cancer treatments or organ transplants, as antibiotics will not be effective

to prevent infections that are commonly associated with these procedures.

Antimicrobial resistance is already affecting the care of patients now and current

trends indicate this will have an increasing impact over time.

➢ World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019 was conducted on November 18-24 and it

raises our consciousness every about antibiotic resistance and how the medical

community is educating us about the proper use of these disease-fighting drugs.

➢ The World Health Organization (WHO) defines it this way: “Antibiotic resistance

occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines. Bacteria,

not humans or animals, become antibiotic-resistant.”

➢ In May, 2015, the World Health Assembly upgraded this antibiotic resistance to an

international emergency. WHO described the problem as “New resistance

mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening our ability to treat

common infectious diseases” .

➢ WHO outlined five goals about global antibiotic resistance including:

✓ raising awareness,

✓ increasing monitoring and research,

✓ reducing infections,

✓ making the best use of antimicrobial medications and

✓ committing to “sustainable investment.”

➢ Most importantly, these goals formed an antibiotics resistance framework that

nations could use to prioritize medical experts and researchers in their countries

and to allocate resources. In addition to preventing antibiotic resistance in

humans, national action plans were to align with global efforts in creating

antimicrobial medications for better animal health as well as use in agriculture.

➢ Government must introduce stringent rules as unused antibiotics continue to be

dumped in the open.

➢ The World Health Organisation has described antibiotic resistance as one of the

greatest threats to human and animal health, as well as food and agriculture.

What’s in news?

➢ Centre is launching nationwide vaccination drive to

prevent eight diseases under Intensified Mission

Indradhanush 2.0 across the country.

Key Data’s:

➢ The government's flagship scheme is aimed at immunizing children under the age

of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases.

➢ The IMI covers vaccines for

✓ diphtheria,

✓ whooping cough,

✓ tetanus,

✓ poliomyelitis,

✓ tuberculosis,

✓ measles,

✓ meningitis and

✓ Hepatitis B.

➢ Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and hemophilus influenza are also being

provided in selected areas.

➢ The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts

spread over 27 States. The IMI 2.0 will be carried out between December 2019

and March 2020.

➢ Among the 27 states, In Rajasthan, Intensified Mission Indradhanush- 2 campaign

has been launched. This campaign will be conducted in four phases across the

state. Under this campaign, vaccination services will be provided free of cost to the

drop out and left out children and pregnant women.

About Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI):

➢ Mission Indradhanush is a health mission of the government of India. It was

launched by Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda on 25 December 2014.

➢ PM Narendra Modi had launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) on

October 8, 2017 to further intensify India’s immunisation programme.

➢ Under the mission, the Union Government aimed to reach all children aged below

two years and pregnant women, who were left uncovered under the government’s

routine immunisation programme.

➢ The key objective behind the launch of the intensified immunisation drive was to

ensure that no child suffers from any vaccine-preventable disease.

➢ Built on the foundation of Mission Indradhanush, the Intensified Mission

Indradhanush aims to use additional strategies to reach the high-risk population,

especially in the low performing areas.

➢ The programme was supported by 12 ministries and departments and

monitored by the Cabinet Secretary at the national level. Several ministries

include the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Ministry

of Urban Development, Ministry of Youth Affairs, and others,ensure the benefits

of vaccines.

➢ With the launch of Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0, India has the

opportunity to achieve further reductions in deaths among children under five

years of age, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending

preventable child deaths by 2030.

What’s in news?

➢ The 25th UN Climate Change Conference will be

taking place in Madrid, Spain convened from 2-13

December 2019, and some 25,000 delegates convene for

the annual UN conference.

Key Data’s:

➢ Climate change is happening in the world and it is

already 1.1°C warmer than it was at the onset of the industrial revolution, and it

is already having a significant impact on the world, and on people’s lives. And if

current trends persist, then global temperatures can be expected to rise by 3.4

to 3.9°C this century, which would bring wide-ranging and destructive climate

impacts

➢ It will feature the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the

United Nations Framework Convention to Combat Climate Change (UNFCCC) and

the 51st meetings of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies - the Subsidiary Body for

Implementation (SBI 51) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological

Advice (SBSTA 51).

➢ The previous UN climate conference, COP24 in Katowice Poland, focused on

completing work on the Paris Agreement Work Programme, a set of decisions

meant to operationalize the treaty. Parties adopted a Climate Package, which

includes decisions on nearly all of the issues mandated as part of the Paris Work

Programme.

➢ WHO has a strong involvement in the UNFCCC process.

➢ WHO will also launch a new series of Climate & Health Country Profiles at

COP25, as well as a Health and Climate Change Global Survey Report,

tracking the progress of key health and climate change indicators.

➢ The global health community, together with WHO, will also hold a Climate Change

& Health Summit on the side lines of COP25, bringing together a broad range of

actors in the field to discuss the global state of climate and health

➢ It was mandated by the UNFCCC to resolve the outstanding issues in the Climate

Package, including:

✓ provisions under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which would allow

countries to meet, in part, domestic mitigation goals through market

mechanisms such as carbon markets;

✓ public registries for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the

Paris Agreement;

✓ communications of adaptation efforts under the Paris Agreement.

➢ Additionally, COP25 will discuss a number of issues relevant to WHO's work on

climate change and human health.

What’s in news?

➢ The Hornbill Festival is a celebration held every year

from 1 to 10 December, in Nagaland, Northeast

India. The Hornbill Festival was inaugurated on

December 01 in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland.

➢ Hornbill Festival 2019 is the 20th Edition.

➢ It is also called the 'Festival of Festivals'

Key Data’s:

➢ The festival is named after a bird named “Indian Hornbill”, which is a symbol

of “Respect and Folklore” among the Naga.

➢ The 10 Days Hornbill Festival began with the traditional blessing pronounced by

Mongtei of Aniashu village while the Chief host and Host opened the festival by

beating the traditional gong. Nagaland Governor R N Ravi was the chief host of

the festival, while Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was the host.

➢ It witness the Naga people coming together and uniting through their cultures and

urged the people to uphold the enormous richness on their culture and traditions

which has been passed down to them by their ancestors. The Governor called on

the people to strengthen the spirit of unity during the Hornbill Festival. Highlights

of the ceremony include a colourful display of Naga Culture themed as “Colours

of Nagaland”.

➢ The festival organised by Nagaland Government is also an annual tourism

promotional event to showcase the state’s traditional and rich cultural heritage in

all its ethnicity, diversity and grandeur.

➢ A display of Sukhoi aircraft flying over Kisama site was also organised in close

coordination between the state government and headquarter, Eastern Air

Command (IAF) Shillong.

➢ Highlights of the Hornbill Festival will witness cultural performance of different

tribes of Nagaland and North eastern States, indigenous games, city tour, night

carnival, art exhibition, photo-fest and many more.

➢ Cultural performances by different tribes of Nagaland in their traditional attires

showcasing their ethnicity marked the second day of the 10-day Hornbill

Festival at Kisama Heritage Village near.

➢ This festival is highly significant among the North- Eastern states because of the

fact that more than 60% of the Nagaland's populations is dependent

upon 'Agriculture' and thus, this festival, in particular, revolves around the

sacred status granted to the Agriculture activities here which can be witnessed by

being a part of the Naga family's Hornbill Festival.

➢ Nagaland is known as the 'Land of Festivals' and one such grand carnival,

organized by the State Tourism of Arts and Culture Department, Government of

Nagaland is 'Hornbill festival'.

➢ Nagaland became the 16th State of the Union of India on 1st December

1963 and so it celebrated its 57th Statehood Day on 2019.

What’s in news?

The National Human Rights Commission has issued

notices in seeking reports on sexual violence against women.

Key data’s:

➢ The National Human Rights Commission has issued

notices to the Centre, all States and Union Territories

seeking reports on the Standard Operating Procedures,

SOPs to deal with cases related to sexual violence

against women and also the use of the Nirbhaya Fund.

➢ This step was initiated by a suo motu cognisance of media reports, due to over the

recent rising sexual assault cases in India.

➢ The NHRC seeks the necessary report within the next 6 weeks.

➢ The commission questioned about the security of women in the Indian Society –

from the recent cases, in the wake of the gang rape and murder of a doctor in

Hyderabad.

➢ The commission also sought a response for the availability of fund and the money

spent during the last three years.

➢ As of in present scenario, with the longest written constitution, India was one of

the places of the most unsafe environment for women.

➢ The crimes against women, is the violations of the human rights of the victims.

Women safety and Constitution:

➢ Women are not subjected to any kind of discrimination and harassment – a

constitutional and statutory provision - should be ensured.

➢ But as a violation, the safety situation of women is getting worse.

➢ This violates their rights mentioned in the Article 21. The rights are - right to life,

liberty, dignity and equality of women across the country.

Crimes against women in India:

➢ Acid attack: Globally, India has a lot of strong acid attack survivors who are

battling for their lives and trying to lead their lives independently.

➢ The common crimes were;

✓ Domestic violence.

✓ Honor killings.

✓ Female foeticide

✓ Trafficking, child marriage

Dial 100:

➢ It is an initiative of the state government of Haryana will be an initiation of drop

service to the women in the late night.

➢ The initiative was done with the association of Chandigarh police.

➢ For this service, new PCR vans will be given to each police station and 400 new

vehicles are being purchased for this purpose.

What’s in news?

India is keenly watching China's increasing

presence in the Indian Ocean region.

Key data’s:

➢ A Chinese vessel involved in spying activity in the

Indian Oceanic region (exactly in the in the Exclusive Indian Economic Zone

(EEZ)) was expelled, by the Indian Navy Warships.

➢ The Chinese vessel was located by a surveillance aircraft of the Indian Navy.

➢ Location: Near the Port Blair region in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

➢ Reason: The reason for the entry of Chinese vessel is to do the research purpose

to the west of Port Blair.

➢ But the Indian and international laws do not allow any foreign countries to carry

out research or exploration activities in their waters.

➢ By complying to this, the vessel was eliminated from India Waters.

➢ Andamans are considered to be strategic islands of the Indian side due to its

location from where India can keep an eye on Indian Ocean region and Southeast

Asia.

➢ With this, India keep watching the presence of Chinese vehicle in the Indian

Oceanic Region.

➢ From Indian side;

✓ Indian Navy accusing the Chinese were spying - to monitor all underwater

and surface vessels of the Indian Navy stationed in the region.

Recent surveillance:

➢ P-8i surveillance aircraft of Indian Navy, was found seven such Chinese vessels in

the recent past.

➢ The aircraft specialises in long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-

submarine warfare (LRMRASW) capabilities

Maritime laws in India:

The current maritime laws in India have developed from colonial times, such as

✓ The Territorial Waters Jurisdiction Act, 1878

✓ The Admiralty Offences (Colonial) Act, 1849

✓ The Coasting Vessels Act, 1838

✓ The Inland Steam Vessels Act, 1917

✓ The Indian Registration of Ships Act (1841) and its Amendment Act, 1850

✓ The Indian Registration of Ships Act, 1841

✓ The Indian Ports Act, 1908

✓ The Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1923

✓ The Control of Shipping Act, 1947

✓ The Merchant Seamen (Litigation) Act, 1946

✓ The Merchant Shipping Laws (Extension to Acceding States and

Amendment) Act, 1949 etc.

India’s objectives in the Indian Ocean Region:

➢ To spread its influence across the entire Indian Ocean Region, through trade and

investment, diplomacy and strategic partnerships

➢ Upgrading relations with Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia; regions that

hold mineral deposits and energy reserves critical to India’s economic

development and great power aspirations

➢ Positioning itself to emerge as the dominant Indian Ocean power in the decades

ahead

➢ Ensuring that China does not gain a significant strategic foothold in the region

➢ Strengthening influence and control over Indian Ocean choke points through

security relationships with key littoral states such as Singapore, Mauritius and

Oman

What’s in news?

➢ International Day of the People with Disabilities

(IDPwD) is also known as “World Disabled

Day”. It is observed on 3 December every year

to raise awareness and develop an

understanding to accept people with disabilities

by the United Nations.

Key Data’s:

➢ World Disability Day aims at increasing public awareness, understanding and

accepting people with disability and celebrating their achievements and

contributions.

➢ The International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed by United Nations

General Assembly in 1992 by resolution 47/3, and it was recognized officially

to promote compassion and acceptance of disability issues and provide support for

the self-respect, rights and better living of disabled persons. The United Nations

General Assembly notified 1981 as the “International Year of Disabled

Persons”.

➢ Each year the UN announces a theme to observe for International Day of People

with Disability. The annual theme provides an overarching focus on how society

can strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and

attitudinal barriers for people with disability. This has been occurring since 1992

when the General Assembly proclaimed 3 December as the International Day of

Disabled Persons.

➢ For the year 2019, the theme is ‘Promoting the participation of persons with

disabilities and their leadership: taking action on the 2030

Development Agenda’. This year’s theme focuses on the empowerment of

persons with disabilities for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development as

anticipated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which pledges to

‘leave no one behind’ and recognizes disability as a cross-cutting issues, to be

considered in the implementation of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

➢ This 2019 observance of the IDPD at the UN Headquarters was organized by the

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

➢ Theme of 2018 was "Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring

inclusiveness and equality".

➢ The day aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in

all spheres of society and development. This aims at making the society more aware

about the political, social, economic and cultural life of people with disabilities.

“The tides are turning for Indian women”

What’s in news?

➢ Sub Lieutenant Shivangi Swaroop became the first

pilot in the Indian navy after qualifying as a

Dornier pilot.

About Shivangi:

➢ Shivangi was commissioned into the Indian Navy last year after her initial training.

➢ Indian Navy’s first woman pilot born in the city of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, hails

from an ordinary farmer’s family.

➢ As a 10-year-old, she was fascinated by a chopper pilot flying a politician to address

a public rally at her native village Fatehabad in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, about

70 kms to the north-east of Patna. The little girl, who could not differentiate

between a commercial plane and a defence aircraft, had then dreamt of being a

pilot.

➢ Shivangi will fly the Dornier surveillance aircraft for maritime

reconnaissance, search and rescue operations for the Indian Navy.

Related happening:

➢ Bhawna Kanth became the first woman pilot of the Indian Air Force this

year after qualifying all the required tests. Apart from Bhawna, Mohana Singh

and Avni Chaturvedi also became fighter pilots. Also, the first batch of 100

women soldiers in the Indian Army will join in 2021. These women soldiers will be

commissioned in the Indian Army Corps of Military Police.

About Dornier surveillance aircraft:

➢ Dornier (DO-228) aircraft are manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics

Limited (HAL). HAL DO-228 aircraft is India’s lightweight maritime surveillance

aircraft.

➢ It is a multi-role Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance (SRMR) aircraft, with twin

engine manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd. (HAL), Kanpur.

➢ The aircraft can be used for electronic warfare missions, maritime surveillance,

search and rescue and to provide targeting data to weapon platform.

➢ It is an important contribution towards indigenous development and self-reliance

through ‘Make in India’, with state-of-the-art sensors and equipment including

a glass cockpit, advanced surveillance radar, optical sensors and networking

features.

➢ Already Navy's Aviation branch had women officers operating as air traffic control

officers and as 'observers' in the aircraft who are responsible for communication

and weapons but there were no women in cockpit and now it has been achieved.

“Changing gender stereotypes and breaking glass ceilings in the sky”

What’s in news?

➢ Consumption expenditure numbers reported by the

National Statistical Office (NSO) in suggests that rural

poverty rose nearly 4 percentage points between 2011-

12 and 2017-18 to 30 percent even as urban poverty

fell 5 percentage points over the same period to 9

percent. Given the higher weight of the rural population, the estimated overall

poverty rate went up nearly a percentage point to 23 percent in 2017-18. The rise

implies that 30 million people fell below India’s official poverty line and joined the

ranks of the poor over the past half a decade.

Key Data’s:

➢ Among large states, Bihar saw the greatest rise in poverty between 2011-12 and

2017-18, with poverty rate rising by a whopping 17 percentage points to 50.47

percent. Jharkhand (8.6 percentage points or ppts increase) and Odisha (8.1

ppts increase) are the other large states which saw big increases in the poverty rate.

The poverty rate refers to the (percentage) share of the population that lies below

the poverty line. More than 40 percent of both Jharkhand and Odisha fall below

the poverty line.

➢ West Bengal (6 ppts fall), Gujarat (5 ppts fall), and Tamil Nadu (5 ppts fall) saw

the biggest declines in poverty among the large states in the period between 2011-

12 and 2017-18. Among prosperous states, Maharashtra saw the biggest increase

in poverty (roughly 5 ppts) over the same period.

➢ The analysis is based on the inflation-adjusted state-wise poverty lines for rural

and urban areas reported by the erstwhile Planning Commission in a 2013 note.

The Planning Commission figures were based on the methodology suggested by

the Tendulkar committee on poverty in 2009, and remain the last official

estimates of poverty in India. Another report by the Rangarajan committee re-

estimated poverty and submitted its report in mid-2014 but the report has neither

been accepted by the government nor been used for any official allocation of funds.

➢ The precise estimation of poverty ratios requires the raw consumption survey data.

➢ The analysis here relies on two key assumptions.

✓ Given that the ‘key indicators’ report for the 2017-18 consumption survey

only reported state-wise consumption expenditures for 12 key percentiles

(5th, 10th, 20th, 30th,90th, 95th percentiles), a simple (linear)

interpolation technique was used to derive the figures for the rest of the

percentiles. The assumption here is that the distribution of consumption is

smooth across the reported percentiles (say between the 10th and 20th

percentiles). A percentile refers to each of the 100 equal groups into which

a population can be divided according to the distribution of values of a

particular variable.

✓ The second assumption relates to the adjustment in the poverty lines based

on differences in consumption figures, as reported by the mixed reference

period (MRP) and modified mixed reference period (MMRP).

➢ The average consumer spending in India declined by 3.7 per cent in 2017-18 as

compared to the consumer spending in 2011-12.