CONTENTS
- NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME
- TB MUKT BHARAT
- HUNAR HAAT
NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME
Focus: GS III- Environment
Why in news?
MoU signed towards execution of planned actions in time bound manner in 132 cities under National Clean Air Programme(NCAP)
About National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
- Launched by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in 2019.
- It was not notified under the Environment Protection Act or any other Act.
- It is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution.
- It has a major goal of reducing the concentration of coarse (particulate matter of diameter 10 micrometer or less, or PM10) and fine particles (particulate matter of diameter 2.5 micrometer or less, or PM2.5) in the atmosphere by at least 20% by the year 2024, with 2017 as the base year for comparison.
- Apart from experts from the industry and academia, the programme will be a collaboration between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, NITI Aayog, and Central Pollution Control Board.
- Initially, 102 cities from 23 States and UTs were chosen as non-attainment cities. With the exception of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, most of those chosen are tier two cities.
- The cities were selected on the basis of the ambient air quality data from the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) of 2011 – 2015.
- Maharashtra had the maximum number of cities chosen for the programme.
NCAP objectives
- To have effective and efficient ambient air quality monitoring network.
- Public participation in both planning and implementation of the programmes and policies of government on air pollution.
- To have a management plan for prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
- National Ambient Air Quality Standards are the standards for ambient air quality with reference to various identified pollutant notified by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
- List of pollutants under NAAQS: PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, NH3, Ozone, Lead, Benzene, Benzo-Pyrene, Arsenic and Nickel.
TB MUKT BHARAT
Focus: GS II- Health
Why in news?
In fulfilment of the cherished goal of a “TB Mukt Bharat” envisioned by Prime Minister, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched the “Tribal TB Initiative”
Details:
- A Guidance Note on Joint Action Plan for Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination, a Special Edition of Tribal Ministry’s Publication ‘ALEKH’ on TB, and a document on Tribal Tuberculosis (TB) Initiative was also released.
- Over 104 million tribal population lives in India, across 705 tribes, accounting for 8.6 % of the country’s population.
- 177 tribal districts were identified as high priority districts where physical remoteness, malnutrition, poor living conditions and lack of awareness contribute to the vulnerability of the tribal population to TB.
- Initially, the activities of the joint plan will be focusing on 161 districts across 18 identified States. This would involve periodic TB active case finding drives and provision of TB Preventive Therapy (IPT) to identified vulnerable population and develop long term mechanisms for vulnerability reduction.
Tuberculosis
- TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer.
- Each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease
- TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
- Transmission: TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.
- Symptoms: Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
- Treatment: TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6 month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.
- Anti-TB medicines have been used for decades and strains that are resistant to 1 or more of the medicines have been documented in every country surveyed.
- Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs. MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.
- Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs, often leaving patients without any further treatment options.
HUNAR HAAT
Focus: GS II- Government Policies and Intervention
Why in news?
28th “Hunar Haat” being organised at Kala Academy, Panaji (Goa).
About Hunar haat:
Nodal: Ministry of Minority affairs
- Hunar Haat is an effective platform wherein opportunity is given to the exhibition of handicrafts and traditional products made by artisans from the minority communities.
- Main aim is to provide market exposure and employment opportunities to artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary experts.
- These are organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) scheme.
- The USTTAD scheme aims to promote and preserve the rich heritage of the traditional arts & crafts of the minority communities.
- Construction of Hunar Hubs is one of the projects considered under the scheme with the objective of enabling artisans/entrepreneurs to carry out exhibitions/melas/food-courts/skill training under one roof in the identified MCD Headquarters.
