219 INFANTS DIED AT TWO GUJRAT CIVIL HOSPITALS IN DECEMBER 2019
Why in News? The number of infant deaths at the civil hospitals in Gujarat’s Rajkot and Ahmedabad is markedly higher than over 100 deaths reported from the government hospital at Kota in Rajasthan. Causes of such increase: This is mainly due to increase in referral patients. Shortage of medical staff and collapse of primary healthcare […]
MERIL’S DEVICE
Why in news? Three years after setting cap on stents, NPPA exempts Meril’s device from price control Details Meril had approached the NPPA for exemption under this provision after it received the Indian drug regulator’s approval in 2017 for the stent, a drug-coated product called MeRes-100 that naturally dissolves over a period of time. The […]
ONLY 82 TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS AWARDED RELIEF IN LAST 8 YEARS
Highlighting the poor status of compensation awarded to survivors of human trafficking in the country, response obtained through RTI queries from 25 States and seven Union Territories reveal that between March 2011 and April 2019 only 82 such victims were awarded compensation Between 2011 and 2018, the total number of cases of human trafficking recorded […]
TRUST FORMED FOR RAM TEMPLE CONSTRUCTION
Why in news? Cabinet has approved a scheme for the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya by setting up an autonomous trust, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra, to take forward the process as per the Supreme Court’s orders
SC UPHOLDS RIGHT OF WOMEN NAVAL OFFICERS
Focus: GS-II Social Justice Why in news? The Supreme Court on 17th March 2020, upheld the right of serving Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers of the Navy to be granted permanent commission (PC) on a par with their male counterparts. Observations in the Judgement All the “excuses” given against the Permanent Commission for women- […]
ABORTIONS TILL 24 WEEKS FOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES
Focus: GS-II Social Justice, Governance, Prelims Why in news? The Lok Sabha on 17th March 2020, passed a Bill to extend the upper limit for permitting abortions from 20 weeks to 24 under special circumstances. The “special categories of women” include rape survivors, victims of incest, the differently abled and minors, Health Minister said moving […]
SUPREME COURT COMES DOWN ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE
Focus: GS-II Social Justice Why in news? Sexual harassment of women at workplace is an affront to their fundamental right to equality and a life with dignity, the Supreme Court has held in a judgment. Sexual harassment at the workplace is an affront to the fundamental rights of a woman to equality under Articles 14 […]
LPG SCHEME PM UJJWALA YOJANA CLOSED, BUT ONLY 3 STATES HAVE GONE KEROSENE-FREE
Focus :GS-II Social Justice Why in news? A parliamentary committee has said only three States and five Union Territories have become kerosene-free. Government in September last met the target of eight crore LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana on September 2020. Details of the report The report of the Parliamentary Committee on Petroleum, […]
MASON, CENTENARIANS, ARTISTS AMONG NARI SHAKTI WINNERS
Focus: GS-II Social Justice, Women Empowerment, Prelims Why in news? A mason, a centenarian athlete, Jharkhand’s “Lady Tarzan” and a “mushroom mahila” were among the 15 women awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Ram Nath Kovind, on 8th March 2020, on account of International Women’s Day. The government gives away the awards every year […]
OVER 40% GOVT. SCHOOLS DON’T HAVE POWER, PLAYGROUNDS
Focus: GS-II Social Justice Why in news? Almost half of government schools in the country don’t have any electricity or playgrounds, according to a parliamentary panel on education. It identified shortfalls in both budgetary funding and utilisation, resulting in critical infrastructure gaps. Concerns of the Parliamentary Standing Committee The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource […]