Current Affairs Assam – February 2018 e-Magazine
February 10
Assam in 21st position in health index
According to ‘Healthy States, Progressive India’, a report jointly brought out by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, World Bank and Niti Aayog, Assam figures at the bottom side, ranking 21st among the Indian states.
The top five performing states in reference to year-based composite index score are Kerala (76.55), Tamil Nadu (63.38), Gujarat (61.99) and Himachal Pradesh (61.20).
In the base year (2014-15) the composite health index ranged from 28.1 in Uttar Pradesh to 80 in Kerala. On an average, modest improvement was observed between the base and reference years, with the difference between the worst and best performing states narrowing.
On the other end of the spectrum, Uttar Pradesh (33.38) scored the lowest and ranks at the bottom preceded by Rajasthan (36.79), Bihar (38.46), Odisha (39,43) and Madhya Pradesh (40.09). In the ‘Empowered Action Group States’ Assam lies at the tail end of the distribution, ranking between 14th and 21st positions.
Among smaller states, Manipur ranked first in terms of annual incremental performance and second in terms of overall performance, while Goa ranked second in terms of annual incremental performance. Among smaller states, Mizoram (73.70) followed by Manipur (57.78) are the best overall performers. In annual incremental performance, Manipur (up 7.18 points) and Goa (up 6.67 points) ranked the highest.
India ranked 44th in the Global Intellectual Property Index
India has improved its performance both in relative and absolute terms in the latest edition of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Center’s (GIPC) International IP Index. This index analyses the intellectual property (IP) climate in 50 world economies based on 40 unique indicators that benchmark activity critical to innovation development surrounding patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secrets protection.
India ranked 44th of 50 economies – a jump from 43rd of 45 economies one year ago, according to the sixth edition of the Index.
For the first time, India has broken free of the bottom 10% of economies measured, and its score represents the largest percentage improvement of any country measured.
“India’s overall score has increased substantially from 25% (8.75 out of 35) in the 5th edition of the Index to 30% (12.03 out of 40) in the 6th edition,” according to the annual report prepared by the Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC) of the US Chambers of Commerce.
The US tops the list with 37.98 points, followed by United Kingdom (37.97) and Sweden (37.03). The annual report notes that India in July 2017 issued ‘Guidelines on the Examination of Computer-Related Inventions’ which significantly improved the patentability environment for technological innovations.
The report analyses the intellectual property (IP) climate in 50 world economies based on 40 unique indicators that benchmark activity critical to innovation development surrounding patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secrets protection.
India slips to 42nd place in Democracy Index
India has slipped to 42nd place on an annual Global Democracy Index amid “rise of conservative religious ideologies” and increase in vigilantism and violence against minorities as well as other dissenting voices.
While Norway has again topped the list, followed by Iceland and Sweden, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), India has moved down from 32nd place last year and remains classified among “flawed democracies”.
The index ranks 165 independent states and two territories on the basis of five categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation and political culture. The list has been divided into four broad categories – full democracy, flawed democracy, hybrid regime and authoritarian regime.
The top three positions on the list are occupied by Nordic countries – Norway, Iceland and Sweden. New Zealand is at fourth and Denmark at fifth place, while others in top-ten include Ireland, Canada, Australia, Finland and Switzerland. The US (ranked 21), Japan, Italy, France, Israel, Singapore, and Hong Kong have also been named among ‘flawed democracies’.
Only top 19 countries have been classified as ‘full democracies’, while the hybrid regimes include Pakistan (110th), Bangladesh (92nd), Nepal (94th) and Bhutan (99th).
Those named as ‘authoritarian regimes’ include China (139th), Myanmar (120th), Russia (135th) and Vietnam (140th).
North Korea is ranked the lowest at 167th, while Syria is a notch better at 166th place.
Top-ranked Norway has been given an overall score of 9.87 with perfect-ten scores for Electoral process and pluralism; Political participation; and Political culture.
February 11
‘Aspirational Development’ tag to 14 NE Districts
Fourteen districts from the North East are among 106 districts across the country identified for ‘Aspirational Development’. These districts are being taken up in the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme under the aegis of NITI Aayog.
The 14 districts identified for inclusion in the all-India based ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme are Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Darrang, Baksa, Udalguri and Hailakandi in Assam, Dhalai in Tripura, Ribhoi in Meghalaya, Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh, Chandel in Manipur, Mamit in Mizoram, Kiphire in Nagaland and West Sikkim district in Sikkim.
The entire concept of the programme was based on the understanding that the overall growth of the country contributing to the all-India GDP can increase only when all the regions, all the districts and all the states also grow at a reasonable growth rate.
Briefing about the aims and objectives of this programme, Dr Jitendra Singh said India is on its way to achieving a high growth rate. However, he said, considering the heterogeneity of different factors in different regions of the country, there are significant variations at the inter-state level as well as the inter-district level. In order to seek an equitable growth of different districts, this initiative has been undertaken with the target of transforming the districts identified as ‘Aspirational Districts’.
In the North East in particular, Dr Singh said, the challenges of topography, geographical factors, climate, etc., are not only enormous but also extremely variable. Considering this, he disclosed that the DoNER had recently flagged off an exclusive initiative called ‘North-East Hill Area Development Programme’ and the pilot project of it was decided to be undertaken in Manipur to seek equitable development of different districts that may have their own challenges even if these are located adjacent to each other.
Indra Nooyi becomes ICC’s 1st Independent Female Director
PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi appointed as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) first-ever independent female director. Nooyi will join the cricket body in June 2018 for a 2-year term.
The introduction of an Independent Director, who must be female, was approved by the ICC in June 2017, aimed at improving the global governance of the sport.
PM Modi conferred Palestine’s highest honour
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine’, the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries, recognising his contributions to promoting relations between India and Palestine.
The Grand Collar is the highest order given to foreign dignitaries – Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.
President Mahmoud Abbas bestowed the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Modi after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting. After their bilateral meeting, Abbas said the interaction was a good opportunity to express to Prime Minister Modi “how much respect and how high of a standing you personally have through your wise and creative and brave leadership and in establishing peace and stability foundations in our region and the world.
Modi, on his part, said, that bestowing the honour on him was a matter of proud moment for India. This was also the reflective of the friendship between India and Palestine.
Point2Remember- Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.
February 12
11 states declared ODF under Swachh Bharat Mission
The government informed the Lok Sabha that till date 11 states and union territories (UTs) have been declared open defecation free (ODF) under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).This was stated in a written reply from the Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi.
At present, 11 states/UTs namely Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Meghalaya had been declared ODF.
The government is taking various steps under the SBM to make all states in the country ODF.The main focus is on the creation of complete ODF villages rather than only on the construction of individual toilets.
National Deworming Initiative launched
It was launched on the occasion of National Deworming Day observed on 10 February. This year it is fourth edition of National Deworming Day after it was launched in 2015. It aims to reach more than 32.2 crore children aged between 1 to 19 years to combat parasitic worm infections. The basic objective is deworm all preschool and school-age children between the ages of 1-19 years in order to improve their overall health, cognitive development, nutritional status and quality of life.
FACTFILE – National Deworming Day
To combat the situation of worm infection in India, Indian government (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) launched the National Deworming Day (NDD) in February 2015 as part of the National Health Mission.
The aim of this programme is to deworm all the children from 1 to 19 years and improve their well-being. To run the programme successfully and to achieve the goal, all the school teachers and workers are provided special training and resource material. It has emerged as world’s largest public health campaign preventing children from intestinal parasitic worms.
In 2015, this programme was launched in 11 States/UT with the target of benefitting 10.31 crore children of 1 to 19 years whereas 8.98 crore children received deworming tablet.
The target of this programme in 2016 was to cover approximately 27 crore children. Along with administering albendazole tablets, some other activities are also performed such as behaviour change practices, cleanliness and hygiene guide, use of toilets, wearing shoes or slipper, washing hands before eating food and after using toilet, etc in order to reduce the incidents of re-infection.
In 2017, it is estimated to cover around 34 crore children under ministry of health’s National Deworming Programme to reduce worm infestation hampering the growth of schoolgoers.
