Daily Current Capsules - 27^th JULY 2019

Health Sector
Cabinet approves merger of National Institute of Miners' Health with ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NIMH and NIOH ) + Mains ( GS II issues relating to development and management of social services relating to health)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved to dissolve National Institute of Miners' Health (NIMH), an autonomous Institute under Ministry of Mines (MoM) and merge / amalgamate with ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) with all assets and liabilities; and absorb all the employees of NIMH in NIOH in the similar post/pay scale as the case may be and their pay be protected.

Know! more about the merger and its impact

• The merger / amalgamation of NIMH with NIOH will prove beneficial to both the Institutes in term of enhanced expertise in the field of occupational health besides the efficient management of public money.

Know! about National Institute of Miners' Health (NIMH)

• NIMH was set up by Government of India in 1990 and registered as a Society under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960.
• The registered office of NIMH is located at Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka and the Central Laboratory in Nagpur.
• The Institute conducts applied research in occupational health and hygiene and specializes in providing technical support services to mining and mineral based industry with special reference to metalliferous sector and endeavors for safe mines and healthy miners through research & development.
• The focus areas of NIOH include a vast array of areas related to occupational health which also includes, occupational medicine and occupational hygiene.
• In the context of review of working and performance of autonomous institutes, Expenditure Management Commission recommended, inter-alia, that- "Organisations with similar objectives can be considered for merger to encourage synergy in operations and reduction in cost". Accordingly, recommended merger of NIMH with NIOH.

Health Sector
Launch Of National Data Quality Forum (NDQF)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NDQF) + Mains ( GS II issues relating to development and management of social services relating to health)
What's the NEWS

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s National Institute for Medical Statistics (ICMR - NIMS), in partnership with Population Council, launched the National Data Quality Forum (NDQF)
• NDQF seeks to generate meaningful dialogue around improvement of data quality in general, and for health and medical research in particular. It will integrate learnings from scientific and evidence-based initiatives and guide actions by periodic workshops and conferences.

Know! more about NDQF

• NDQF will integrate learnings from scientific and evidence-based initiatives and guide actions through periodic workshops and conferences.
• Its activities will gear towards establishing protocols and good practices when dealing with data collection, storage, use and dissemination that can be applied to health and demographic data, as well as replicated across industries and sectors.
• India has a rich resource of data on its population, its health status and demographic behaviour and economic condition among many other aspects of life and environment.
• This wealth of data is translated into insights and, eventually, into policy through a layered process involving human and technological inputs at every stage.

State Specific
Bill for 75% jobs to locals in factories passed by Andhra Pradesh

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the bill and its provisions)
What's the NEWS

• The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the AP Employment of Local Candidates in Industries and Factories Bill, 2019, that mandates employment of at least 75 per cent state candidates in the respective units.

Know! the features of the bill

• The 'local' reservation will extend to industries, factories, joint venture units and projects taken up under Public-Private Partnership initiatives.
• The existing industries, factories, joint ventures and PPP projects shall also ensure 75 per cent employment to local candidates within a period of three years from the date of commencement of the Act
• The bill mandates reserved employment of at least 75% state candidates (locals) in all private industrial units and factories, irrespective of whether companies get financial or any other help from government.
• With this bill Andhra Pradesh became 1st state to reserve jobs for locals in respective units. Key Features of Bill The 75% reservation to local is provided in private jobs across all categories such as- factories, industrial units, joint ventures (JVs) as well as projects taken up under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
• If locals with necessary skills are not available, then companies must train them in association with state government and hire them.
  
  

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