Prelims Prominence - February 26, 2019 

Infrastructure Development
Second APEX Conference of CEOs of Smart Cities Mission
Relevance IN – Prelims( about APEX conference) + Mains (GS III infrastructure development )

• The ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is organizing a two-day  Apex Conference on Smart Cities Project here on February 26-27.  
  
• The conference will deliberate on various initiative in regard of Smart Cities Mission.

• Discussion will be held on subjects like :Ease of Living—How Smart Cities Mission is making an impact on ease of living for citizens;  Connected Communities—How Smart Cities Mission is creating Connected Communities; Urban Resilience and Sustainability—How Smart Cities Mission is making Indian cities resilient and sustainable; Smart Governance—How Smart Cities Mission is creating a Smart Governance ecosystem in Indian cities etc.
  
• Over 130 experts from several countries will participate in the conference. The Conference is expected to chart out a roadmap for implementing Smart Cities mission.

Many new initiatives have been undertaken and the Mission has made a significant stride towards achieving its goals. 
The Ministry has released ‘Ease of Living Index, 2018’.

• The framework developed to measure ‘Ease of Living’ covers all pillars of urban development (Physical, Institutional, Social and Economic) and uses 78 indicators across 15 categories.

The India Smart Cities Fellowship (ISCF) and India Smart Cities Internship (ISCI) programmes  

• The India Smart Cities Fellowship Program seeks to engage  young graduates/post-graduates and PhDs in the fields of urban planning, design, engineering, information and technology, mobility, finance, social sector and environmental issues for a period of one year, extendable upto three years.
  

The Smart Cities Digital Payments Awards 2018

• It  is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to promote ease of living for India’s urban residents. 
• The objective of these awards is to guide, motivate, recognize and reward the Smart Cities for promoting digital payments and carrying out innovative payment initiatives in their respective cities through a two-stage Challenge process.

CITIIS (Cities Investments to Innovate Integrate and Sustain) 

• An all-India Challenge named CITIIS (Cities Investments to Innovate Integrate and Sustain) was launched in partnership with Agence Française de Development  (AFD) and European Union.
• A Loan of EUR 100 million will be extended by AgenceFrançaise de Développement (AFD), which shall be given as a grant to Smart Cities for implementation of 15 innovative projects selected through the All-India Challenge.

• The first Apex conference of the Smart City CEOs was organized in Bhopal on 7^th and 8^thof May 2018.
• The conference was attended by 77 Smart City CEOs across India. Around 300 participants from smart cities, industries, funding organizations and multilateral agencies participated in the conference. 

Health Sector

Action plan for free treatment of hepatitis patients launched

• Patients infected with hepatitis B and C virus, will soon be able to avail free treatment.

• Eight model treatment centres in Maharashtra, including the Sion Hospital, Mumbai, will roll out free treatment for hepatitis C from March while that for hepatitis B will be rolled out from July.

• Viral hepatitis is a global public health problem that kills nearly 2.72 lakh people annually.
• It is an inflammatory condition of the liver caused by five known hepatitis viruses — A, B,C,D and E.
• Of these, B and C are known to cause 96% mortality.
  
• The launch of the national action plan,that operational guidelines for hepatitis C were formed last year and the ministry is now released the guidelines for hepatitis B
  
• The comprehensive action plan will focus on curbing mother-to-child transmission by improving the coverage of hepatitis B injection given at birth.
• According to the action plan, one model hepatitis treatment centre will be established in each State in a government institution in the first year and  the number of model centres will be increased gradually

• Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The condition can be self-limiting or can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
  
• Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other infections, toxic substances (e.g. alcohol, certain drugs), and autoimmune diseases can also cause hepatitis.
  
• There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These 5 types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread.
  
• In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.
  
• Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected body fluids.
  
• Common modes of transmission for these viruses include receipt of contaminated blood or blood products, invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment and for hepatitis B transmission from mother to baby at birth, from family member to child, and also by sexual contact.

Defence
Air Force commissions aerial surveillance
Relevance IN – Mains ( GS III security challenges and their management in border areas

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has commissioned the development of an aerial surveillance system for monitoring suspicious movements under dense foliage cover along the international border and some parts within the country.
  
• This hyper spectral imagery programme, a first for the country, seeks to locate and identify suspicious movements and is expected to be operational in the next two years.

• The data gathered from aerial sources would be processed within minutes, and researchers would be able to tell security forces on the ground of “unwanted” human presence in the area, their numbers and locations, among other inputs.
  
• This is a unique patent application, which will help identify the presence of a human below trees, dense foliage, shrubs or inside a structure, whether it is day or night. It can detect human presence from air even if there a cloud cover, dense fog or snow cover,
  
• Data/images will be captured through optical and infra red sensors — to be most likely mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle — and processed through deep learning algorithms.
  

International Relations
India – Afghanistan – Iran  - Launch of a new export route

Relevance IN  - Prelims( about Chabahar port) + Mains (GS III international relations)
 
What’s the NEWS 

• Afghanistan has launched a new export route to India through the through the Chabahar Port of Iran.
  
• 23 trucks carrying 57 tonnes of dried fruits, textiles, carpets and mineral products were dispatched from western Afghan city of Zaranj to Iran’s Chabahar port. The consignment would be then shipped to Mumbai.
  
• Chabahar port is seen as a testimony of healthy cooperation between India, Iran and Afghanistan this will ensure economic growth.
  
• The Chabahar Port of Iran provides easy access to the sea for Afghanistan. India has invested in the development of this route as well as Chabahar port. This route allows both India and Afghanistan to engage in trade bypassing Pakistan.
  
• India is the largest export destination for Afghanistan. The new route is one of the many initiatives undertaken by the governments of India and Afghanistan to enhance trade relations.
  
• To boost the trade relations, both India and Afghanistan had established an air corridor in the year 2017.
  
• The opening of new avenues for Afghanistan to trade with India will aid Afghanistan in to reduce its trade deficit.

International Organisation
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
Relevance IN – Prelims( about OIC) + Mains ( GS II International organisations) 

• For the first time, India would be attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers Meet.
  
• India will attend 46th Session of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in Abu Dhabi from March 1 to 2.
  

UAE’S invitation  

• As stated by the host country UAE that the friendly country of India has been named as the guest of honour in view of its great global political stature as well as its time-honoured and deeply rooted cultural and historical legacy and its important Islamic component.
• UAE’s invitation to India highlights the desire of the UAE to go beyond rapidly growing close bilateral ties and forge a true multifaceted partnership at the multilateral and international level.

Know! all about Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) established in 1969 aims to provide a collective voice to the Muslim world and safeguard and protect interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony.
• Headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, It has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union.
• India has about 12% of the world’s Muslim population. But India’s entry into the organisation has been blocked by Pakistan.
• The policies of OIC are largely pro-Pakistan and sees Kashmir as occupied by India.
• Bangladesh has proposed to make India an observer in the forum

State Specific

Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the abhiyan)
 
What’s the NEWS

• The government of Gujarat has launched the second edition of the water conservation scheme Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan.
  

Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan 

• The scheme aims to deepen water bodies in the state before monsoon to increase storage of rainwater to be used during times of scarcity.
• The scheme involves cleaning and desilting of riverfronts. Sprucing up of Irrigation canals.
• The state government has increased its financial contribution for the scheme to 60 per cent, which meant private groups getting involved would have to give only the remaining 40 per cent.
• During the first edition against its anticipated target of 16,616 works of deepening of ponds and lakes across the state, 18,220 works were accomplished.
• The first edition witnessed an increase in the water storage capacity of more than 11,000 lakh cubic feet rainwater through different sources like ponds, reservoirs, check dams, bori bandh and other.
• The desilting had also generated a huge amount of loose/soil or clay which can be used by farmers to increase agricultural productivity

Culture
President of India to present Gandhi Peace Prize
Relevance IN – Prelims ( about the peace prize)
  
What’s the NEWS

• President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind will present the Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018

The awardees are as below

1. Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari for the year 2015.

2. Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International for the year 2016 (Jointly).

3. Ekal Abhiyan Trust for the year 2017.

4. Sh Yohei Sasakawa for the year 2018.
 
Know! all about Gandhi Peace Prize

• Gandhi Peace Prize for Social, Economic and Political transformation through Non-violence was instituted in the year 1995. The Award comprises an amount of Rs. One Crore and a Citation.
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India, invites nominations of persons/organizations in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of Chapter IV of the Code of Procedure.
• The Award may be divided between two persons / institutions who are considered by the Jury to be equally deserving of recognition in a given year.
•   Work by a person since deceased cannot be the subject of an Award.  If, however, his death occurred subsequent to a proposal having been submitted to the Jury in the manner stipulated in the Code of Procedure, then a Posthumous Award may be made.

The Jury shall comprise of the following persons:-

1.Prime Minister of India - Chairman (ex-officio)

2.Chief Justice of India Member (ex-officio)

3.Leader of the Opposition recognized as such in the Lok Sabha or where there is no such Leader of Opposition then, the Leader of the single largest opposition party in that House Member (ex-officio)

4.Eminent person

5.Nominated member

• Smt Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker, Lok Sabha and Sh. L.K.Advani, Member of Parliament were nominated by Chairman of the Jury i.e Prime Minister of India as members on the Jury of Gandhi Peace Prize for a period of three years(3rd May, 2017 to 2nd May, 2020).
  
• This annual award is given to individuals, associations, institutions or organizations who have worked selflessly for peace, non-violence and amelioration of human sufferings particularly of the less-privileged section of society contributing towards social justice and harmony.
  
• The Award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender. Normally, contributions made during ten years immediately preceding the nomination are considered. Older contributions may also be considered if their significance has not become apparent recently.
  
• The last time it was awarded in the year 2014 to Indian Space Research Organisation
  
• This prize was not awarded for the years 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Prelims Practise Question
 
Consider the following statements

1.       The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) established in 1969 aims to provide a collective voice to the Muslim world and safeguard and protect interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony. 
2.       The government of Gujarat has launched the inaugural  edition of the water conservation scheme Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan that aims to deepen water bodies in the state before monsoon to increase storage of rainwater to be used during times of scarcity.
3.       Gandhi Peace Prize for Social, Economic and Political transformation through Non-violence was instituted in the year 2000. The Award comprises an amount of Rs. One Crore and a Citation.

Find the correct statement from the option given below
a.       1 only
b.       2 and 3
c.        3 only
d.       All

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS