Relevance IN - Prelims (about the MoU and about CSIR and CNRS) + Mains (GS III awareness in the field of science and technology)
What's the NEWS

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India and the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France to establish a framework for cooperation between the two towards promotion and support of scientific and technological research.
• CSIR and CNRS may explore strengthening their cooperation to foster joint innovation and transfer of technologies applicable to India or/and France and to other nations.
• This cooperation could include sharing good practices, promoting technology transfer and enhancing industry-academia cooperation.

Know! about CNRS

• Founded in 1939, CNRS is the largest fundamental research organization in Europe. CNRS is an interdisciplinary public research organisation under the administrative supervision of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
• CNRS carries out research in the areas of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Astronomy, Ecology & Environment, Engineering & Systems Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, Nuclear & Particle Physics, Information S&T, and Humanities & Social Science through its ten institutes.
• CNRS is funded by public money and also receives competitive funding.
• Though CNRS is a fundamental research organization, it performs fundamental research on applied objectives with French companies in France and also abroad.
• CNRS has set up four such co-funded centers with industry partnership in China, Japan and Singapore to address local needs.

Know! about CSIR

• Set up in 1942 as an autonomous body, CSIR is now the largest publically funded multi-disciplinary industrial R&D organization in India under the administrative supervision of Ministry of Science and Technology, GOI.
• The 37 R&D institutes of CSIR being manned by around 3600 scientists with support from about 5100 S&T staff, conduct research in a wide spectrum of science and technology from aerospace, instrumentation, environmental engineering, mining, minerals & materials, housing and structures to oceanography, chemicals, drugs, and biotechnology.
• CSIR provides technological intervention in many areas with regard to societal efforts including environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, and farm and non-farm sectors.
• CSIR India caters to the technological needs of Indian as well as foreign industries based in India and abroad. CSIR is technologically strong, has a vast network of world-class research institutes spread across the country.

NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog mulls PDS supply of eggs, fish & meat

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the initiative of NITI aayog to include subsidised protein rich food) + Mains ( GS II issues related to poverty and hunger)
What's the NEWS

• Niti Aayog, the government think tank, is working on a proposal aimed at improving India's low nutrition ranking and centred on the idea that the government subsidises protein-rich food, including eggs, fish, chicken and meat, possibly through its public distribution system.
• This is likely to be part of Niti Aayog's 15-year Vision Document. The document is expected to be in place by early next year and will be effective from April 1, 2020.

Know! more about the proposed programme

• Niti Aayog officials are looking at widening the list of food items under the public distribution system to include at least one or more-If implemented, these food items will join the food subsidy programme along with wheat, rice, coarse grains and a few varieties of pulses.
• India's dietary pattern is becoming unhealthy with people moving towards oily, sugary and spicy food," he said, adding that the Vision Document will aim to create awareness among pore protein-rich food to begin with
• India is self-sufficient in majority of foodgrains and is even a net exporter in some food categories.
• But its global scores are low in nutrition and hunger alleviation. According to UN India, about 195 million Indians are undernourished, constituting a quarter of the global hunger burden.
• Almost 47 million, or 4 out of 10 children in India, don't achieve their full human potential because of chronic undernutrition or stunting, according to these studies.
• Extending the subsidies to protein-rich items, which are typically costlier, will put a bigger burden on the already large food subsidy bill - pegged at Rs 1.84 lakh crore for 2019-20 - and, therefore, changes may be required in the current format. "Some amount of rationalisation will be needed

Health Reforms
WHO prequalifies first biosimilar medicine to increase worldwide access to life-saving breast cancer treatment
Relevance IN - Prelims (about biosimilar medicine - trastuzumab + WHO Prequalification) + Mains ( GS II issues relation to health)
What's the NEWS

• The World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified its first biosimilar medicine - trastuzumab - in a move that could make this expensive, life-saving treatment more affordable and available to women globally.
• Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. 2.1 million women contracted breast cancer in 2018. 630 000 of them died from the disease, many because of late diagnosis and lack of access to affordable treatment.

Know! more about trastuzumab

• Trastuzumab - a monoclonal antibody - was included in the WHO Essential Medicines List in 2015 as an essential treatment for about 20% of breast cancers.
• It has shown high efficacy in curing early stage breast cancer and in some cases more advanced forms of the disease.
• The global average cost of trastuzumab from originator companies is $20 000, a price that puts it out of reach of many women and healthcare systems in most countries.
• The biosimilar version of trastuzumab is generally 65% cheaper than the originator. With this WHO listing, and more products expected in the prequalification pipeline, prices should decrease even further.
  
  

• The medicine, supplied by Samsung Bioepis NL B.V. (Netherlands), was assessed by WHO and found comparable to the originator product in terms of efficacy, safety and quality. That means it is eligible for procurement by United Nations agencies and for national tenders.

Know! about Biotherapeutic medicines

• Biotherapeutics are pharmaceutical products derived from biological and living sources. They include therapeutic vaccines, blood, blood components, cells, gene therapies, tissues and other materials.
• Biotherapeutic medicines, which are produced from biological sources such as cells rather than synthesized chemicals, are important treatments for some cancers and other non-communicable diseases.
• Like generic medicines, biosimilars can be much less expensive versions of innovator biotherapeutics while keeping the same effectiveness. They are usually manufactured by other companies once the patent on the original product has expired.

WHO Prequalification

• Every year, billions of dollars' worth of medicines and other health products are purchased by international procurement agencies for distribution in low-income countries.
• Prequalification is a service provided by WHO to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of those products that address global public health priorities.
• If the products meet international standards, they are listed on the WHO web site as eligible for procurement, giving purchasing agencies a range of quality-assured diagnostics, medicines and vaccines from which to choose.
• Many low-income countries also use WHO's lists of prequalified products to guide their selection of medicines, vaccines and technologies for national procurement.

State Specific
Naveen launches 'Jalsathi' programme to supply safe drinking
Relevance IN - Prelims (about Jalsathi programme)
What's the NEWS

• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the 'Jalsathi' programme which will ensure supply of safe drinking water to all households in the state.

Know! more about the programme

• Patnaik also distributed water quality testing kits and POS (point of sale) machines to the women volunteers - 'Jalasathis'.
• They 'Jalasathis' will be responsible for water quality testing, facilitating new water connections, regularising connections, reassessment of demands, meter reading, bill generation, bill delivery, collection of water charges and facilitating complaints redressal
• Clean water is most important factor for good health. Inclusion of woman volunteers from Mission Shakti for piped water supply is a cherished step as they will serve the people as 'Jalasathis'. This will boost their economic empowerment
• Earlier, the state government had engaged the women self-help groups under the 'Mission Shakti', for the collection of power dues, paddy procurement and mid-day meal preparation activities.
• Now under the 'Jalsathi' programme, about 5,000 women will be engaged for supplying safe drinking water.
• For implementation of the 'Jalsathi' programme, the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) and women federations in Bhubaneswar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
• Initially, the 'Jalasathi' programme will be implemented in as many as eight wards of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation under the 5T initiative of the Housing and Urban Development,
  
  

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS