Relevance IN - Prelims (about DRDO young scientists laboratories and its objectives) + Mains ( GS III Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology)
What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation 5 Young Scientists Laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
• DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs) are located in five cities viz, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

• Each lab will work on a key advanced technology of importance to the development of futuristic defence systems viz, Artificial intelligence, Quantum technologies, Cognitive technologies, Asymmetric technologies and Smart materials.
• DRDO to empower the youth, by giving them decision making powers and challenging research opportunities.
• These labs would help in shaping the pattern of research and development in the field of emerging technologies in the country.
• The Government is willing to walk the extra mile with the scientific community so that it can invest time in emerging technologies and innovations for national security.
• DRDO's innovations would play a huge role in strengthening programmes like Make in India and in promoting a vibrant defence sector in the country.
• The establishment of the five DRDO Young Scientist Labs lays down the foundation for research and development of futuristic technologies.
• It will be a big leap forward for DRDO from the goal of making India self reliant to future ready in defence technologies.
• Research in the area of rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence will be carried out at Bengaluru.
• The all-important area of Quantum Technology will be based out of IIT Mumbai.
• The future is dependent on Cognitive Technologies and IIT Chennai will house the lab embarking in this area of research.
• New and futuristic area of Asymmetric Technologies, which will change the way wars are fought, will be based out of the campus of Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
• The research in the hot and critical area of Smart Materials and their applications will be based out of Hyderabad.

• Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah dedicated to the Nation the new campus of the National Fire Service College (NFSC) in Nagpur
• He also laid the foundation of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Academy at Nagpur.
• Shri Shah also announced Subhash Chandra Bose Award in the field of Disaster Management.
• The government has given importance to institutionalise the capacity building in the field of Fire Services and National Disaster Management by building dedicated institutions like NFSC and NDRF Academy
• Though fire services is a State subject, all States would have a better coordination with the Centre to fight fire disasters through the NFSC.
• NDRF has emerged as the leading disaster management force globally and it has achieved all benchmarks under Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• India has been able to reduce the loss of lives to less than 1% in the comparisons to that of past

• Optimization of disaster management resources at the district level.
• Efforts of NDRF being the first responder during disasters in our neighbouring countries and how it is getting accolades for India from its neighbours.
• India has become the hub for training disaster management personnel in the SAARC region and expressed hope that this will facilitate exchange of best practices and minimise the effects of disasters on the people.

• The award will be announced every year on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• All Indian Citizens and organizations who have excelled in areas of Disaster Management like Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Rescue, Response, Relief, Rehabilitation and Early Warning will be eligible for the award.
• The Award carries a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 51 lakh.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the "Year of the Nurse and Midwife", in honour of the 200^th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
• The year 2020 is significant for WHO in the context of nursing and midwifery strengthening for Universal Health Coverage.
• 2020 will be the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, it was announced at the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva.
• For the first time in history, the nations of the world will unite in celebration of the benefits that nursing and midwifery bring to the health of the global population.

• WHO is leading the development of the first-ever State of the World's Nursing report which will be launched in 2020, prior to the 73^rd World Health Assembly.
• Nurses and midwives play a vital role in providing health services.
• These are the people who devote their lives to caring for mothers and children; giving lifesaving immunizations and health advice; looking after older people and generally meeting everyday essential health needs.
• They are often, the first and only point of care in their communities. The world needs 9 million more nurses and midwives if it is to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
• That's why the World Health Assembly has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

• The designation of 2020 was especially welcome as it coincides with the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, one of the founders of modern nursing.
• Florence Nightingale used her lamp to illuminate the places where nurses worked
• The designation of 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife will provide us with a new, 20-20 vision of what nursing is in the modern era, and how nurses can light the way to universal health coverage and healthcare for all.

Nursing Now

• Nursing Now has launched the Nightingale Challenge 2020, which calls for every employer of nurses globally to provide leadership and development training for 20 young nurses and midwives next year.
• The aim is to have at least 20,000 young nurses and midwives benefiting from this in 2020.
• The Nightingale Challenge will be launched at the ICN Congress in Singapore in June 2019.

International Council of Nurses (ICN)

• The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nurses' associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide.
• Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally, ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
• Nursing Now is a three-year global campaign run in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization.

World Health Assembly

• The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, which determines its policies, appoints its Director General and approves and oversees its budget.

Science & Technology
Prime Minister inaugurates 107th Indian Science Congress

Relevance IN - Prelims (all about ISC 2019) + Mains ( S III awareness in the field of S&T)
What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 107th Indian Science Congress (ISC) at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru.
• Theme of 107th ISC - "Science and Technology: Rural Development"
• The ICS is to be hosted by Department of Science and Technology.
• The five-day summit is expected to witness participation from several policymakers, scientists, academians, inventors and politicians from across the world.
• Two Nobel Prize winners, Stefan Hell and Ada Yonath are also expected to attend the congress and conduct lectures.

Objective

• The 107^th Indian Science Congress aims to bridge the gap between farmer and tech-developers.
• ISC will provide the desired platform to the farmers who introduced innovations in agriculture.

Some achievements done by India in the field of S&T

• India now stands at 3rd position globally, in the number of Peer-reviewed Science and Engineering Publications.
• India published 5.31 per cent of such publications worldwide (2008-2018), while China topped the list with 20.67 per cent followed by the United States (16.54 per cent), according to a recent release by the US National Science Foundation.
• India, though, clocked the highest growth rate among the three at 10 per cent. The country also moved to 52 from 57 on the global innovation index.

P.M inaugural statement

• Four interrelated processes - innovate, patent, produce and prosper - would lead to faster development. For this, both technology and logical temperament was required

• The Prime Minister also asked scientists and innovators for solutions to the most pressing problems facing India and the world, including:
  

1. Better management of water resources
2. Finding alternatives to plastic
3. Extraction of resources from e-waste
4. Reuse of kitchen and farm waste
5. Better energy storage in batteries
6. Innovation in health care and medical devices
7. Sustainable energy
8. Transportation infrastructure

I-STEM portal launch

• The Prime Minister launched the Indian Scientific, Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) Portal on this occasion.
• The portal has been designed to be the gateway for researchers to locate a specific type of facility they require to conduct their research and development work in India.

Know! more about ISC 2019

• The Indian Science Congress has a special focus on rural development through science and technology and for the first time, Congress includes a Farmers' Science Congress.
• Other events include Children's Science Congress, Women Science Congress and former Vice-Chancellors' Science Congress.

Children's Science Congress

• motivate students and increase their participation in scientific and technological fields.

Women Science Congress

• showcasing women achievements.

Vice-Chancellors' Science Congress

• address the need of higher education institutions.

Prelims Factoids
KVIC opened first silk processing plant in Gujarat to boost production of signature Patola Saree

Relevance IN - Prelims (about KVIC and about Patola Saree)
What's the NEWS

• In a historic initiative taken by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a first Silk Processing Plant was inaugurated today at Surendranagar in Gujarat which would help cut down the cost of production of silk yarn drastically and increase the sale and availability of raw material for Gujarati Patola Sarees locally.

Know! about Patola

• Patola, the trademark Saree of Gujarat, is considered to be very costly and worn only by the Royals or the Aristocrat.
• Reason being the raw material silk yarn is purchased from Karnataka or West Bengal, where silk processing units are situated, thus increasing the cost of the fabric manifolds.
• cocoons will be brought from Karnataka and West Bengal and Silk yarn will be processed in house, thus reducing the cost of production and giving a major boost to the sale of famous Gujarati Patola Sarees.

Know! about KVIC

• The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament
• In April 1957, it took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.
• It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India, which seeks to - "plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary

Health Sector
NITI Aayog for PPP model to link private medical colleges with district hospital
Relevance IN - Prelims (about the model concession agreement) + Mains (GS II Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.)
What's the NEWS

• To address shortage of qualifies doctors and bridge gap in medical education, the Niti Aayog has come out with the public-private partnership model to link new or existing private medical colleges with functional district hospital to augment medical seats.

Know! more about the proposed draft

• In its draft 'Model Concession Agreement for Setting Up Medical Colleges Under the Public Private Partnership' guideline document, the government think-tank said a concession agreement has been developed based on international best practices and similar PPP arrangements that are operative in Gujarat and Karnataka.
• Such district hospitals need to have at least 750 beds - nearly half as "market beds" and the rest as "regulated beds".
• Market beds would have a market price tag, which would help subsidise the regulated beds.

What's the need

• India has a dire shortage of qualified doctors. It is practically not possible for the Central/state government to bridge the gaps in the medical education with their limited resources and finances.
• This necessitates formulating a public private partnership (PPP) model by combining the strengths of public and private sectors.
• Accordingly, a scheme to link new and/or existing private medical colleges with functional district hospitals through PPP would augment medical seats and also rationalise the costs of medical education

• In consideration of making available the healthcare services, to the category of patients other than free patients, the concessionaire shall have the right to collect, appropriate and demand hospital charges...the concessionaire shall display the rates for the healthcare services, including the daily rate, for the bed occupancy in the district hospital at a place where it is visible to all
• It further said the concessionaire shall be allowed to charge Rs.10 as registration fees from the free patients.
• The concessionaire shall provide all healthcare services to the free patient, free of cost
  
  

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