Relevance IN - Prelims ( about National Monitoring Dashboard +about DARPG +about CPGRAMS) + Mains ( GS II Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures
What's the NEWS

• Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has launched the DARPG's National Monitoring Dashboard on COVID 19 Grievances

• The National Monitoring Dashboard was developed and implemented at https://darpg.gov.in where COVID 19 related grievances received in CPGRAMS with all Ministries/ Departments and States/ Union Territories are monitored on priority basis by a technical team of DARPG.
• The National Monitoring Dashboard was developed by DARPG in pursuance of the recommendations of the Empowered Group of Officers 10 constituted under the Disaster Management Act 2005 on Public Grievances and Suggestions to ensure timely implementation of COVID 19 Response Activities.

• The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances is the nodal agency of the Government of India for administrative reforms as well as redressal of public grievances relating to the states in general and those pertaining to Central Government agencies in particular.

• The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions is a ministry of the Government of India in personnel matters specially issues concerning recruitment, training, career development, staff welfare as well as the post-retirement dispensation.
• The ministry is headed by the prime minister, with a minister of state reporting to him.

• Department of Personnel and Training (this also includes recruitment of officers through UPSC and SPSC)
• Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
• Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare

• CPGRAMS was created in June 2007 by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances.
• Under the public grievance mechanism any citizen of India can raise their problems, grievance or pleas to the central govt and state government Ministries and Departments.
• Grievances can be submitted to all important portfolio ministers and departments. The system has been designed in-house by the National Informatics Centre team.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the supreme head of the public grievances.

Relevance IN - Prelims (about the anti-microbial coating and its benefits)
What's the NEWS

• Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology, has developed a one-step curable anti-microbial coating which, when coated on different surfaces such as textile, plastic and so on could kill a range of virus types including COVID 19.

Know! more about the coating and its mechanism

• This covalent coating, has been found to completely kill influenza virus as well as resistant pathogenic bacteria and fungi
• Corona virus, like influenza, is also an enveloped virus. Therefore it is anticipated that the coating may inactivate SARS-CoV-2 upon contact and can help prevent contamination if coated on various surfaces.
• The coating can be fabricated on a variety of surfaces, and its ease and robustness eliminate the necessity of skilled personnel for procurement of the coating.
• The molecules developed have an ability to chemically cross-link with different surfaces upon UV irradiation.
• Upon the formation of the coating, it has been shown to permeabilize the membranes of pathogens (i.e. bacteria) leading to their inactivation.

Know! the benefits

• Considering the current corona virus outbreak, if shown to be active, the molecule can be synthesized in large scale through a CRO (Contract Research Organization) and can be coated on various personal protective tools such as masks, gloves, gowns, etc. in collaboration with the private organizations.
• The molecules can also be coated on other medical devices and tools to avoid hospital-acquired or nosocomial infections.

International
UNSC unanimously adopts resolution on safety, security of peacekeepers

Relevance IN - Prelims (about the resolution + about Action for Peace" initiative) +Mains (GS II international organisations)
What's the NEWS

• The UN Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously adopted Resolution 2518, a first of its kind, vowing to take all-dimensional measures to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers.

Know! more about the resolution

• This is the first resolution on the safety and security of peacekeepers and is well-received by the broad membership as a timely fit for the current peacekeeping situation in line with the expectations of the international community
• The resolution was sponsored by China and co-sponsored by 43 countries, including Italy, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, South Africa, Russia, Spain, Turkey and Vietnam, according to the statement.
• It covers areas such as training, health, technology, partnerships, including strengthening training system, improving health security and relief capabilities, requiring peacekeeping missions to strengthen communication with host countries and build mutual trust
• For 72 years, UN peacekeeping operations have played a significant role in the political settlement of hot-spot issues as an effective means of maintaining international peace and security, according to the statement.
• There are currently more than 95,000 peacekeepers on active duty in 13 mission areas.
• This year marks the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the UN and a crucial year for the implementation of the "Action for Peace" initiative.

Know! about Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative

• The Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative was launched on 28 March 2018, to establish a shared understanding of the achievements and challenges of peacekeeping, as well as to renew the individual and collective commitments of Member States to strengthen peacekeeping operations on the ground.
• The initiative will focus its efforts in three areas: refocusing peacekeeping with realistic expectations; making peacekeeping missions stronger and safer; and mobilizing greater support for political solutions and for well-structured, well-equipped, well-trained forces.

Prelims Factoids
NAVARATNALU - PEDALANDARIKI ILLU Scheme
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Navaratnalu - Pedalandariki Illu programme)
What's the NEWS

• The Andhra Pradesh government has issued modified guidelines for the distribution of 25 lakh house sites to the poor in urban and rural areas under Navaratnalu - Pedalandariki Illu (houses for all the poor) programme as per the directions of the High Court

Know! about the modified guidelines ( as per the high court directions)

• The house sites will be allotted at a concessional rate of Rs.1 to the beneficiaries with white ration cards.
• A sum of Rs. 20 (Rs.10 towards the cost of stamp paper, and Rs.10 for lamination charges) will be collected from them.
• The beneficiaries have to use the sites for no purpose other than constructing houses and the title deeds will be in the form of conveyance deeds containing security features like photographs, thumb impressions, signatures of parties along with their details in addition to watermarks and emblems etc. on the stamp papers.
• Sale of vacant house sites is prohibited but the beneficiaries after construction of houses and occupying them for minimum five years can transfer in case of any necessity subject to conditions imposed by banks and financial institutions which extended credit for constructing the houses.

Health
Medical devices to be treated as drugs from April 1
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about medical devices + NPPA+Drugs and Cosmetics Act ) +Mains ( GS II Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
What's the NEWS

• The central government notified all medical devices sold in the country will be treated as drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act with effect from April 1, 2020.
• This means, all medical devices will be regulated by the government as drugs for quality control and price monitoring.

Know! more about it

• The government is regulating 24 classes of medical devices which have been notified/regulated as drugs under Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 and Drugs & Cosmetics Rules 1945
• Currently, 24 medical devices are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
• Following this order, all medical devices used to treat a patient - be it syringes, needles, cardiac stents, knee implant, digital thermometers, CT scan, MRIs, dialysis machines - will be regulated under the DCA.
• As per the notification, four medical devices, cardiac stents, drug eluting stents, condoms and intra uterine devices (Cu-T), are scheduled medical devices for which ceiling prices have been fixed. These four medical devices are under price control.
• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), a government regulatory agency, is monitoring Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of remaining non-scheduled medical devices, which have been regulated as drugs.
• The objective is to ensure that no manufacturer or importer increases the price of a drug more than ten per cent of MRP during preceding twelve months.
• The remaining non-scheduled medical devices which are notified/regulated as drugs, NPPA is currently monitoring Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) under Para 20 of the DPCO, 2013 to ensure that no manufacturer/importers can increase the price more than ten per cent in preceding twelve months

Know! about National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is a government regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was constituted in 1997 as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers
• It is an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.

Drug Price Control Order (DPCO)

• The NPPA regularly publishes lists of medicines and their maximum ceiling prices.
  
  

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