Science & Technology
Swasth Vayu Non-invasive Ventilator

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about SwasthVayu + about Non-invasive ventilation )
What's the NEWS

• CSIR-NAL scientists along with medical professionals from CSIR-IGIB indigenously designed and developed the non-invasive bilevel positive airway pressure ventilator -SwasthVayu, with additional features to treat Covid-19 patients and make the country self-reliant.

• The performance of the device has been evaluated by the expert committee constituted by Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
• The expert committee, after careful evaluation, has concluded that SwasthVayu may be used on Covid-19 patients who require oxygen supplementation up to 35%.

Know! about SwasthVayu

• It has been developed by CSIR-NAL is a microcontroller based precise closed-loop adaptive control system with a built-in biocompatible "3D printed manifold and coupler" with HEPA filter (Highly Efficient Particulate Air Filter).
• These unique features help to alleviate the fear of the virus spread.
• It has features like CPAP, Bi-Timed, Spontaneous / AUTO modes with provision to connect Oxygen concentrator or Enrichment unit externally.
• The ventilator has gone through stringent tests for Electrical safety, performance and bio-compatibility at NABL accredited agency.
• The SwasthVayu has successfully conducted clinical trials at Command Hospital, Bangalore and Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore on 50 Covid-19 patients.
• CSIR-NAL has commercialized this technology with six private companies and one of these companies (which is in the MSME category) has set up the production facilities for almost 300 units per week.
• CSIR-NAL recently bagged an order for supply of 1200 SwasthVayu machines to Delhi Government, and the execution & installation at various hospitals in Delhi is being implemented.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV)

• Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is the delivery of oxygen (ventilation support) via a face mask and therefore eliminating the need of an endotracheal airway.
• NIV achieves comparative physiological benefits to conventional mechanical ventilation by reducing the work of breathing and improving gas exchange.
• The intervention is recognised as an effective treatment for respiratory failure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema and other respiratory conditions
• NIV works by creating a positive airway pressure - the pressure outside the lungs being greater than the pressure inside of the lungs.
• This causes air to be forced into the lungs (down the pressure gradient), lessening the respiratory effort and reducing the work of breathing
• There are two types of NIV non-invasive positive-pressure (NIPPV) and Negative-Pressure Ventilation (NPV).
• NIPPV describes the delivery of oxygen at either constant or variable pressures via a face mask, such as Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) and Constant Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

Government Schemes
Govt of India's UJALA and SLNP completes six years of Illuminating India efficiently

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about UJALA and Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) + EESL) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions + GS III infrastructure development - energy)
What's the NEWS

• Launched by Prime Minister on January 5, 2015 the Government of India's zero subsidy UnnatJyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) and Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) marks their sixth anniversary
• Both the programmes are being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power, Government of India since their inception.

Know! all about UJALA and Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP)

• Under UJALA, EESL has distributed over 36.69 crore LED bulbs across India.
• With SLNP, EESL has installed about 1.14 crore LED streetlights across India.
• Both UJALA and Street Lighting National Programme have been at the heart of large scale socio-economic transformation.
• They have not only reduced emissions and enabled sustainable development, but have revamped household and public lighting systems, across the country.
• These programmes have bagged global awards like the prestigious South Asia Procurement Innovation Award (SAPIA) 2017, and for the innovative use of IT and business results achieved in Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP), it won CIO 100 award in 2019.
• The highly successful UJALA and SLNP have also bagged the Global Solid State Lighting (SSL) award of excellence for the transformational contribution to the LED sector, Award for High Impact Program for Energy Efficiency - CII National Award for Excellence in Energy Management 2020 and award of excellence at the 10thElets knowledge exchange summit and awards 2020.

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)

• It is a Super Energy Service Company (ESCO), which enables consumers, industries and governments to effectively manage their energy needs through energy efficient technologies.
• EESL is implementing the world's largest energy efficiency portfolio across sectors like lighting, buildings, electric mobility, smart metering, agriculture, etc. at a scale which no organization has been able to achieve.
• EESL's energy efficiency solutions have saved India over 47 billion kWh energy annually while reducing 36.5 million tonnes of carbon emission.
• Founded in 2009, EESL is promoted by Ministry of Power, Government of India as a Joint Venture of four reputed public- sector undertakings NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation Limited, REC Limited and POWERGRID Corporation of India Limited.
• EESL focuses on solution-driven innovation with no subsidy or capital expenditure (CAPEX). It is able to do so using its Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) model, which obviates the need for any upfront capital investment by the consumer.

Miscellaneous
Kamdhenu Gau-Vigyan Prachar-Prasar Exam

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about RKA + about Kamdhenu Chair + Vigyan Prachar-Prasar Examination)
What's the NEWS

• For raising mass awareness about Indigenous Cows among young Students and every other citizen, RASTRIYA KAMDHENU AAYOG(RKA) has come out with a noble initiative of making Study materials about Cow Science available and conduct "Kamdhenu Gau-Vigyan Prachar-Prasar Examination".
• This will infuse the curiosity into all Indians about the cows, and make them aware of the unexplored potential and business opportunities a cow can offer, even after it stops giving milk.
• Earlier this month Kamdhenu Chair or Kamdhenu Study Centre or Kamdhenu Research Centre in all colleges and universities across the country has been established

KamdhenuGau-Vigyan Prachar-Prasar Exam

• It will be an online exam to be conducted throughout the country on 25th February, 2021.
• The KamdhenuGau-VigyanPrachar-Prasar Exam will be of 100 marks and one-hour duration in Hindi, English and 12 regional languages.
• There is no fee for the examination. The examination will be tick-mark objective type question-answers (MCQ).
• The syllabus as well as other literature and reference books on cows, which will be recommended on the website of the RashtriyaKamdhenuAayog, will help the examinees prepare for the exam.
• TheKamdhenuGau-VigyanPrachar-Prasar Exam will be an annual event of the RashtriyaKamdhenuAayog in future.

RashtriyaKamdhenuAayog (RKA)

• RKA has been constituted by the Government of India for the conservation, preservation, protection and development of cows and their progenies and for giving directions for the cattle development programmes.
• RKA is a high-powered permanent body to formulate policies and to provide directions for the implementation of schemes related to cattle so as to lay more emphasis on livelihood generation for small & marginal farmers, women and youth entrepreneurs.

Miscellaneous
Toycathon-2021

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Toycathon)
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Women & Child Development and Textiles Minister jointly launched the Toycathon 2021
• Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Ministry of Textile, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of I&B and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have jointly launched Toycathon-2021.

Know! all about the Toycathon

• This is a special kind of hackathon where students and teachers from schools and colleges, design experts, toy experts and startups will get together to crowd source ideas for developing toys and games that are based on Indian culture and ethos, local folklore and heroes, and Indian value systems.
• This will greatly help India develop into a global hub for toys and games, it will also help our children to understand the ethos and values of Indian culture as envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020.
• The Toycathon is based on nine themes viz. Indian Culture, History, Knowledge of India and Ethos; Learning, Education and Schooling; Social and human values; Occupations & specific fields; Environment; Divyang ; Fitness and sport; Out of the box, creative and logical thinking and Rediscovering/redesigning traditional Indian toys
• The Toycathon will have 3 variants of tracks of Junior Level, Senior Level and Start up Level and will allow participation of students and teachers from schools, colleges and universities apart from startups and toy experts.
• Participants will have two options for idea submission; they can either submit ideas for the published problem statements or under novel toy concepts category.
• This Toycathon is aimed to conceptualize innovative toys based on the Indian value system which will inculcate the positive behaviour and good value among the children.
• India imports 80 per cent of toys and the government is working towards promoting the indigenous toy industry for making the country self-reliant in this sector.
• The collaboration with Ministry of Education paves the way for the participation of students, faculties from all schools, colleges and universities of the country with regards to needs of the MSME industry in our country.
• This is the first time when school children will innovate, design and conceptualize toys also for specially abled ‘divyang children'.

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