U-Win Portal
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Context:
Online vaccine management portal U-Win will be launched soon by the Union Health Secretary.
- About: It is aiming to maintain an electronic registry of routine immunizations.
- Children, up to the age of six years, and pregnant mothers are registered on U-WIN using government ID like Aadhaar, and their mobile phone numbers.
- Upon registration, records of all 25 shots given to a child — and the two given to pregnant mothers — can be added.
- U-WIN is a multilingual, open-source application.
- Interoperability: Integration with other portals ensures interoperability and a unified database.
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WHO Guidelines for Combating Antibiotic Pollution in Manufacturing
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Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) released its first ever global guidance on antibiotic pollution stemming from manufacturing processes.
Antibiotic Pollution from Manufacturing Processes:
- Antibiotic discharge from manufacturing is recognised as a significant driver of the growing anti-microbial resistance (AMR) crisis.
- Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria.
Key Highlights of the Report
- Developed with international experts, the guidance targets various stakeholders to collectively reduce the environmental impact of antibiotic manufacturing.
- Key elements include:
- Setting targets for resistance selection and ecological effects based on risk assessments.
- Implementing risk management using recognized tools like hazard analysis and internal audits.
- Verifying targets through independent audits.
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Goods Trade Barometer
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Context: Indian merchandise exports may improve in the year’s second half, as the World Trade Organization (WTO) Goods Trade Barometer signals a global trade upturn.
About Goods Trade Barometer:
- Composite Indicator: Goods Trade Barometer provides real-time insights into global merchandise trade trends and tracking its trajectory compared to recent patterns.
- Objective: The index is developed by the WTO to supplement traditional trade statistics and projections.
- Focus: It identifies key turning points in global merchandise trade and offers predictions for its potential direction in the near term.
- Frequency: Published quarterly, the barometer relies on available data to provide insights.
- Interpretation: Readings above 100 signify growth exceeding the trend, while those below 100 indicate growth falling short of the trend.
- Current Trends: The current value of the WTO Goods Trade Barometer stands at 103 i.e above both the quarterly trade volume index and the baseline value of 100.
- All barometer component indices are on or above trend, except the electronic components index, which is declining.
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Madeira River
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Context:
Madeira River, major tributary of the Amazon and a major waterway in South America.
- Source: The river is formed by the confluence of the Beni and Mamoré rivers near the border between Bolivia and Brazil.
- Course: It flows predominantly northward through the Amazon Rainforest, eventually joining the Amazon River near the city of Manaus in Brazil.
- Drainage Basin: The Madeira River has a vast drainage basin that spans parts of Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru, covering an area of about 1,420,000 square kilometers (550,000 square miles).
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The Enemy Property Act
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Context: A parcel of land in Uttar Pradesh, previously belonging to the family of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, is set to be auctioned under The Enemy Property Act.
What is Enemy Property?
- Historical Context: After the partition of India in 1947, and during the wars with Pakistan (1947-48, 1965, 1971) and China (1962), many people who migrated to these countries left behind properties in India.
- Defence of India Rules: They were framed under The Defence of India Act, 1962, the GOI took over the properties and companies of those who took Pakistani nationality.
- For China: The same was done for property left behind by those who went to China after the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
- Custodian: Centre vested these “enemy properties” with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.
- Enemy Property Act (1968):This act was enacted to regulate and manage properties belonging to enemies.
- The Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) was established to administer these properties.
- Highest Number: Uttar Pradesh (5,982) has the highest number of enemy properties, followed by West Bengal (4,354).
- Not only limited to Real Estate: Besides real estate, enemy property may also include bank accounts, shares, gold, and other assets of such individuals.
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Galathea Bay
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Context:
Recently, the government has designated the international trans-shipment hub at Galathea Bay in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as a Major Port.
- Authority to Designate: The Central Government notified the major ports under section 5 of the Indian Ports Act, 1908.
- Trans-shipment Port: It is a hub or location where cargo is transferred from one vessel to another for further transportation to its final destination.
About Galathea Bay Project:
- The proposed Rs 44,000 crore mega project is also eligible for central funding and will be developed under the public-private partnership model.
- It will help capture a large share of transshipped cargo which is handled at ports outside India.
- Phases of Development: Four phases:
- Phase 1 is proposed to be commissioned in the year 2028 with handling capacity of about 4 Million TEUs, increasing to 16 Million TEUs in the ultimate stage of development by 2058.
About Ports in India:
- Statistics: India currently has 12 operational major ports and 200 non-major ports.
- Governed by: Major ports are regulated under Major Ports Authority Act, 2021 and are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
- Non-major ports are regulated by State Maritime Boards under respective State Governments.
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Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack
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Context:
Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), launched the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack.
About Vishvasya (BaaS):
- It is a part of the broader National Blockchain Framework provided under National Strategy on Blockchain.
- Refers: Third-party cloud-based infrastructure and management for companies building and operating blockchain apps.
- Aim: To offer Blockchain-as-a-Service with a geographically distributed infrastructure designed to support various permissioned Blockchain based applications.
- Significance: It addresses the challenges of Blockchain adoption across various stakeholders including Infrastructure Providers, Smart Contract Developers and Application Developers.
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India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (IGEIC)
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Context:
Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), launched the IGEIC, a key initiative under the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
About IGEIC:
- It is first of its kind not for profit, section 8 company and is exclusively incorporated to create a hub of excellence in graphene technology commercialization.
- Location: Trivandrum, Kerala
- Applications: It is focusing on a range of applications from electronics and energy storage to healthcare to material coating and conveyance systems and sustainable material development.
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September 7, 2024
