National
PM lays foundation stone, inaugurates and dedicates to the nation projects worth more than Rs 3,400 crores in Guwahati
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Assam on 14th April, 2023. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various projects worth more than Rs 3,400 crores in Guwahati, Assam on 14 April.
» The Prime Minister dedicated AIIMS Guwahati and three other medical colleges to the nation.
AIIMS Guwahati:
» The operationalization of AIIMS, Guwahati will mark a momentous occasion for the state of Assam and the entire North-East region.
- The foundation stone of this hospital was also laid by the Prime Minister in May 2017.
- Built at a cost of more than Rs 1120 crores, AIIMS Guwahati is a state-of-the-art hospital with a capacity of 750 beds including 30 AYUSH beds.
- This hospital will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students every year along with providing world-class health facilities to the people of the Northeast.
Three other medical colleges:
» The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation three medical colleges viz Nalbari Medical College, Nalbari; Nagaon Medical College, Nagaon; and Kokrajhar Medical College, Kokrajhar, built at a cost of about Rs 615 crores, Rs 600 crores and Rs 535 crores respectively.
- Each medical college has an attached 500-bed teaching hospital with OPD/IPD services including emergency services, ICU facilities, OT and diagnostic facilities etc.
- Each medical college will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students.
» He also laid the foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) and launched ‘Aapke Dwar Ayushman’ campaign.
Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII):
» The foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) is a step towards realising the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Atmnirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ in the areas related to health.
- The majority of technologies used in healthcare in the country are imported and developed in a different context, which is highly expensive and complex to operate in the Indian environment. AAHII is envisioned in such a context and will work such that ‘we find our own solutions for our own problems’.
- AAHII, to be built at a cost of about Rs 546 crores and will facilitate cutting-edge inventions and R&D in medicine and healthcare, identify the nation’s unique problems related to health and promote the development of new technologies for solving those problems.
‘Aapke Dwar Ayushman’ campaign:
» The ceremonial launch of ‘Aapke Dwar Ayushman’ campaign by the Prime Minister is a step towards realising his vision of reaching out to every beneficiary to ensure 100 percent saturation of welfare schemes.
- Prime Minister also distributed Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to three representative beneficiaries, which was followed by the distribution of about 1.1 crore AB-PMJAY Cards in all districts of the state.
'Know Your Medicine' web and mobile application
⇒ The National Anti-Doping Agency organized “Paving the Path for Clean Sport: A Dialogue with Stakeholders on Risk associated use of nutritional supplements” national conference to increase awareness amongst stakeholders in the sports ecosystem on the subject in New Delhi on 13 April 2023.
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur attended the inaugural session along with the officials.
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur launched ‘Know Your Medicine’ web and mobile application during the inaugural session of the conference.
Developed by:
- The application has been developed by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and with this India has joined a few select nations in the world that provide such a tool to its athletes and sports ecosystem.
Key Points:
- The application enables the sports ecosystem to check if any prohibited substance is present in medicines and make informed choices about use of medicines.
- The application is equipped with user-friendly features including search by image and text options and search by medicine and ingredient options.
Participation:
600+ participants, including officials from Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, state sports departments, research institutes, national sports federations, NGOs, corporates, universities, athletes, support personnel and international anti-doping community attended the conference in hybrid mode.
Eminent panellists addressed important topics including physiological need of nutritional supplements in sports, athlete’s perspectives on use of nutritional supplements, role of national sports federations in preventing use of contaminated nutritional supplements, NADA’s initiatives to increase awareness in the domain, FSSAI regulations on Food for Special Dietary Use for Sportspersons, current practices in manufacturing, use and testing of nutritional supplements and international practices in the field.
Mobile application ‘Assam Cop’
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Assam on 14th April, 2023.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the programme marking the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Guwahati High Court at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati, Assam on 14 April.
Mobile App:
» During the programme, the Prime Minister launched a mobile application ‘Assam Cop’ designed by Assam Police.
- The app will facilitate accused and vehicle searches from the database of the Crime & Criminal Network Tracking System (CCTNS) and the VAHAN national register.
About Guwahati High Court:
- The Guwahati High Court was established in 1948.
- The Guwahati High Court served as the common court for the seven north-eastern states of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh until March 2013, when separate High Courts for the States of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura were created.
- The Gauhati High Court now has jurisdiction over the States of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, with its Principal Seat at Guwahati and three permanent Benches in Kohima (Nagaland), Aizawl (Mizoram) and Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh).
GI Registration Certificate for Asomiya Gamosa
⇒ Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on 13 April 2023 received the Geographical Indication Registration Certificate for Asomiya Gamosa (Assamese scarf).
CM Biswa Sarma received the certificate from the Controller General of Patent, Designs and Trademarks and Registrar of GI Registry Dr Unnat P. Pandit at a function held at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati.
» ‘Gamosa’, a symbol of the culture and identity of Assam, received the GI tag from the central government in December 2022, five years after the first application was made.
- Eight Gamosa namely Uka or Xadharan Gamosa, Phulam Gamosa, Bihuwan, Tiani or Pani Gamosa, Anakata Gamosa, Telos Gamosa, Dora Boron or Jor Gamosa and Gossain Gamosa have been included in GI Registration.
A GI is tagged to primarily agricultural, natural or manufactured products, handicrafts and industrial goods originating from a definite geographical territory.
About Gamosa:
- The ‘gamosa’, a handwoven rectangular cotton piece of cloth with red borders and different designs and motifs, is traditionally offered to elders and guests as a mark of respect and honour by Assamese people.
- It is an integral part of all socio-religious ceremonies in the state and is considered as an Assamese identity and pride.
- A ‘gamosa’ literally means a towel and is commonly used in Assamese households for day-to-day affairs.
International
EXERCISE ORION 2023
⇒ Planned back in 2021, the French armed forces’ major triennial exercise Orion 2023 was launched in February 2023.
- This fourth and final phase of the Orion exercise engaged a multinational coalition of which France held the role of framework nation.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent participated in Exercise Orion at Mont-de-Marsan, an Air Force base of the French Air and Space Force (FASF).
Key Points:
- The exercise was conducted from 17 April to 05 May 2023, with the IAF Contingent comprising four Rafale, two C-17, two ll-78 aircraft and 165 air warriors.
- This was the first overseas exercise for the IAF’s Rafale aircraft.
- Besides the IAF and the FASF, Air Forces from Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain and United States of America were also flying in this multilateral exercise.
- Participation in this exercise further enriched the employment philosophy of the India Air Force, by imbibing the best practices from other Air Forces.