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Here are the topics covered for 05 January 2024:
GS-2:Antimicrobial Resistance, Conflict Hampers Delivery of Health Care, Old Pension Scheme
GS-3: Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC)
Facts For Prelims: Product Linked Incentive , Buxa Tiger Reserve
Antimicrobial Resistance
Context
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently identified antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top threats to public health.
What is Antimicrobial Resistance?
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) emerges when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time, rendering them less responsive to medications.
- This phenomenon makes infections more challenging to treat, elevating the likelihood of disease spread, severe illness, and mortality.
- Currently, almost 700,000 individuals succumb to AMR annually, and this figure could escalate to as high as 10 million by 2050, with the potential to account for 3.8 percent of the annual global gross domestic product (GDP).
- Overuse, inadequate dosage, self-medication, poor sanitation, etc. are the causes of AMR.
Measures against AMR
- India has implemented several initiatives to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), including the National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR), which employs a One Health approach and involves various stakeholders and ministries.
- The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established the AMR Surveillance Network (AMRSN) to monitor drug-resistant infections and capture trends.
- The \”Red Line\” campaign advocates for marking prescription-only antibiotics with a red line to discourage over-the-counter sales.
- Guidelines by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) limit antibiotics in food products, and the National Health Policy, of 2017, prioritizes the development of antibiotic use guidelines.
- The National Antibiotic Consumption Network (NAC-NET) compiles data on antibiotic consumption across health facilities and reports it to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Conflict Hampers Delivery of Health Care
Context
- In conflict-affected countries, healthcare delivery remains a huge concern. Recent instances of conflict in Manipur exposed the displaced population to health issues.
Challenges During Conflict
- Armed conflicts not only strain a nation\’s healthcare system but also present difficulties for health workers providing services.
- Challenges persist in the population\’s access to health services and health workers\’ ability to reach communities.
- The trend toward counterterrorism laws and policies adversely impacts the provision of medical care.
- Patients may face additional bureaucratic or administrative impediments to accessing healthcare.
- Hospitals and health facilities are at risk of being taken over or used by armed forces.
- Conflict is often associated with less effective, less accountable, and less transparent governance.
- Conflict leads to funding-related constraints in particular for humanitarian health services.
Old Pension Scheme (OPS)
Context
- The Maharastra government has recently cleared a proposal offering the option of availing benefits of the old pension scheme (OPS) to state government employees who joined service after November 2005.
What’s the issue?
- Government employees have been advocating for the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), despite the National Pension System (NPS) offering various advantages.
- Both schemes aim to ensure a regular monthly pension for government employees. Several states, such as Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab, have opted to revive the old pension scheme.
What is OPS?
- The Old Pension Scheme guarantees retired government employees a consistent and lifelong income post-retirement. In this system, retired government employees receive 50% of their last drawn salary along with dearness allowance as a monthly pension.
- Additionally, they enjoy the advantages of biannual revisions in dearness allowance (DA). Importantly, participation in the Old Pension Scheme does not necessitate any deduction from the salary during the years of service.
What is the National Pension Scheme?
- The National Pension System (NPS), launched in 2004, is accessible to both government and private sector employees.
- Initially exclusive to government employees, it was expanded in 2009 to encompass citizens aged 18 to 60.
- Requires a deduction from salary.
- Income received after retirement is taxable.
- NPS Tier I account funds are non-withdrawable until the individual reaches the age of 60.
Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC)
Context
- The Union Government has announced to expansion of the ECGC individual exporters of gems and jewelry.
How Does ECGC Help the Exporters?
- ECGC guides business owners in business-related activities
- This company enables business owners to get easy credit facilities.
- ECGC provides credit ratings information about different countries, and
- It notifies exporters of the possible risks that may arise from doing business in these countries.
- It also provides information regarding the creditworthiness of foreign buyers.
About ECGC
- Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Limited (ECGC) is a company entirely owned by the Government of India that provides Indian exporters with export credit insurance support.
- This company was established in 1957 by GOI, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry controls all the activities.
- It offers various types of guarantees:
- Financial Guarantee
- Packing Credit Guarantee
- Export Performance Guarantee
- Export Production Finance Guarantee
- Post-shipment Credit Guarantee
- Export Finance (Overseas Lending) Guarantee
Facts For Prelims
Product Linked Incentive
- It is designed to provide financial incentives to companies based on the incremental sales of products manufactured in the country.
- The scheme\’s objectives include
- promoting domestic manufacturing,
- fostering job creation,
- boosting exports,
- facilitating technology transfer, and
- reducing dependence on imports.
- As of now, the PLI scheme is active in 14 key sectors, including mobile manufacturing, medical devices, automobiles, auto components, pharmaceuticals, specialty steel, telecom and networking products, electronic products, white goods (ACs and LEDs), food products, textile products, solar PV modules, advanced chemistry cell (ACC) batteries, and drones and drone components.
- The incentive rates under the PLI scheme vary based on the sector and product category, ranging from 4% to 6% of incremental sales.
Buxa Tiger Reserve
- Buxa Tiger Reserve and National Park, spanning 760 square kilometers, is situated in the Alipurduar district of North Bengal.
- Classified as a \”low density\” reserve, Buxa forms a component of an extensive tiger territory extending into Bhutan.
- The park is traversed by several rivers, including Sankosh, Raidak, Jayanti, Churnia, Turturi, Phashkhawa, Dima, and Nonani.
- As outlined by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Buxa Tiger Reserve and National Park boasts corridor connectivity extending into the forests of Bhutan in the North, establishing links with the Kochugaon forests in Assam and the Manas Tiger Reserve in the East, and connecting with the Jaldapara National Park in the West.
- This connectivity plays a crucial role in facilitating the migration and enhancing the genetic diversity of Bengal tigers within the region.