CHHATTISGARH
- C’garh second highest after kerala in male-female sex ratio
- A NITI Aayog report issued recently has pointed out that Chhattisgarh holds second rank after Kerala in terms of male-female sex-ratio (at the time of birth), Health Department officials informed on Monday.
- As per the report of NITI aayog, male to female sex-ratio (at the time of birth) in Chhattisgarh state was found to be 1000 to 972 in year 2005-06 in National Family Health Survey-3, which increased to 1000 boys to 977 girls in National Family Health Survey-4 of year 2015-16.
- Health Department Officials informed that according to the Commission’s report, sex-ratio in Chhattisgarh in year 2011-2013 was recorded to be 961, while in Kerala it was 967. In this way Chhattisgarh is performing way better at national level even today.
- Chhattisgarh holds first rank in the list of nine achiever states of the country on the basis of overall health indicators.
- Other states in this list are Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu-Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Telangana. Besides, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu has been kept in the category of front row states.
- The Commission has released the report with the title ‘Healthy State-Progressive India, in which year 2014-15 has been taken as base year while 2015-16 has been taken as reference year.
- This report has taken into account the statistical data of Sample Registration System (SRS), Health Management Information System (HMIS) and National Family Health Welfare-4 (NFHS-4). On the basis of these figures, states have been ranked.
- The states have been categorized on the basis of major health indicators including results of health services, government system, information system and some major points and processes related to health indicators.
- Integrated indicators (composite index) of Chhattisgarh has been increased from 48.63 to 52.02, as per NITI Aayog report.
- Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh said that as a result of Aanganbadi services and health programmes, IMR in Chhattisgarh in last 14 years has declined from 70 to 41 per 1000, MMR has declined from 379 to 221 on per one lakh deliveries and level of malnutrition has dropped from 52% to 30%.
- The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of pride that Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry is soon going to confer national awards on achiever states through National Health Mission.
- He also told that the budget of State Government’s Health Department’s budget size in year 2003 was Rs 341 crore, which has been increased to 4703 crore for upcoming year 2018-19.
- A total of 10 districts of Chhattisgarh have been selected by NITI Ayog for its five-year plan (2018-22) among 115 districts in the country. This information was given by Additional Chief Secretary, Economics and Statistics Department Sunil Kujur at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Ajay Singh at the Mantralaya in Naya Raipur early this month.
- The Chief Secretary informed that Kerosene quota of Chhattisgarh will be maintained at current levels till agencies of 26 new LPG distributors gets operational in Bastar under ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’. In the meeting it was informed that software has been modified and those women who were minor during the SECC survey and have now become adult will also be given gas connections under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’.
- He added that approval was also given for expansion of banking services in remote rural areas of Bastar region and the Department of Financial Services has assured that they will immediately take up with banks to ensure that 88 new branches were opened in these areas.
INTERNATIONAL
- World Day of Social Justice: 20 February
- Social Equality Justice day is observed every year on 20th February.
- It is a day recognizing the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment.
- The theme of World Day of Social Justice 2018 is “Workers on the Move: the Quest for Social Justice.”
- Mandarin approved as official language of Pakistan
- The Pakistani Senate has approved a motion to declare Mandarin as one of the official languages of Pakistan.
- The motion said the step was necessary in view of ties between Pakistan and China.
- Punjabi, which is widely spoken in Punjab province of Pakistan, Pashto and many other native languages have not been declared official languages of the country.
· Singapore to Impose Carbon Tax From 2019
- Singapore will impose a ‘carbon tax’ from 2019 to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and make companies more competitive as global agreements on climate change take effect.
- Finance minister Heng Swee Keat stated that the tax would be levied on all facilities producing 25,000 tonnes or more of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
- The tax, to be applied to all sectors, will be Sg$5.0 ($3.8) per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions from 2019 to 2023.
Gk bit – Carbon Tax
- A carbon tax is a fee imposed on the burning of carbon-based fuels (coal, oil, gas). Briefly: a carbon tax is the core policy for reducing and eventually eliminating the use of fossil fuels whose combustion is destabilizing and destroying our climate.
- A carbon tax is a way — the onlyway — to make users of carbon fuels pay for the climate damage caused by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If set high enough, it becomes a powerful monetary disincentive that motivates switches to clean energy across the economy, simply by making it more economically rewarding to move to non-carbon fuels and energy efficiency.
- The energy essence of every fossil fuel is its carbon and hydrogen atoms. Oxidizing (combusting) those atoms releases their heat energy but also converts carbon to carbon dioxide. Natural gas, with a high ratio of hydrogen to carbon, is the least carbon-intensive fuel, while coal is the most. The CO2 released from burning these fuels rises into the upper atmosphere and remains resident there — typically for around a century — trapping heat re-radiated from Earth’s surface and causing global warming and other harmful climate change.
- The carbon content of every fossil fuel, from anthracite or lignite coal to heating oil and natural gas, is precisely known. A carbon tax obeys these proportions, taxing coal more heavily than petroleum products, and much more than natural gas.
· India and Indonesia Joint Military Drill ‘Garuda Shakti’ Begins
- The Indian and Indonesian armies began the sixth edition of their annual military exercise named ‘Garuda Shakti’ in Bandung, Indonesia.
- It is a two-week long joint Military drill.
- The exercises will include experience sharing in counter-terrorism operations, close quarter combat, and other areas of special operations.
NATIONAL
- Prime Minister to inaugurate Uttar Pradesh Investor’s Summit in Lucknow
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate two–day Uttar Pradesh Investors’ Summit 2018 in Lucknow.
- While the PM will inaugurate the summit on February 21, President Ram Nath Kovind will be present at the closing ceremony.
- The event has been organized by Uttar Pradesh Government to showcase the investment opportunities and potential in the state.
- Seven nations – Finland, Netherlands, Japan, Czech Republic, Thailand, Slovakia and Mauritius have been identified as country partners for the event.
· Union Cabinet Approves Creation of National Urban Housing Fund
- The Union Cabinet approval for creation of National Urban Housing Fund (NUHF)for Rs.60,000 crores.
- This fund will be situated in Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- NUHF will facilitate raising requisite funds in next four years so that flow of Central Assistance under different verticals i.e. Beneficiary Linked Construction (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership(AHP), In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
· Union Government Clears Private Commercial Mining in Coal
- In a major reform in the coal sector since its nationalization in 1973, the government allowed private companies to mine the fossil fuel for commercial use.
- This move ended the monopoly of state-owned Coal India Ltd.
- The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) under the Chairmanship of PM Narendra Modi.
- Currently, the private sector is allowed coal mining for captive use only. The reform will bring efficiency into the coal sector by moving away from the era of monopoly to competition and lower power tariffs.
· Delhi Government to Launch ‘Mission Buniyaad’ To Fix Learning Crisis in Delhi Schools
- The Delhi government announced the launch of “Mission Buniyaad” for improving learning skills of children studying in state and municipal-run schools.
- The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
- Under the programme which will run from April to June for Class 3 to 5 in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools and for Class 6 to 8 in government’s schools, children will undergo a reading level assessment based on which they will be enrolled in specialized “Mission Buniyaad” classes.