Chhattisgarh Affairs
Cgarh seeks land in tourist destinations for Culture Centre
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel urged his counterparts in various states seeking land at places of national and international importance for his government’s “Chhattisgarh Cultural Connect” scheme.
In his letter, Baghel said the establishment of these centers will facilitate the people of Chhattisgarh to reside and visit places of national and international importance.
He requested the Chief Ministers to allot two acres of government land for the centres.
He assured the Chief Ministers that they would also be allotted land if they want to open a culture center in Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh has decided to start a scheme under which Chhattisgarh Culture Centers will be set up for people of the state to visit and reside in places of cultural importance in different parts of the country.
National and International Affairs
Leprosy cases increased by 15.7% in 2021-22, over 88k active cases
India achieved the “elimination of leprosy as a public Health problem” as per World Health Organization (WHO) criteria of less than one case per 10,000 Population at the national level in 2005. However, data shows the number of leprosy cases has again risen in the country.
The data presented by the Union minister of health and family welfare,Mansukh Mandaviya, revealed that the number has increased by 15.7% in 2021-22 as compared to the previous year. From 65,147 in 2020-21, it increased to 75,394 in 2021-22. Till January 2023, there were 88,278 active cases of chronic infectious disease in the country.
As per the data, till January 2023, a maximum 17,014 cases were reported in Maharashtra, followed by Bihar (11,318), UP (10,312),Chhattisgarh(7,422), Madhya Pradesh (7,313), Jharkhand (6,184), Odisha (6,088) and West Bengal (5,012).
Working on policy to make organ donation easier: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to people to donate organs, and said his government was working on a uniform policy to make the process easy and to encourage the life-saving exercise.
In this direction, it has also been decided to remove the condition of domicile of the states, that is, now the patient will be able to go to any state of the country and register themselves for receiving the organs, the PM said. In 2013, India recorded less than 5,000 cases of organ donation; but in 2022, this number increased to over 15,000, Modi said.
India develops own model for estimating TB cases in country
India has become the first country in the world to have developed a country-level mathematical model to estimate the prevalence oftuberculosis(TB) cases, official sources said.
Using this model, TB incidence and mortality estimate data for India will be available by March every year, months before the annual WHO estimates are released in October, they said, adding that India can also prepare similar estimates at the state level in future.
The model was presented before the delegates from 40 countries taking part in the 36th Stop TB PARTNERSHIP Board meeting in Varanasi last week. Most of them lauded it saying they would want to implement it in their countries.
According to WHO, the TB mortality rate (per 10,000) in 2021 was estimated to be 35, which reduced to 23 in 2022 as per the Indian model. WHO’s TB mortality absolute numbers were estimated to be 4.94 lakh in 2021. The Indian model suggested it was 3.20 lakh in 2022
Indian Government issues First Sovereign Green Bond
HDFC Asset Management manager of HDFC (MF) recently filed for Indias first target maturity funds in order to track Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs).
It includes tracking of the HDFC Nifty India Sovereign Green Bond Jan 2028 Index Fund as well as the HDFC Nifty India Sovereign Green Bond Jan 2033 Index Fund.
The Government of India issued these sovereign green bonds which will be used in public sector projects. It can help to curb the carbon intensity of the economy.
Bangladesh commissions its first submarine base
Prime MinisterSheikh Hasinainaugurated the first submarine base of Bangladesh BNS Sheikh Hasina atPekua in Coxs Bazar. Hailing the newly inaugurated naval base as an ultra modern submarine base, Prime Minister called the event a proud chapter in the HISTORY of Bangladesh navy.
It will allow for safe and swift movement of the submarines in case of emergency, as the base is located at the Bay of Bengal.
The Government of Bangladesh signed an agreement with China inSeptember 2019 for the construction of the submarine base.
The government of Bangladesh is working on Forces Goal 2030 to transform its military force into a modern organization appropriate for the times