UNICEF Publishes First of its kind report on Health crisis: “The Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential”

NATIONAL NEWS

Ayush Minister launches dedicated Web-Portal for National AYUSH Mission

• Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik has launched a web portal for the centrally- sponsored scheme of National Ayush Mission during a webinar of Health and Ayush Ministers of all states.
• The web-portal is for submission of State Annual Action Plans, Utilization Certificates, Physical and Financial Progress report, and other informations related to the Ministry.
• The Minister also released 4 publications including Operational Guidelines for establishment of AYUSH Health and Wellness Centers.

Atal Innovation Mission launches 'AIM-iCREST', in partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wadhwani Foundation

• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), has launched AIM iCREST – an Incubator Capabilities enhancement program for a Robust Ecosystem focused on creating high performing Start-up’s.
• The programme mainly aimed to encourage and enable holistic progress in the incubator ecosystem across the country.
• AIM iCREST, as the name suggests, has been designed to enable the incubation ecosystem and act as a growth hack for AIM’s Atal and Established incubators across the country.

Cabinet approved National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by replacing NEP, 1986

• The Cabinet has approved national Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by replacing 34-year-old NEP 1986 announced by the Union Minister of Information Broadcasting Prakash Keshav Javadekar.
• In addition, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) will officially be renamed the Ministry of Education (MoE).
• This new policy aligned to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-4 of 2030 Agenda is aimed at Universalization of Education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 % Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
• The education sector will get allocation of 6% of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as compared to 1.7% previously said the cabinet member.
• A panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan had submitted the draft of the new NEP to Union Human Resource Development Minister.

Fact: Union Minister of MoE – Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’

UNICEF Publishes First of its kind report on Health crisis: “The Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential”

• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Pure Earth, an international non-profit organization authored and published the first of kind report on the health crisis titled “The Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential”.
• The report says that around lead poisoning affects large number of children all across the globe.
• The Toxic Truth is an analysis of childhood exposure to lead conducted by the Institute of Health Metrics Evaluation.
• The report identifies lead as a potent neurotoxin, which harms the brains of the children particularly in children under the age of 5 resulting in neurological, cognitive and physical impairments.

Fact: Headquarter of UNICEF – New York, USA

IMPORTANT DAYS

World day against trafficking in persons

• The United Nations (UN) observed the “World day against trafficking in Person” annually on July 30.
• The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the conditions of the victims of trafficking and to protect their rights.
• Theme for 2020World day against trafficking in Person - “Committed to the Cause: Working on the Frontline to End Human Trafficking”.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) gave the theme.

Fact: UNGA President – Tijjani Muhammad- Bande

          Headquarters – New York, United States