INS Karanj - third Kalvari class Submarine commissioned

NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves creation of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi

• The Union Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) as a single non-lapsable reserve fund for share of Health from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess levied under Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007.
• The major benefit will be: enhanced access to universal & affordable health care through availability of earmarked resources, while ensuring that the amount does not lapse at the end of financial year.
• Salient features of the PMSSN are:
  • A non-lapsable reserve fund for Health in the Public Account
  • Proceeds of share of health in the Health and Education Cess will be credited into PMSSN
  • Accruals into the PMSSN will be utilized for the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare namely,
    • Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
    • Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs)
    • National Health Mission
    • Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)
  • Emergency & disaster preparedness and responses during health emergencies
  • Any future programme/scheme that targets to achieve progress towards SDGs and the targets set out in the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017.
  • Administration and maintenance of the PMSSN is entrusted to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; and
  • In any financial year, the expenditure on such schemes of the MoHFW would be initially incurred from the PMSSN and thereafter, from Gross Budgetary Support (GBS).

INS Karanj - third Kalvari class Submarine commissioned

• Indian Navy’s third stealth Scorpene class Submarine INS Karanj has been commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai.
• Old INS Karanj, commissioned on 04 Sep 1969 at Riga in the erstwhile USSR.
• Six Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India under Project 75 by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France.
• The Scorpene Submarines are one of the most advanced conventional submarines in the world. These platforms are equipped with the latest technologies in the world.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ICAR receives King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award by FAO

• Ms. Suchitra Durai, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Thailand received the prestigious “King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award”of FAO on the behalf of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research ON 10^th March
• The international recognition was announced by the FAO, Rome on the eve of World Soil Day - 2020 in view of the ICAR’s excellent contributions in “Soil Health Awareness” on the theme “Stop soil erosion, save our future” during the last year.
• World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources

• The India – Uzbekistan joint military exercise “DUSTLIK II” commenced 10^th March, 2021, in Foreign Training Node Chaubatia, Ranikhet (Uttarakhand).
• This is the 2^nd edition of the military exercise to be continued till 19^th of March 2021.
• The first edition of the exercise was held at Uzbekistan in Nov 2019.
• 45 Soldiers each from Uzbekistan and Indian Army are participating in the exercise will provide impetus to the ever growing military and diplomatic ties between the two nations and also reflects the strong resolve of both nations to counter terrorism.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Gestational Diabetes Awareness Day

• March 10 is observed as National Gestational Diabetes Awareness Day.
• The objective behind this Day is to raise awareness about the link between maternal health and diabetes nationwide, and inviting pregnant women to hospitals and clinics for free screening.
• The idea behind this observance can be traced back to 2016 when the Colombo Declaration was endorsed by more than 300 leaders from South Asian countries.
• India’s National Health Mission is the first government ministry to make the day official.
• Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) with the onset or first recognition during pregnancy.

ONE-LINE FACTS

• Shri Tirath Singh Rawat took as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand on 10^th March