Prelim Booster

News Discussion
29-December-2021
 State Health Index
Recently, NITI Aayog has released the fourth edition of the State
Health Index for 2019–20 with the title “Healthy States, Progressive
India”.

👉 About
◎ Developed by è NITI Aayog in collaboration
with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(MoHFW) and the World Bank since 2017.
◎ Objective è To track progress on health
outcomes and health systems performance,
develop healthy competition and encourage
cross-learning among states and UTs.
 State Health Index
◎ It is based on 24 indicators grouped under the domains of ‘Health
Outcomes’, ‘Governance and Information’, and ‘Key Inputs/Processes’.
○ Health Outcomes à It includes parameters such as neonatal mortality
(death within the first 28 days of life) rate, under-5 mortality rate, sex
ratio at birth.
○ Governance and Information à It includes parameters such as
institutional deliveries, average occupancy of senior officers in key posts
earmarked for health.
○ Key Inputs/Processes à It consists of proportion of shortfall in health
care providers to what is recommended, functional medical facilities,
birth and death registration and tuberculosis treatment success rate.
◎ Base Year è The index has been calculated as a weighted average of all the
indicators in each state and union territory for a base year (2018-19).
 State Health Index
◎ Source of Data è The index uses existing data sources such as the Sample
Registration System, Civil Registration System and Health Management
Information Systems. However, the index does not incorporate the impact
of Covid-19.
👉 Ranking of States
◎ To ensure comparison among similar entities, the ranking is categorized as:
◎ Larger States è In terms of annual incremental performance, Uttar
Pradesh, Assam and Telangana are the top three ranking states.
◎ Smaller States è Mizoram and Meghalaya registered the maximum annual
incremental progress.
◎ Union Territories è Delhi, followed by Jammu and Kashmir, showed the
best incremental performance.
 State Health Index
◎ Overall è The top-ranking states were Kerala and Tamil Nadu among the
‘Larger States’, Mizoram and Tripura among the ‘Smaller States’, and Dadra
and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DH&DD) and Chandigarh among the
UTs.
 Kaavi Art
PM Modi talks about 'Kaavi' on Mann Ki Baat, stresses ancient art’s
preservation.

👉 About
◎ What is it? è It is a form of wall art found
in Konkan region, especially in temples of
Goa, parts of coastal Maharashtra and
Karnataka.
◎ Introduced by è the Portuguese who ruled
Goa until 1961.
 Kaavi Art
◎ The art takes its name from Kaav in
Konkani which refers to Indian red
pigment which is the only color used in
this painting. The red pigment is obtained
from the laterite soil.
◎ The painting is done on wet plaster in a
manner similar to frescoes [Fresco is a
technique of mural painting executed
upon freshly laid (wet) lime plaster].
◎ The painting is done in bright red and
white shades. It is usually done on the
walls of temples and homes that depicts
the ancient history of India.
 PM-YUVA Mentorship Scheme
Recently, National Book Trust, India under Ministry of Education has
announced the results of the All-India Contest organized on the
Theme ‘National Movement of India’ under the PM-YUVA Mentorship
Scheme.
👉 About
◎ The YUVA scheme is basically a mentorship
program to train young authors.
◎ Aim è To create a pool of authors below the
age of 30 years who are ready to express
themselves and project India on any
international platform, as well as it will help in
projecting Indian culture and literature globally.
 PM-YUVA Mentorship Scheme
◎ Implementing Agency: The National Book Trust under Ministry of Education.
◎ Key Features è
○ Under the scheme, 75 Authors were to be selected through an All India
Contest at MyGov (Government of India’s Citizen Engagement Platform)
for Scholarship cum Mentorship.
○ The selected authors will undergo six-months of Mentorship in which
they would be provided research and editorial support under the
guidance of eminent authors.
○ During mentorship, the selected authors will also receive a scholarship
of ₹50,000 per month for a period of six months.
○ Further, a royalty of 10% will be payable to the authors on successful
publications of their books.
 Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
Top scientists from China have claimed to have successfully created a
‘fake Sun’. The artificial Sun created by China is about ten times hotter
than the real Sun, around which our planet revolves.

👉 About
◎ It is called the Experimental Advanced
Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), also known
as ‘Artificial Sun’ experiment.
◎ The EAST reactor is an advanced nuclear fusion
experimental research device located at the
Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei, China.
 Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
◎ The artificial Sun experiment is being developed through a reactor, with the
help of nuclear fusion.
◎ The mission mimics the energy generation process of the sun.
◎ It is one of three major domestic tokamaks that are presently being
operated across the country.
◎ The EAST project is part of the International Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor (ITER) facility, which will become the world’s largest nuclear fusion
reactor when it becomes operational in 2035.
◎ The ITER project includes the contributions of several countries, including
India, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States.
◎ Working è
○ It replicates the nuclear fusion process carried out by the sun and stars.
Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
○ For nuclear fusion to occur, tremendous heat and pressure are applied
on hydrogen atoms so that they fuse together to create a helium
nucleus.
○ Here, fuel is heated to temperatures of over 150 million degrees C so
that it forms a hot plasma “soup” of subatomic particles.
○ With the help of a strong magnetic field, the plasma is kept away from
the walls of the reactor to ensure it does not cool down and lose its
potential to generate large amounts of energy. The plasma is confined
for long durations for fusion to take place.
 Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
Why is fusion better than fission?
◎ While fission is an easier process to carry out, it generates far more nuclear
waste.
◎ Unlike fission, fusion also does not emit greenhouse gases and is considered
a safer process with lower risk of accidents.
◎ Once mastered, nuclear fusion could potentially provide unlimited clean
energy and very low costs.

Which other countries have achieved this feat?

◎ China is not the only country that has achieved high plasma temperatures.
In 2020, South Korea’s KSTAR reactor set a new record by maintaining a
plasma temperature of over 100 million degrees Celsius for 20 seconds.
 Essential Commodities Act 1955
Government of India has declared Soya Meal as an Essential
Commodity till 30th June, 2022 under the Essential Commodities Act
1955.

👉 About
◎ Essential Commodities Act,1955 was enacted to
ensure the easy availability of essential
commodities to consumers and to protect them
from exploitation by unscrupulous traders.
◎ There is no specific definition of essential
commodities in The EC Act. Section 2(A) of the act
states that an “essential commodity” means a
commodity specified in the “Schedule” of this Act.
 Essential Commodities Act 1955
◎ The Act gives powers to the central government to add or remove a
commodity in the “Schedule”. The Centre, if it is satisfied that it is necessary
to do so in public interest, can notify an item as essential, in consultation
with state governments.
◎ By declaring a commodity as essential, the government can control the
production, supply, and distribution of that commodity, and impose a stock
limit.

👉 Soya Meal
◎ Soybean meal is the by-product of the extraction of soybean oil. It is the
most important protein source used to feed farm animals. It is also used for
human consumption in some countries.
 Essential Commodities Act 1955
◎ What is the impact of declaring Soya Meal as an Essential Commodity?
○ This is expected to stop any unfair practices (like hoarding, black
marketing etc) in the market having the potential to hike the prices of
soya meal.
○ This will also enhance the availability of the commodity for consumers
like poultry farms and cattle feed manufacturers.
 Section 304B of IPC: Dowry Deaths
In a recent judgement, the Supreme Court of India has interpreted
Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code (dowry death).

👉 About
◎ The Supreme Court has laid down the following
prerequisites to be followed for convicting the
accused for offence punishable under section 304B
IPC è
○ that the death of a woman must have been
caused by burns or bodily injury or occurred
otherwise than under normal circumstance;
○ that such a death must have occurred within a
period of seven years of her marriage;
 Section 304B of IPC: Dowry Deaths
○ that the woman must have been subjected to cruelty or harassment at
the hands of her husband, soon before her death (The expression“soon
before her death” implies that the interval should not be much between
the cruelty or harassment concerned and the death in question. In other
words, there must be an existence of a proximate and live link between
the effect of cruelty based on dowry demand and the death concerned).
○ that such cruelty or harassment must have been for or related to any
demand for dowry.
◎ However, these presumptions of dowry death are also rebuttable if the
accused is able to demonstrate through evidence that the ingredients of
Section 304B IPC have not been satisfied.
 Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme
During Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2020-21, 302.30 crore litre of Ethanol
has been procured by OMCs for blending purpose till 30.11.2021.

👉 About
◎ Launched in 2003, the Ethanol Blending
Programme (EBP) sought to promote the use of
alternative and environment friendly fuels and to
reduce import dependency for energy
requirements.
◎ EBP seeks to achieve blending of Ethanol with
motor sprit with a view to
○ Reduce pollution,
○ Conserve foreign exchange and
 Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme
○ Increase value addition in the sugar industry enabling them to clear cane
price arrears of farmers.
◎ Implementation è Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG).
◎ Since 2019, this programme is being implemented in the whole of India
except UTs of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands wherein OMCs
sell petrol blended with 10% ethanol.
◎ Procurement è OMCs are to procure ethanol from domestic sources.
○ OMCs are advised to continue according priority of ethanol from
sugarcane juice/sugar/sugar syrup; B heavy molasses; C heavy molasses;
and Damaged Food grains/other sources, in that order.
○ To increase production of fuel grade ethanol and to achieve blending
targets, the Govt of India has allowed use of maize and rice with FCI.
 Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme
◎ Targets è Currently, 8.5% of ethanol is blended with petrol in India.
○ National Policy on Biofuels 2018 has 10% blending target for mixing
ethanol with petrol by 2022 & 20% blending target by 2030.
 Quick revision (True/False)

Question True / False

1. Section 304B of IPC -> Under section, a repeat rape offender will have False
to be imprisoned for the rest of his life or sentenced to death.

2. State Health Index -> Developed by NITI Aayog . True

3. Kaavi Art -> originated in the 19th century in West Bengal. False

4. PM-YUVA Mentorship Scheme -> Under this, 75 Authors were to be True

selected through an All India Contest at MyGov.

5. Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) -> South False

Korea.

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