Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

  • In view of pro-poor initiative announced by the Government of India to ameliorate the hardship faced by the poor due to economic disruption caused by Corona virus, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has been announced by the Government of India.
  • All the States/ UTs have been sensitized to lift and distribute free food grains under PMGKAY in time bound manner.
  • Under this scheme, additional food grains, free of cost, @ 5 kg per person per month is being provided for a period of two months i.e., May-June 2021.
  • This allocation is in addition to regular NFSA allocation and 79.39 LMT food grains have to be issued under the said scheme.
  • Government of India will bear full expenditure on account of cost of food grains, intrastate transportation etc. as part of Central assistance to States/UTs.
  • Earlier, Government of India had provided free foodgrains to NFSA beneficiaries under PMGKAY-I (April-June 2020) and PMGKAY-II (July-November 2020) under which 104 LMT wheat and 201 LMT rice, total 305 LMT foodgrains were successfully supplied by FCI to the respective States/UTs government.

Culture Ministry organises panel discussions – International Museum Day 2021

  • International Museum Day falls on 18 May every year.
  • The objective of International Museum Day is to raise awareness about the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.”
  • The theme for International Museum Day 2021 is ‘The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine’.

New multiplex RT-PCR kit to detect SARS-CoV-2 mutations

  • As the pandemic is going through a second wave with multiple variants, the selection of target genes in multiplex RT-PCR assay is becoming critical for accurate detection of the virus.
  • A newly developed multiplex RT-PCR kit has a higher accuracy of detecting covid19 across the various mutant strains of the virus responsible for the global pandemic.
  • This unique RT-PCR kit will be a significant weapon in the fight against COVID-19 by a facile detection of SARS-CoV-2 mutations.
  • Even though coronaviruses make far fewer errors than other RNA viruses, the mutations in S, R, and N genes often interfere with RT-PCR assay. 
  • For example, the “variant of concern” B1.1.7 (also known as the UK variant) has a 69-70del, due to deletion of 6 bases in the RNA, which resulted in S gene drop out from RT-PCR assay.
  • The new multiplex RT-PCR kit developed Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an Institute of National Importance under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
  • It targets two SARS CoV2 genes: RdRp and ORFb-nsp14, and the human RNAse P gene as the internal control to help detect a range of mutant strains.
  • Various studies have shown that RdRp and ORF1b-nsp14 genes are more sensitive in detecting Covid19. In order to target the multiple variants in the second wave, using two highly accurate confirmatory genes like RdRp and ORF-nsp14, can give precise results. The ORFb-nsp14 is one of the least mutated genes in Covid19 and currently, there are no kits in the market with ORF-nsp14 as the target.
  • The new kit is based on multiplex Taqman chemistry, amplifying all three genes in a single reaction. The amplification time for the assay is 45 minutes, apart from the time required for the RNA isolation from nasopharyngeal swab samples. Multiplexing two confirmatory genes will help shortlist possible new variants if one of the genes fails to amplify and can be marked for sequence analysis.
  • ICMR has validated this kit at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and found that it has 97.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity in covid19 detection.

Vaccination lag in rural India points to a looming crisis

  • Even as the second COVID-19 wave shows signs of easing, the spread of cases in rural areas and the relatively lower vaccination numbers there points to a burgeoning crisis.
  • During the first wave (which peaked in September 2020), the COVID-19 cases started piling up in urban areas initially and spread to rural areas (including semi-rural ones) constituting 65% of all cases.
  • The second wave also followed a similar pattern. The split was 52%-48% in urban/semi-urban vs rural/semi-rural areas in March 2021 and by mid-May it became 35%-65% respectively.
  • These percentages are also skewed due to the lack of adequate testing facilities in many parts of rural India.
  • While more than 60% of cases were from the rural and semi-rural districts, only an estimated 12%-15% of inhabitants have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by May 14.
  • In contrast, an estimated 30% of residents in urban and 19% in semi-urban areas have received at least one shot.
  • In terms of being fully vaccinated (both doses), only an estimated 2.6% of rural residents received them by May 14, even as an estimated 7.7% of urban dwellers had received both doses.
  • Vaccination edge: Data from some States show that the daily confirmed cases have decreased among the vaccinated higher age groups, while the infections among the non-vaccinated continue to rise during the second wave. Experts have also said that vaccines effectively prevent severe disease even if a vaccinated individual gets infected.

Bengaluru Labourers facing multiple crises: AICCTU Study

  • A study of living conditions of the working class in Bengaluru’s unorganised sector has revealed that labourers are reeling under a triple crisis:
    • Lack of access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic
    • Lack of food security
    • Depleted earnings
  • The study was conducted by All Indian Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) in collaboration with other trade unions.
  • They live in densely populated slums and colonies with inadequate hygiene, even as most workplaces have failed to provide masks, sanitisers and other aid for COVID-19 prevention.
  • Most labourers have suffered a loss of income, but those working on delivery platforms like Ola, Uber and street vendors have been affected more than monthly wage workers, the study found.
  • Appeals by labourers to the government for extension of deadlines to pay EMIs and utility bills have not been approved.
  • It also found that ration distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) was often inadequate, making families in distress unable to completely rely on the State for their food and nutrition needs. Increase in prices of vegetables and fruits have also hit the working class.
  • The study, while welcoming free food being distributed by Indira Canteens in the city, argued that it was not enough, and
  • Recommendations to face the crisis:
    • It recommended that the government carry out regular fumigation of these areas and organise free testing and vaccination camps at these localities.
    • It recommends setting up of community kitchens and a hunger helpline like in the previous year.
    • The study recommends that the government announce a COVID-19 compensation package for all labourers and vulnerable groups, including those with a salary of less than ₹15,000, apart from a risk allowance of ₹10,000 for all health and frontline workers.
    • It also recommended that the State government immediately start distributing ration kits and implement Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to all persons in PDS shops without insisting on ration cards, and ensure provision of 10 kg of rice.

Karnataka ranks first

  • Karnataka has been ranked first in establishing Health and Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat Program to provide comprehensive primary health care in rural areas.
  • Karnataka is leading in implementing the project for 2020-2021.

  • While the Centre had set a target of establishing 2,263 centres, the State has upgraded 3,300 centres till March 31. This is 146% more than set target.

Karnataka HC upholds order on river sand extraction

  • The High Court of Karnataka has upheld the order of the Department of Mines and Geology prohibiting sand extraction from rivers during rainy season. It observed that the ban was incorporated into the law for protecting the environment.
  • The HC passed the order rejecting a petition filed by the petitioner, who had a lease for sand extraction in Chamarajanagar district.
  • The petitioner had questioned the decision of the Deputy Director, Department of Mines and Geology, Chamarajanagar, prohibiting sand extraction from June 5 to October 15 every year. The petitioner contended that his mining lease did not contain a condition of sand extraction being prohibited during monsoon.
  • Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994, and the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016, clearly prohibit river sand mining during rainy season.
  • The court also pointed out that the legislature was conscious of the fact that the period of actual quarrying operations could be affected by rains or floods, and had therefore provided the sand quarrying permission for up to five years, inclusive of the non-quarrying periods such as rainy season, floods, and natural calamities. In Karnataka, the period between June 5 and October 15 is considered rainy season, the Bench noted.

98% of India still at risk, warns Health Ministry

  • Over 98% of India’s population continues to be vulnerable or susceptible to COVID-19, Health Ministry, adding that so far only 1.8% of the total population of the country had been affected.
  • From the 17.13% of the total COVID-19 case load reported on May 3, India’s current status stands at a reduced 13.3%.
  • Currently, eight States have more than 1 lakh active COVID-19 cases and 22 States have more than 15% case positivity.
  • Maharashtra, U.P., Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have shown a decline in COVID-19 cases and a decline in positivity. There are 199 districts showing a continued decline in COVID-19 cases and positivity in the last two weeks.
  • A NITI Aayog, Member said that the COVID-19 curve was stabilising in India. He added that the COVID-19 National Task Force would examine the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (‘2-DG’) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for adding it to the COVID-19 treatment protocol.

Accurate forecasts and resilience-building – key to handling severe cyclones

  • Millions of people wearied by the onslaught of the coronavirus have had to contend with a furious tropical cyclone that has left a trail of death and destruction before making landfall in Gujarat.
  • Cyclone Tauktae swelled into an extremely severe cyclonic storm, dumping enormous volumes of water all along the west coast, and caused loss of life in Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat, before weakening overland.
  • Many coastal residents would have felt a sense of déjà vu, having gone through a similar experience last year, when the severe cyclonic storm, Nisarga, barrelled landwards from the Arabian Sea, pounding Alibaug in Maharashtra as it came ashore.
  • Once again, the value of creating a trained cadre, supported by the defence forces in rescue and relief work, is seen. The heralding of the 2021 monsoon season by a cyclone comes as another reminder that the subcontinent is at the confluence of more frequent, extreme weather events originating in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea every year.

India’s is preparation to handle cyclones depends on developing greater expertise in forecasting and disaster mitigation, and crafting policies to increase resilience among communities.

  • Last year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched an impact-based cyclone warning system from the October-December season designed to reduce economic losses by focusing on districts and specific locations, and incorporating such factors as population, infrastructure, land use and settlements.
  • Together with ground mapping of vulnerabilities, this is a promising approach to avoid loss of life and destruction of property.
  • The importance of precise early warnings cannot be overemphasised, considering that the Arabian Sea has emerged as a major source of severe cyclones, and their intensity is aggravated by long-term rise in sea surface temperatures linked to pollution over South Asia and its neighbourhood.
  • Climate-proofing lives and dwellings is a high priority now, a task that warrants a multi-sectoral approach: to build sturdy homes of suitable design, create adequate storm shelters, provide accurate early warnings, and ensure financial protection against calamities through insurance for property and assets. Governments must rise up to the challenge.