9 PM Current Affairs Brief – November 24th, 2019

One Stop Centre

News:Union minister of Women and Child Development has informed Lok Sabha about the One Stop Centre scheme.

Facts:

About One stop Centre scheme:

• One Stop Centre(OSC) are centres established by the Government of India through the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) to support women affected by violence of any sort.
• The main objectives of the scheme is to provide support and assistance to women affected by violence at private or at any public place, irrespective of caste, class, religion among others.
• These centres will provide immediate access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support to the victims.
• The scheme is funded through Nirbhaya Fund and the central government provides 100% financial assistance to the state governments /Union Territories administrations.

Additional information:

About Nirbhaya fund:

• The Nirbhaya fund scheme seeks to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring the safety of women in India.
• The fund was set up in 2013 in the aftermath of the gruesome gang-rape and murder in Delhi.
• The key schemes under the fund includes (a)Emergency Response Support System (b)Central Victim Compensation Fund (c)Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (d)One Stop Scheme (e)Mahila Police Volunteer and (f)Universalisation of Women Helpline Scheme.

Household social consumption in India: Health NSS 75th round

News:The National Statistical Office(NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has conducted the survey on Household Social Consumption related to Health.

Facts:

About the survey:

• The survey was conducted between July 2017 and June 2018.It was a part of the 75th round of National Sample Survey.
• The main objective of the survey was to gather basic quantitative information on the health sector namely on morbidity, profile of ailments including their treatment, role of government and private facilities in providing healthcare, expenditure on medicines among others.

Key takeaways from the survey:

• The survey has found that 14% of the rural population and 19% of the urban population had health expenditure coverage.
• However,only 1% of urban population received health insurance from government health protection schemes.
• In both rural and urban India, around 95% of ailments were treated by allopathy.
• Average medical expenditure per hospitalisation case (excluding childbirth) in rural India is about Rs.16,676 and Rs.26,475 in urban India.
• In rural areas about 90% childbirths were institutional (in Government or private hospitals) and in urban areas it was about 96%.
• The immunisation among children aged 0-5 years is about 59% of boys and 60% of girls at all-India level.They had been fully immunised which means they have received all the prescribed vaccinations.

Additional information:

About NSO:

• The National StatisticalOffice(NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), Government of India, was established in 1950.
• NSO is headed by a Director General.It has been conducting nation-wide large scale sample surveys, employing scientific sampling methods to collect data on diverse economic aspects.
• Recently,Government had proposed the merger of the National Sample Survey Office(NSSO) and Central Statistics Office (CSO) under National Statistical Office(NSO).
• The objective of the merger is to streamline and strengthen the present nodal functions of the ministry and to bring in more synergy by integrating its administrative functions within the ministry.

Mine Countermeasure Exercise-first time between India and Japan

News:The Indian Naval Forces and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) has conducted the first Mine Countermeasure Exercise(MINEX) at Kochi,Kerala.

Facts:

About the exercise:

• The Mine Countermeasure Exercise(MINEX) is an annual exercise between India and Japan.
• This is the first time an explosive ordnance disposal and mine countermeasure exercise was held by Indian and Japanese forces.

Additional information:

Other exercises between India and Japan:

• JIMEX- It is a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Japan.
• Exercise Malabar– It is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India as permanent partners.
• Sahayog-Kaijin – It is a joint bilateral exercise between Indian Coast Guard and the Japan Coast Guard.
• Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN- It is an annual joint military exercise between Indian and Japan since 2018.

‘Lumpy skin’ disease in cattle in parts of Odisha prompts China to ban imports

News:The Chinese Government has issued warnings against import of cattle from India after India submitted lumpy skin disease virus in cattle to the World Organization of Animal Health(OIE).

Facts:

About Lumpy Skin disease:

• Lumpy Skin disease is an infectious disease in cattle that reduces milk production, causes infertility, poor growth and chronic debility.
• The disease is caused by the virus Poxviridae. The virus is also called the Neethling virus.
• The disease causes permanent damage to the skin of the animals and hence has great economic implications.

Additional information:

About OIE:

• The World Organisation for Animal Health(OIE) is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide.
• It was created by the International Agreement of 25 January 1924 signed by 28 countries.In 2018,the OIE consists of 182  Member Countries and Territories.
• The OIE’s financial resources are derived principally from regular annual contributions backed up by voluntary contributions from Member Countries.
• It is also recognised as a reference organisation by the World Trade Organization(WTO).