National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) study on AIDS

Why in news?

According to figures released by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) it said it would not be an easy battle to end the disease as there are still around 21.40 lakh people living with HIV in India, with the prevalence among adults stood at 0.22 per cent.

About report

• There were around 87,000 new HIV infections and over 69,000 AIDS-related deaths (ARDs) in 2017.
• Around 22,675 mothers needed Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
• This epidemic is high in some geographical regions and population groups
• The report has noted that the rate of decline in annual new HIV infections has been relatively slower in recent years
• The impact of the HIV/AIDS control programme has been significant, with more than an 80 per cent decline in estimated new infections from the epidemic’s peak in 1995.
• India’s 2017 figures also do not show a significant positive shift from 2015, the previous year for which when such a survey had been carried out
• In 2015, India had reported 86,000 new HIV infections. Of these, children (<15 years) accounted for 12 per cent (10,400). Remaining (75,000) were adults (15+ years).
• In 2015, the total number of people living with HIV in India was estimated at 21.17 lakh, while the same figure was 22.26 lakh in 2007.

SC questions ‘leprosy-free’ tag for India

Why in news?

Supreme court questioned the leprosy free tag and said the country was declared leprosy-free on December 31, 2005, the reality is “entirely different” in reference with reports of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) which said only 543 districts of the total 642 districts in the country had achieved the World Health Organisation-required prevalence rate of less than one case of leprosy for 10,000 persons.

Details

• The underestimation of cases of leprosy and the declaration of elimination of leprosy has resulted in the integration of leprosy in general health services thereby leading to diversion of funds which would have otherwise been dedicated to eliminating leprosy,
• Patients and their families continue to suffer from leprosy and its stigma.
• They are denied their fundamental right to food.
• They are not issued BPL (Below Poverty Line) cards to claim the benefit of various welfare schemes such as the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).
• They are deprived of housing, basic civic amenities, adequate sanitary facilities and rehabilitation programmes.
• Majority of the populace afflicted with leprosy live as a marginalised section in society, deprived of even basic human rights. This manifestly results in violation of the fundamental right to equality under Article 14 and right to live with dignity under article 21.

Recommendation

• Centre and states should take steps for eradicating discrimination against leprosy and rehabilitate those suffering from it.
• Provide the leprosy patients reservation under the disability quota and with Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards to enable them secure their right to food.
• Medical staff in private and government hospitals should be sensitised to ensure that leprosy patients do not face discrimination.
• It must be ensured that drugs for leprosy are available free of cost and do not go out of stock at all Primary Health Centres and other public health centres.

Section 498A: SC says welfare committees not needed in dowry cases

Why in news?

The Supreme Court modified its earlier order on setting up family welfare committees to look into cases of dowry harassment.

Details

• A bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra withdrew the court’s direction from July 2017
• The judges accepted that such a committee would create an extrajudicial entity not envisaged in the Code of Criminal Procedure.
• They also decided to remove another guideline that gave a district judge the power to dispose of proceedings if the parties in a case reach a settlement. Such a power in a non-compoundable provision such as Section 498A exclusively belongs to the High Court, the top court held
• It restored to the police their power to immediately register an FIR and act on a dowry harassment complaint filed by a married woman.
• It further says a designated police officer should be there to probe dowry complaints. It ordered the Director General of Police of every State to provide such officers rigorous training.

Background

• It is a cognisable and non-bailable offence. A guilty person faces up to three years in prison and shall also be liable to fine.
• In 2017 court had ordered ‘family welfare committees’ to be set up in the districts.
• These committees, composed of eminent citizens, were supposed to act as a vanguard against “disgruntled wives” using the anti-dowry harassment provision of Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as a “weapon” against their husbands and in-laws, young and old, rather than a “shield.”
• Even the police could register an FIR only after the committee cleared the complaint as valid and not frivolous.
• SC had raised this concern over abuse of the anti-dowry law and had also said that no arrest “should be affected” without authenticating allegations as a violation of human rights of innocents can’t be swept aside.

Government announces measures to stabilize rupee

Why in news?

The Government announced a series of measures to boost market confidence, curb the widening current account deficit which touched 2.4% of gross domestic product and stabilize the rupee.

Details

• To attract more Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) into the corporate debt market, the government has said it will review a couple of restrictions on their investments.
• So, the condition that FPIs’ investment in a single corporate entity cannot exceed 20% of its corporate bond portfolio will be reviewed.
• The condition that FPIs cannot invest more than 50% of an issue of corporate bonds will also be reviewed
• The government will review the mandatory hedging condition for infrastructure loans borrowed under the external commercial borrowing (ECB) route.
• Presently there is no compulsion on borrowers to hedge these loans.
• Manufacturing companies borrowing up to $50 million through ECBs will be able to do so only for a one-year term as against the three-year term allowed earlier.
• Masala bonds will be exempted from withholding tax this financial year and Indian banks will be allowed to become market makers in masala bonds including by underwriting.
• The government will take necessary steps to cut down non-essential imports and increase export.

About Masala bonds

• Masala bonds are rupee-denominated instruments issued abroad by Indian borrowers.
• The advantage of these bonds is that any depreciation in the rupee will not affect the borrower.

Swayangsiddha Initiative: To combat human trafficking, the West Bengal government has rolled out a scheme, Swayangsiddha, in its different districts. Swayangsiddha, which means self-reliance, will be executed by the West Bengal Police. The scheme aims to empower young boys and girls to make informed choices so that they are less vulnerable to trafficking and child marriage. Swayangsiddha Groups have been formed in schools and colleges with interested students. These groups were formed with students between the age group of 12 to 21 years.

Chiller Star Labelling Program

Why in news?

Ministry of Power, Government of India launched Chiller Star Labelling Program, an ambitious program to encourage the deployment of Energy Efficient chiller systems in the country.

About Chiller Star Labelling Program

• The Chiller Star Labelling Program has been formulated by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
• The program envisages providing star rating in terms of its energy performance. Initially, the program is launched on voluntary basis and will be valid upto 31st December 2020.
• This initiative will promote advancement technology for central HVAC (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems and will also facilitate energy efficient solutions for the large commercial and industrial applications.

Hindi Diwas 2018: National Hindi Divas or Hindi Day is observed every year on September 14 in India to promote Hindi as Matra Bhasha (mother tongue) of India. The day is a celebration of the Hindi language and its cultural heritage and values among the people of the country and abroad. The Constituent assembly of India adopted Hindi as the official language of the country on September 14, 1949 under Article 343. It started being observed as Hindi Day after stalwarts like Beohar Rajendra Simha, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Kaka Kalelkar, Maithili Sharan Gupt and Seth Govind Das lobbied hard for the cause.