PIB Summary- 16th April, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

INSACOG

Context: The Indian Genomic Consortium has so far processed more than 13,000 samples for Genome Sequencing.

Details

• The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) is a network of ten laboratories established in December 2020 for continuously monitoring the genomic changes of SARS-CoV-2 in India, through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).
• As per the INSACOG guidelines, positive samples are sourced for Whole Genome Sequencing from:
  • International travellers who are positive by RT-PCR.
  • Community samples are coordinated by State Surveillance Officers who facilitate transfer of samples from districts/labs to the designated INSACOG labs. All states have been mapped to specific INSACOG labs.
  • Samples from districts reporting exponential surge.
• The 10 identified laboratories of INSACOG Consortium report their sequencing results to Central Surveillance unit of National Centre for Diseases Control [NCDC] from where it is shared with the State Surveillance Units (SSUs) of IDSP by the Central Surveillance Unit (CSU).

Background

• The Covid-19 virus has been mutating and various mutations have been found in many countries as well as in India, these include UK (17 mutations), Brazil (17 mutations), and South Africa (12 mutations) variants.
• These variants have higher transmissibility.
• The UK Variant has been found extensively in the UK, all across Europe and has spread to Asia and America.
• The Double mutation (2 mutations) is another variant and has been found in several countries like Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Namibia, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, USA. Higher transmissibility of this variant is not established as yet.
• The RT PCR tests being used in India do not miss these mutations as the RTPCR tests being used in India target more than two genes.

Gender Samvaad

Context: Gender Samvaad event launched.

About Gender Samvaad Event

• Gender Samvaad was a joint attempt between DAY-NRLM and the Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE) to create a common platform to share experiences emerging from this effort.
• The event was organised today by the Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India.
• The attempt is to generate greater awareness on gender related interventions under DAY-NRLM across the country and best practices, with a focus on hearing voices from the states and the field.
• Gender Samvaad provides states with opportunities to:
  • Understand best practices/initiatives that other states have been undertaking to improve women’s agency, in establishing strong institutions for public service delivery, and in protecting and providing redress to vulnerable groups within women.
  • Understand gender interventions globally.
  • Engage with experts and other colleagues on suggestions regarding how to handle issues/implementation barriers.
  • Contribute to the creation of a ‘gender repository’ with resource materials on best practices for gender interventions across the country/other countries.
  • Build advocacy around the need to focus on gender issues across SRLMs and the NRLM.

Background

• With over 60 million women mobilised to be part of one of India’s largest livelihoods programme, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) holds great promise for advancing women’s socio-economic empowerment by organising them into self-help groups (SHGs) and federations of the rural poor.
• Not only are these platforms facilitating financial opportunities and livelihood support services for women, but they have also become an extended arm of governance to demand accountability from and build linkages with mainstream institutions.