PIB Summary- 7th May, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Kabasura Kudineer

Context:

Ayush Ministry launches nationwide distribution campaign of AYUSH 64 & Kabasura Kudineer.

What’s in News?

• Ministry of Ayush has launched a massive nationwide campaign to distribute its proven poly herbal Ayurvedic drug AYUSH 64 and Siddha drug Kabasura Kudineer for the benefit of the vast majority of out of hospital COVID patients.
• According to the Ministry, the efficacy of these drugs has been proved through robust multi-centre clinical trials.
• The Ministry has also setup an Interdisciplinary Committee for Inclusion of Ayurveda and Yoga Interventions in the ‘National Clinical Management Protocol: COVID-19’.

What is Kabasura Kudineer?

• Kabasura Kudineer is a traditional formulation used by Siddha practitioners for managing common respiratory health.
• It is a herbal concoction, comprising dry ingredients of ginger, pippali, clove, cirukancori root, mulli root, kadukkai, ajwain and many other herbs.
• The ingredients are powdered and mixed with water, then boiled to make a decoction of one-fourth of its initial volume.

Ayush-64

Context:

Clinical trials conducted by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has shown that the polyherbal drug Ayush-64 has notable antiviral, immune-modulator and antipyretic properties.

What’s in the News?

• The clinical trials were conducted by CCRAS in collaboration with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and many other research organizations and medical colleges across the country.
• The trials have shown that Ayush-64 is found to be useful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 infection.
• Consequently, the drug is now repurposed for COVID-19.

What is Ayush-64?

• Ayush-64 is an Ayurvedic formulation developed by CCRAS.
• Originally developed in 1980 for the management of Malaria, this drug has now been repurposed for Covid-19 as its ingredients showed notable antiviral, immune-modulator and antipyretic properties.
• The in-silico study done on Ayush 64 showed that 35 out of 36 of its Phyto-constituents have high binding affinity against the COVID-19 virus.
• The formulation has also shown very promising results in Influenza like illnesses.
• With scientific evidence generated from six clinical studies across India, Ayush 64 has been identified as a potential adjunct to standard care in the management of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 to improve the clinical recovery and quality of life.
• Ayush-64 is found to significantly enhance the speed of clinical recovery in terms of disease symptoms and severity. It also has significant beneficial effects on general health, fatigue, anxiety, stress, appetite, general wellbeing and sleep.
• The formulation can be taken by patients at any stage of the COVID-19 disease. However, its efficacy was scientifically studied in asymptomatic, mild and moderate disease without risk factors for poor outcome and those not requiring emergency interventions or hospitalization are eligible to take Ayush-64.

About Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS):

• It is an autonomous body of the Ministry of AYUSH.
• It is an apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, development and promotion of research on scientific lines in Ayurveda and Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine.
• The activities are carried out through its 30 Institutes/Centres/Units located all over India and also through collaborative studies with various Universities, Hospitals and Institutes.
• The research activities of the Council include Medicinal Plant Research (Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey, Pharmacognosy and Tissue Culture), Drug Standardization, Pharmacological Research, Clinical Research, Literary Research & Documentation and Tribal Health Care Research Programme.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.

 BVLOS Drones

Context:

Govt allows 20 entities to conduct BVLOS experimental flights of drones.
Also, Telangana Government granted exemption to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) experimental flights of drones.

What’s in News?

• The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) & the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted conditional exemption to the Government of Telangana for conducting experimental Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights for delivery of vaccines.
• Exemption from Unmanned Aircraft System {UAS) Rules, 2021 has been granted as part of the government’s constant endeavour to enhance the scope of drone usage in the country and assist the nation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Earlier, 20 consortia were also granted permission to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) experimental flights of drones.
• BVLOS trials will help create the regulatory framework for drone deliveries and other major applications.

What is BVLOS?

• BVLOS describes operating UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and drones at distances outside the normal visible range of the pilot.
• BVLOS is the second stage of testing drones and UAVs, as drones are generally operated within the visual line of sight during the first phase of testing.
• If the two stages are completed successfully, further clearance will be sought from the authorities to explore the possibility of vaccine delivery using drones.

Advantages of BVLOS:

• BVLOS drone operations provide numerous advantages over regular line-of-sight flying.
• They are more cost-effective and efficient, as there are fewer takeoff and landing phases, so the UAV will cover more ground in a single mission.
• BVLOS flights typically require less human intervention as some or all of the mission may be automated.
• They may also allow easier access to remote or hazardous areas.

Concerns associated with BVLOS:

• BVLOS UAV operations carry more safety concerns due to the fact that the pilot may only be observing potential obstacles via a remote camera feed, or, in the case of automated flights, there may be no human observation at all.
• This means that there is additional risk of collisions with other aircraft, or damage to property and people, especially when flights take place in non-segregated airspace.
• BVLOS flights typically require additional equipment and extra training and certification, and are usually subject to permission from aviation authorities in many jurisdictions around the world.

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)

Context:

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)

According to the Companies Act of 2013, the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) is responsible for making recommendations in accounting and auditing standards. It also oversees the Quality of Service provided by the accounting and audit professions.

• It has also been given the power to investigate matters of professional misconduct by chartered accountants or CA firms, impose a penalty and debar the CA or firm for up to 10 years.
• It is stated in the Act that “no other institute or body shall initiate or continue any proceedings in such matters of misconduct where the National Financial Reporting Authority has initiated an investigation.”
• It is expected that the NFRA’s functioning would result in improved domestic and foreign investments, improved economic growth, assistance in the development of the audit profession and supporting the globalisation of business through compliance with international practices.

NFRA Members

The NFRA is composed of one Chairperson, three full-time Members and one Secretary. The chairperson shall be a person of eminence and having expertise in accountancy, auditing, finance or law to be appointed by the Central Government.

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) Jurisdiction

The jurisdiction of NFRA for investigation of CAs and their firms under Section 132 of the Companies Act would extend to large public companies that are not listed (threshold prescribed in the rules) and listed companies. 

• It is at the discretion of the Central Government to refer such other entities for investigation, involving public interest.
• Under the provision of the Chartered Accountant Act of 1949, the essential role of ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) will continue in respect of its members in general and explicitly concerning audits about private limited companies, and public unlisted companies below the threshold limit to be notified in the rules.
• ICAI would continue playing the advisory role with respect to accounting and auditing standards and policies through recommendations to the NFRA.
• Quality audit with respect to public companies that are not listed and are below the prescribed threshold, private companies that are listed and those companies delegated by the NFRA would be continued to be done by the Quality Review Board (QRB).

NFRA Benefits

The expected benefits of having the NFRA are listed below.

• India gains eligibility for IFIAR (International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators), which was denied earlier, resulting in enhancing the confidence of Foreign/Domestic investors and India’s position on a global scale.
• Increase in foreign/domestic investors.
• Economic growth. (Learn about economic growth and development in the linked article.)
• IFIAR eligibility proves our international standards of business, further supporting globalization.
• Further development of the auditing profession.
• Establishment of NFRA will free resources for the ICAI to work on developing new and complex skills needed in the uncertain world of technology.

e-Sanjeevani OPD

Context:

Ex-Defence doctors to provide online consultation on e-Sanjeevani OPD.

e-Sanjeevani OPD:

• The e-Sanjeevani OPD is a flagship telemedicine platform of the Government, developed by the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC), Mohali under the aegis of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• It provides free consultations to Indian citizens.
• However, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the demand for doctors is up while the supply has reduced as doctors are being pulled out for COVID ward duties.
• This is where the defence veterans are stepping in to help.

eSanjeevani

Context:
1.5 lakh tele-consultations completed through ‘eSanjeevani’ and ‘eSanjeevani OPD’.

About the National Teleconsultation Service:

• The Health Ministry launched the National Teleconsultation Service to facilitate telemedicine aiming to provide healthcare services to patients in their homes.
• This offers communication between doctors and patients who are geographically separated.
• There are two types of telemedicine services:
  (i) eSanjeevani: Doctor-to-Doctor
  -This is being deployed in 155,000 Health and Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat
  (ii) eSanjeevani OPD: Doctor-to-Patient (teleconsultation)
  -This is the government’s flagship telemedicine technology developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing in Mohali.
  (iii) It has been implemented by 23 states.
  (iv) The panel of doctors on the service are drawn by the state governments.
  (v) The patients do not have to pay any fees for the teleconsultation service. They are also given ePrescriptions (electronic prescriptions).

The government has also interlinked 50 government medical colleges in the country for tele-education, e-Learning and online medical consultation under the National Medical College Network (NMCN) scheme.

What is telemedicine?
As per the World Health Organisation, telemedicine is the delivery of health care services, where distance is a critical factor, by all health care professionals using IT for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, etc., all in the interests of advancing the health of individuals and their communities.

• The term ‘telemedicine’ was framed in the seventies.
• It involves the use of various types of ICTs (information communication technologies).
• It facilitates patients’ and rural practitioners’ access to specialist health services and support.
• It comprises videoconferencing, transmission of still medical images, document sharing, remote monitoring of vital signs, etc.

Mandatory online certification of disability through UDID portal

What’s in News?

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Government of India, through a Gazette notification, has made it mandatory for all States/UTs to grant certificate of disability through online mode only using UDID portal w.e.f. 1 June 2021.

Details:

• The Central Government notified the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017 under RPwD Act, 2016.
• Rule 18(5) mandates the Central Government to appoint a date making it mandatory for the State/UT authorities to issue certificate of disability through online mode.
• Accordingly, this notification was passed which makes online issue of disability certificates mandatory by the states and UTs.
• The UDID portal which has been under implementation since 2016 is swavlambancard.gov.in.
• This move is expected to ensure complete digitization of certification of disability, besides providing a viable mechanism for cross-checking genuineness of the certificate to achieve pan-India validity, and simplifying the process for the benefit of Divyangjan.

India-UK virtual summit strengthens STI cooperation

Context:

The prime ministers of India and the UK met virtually in May 2021 and emphasised their shared commitment to an enhanced partnership in science, education, research and innovation and look forward to the next ministerial Science and Innovation Council (SIC).

Some of the key points to strengthen STI cooperation between the two countries are:

• Enhance cooperation between India and the UK on strengthening the role of women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine).
• Develop collaborations between Industry, Academia and the Government to foster innovation among school students.
• Build on the two countries’ existing bilateral research, science and innovation infrastructure and governmental relationships to continue to support high-quality, high-impact research and innovation through joint processes.
• Forge partnership across the pipeline of research and innovation activity, from basic research to applied and interdisciplinary research and through to translation and commercialisation across government departments to optimise impact, utilize expertise and networks and minimise duplication.
• Expand existing bilateral partnerships in this field by establishing joint centres and facilitating access to state-of-the-art facilities.
• Work together to share knowledge and expertise regarding artificial intelligence, scientific support to policies and regulatory aspects including ethics, and promote a dialogue in research and innovation.
• Grow programmes such as the Fast Track Start-Up Fund to nurture innovation led, sustainable growth and jobs, and tech solutions that benefit both countries.