PIB Summary- 28th September, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Shaheed Bhagat Singh

Background of Bhagat Singh

• Singh’s family members were involved in the freedom struggle and he was drawn towards the Indian independence movement from a very young age.
• As a child, he defied the British government by burning textbooks recommended by it.
• Initially, he supported Mahatma Gandhi and the Non-Cooperation Movement.
• However, when Gandhi withdrew the movement in the wake of the Chauri Chaura incident, Bhagat Singh turned to revolutionary nationalism.
• He was particularly affected by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) and the violence against unarmed Akali protestors at Nankana Sahib (1921).
• Inspired by leftist writings he read widely, Singh was an atheist and against capitalism.

Bhagat Singh’s Revolutionary Activities/Contributions to Freedom Struggle

• In 1926, he founded the Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
  • This organisation aimed to encourage revolution against British rule by rallying the peasants and workers.
  • Singh served as the organisation’s secretary.
• In 1928, he established the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) along with Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad and others.
• Lala Lajpat Rai died in 1928 as a result of injuries sustained in a police lathi charge on the orders of a Superintendent of Police, James Scott.
  • Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary friends decided to avenge the death of the dear leader.
  • However, in a case of mistaken identity, they assassinated another police official J P Saunders.
  • This was part of the Lahore Conspiracy Case.
  • After this incident, Singh fled from Lahore and made changes to his appearance.
• Central Assembly Bombing Case
  • Bhagat Singh was also involved in this case.
  • On 8th April 1929, Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Assembly at Delhi, from the Visitors’ Gallery.
  • They also threw pamphlets and raised pro-revolutionary slogans.
  • Both the revolutionaries courted arrest since they wanted to spread their message of revolution and anti-imperialism, and needed a platform for it.
  • Nobody was hurt in the incident, and it was never their intention to cause physical harm to anyone.
  • Their stated aim was ‘to make the deaf hear’.
  • Bhagat Singh was the mastermind behind the incident, and he was inspired by Auguste Vaillant, a French anarchist, who was executed by France for a similar incident in Paris.
  • In the trial that ensued, both Singh and Dutt were sentenced to transportation for life.
  • For more on the Central Assembly Bombing Case, check This Day in History dated 8th April.
• In the meanwhile, the murder case of J P Saunders also came up and Singh was linked to that case as well.

Bhagat Singh Execution

• This trial commenced in July 1929.
• In the Lahore prison where they were lodged, the young leaders started a hunger strike demanding better treatment as they were supposed to be political prisoners.
• They were met by many leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, who expressed pain on seeing their distress.
• Bhagat Singh fasted for 116 days after which he ended it at the request of his father and Congress leaders.
• The trial, needless to say, was one-sided and Singh, along with Rajguru and Sukhdev were sentenced to death.
• The trial and the subsequent sentence drew widespread condemnation from many quarters.
• Many national leaders requested a reduced sentence but to no avail.
• The trio was ordered to be hanged on 24 March 1931 but the sentence was carried out a day earlier at the Lahore Jail. After the hanging, their mortal remains were cremated in secret.
• It is said that Singh cried ‘Down with British imperialism’ as he was hanged.
• This execution evoked strong reactions from the Indian people, particularly youngsters, and many were motivated to join the freedom struggle.
• 23rd March is observed as ‘Martyrs’ Day’ or ‘Shaheed Diwas’ or ‘Sarvodaya Day’ in honour of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

National Action Plan for dog Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE)

About NAPRE

• The NAPRE is based on recommendations of various international agencies such as WHO, OIE, and Global Alliance of Rabies Control (GARC).
• The plan provides a broad framework for combating rabies in India.
• The vision of the NAPRE is to reduce human deaths due to dog mediated rabies to zero by 2030.
• NAPRE Mission: To progressively reduce and ultimately eliminate human rabies in India through sustained mass dog vaccination and appropriate post-exposure treatment.
• The vital elements of the plan are prevention, promotion and partnership.
• The core ministries involved in the NAPRE are:
  • Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
  • Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
  • Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
  • Municipal Cooperation
• Other ministries such as Finance, Panchayati Raj, Science & Technology, Housing & Urban Affairs, etc. are supporting ministries in the NAPRE.
• Private partners such as NGOs, veterinary and medical organisations are also involved.
• Components of NAPRE:
  • Human health component: To prevent human deaths due to rabies by ensuring timely access for post exposure prophylaxis for all animal bite victims.
  • Animal health component: To achieve at least 70 % of the vaccination coverage among dogs in a defined geographical area annually for 3 consecutive years.

Five Pillars of NAPRE

What is Rabies?

• Rabies is an acute viral disease that causes fatal encephalomyelitis in virtually all warm blooded animals including human beings. Rabies is caused by lyssaviruses.
• The virus is found in wild and some domestic animals and is transmitted to other animals and to humans through their saliva (following bites, scratches, licks on broken skin and mucous membrane).
• In India, dogs are responsible for about 97% of human rabies, followed by cats (2%), jackals, mongoose and others (1%). The disease is mainly transmitted by the bite of a rabid dog.
  • The presence of unvaccinated free roaming dogs (FRD) or street dogs, amidst human settlements is a major contributor to the high incidence of rabies in India, as the disease is endemic.
• The rabies virus infects the central nervous system. If a person does not receive the appropriate medical care after a potential rabies exposure, the virus can cause disease in the brain, ultimately resulting in death.
• The development of rabies can be prevented to a large extent if animal bites are managed appropriately and in time.
• Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure.
  • These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, violent movements, uncontrolled excitement, fear of water, an inability to move parts of the body, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
  • Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease nearly always causes death.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

Details

• NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act, 2005 enacted by the Government of India, and was formally constituted by Dec 2006.
• It is a Statutory Body for disaster management in the country.
• Mandate: Its primary purpose is to coordinate the response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. It is also the apex body to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure a timely and effective response to disasters.

National Disaster Management Authority Vision

• “To build a safer and disaster resilient India by a holistic, pro-active, technology-driven and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation.”

Functions of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

• Implementing policies related to Disaster Management.
• Approving various plans like:
  • National Plans
  • Plans by different Ministries & Departments of the Indian Government
  • Other plans related to the National Plan.
• Laying down guidelines for State Government Authorities in accordance with the State Plan.
• Laying down guidelines for different Government Authorities in order to integrate the preventive measures for the Disaster or attenuation of its effect in their development plans & projects.
• Coordinating with the workforce and implementing the policies/plans necessary.
• Recommending the provision of funds necessary for mitigation.
• Depending on the Central Government, providing aid and support to the countries in need.
• Laying down guidelines and broad policies for the functioning of the NIDM (National Institute of Disaster Management).

Organisational Structure

• The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairperson of the NDMA. 
• The Cabinet Minister is the Vice-Chairman.
• The NDMA Secretariat, headed by a Secretary, is responsible for providing secretarial support and continuity.
• Along with this, NDMA has 8 Ministers of State as its Members.

Udyam Registration

• Udyam Registration crossed the 50 lakh mark.
• New process of MSME registration takes off in the name of Udyam Registration.

Details

• A new process of classification and registration of MSMEs is starting from 1st July 2020.
• An enterprise for this purpose will be known as Udyam and its Registration Process will be known as ‘Udyam Registration’.
• The MSME Ministry has launched a new portal for this purpose.
• Highlights of Udyam
  • MSME registration process is fully online, paperless and based on self-declaration. No documents or proof are required to be uploaded for registering an MSME.
  • The user will need to provide their 12-digit biometric Aadhaar number for the registration process.
  • A registration number will be given after completion of the entire process and an Udyam Registration Certificate will be issued.
  • The Udyam Registration Certificate will have a dynamic QR Code from which the web page on the Portal and details about the enterprise can be accessed. There will be no need for renewal of the registration.
  • The PAN & GST linked details on investment and turnover of enterprises will be taken automatically from the respective Government databases.
  • No enterprise will be allowed to file more than one Udyam Registration. Any number of activities including manufacturing or service or both may be specified or added under one Registration.
  • The registration process will be completely free of cost.

World Maritime Day

About World Maritime Day

• World Maritime Day 2021 is on 30 September and has the theme: “Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future”.
• World Maritime Day is celebrated annually to provide an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of shipping and other maritime activities and to emphasize a particular aspect of the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
• The Day was first held in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of the IMO Convention’s entry into force.

Amrit Grand Challenge Program

About the Challenge

• “जनCARE 2.0”- a Grand Innovation Challenge by DBT/BIRAC, MEITY, NASSCOM in collaboration with GCI, IKP, and a network of several partners from industry, investors, hospitals, incubator network, is a nationwide program.
• The program shall identify and support up to 75 Health-tech Innovations for Telemedicine, Digital health, mHealth with Big Data, AI, ML, Blockchain, and other technologies from Startups and individuals for strengthening healthcare delivery in India.

Prelims Facts

River Suvarnamukhi

• Suvarnamukhi is a perennial river in Andhra Pradesh running from south to north.
• The Hindu temples of Tirumala and Srikalahasti are situated in the river’s basin.