What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News? 
•  What is Measles? 
• What is Rubella? 
• What is the Difference between Rubella and Measles?
• Are Measles & Rubella Preventable?
• India’s Plan to Eliminate Measles & Rubella (MR)
• Disruptions caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic
• What is Mission Indradhanush? 

 

Why in News?  

• In 2019, the Central government adopted the goal of measles and rubella elimination by 2023. 
• Earlier, the goal was to eliminate measles and rubella by 2020. However, due to variety of reasons it had been delayed.

 

What is Measles? 

• Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus.
• Measles is caused by a virus found in the nose and throat of an infected child or adult.
• Who is at risk? 
  • Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of measles and its complications, including death. Unvaccinated pregnant women are also at risk. 
  • Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected.
  • Measles is still common in many developing countries – particularly in parts of Africa and Asia.

 

What is Rubella? 

• Rubella is a contagious infection caused by a virus. It is best known by its distinctive red rash. 
• It's also called German measles or three-day measles. 
• This infection may cause mild or no symptoms in most people. 
• However, it can cause serious problems for unborn babies whose mothers become infected during pregnancy.

 

What is the Difference between Rubella and Measles? 

• Rubella isn't the same as measles, but the two illnesses share some signs and symptoms, such as the red rash. 
• Rubella is caused by a different virus than measles, and rubella isn't as infectious or as severe as measles.

 

Are Measles & Rubella Preventable?

• Both measles and rubella can be prevented by just two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. 
• Over the past two decades, the measles vaccine is estimated to have averted more than 30 million deaths globally, as per the World Health Organization’s statistics.

 

India’s Plan to Eliminate Measles & Rubella

• The Measles virus is one of the world’s most contagious human viruses that kills more than 1,00,000 children every year globally.
• Meanwhile, Rubella is a leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects, according to the WHO.
• During 2010–2013, India conducted a phased measles catch-up immunisation for children aged 9 months–10 years in 14 States, vaccinating approximately 119 million children.
• Mission Indradhanush was launched in 2014 to ramp up vaccinating the unvaccinated population.
• During 2017–2021, India adopted a national strategic plan for measles and rubella elimination.
  • During the same period, the Government introduced rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) into the routine immunisation programme.

 

Disruptions caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic

• In November 2022, India had recorded more than 12,000 cases of measles. 
• Public-health researchers say that the revival of measles in India — mostly in four large cities — is happening because millions of children didn’t get vaccinated in 2020, owing to the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 
• On top of this, researchers say there has been persistently low coverage in routine immunizations of new-borns for the past few years, which has contributed to the current outbreak.
• Vaccine hesitancy is also an issue in some communities. These areas can be a breeding ground for outbreaks.
• Positive Takeaway – 
• Estimated coverage with the first dose of a measles- and rubella-containing vaccine increased from 68% to 89% in 2021. 
• Estimated coverage with the second dose of a measles-containing vaccine increased from 27% to 82% in 2021. 
  • During 2017–2021, measles and rubella incidence declined 62% and 48%, respectively.

 

What is Mission Indradhanush? 

• Mission Indradhanush (MI) was launched in December 2014  as a special drive to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under UIP.
• The Mission focuses on interventions to improve full immunization coverage for children in India from 65% in 2014 to at least 90% earlier than 2020.
• Till date, ten phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed covering 701 districts across  the country. 
• No separate funds are allocated for Mission Indradhanush. Funds allocated for Routine Immunization are being utilized by the states to carry out activities under Mission Indradhanush.

 

---

Q1) Which Diseases are Covered under Mission Indradhanush?

The programme provides vaccination against eight life-threatening diseases (diphtheria, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) causing pneumonia and meningitis, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B) in the entire country.

 

Q2) What is the main cause of Diphtheria?

Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin. It is the toxin that can cause people to get very sick.

 

---

Source: Explained | India’s plan to eradicate measles, rubella | Nature.com

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is 57th Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police?
• News Summary: 57th Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police
• What were the key highlights of the speech delivered by Union Home Minister during the inauguration of 57th Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police?

 

Why in news?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police 2022 in New Delhi.
• The three-day conference was inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah on January 20, 2023. 

 

What is 57^th Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police?

• The three-day Conference, from January 20 to 22, 2023, is being held in hybrid format in New Delhi.
  • About 100 invitees including DGP of States/UTs and Heads of Central Armed Police Forces and Central Police Organizations will attend the Conference physically.
  • The remaining invitees will participate virtually from across the country.
• The conference is the culmination of extensive deliberations involving police and intelligence officers from the district, state and national levels on identified themes.
• Best practices from States and Union Territories will be presented at the Conference so that States can learn from each other.
• The conference will discuss a wide range of issues including Cyber Crime, Technology in Policing, Counter Terrorism challenges, Left Wing Extremism, capacity building, Prison Reforms, among others.
• Off late, the Conference has started discussions on futuristic themes in policing and security.
  • This is to ensure not only safety in the present times, but also to develop capability to meet emerging issues and challenges.

 

News Summary: 57^th Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police

• PM Modi attended the All-India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police 2022 in New Delhi on 21 January.
  • He will also attend the conference on 22^nd January.
• The three-day Conference was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 20, 2023.
• On the first day, deliberations centred on topics  such as security challenges along the land borders with Nepal and Myanmar, strategies to identify overstaying foreigners in India and ta rgeting of Maoist strongholds.

 

What were the key highlights of the speech delivered by Union Home Minister during the inauguration of 57^th Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police?

 

Outlined five focus areas for police forces

• The minister outlined five focus areas for police forces: 
  • urban policing, capacity-building, police technology, critical infrastructure security and securing digital goods.

 

J&K on path of peace, stability

• Terror incidents, deaths and terrorist-dominated areas in Jammu and Kashmir have diminished drastically.
• 1.80 crore tourists visited J&K in 2022, which is a testimony to the fact that the UT is heading towards peace and stability.
• Today, 32,000 children from other parts of the country are studying in J&K. 

 

Challenges to policing have now drastically transformed

• Earlier, policing had to tackle more of a geographical p roblems like terrorism and unrest in J&K, Left-wing extremism and unrest in the northeast etc.   
• However, it has now transformed to countering new-age thematic threats of cyber security and data theft.
• The problems also have become multidimensional as narco terror and fourth-generation war have chipped in.
  • The goal of Fourth generation warfare (4GW) is collapsing the enemy internally rather than physically destroying him. 
  • Targets will include such things as the population's support for the war and the enemy's culture.
  • Fourth generation warfare seems likely to be widely dispersed and largely undefined; the distinction between war and peace will be blurred to the vanishing point. 
  • It will be non-linear, possibly to the point of having no definable battlefields or fronts.
  • In other words, 4GW is conflict characterized by a blurring of the lines between war and politics, combatants and civilians.    

 

Peace returning to Northeast

• In the Northeast, nine different types of groups have surrendered and signed peace accords and have returned to the mainstream.
• More than 9,000 insurgents have handed over weapons to authorities. 
• In view of nearly 42% decline in violence, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) had been withdrawn from over 30% of the areas in the region.

 

Massive success in taming left wing terror

• India has attained massive success in taming left wing terror. 
• In 2010, there were 96 terror-affected districts and now there are only 46. 
• In Left wing extremism-affected regions also, violence witnessed 40-60 per cent decline.

 

Power of India’s cooperative federalism

• Recently, police in all States have cooperated to nab “Popular Front of India (PFI) culprits.
  • In September 2022, the government banned the PFI - a controversial Muslim group - for five years for allegedly having links with terror groups.
  • Over 150 PFI members were arrested in 11 states, UTs. 
• It showed the power of India’s cooperative federalism and maturity as a democracy.

 

---

Q1) What is Maoism?

 Maoism is a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung. It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances. 

 

Q2) What is Popular Front of India (PFI)?

 Popular Front of India (PFI) is an Islamic political organisation in India, that engages in a radical and exclusivist style of Muslim minority politics.The PFI was established in 2007 after the merger of three influential Muslim groups – the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Kerala, the Karnataka Forum for Dignity in Karnataka, and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai in Tamil Nadu.

 

---

Source: ‘J&K on path of peace, stability’: Shah praises security agencies | PIB | The Hindu | Times of India

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)? 
• What are World Heritage Sites?
• News Summary: Heritage tag sought for Ahom burial mounds in Assam
• What are Moidams/Maidams?

 

Why in news?

• The Centre has decided to nominate Assam’s Charaideo Maidams for the UNESCO World Heritage Centre this year.
• The Charaideo Maidams of Assam is the Ahom equivalent of the ancient Egyptian pyramids.

 

What is United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)? 

• It is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN), headquartered at the World Heritage Centre in Paris, France.
• It was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nation's International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.
• It was established with an aim to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in five key program areas - Education; Natural sciences; Social or human sciences; Culture; Communication/information.
• UNESCO is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
  • Thus, UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the SDGs defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
• UNESCO's activities have expanded over the years. 
  • It aids in the translation and dissemination of world literature, assists in the establishment and protection of World Heritage Sites of cultural and natural importance, works to bridge the global digital divide, etc.

 

What are World Heritage Sites?

•  These sites have been designated as having “outstanding universal value” under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972.
  • The convention provides a framework for international cooperation in preserving and protecting cultural treasures and natural areas throughout the world. 
• Categorisation of Sites – The sites are categorised in three types:
  • Cultural heritage sites – It includes historic buildings and town sites, important archaeological sites, and works of monumental sculpture or painting
  • Natural heritage sites – It includes those natural areas that have excellent ecological and evolutionary processes, endangered species etc.
  • Mixed heritage sites – It contain elements of both natural and cultural significance.
•  India has 40 world heritage sites, including 32 cultural properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site.
  • The 40th being the Harappan City, Dholavira in Gujarat, in 2021. 

 

News Summary: Heritage tag sought for Ahom burial mounds in Assam

• Moidams/maidams have been finalised as India’s sole nomination for consideration as Unesco World Heritage Site for the year 2023-2024.

 

What are Moidams/Maidams?

• The Moidams (also Maidams) are the mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty (13th century-19th century).
• The mound-burial system of the royals of the Ahom dynasty in Assam’s Charaideo district can be likened to the royal tombs of ancient China and the Pyramids of the Egyptians Pharaohs.
  • The Ahom rule lasted for about 600 years until the British annexed Assam in 1826. 
  • Charaideo, more than 400 km east of Guwahati, was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty founded by Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1253.
• Previously, those of the deceased with their paraphernalia were buried.
• However, after the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation, entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Moidam at Charaideo.
• The Moidams enshrine the mortal remains of Ahom royalty and are highly venerated. 

 

---

Q1) Who was the founder of Ahom kingdom?

 The Ahom kingdom was a late medieval kingdom in the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam. It was founded by Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1253.

 

Q2) How many sites in India are recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites?

India has 40 world heritage sites, including 32 cultural properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site. The 40th being the Harappan City, Dholavira in Gujarat, in 2021.

 

---

Source: Heritage tag sought for Ahom burial mounds in Assam | United Nations | The Hindu | Times of India

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What does the Word 'Theatre' Mean and Where did it Come from?
• Why does India Seek Theatre Commands?
• News Summary with respect to the Theaterisation in India

 

 

Why in News?

According to government officials, the armed forces are finalising theaterisation plans that seek to integrate the Army, Navy and Indian Air Force, as well as their resources, into specific theater commands.

 

What does the Word 'Theatre' Mean and Where did it Come from?

Image Caption: Timeline of Theatre Commands Proposal in India

• The dictionary meaning is the entire land, sea and air areas that is or may become involved directly in war operations.
• The word ‘theatre warfare’ became more prominent during World War II with the battles being fought across continents.
• In World War II, theatres such as the Pacific-Asian Theater, referred to the geographical grounds of the battle and all deployments - army, navy and air force - in a unified manner.
• As of now, almost all major countries like China, Russia, the US, the UK and France work on a theatre command concept. 
• For example, China’s (latest entrant to a theatre concept) Western Theater Command looks after the entire borders with India. 
• In India, the need for a unified approach was brought out after the 1999 Kargil battle.
• The Kargil Review Committee, the Naresh Chandra Committee and the Group of Ministers had called for structural changes in higher defence management.
• It was the Shekatkar committee, which had recommended the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and theatre commands.

 

Why does India Seek Theatre Commands?

• India currently has 19 military commands with 17 of them service-oriented (7 each for Army and the Air Force and the Navy has 3).
• India also has a Tri-Service Command - Andaman and Nicobar Command, besides the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which looks after the country’s nuclear stockpile.
• The aim is to bring all the 17 individual commands into four or five unified or theatre commands. It might also have two more functional commands for training and logistics.
• The rationale is that this will aid in better planning and military response (a unified approach to fighting the future wars) by integrating 3-services as well as their resources, into specific theater commands.
• While the initial cost may be higher, it will be more cost-effective in the long run because all acquisition will be unified.
• The acquisition of Apache attack helicopters from the US is a classic example of the dangers of not having a unified approach to acquisition.
• While the Indian Air Force got 22 Apaches, the Army has also placed orders for six of these choppers.
• The end result - loss of at least Rs 2,500 crore and haphazard operational planning.

 

News Summary with respect to the Theaterisation in India

• What are the theatre proposals?

  • There will be 4 theatres -
    • Northern and Eastern Theatre (China centric)
    • Western Land Theatre (Pakistan centric) 
    • Maritime Theatre Command, will see a merger of the eastern and western naval commands, besides getting elements from the Army and the Air Force.
    • Air Defence Command
• Also under discussion is the creation of a joint training command. Three joint logistics nodes had already been operationalised until 2021. 
• Threats emanating from China, Pakistan and via the sea routes are being factored in the plans for theatre commands which will integrate resources of the Army, Navy, IAF.

 

What are the concerns related to theatre proposals?

• The previous plan called for the Army's Northern Command and the Indian Air Force's Air Officer Commanding Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to operate separately from the theatre commands, as integration would divide their fighting assets.
• Multiple studies were conducted over the last two years, but the plans were delayed after CDS General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in December 2021.
• However, after the current CDS, General Anil Chauhan, took over in September last year, the plans picked up again.

 

Way ahead with respect to the theatre commands:

• The theatre commands should be future-ready to deal with the emerging forms of warfare in the space and cyber domains.
• They should not increase the decision-making chains from the existing levels.
• According to the former Army chief (General Naravane (retd)), a national security strategy should be in place, before theaterisation.
• To get the most out of the theatre commands, the right tri-service structures must be in place.

 

---

Q1) What is the significance of creating Theatre Commands in India?

The aim is to bring all the 17 individual commands into four or five unified or theatre commands. The rationale is that this will aid in better planning and military response by integrating 3-services as well as their resources, into specific theater commands. While the initial cost may be higher, it will be more cost-effective in the long run because all acquisition will be unified.

 

Q2) How many military commands does India currently have?

India currently has 19 military commands with 17 of them service-oriented (7 each for Army and the Air Force and the Navy has 3). India also has a Tri-Service Command - Andaman and Nicobar Command, besides the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which looks after the country’s nuclear stockpile.

 

---

Source: Armed Forces give shape to contours of theatre plans | The Print | HT 

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTOqu_zU594