Current Affair 1:

Current Status of Millets: India

 

India produces nine commonly known traditional millets viz. Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Little Millet, Barnyard Millet, Brown top Millet and Kodo Millet.

According to FAO Stat 2021, India produces around 173 lakh tonnes of millets, constituting around 80% of Asia’s and 20% of global production. India is among the top 5 exporters of millets in the world and its exports have been continuously increasing at around 3% CAGR since last 5 years.

Despite the benefits of growing millets, over the years, Indian farmers have made a slow but steady shift in their cereal growing preferences away from millets. The total area of cropland harvesting the three major millet crops i.e. jowar, bajra and ragi grown in India has almost halved across the country since 1966. Thousands of hectares of land under millet production have shifted to other crops.

Table 1 depicts the trend in the area, production and yield of millets since 2010. As seen from the table, production of millets recorded a negative CAGR (-0.94%). Further, area under cultivation also witnessed negative CAGR (-3%).

What are the reasons for low production?

The reasons for the decline can be attributed to

1. the promotion of rice and wheat vis-a-vis millet production and lack of suitable initiatives towards millets.
2. The low margins associated with millet production, vis-à-vis other crops, has created disincentives for millet farmers.
3. The relatively shorter shelf life of the crops creates storage related concerns and gives rise to risks of spoilage.
4. Further, changes in lifestyle and consumer tastes, and unavailability of ready to eat millets have contributed to lower demand.

Considering potential nutritional role of millets in public health, the Government of India declared millets as Nutri-Cereals through the gazette notification dated 10.04.2018 and celebrated the National Year of Millets in 2018.

India proposed the International Year of Millets to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with around 70 countries supporting India’s constructive proposal and the United Nations General Assembly passed the resolution to observe 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

Various steps taken by Government in this direction.

Other current data:

If you find anything new in millets, add to this file only. Don’t make separate notes.

Current Affair 2:

National Medical Devices Policy, 2023

 

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023.

Always read introduction of any policy or scheme. Aapko Mains main bhi help krega and Prelims toh hoga hi.:

Why need for Medical Devices policy?

1. While the Government has initiated several schemes and programs through different departments to encourage the medical devices sector, the current policy proposes to put in place a comprehensive set of measures for ensuring sustained growth and development of the sector.
2. Secondly, in view of the diversity of products segments covered in the medical devices sector, the regulatory, trade and promotion support is spread over several departments and agencies in the Government both at the Centre and State levels. There is a need to bring together the range of interventions into a coherent policy framework.

Salient Features of National Medical Devices Policy, 2023:

Vision: Accelerated growth path with a patient-centric approach and to emerge as the global leader in the manufacturing and innovation of medical devices by achieving 10-12% share in the expanding global market over the next 25 years.  Policy is expected to help the Medical Devices Sector grow from present $11 Bn to $50 Bn by 2030.

Mission: Policy lays down a roadmap for accelerated growth of the medical devices sector to achieve the following missions viz, Access & Universality, Affordability, Quality, Patient Centred & Quality Care, Preventive & Promotive Health, Security, Research and Innovation and Skilled manpower.

Strategies to Promote Medical Device Sector:

Medical devices sector will be facilitated and guided through a set of strategies that will be cover six broad areas of policy interventions:

Regulatory Streamlining: In order to enhance ease of doing research and business and further to balance patient safety with product innovation measures such as creation of a Single Window Clearance System' for Licensing of Medical Devices coopting all the stakeholder departments / organizations such as AERB, MeitY, DAHD, etc, enhancing the Role of Indian Standards like BIS and designing a coherent pricing regulation, will be followed.

Enabling Infrastructure: The establishment and strengthening of large medical device parks, clusters equipped with world class common infrastructure facilities in proximity to economic zones with requisite logistics connectivity

Facilitating R&D and Innovation: The policy envisages to promote Research & Development in India and complement the Department’s proposed National Policy on R&D and Innovation in the Pharma- MedTech Sector in India.

Attracting Investments in the Sector: Along with resent schemes and interventions like Make in India, Ayushman Bharat program, Heal-in-India, Start-up mission, the policy encourages private investments, series of funding from Venture Capitalists, and also Public-Private Partnership(PPP).

Human Resources Development: In order to have a steady supply of skilled work force across the value chain such as scientists, regulators, health experts, managers, technicians, etc.,

Current Affair 3:

United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)

 

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is a high- level advisory body to the Economic and Social Council. The Forum was established on 28 July 2000 by resolution, with the mandate to deal with indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.

The first meeting of the Permanent Forum was held in May 2002, with yearly sessions thereafter. The Forum usually meets for 10 days each year, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The Permanent Forum is one of three UN bodies that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples’ issues. The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.

Current Affair 4:

EU’s Fit for 55 Package

 

The Fit for 55 package is a set of proposals to revise and update EU legislation and to put in place new initiatives with the aim of ensuring that EU policies are into line with the climate goals agreed by the Council and the European Parliament.

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