Friday, March 20, 2026
Home Blog Page 1378

Rs 6000 cr Atal Bhujal Yojana approved

Representational image
New Delhi (NVI): Government of India has approved Atal Bhujal Yojana, for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation in water stressed blocks.
This Rs 6,000 crore Central Sector Scheme is for Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The scheme is being implemented during the period 2020-21 to 2024-25 with the financial assistance of World Bank with a sharing pattern of 50:50 between Government of India and World Bank.
The names of the participating states were decided based on consultation, criticality of groundwater situation, willingness and degree of preparedness.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti & Social Justice and Empowerment, Rattan Lal Kataria in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

India, UK to hold joint military exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior’

New Delhi (NVI): The fifth edition of joint military exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 between India and United Kingdom will be conducted at Salisbury Plains in the United Kingdom from February 13 to 26  2020.

According to an official statement, the exercise will comprise of 120 soldiers each from the Indian and United Kingdom Army who would be sharing their experiences gained during conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in the past.

The aim of this exercise is to conduct company level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorists operation in Urban and Semi Urban areas.

Training on modern weapon systems, equipment and simulator training have also been planned.

In the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, exercise Ajeya Warrior with United Kingdom is an important exercise in terms of the security challenges faced by both the nations in the realm of changing facets of global terrorism.

The exercise is conducted alternatively in United Kingdom and India.

The joint military exercise displays a bilateral willingness to work jointly and share operating procedures to deal with a situation in a specified operational setting.

Exercise Ajeya Warrior will promote defence cooperation and enhance interoperability while sharing experiences between both the armies.

NIA summons senior congress leader from J&K

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned senior Congress leader Ghulam Mohammad Saroori for questioning in connection with militancy related cases in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Saroori, who is close aide of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, has been called for questioning in a case regarding violence and arson that took place on August 9, 2013 in Kishtwar, sources said.

Saroori is the state Congress vice president and a former Jammu and Kashmir Minister.

In 2019, Saroori’s brother Mohammad Shafi Saroori was booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) by police for allegedly giving shelter to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants.

His brother was among six persons, who were booked for allegedly helping the militants in their movement and arranging shelter for them in their houses.

In 2019, RSS leader and his security guard were killed in Kishtwar town.

Besides that major militant strikes happened in Kishtwar during the past one year, which was handed over to the NIA.

India’s textile industry to reach USD 223 bn by 2021: Invest India

New Delhi (NVI): Textile and garments industry in India is expected to reach USD 223 billion by 2021 from 137 billion US dollars in 2016, according to Invest India.

The domestic textiles and apparel industry stood at USD 140 billion in 2018 (including handicrafts) of which USD 100 billion was domestically consumed while the remaining portion worth USD 40 billion was exported to the world market.

Further, the domestic consumption of USD 100 billion was divided into apparel at USD 74 billion, technical textiles at USD 19 billion and home furnishings at USD7 billion.

While exports comprised of textile exports at USD 20.5  billion apparel exports at USD 16.1 billion and handlooms at USD 3.8 billion.

The textiles and apparel industry contributes 2.3 per cent to India’s GDP and accounts for 13 per cent of industrial production, and 12 per cent of the country’s export earnings.

It has strengths across the entire value chain from fiber, yarn, fabric to apparel.

It is highly diversified with a wide range of segments ranging from products of traditional handloom, handicrafts, wool and silk products to the organized textile industry.

The organized textile industry is characterized by the use of capital-intensive technology for mass production of textile products and includes spinning, weaving, processing, and apparel manufacturing.

25 per cent epilepsy cases are preventable

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The cause of epilepsy – a neurological condition that causes seizures – remains unknown for 6 out of 10 people, but an estimated 25 per cent of such cases are preventable, according to World Health Organization (WHO).

Scientists suspect unidentified genetic factors are likely behind the epilepsy cases with unknown causes. Because the relationship between genes and seizures is complex, genetic testing is unavailable for many forms of epilepsy.

According to WHO, the condition affects around 50 million people worldwide. It is often lifelong, but in most cases, people with the condition are able to control their seizures through medication and lifestyle modification that includes eating a healthy diet.

In order to prevent it, preventing head injury is the most effective way to prevent post-traumatic epilepsy. Adequate perinatal care can reduce new cases of epilepsy caused by birth injury.

The use of drugs and other methods to lower the body temperature of a feverish child can, reduce the chance of febrile seizures. Also, the prevention of epilepsy associated with stroke is focused on cardiovascular risk factor reduction, e.g. measures to prevent or control high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, and the avoidance of tobacco and excessive alcohol use.

Central nervous system infections are also common causes of epilepsy in tropical areas, where many low- and middle-income countries are concentrated. Elimination of parasites in these environments and education on how to avoid infections can be effective ways to reduce epilepsy worldwide, for example those cases due to neurocysticercosis.

200 mn may be affected by climatic adversities by 2050: Report 

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): By 2050, more than 200 million people will be forced to leave their homes due to disasters and other climatic adversities, experts believe.

According to the experts, 28 million people were displaced internally in 148 countries in 2018 and 61 per cent of them were dislocated due to disasters and 39 per cent due to conflict and violence.

These assessments and statistics are part of the State of India’s Environment annual report released in Rajasthan by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The experts say that with increasing intensity and frequency, natural disasters now affect more than half of India’s population, both in rural and urban areas.

The State of India’s Environment report adds that the continuity and intensity of extreme weather events in India in 2018-19 has taken even climate scientists and meteorologists by complete surprise.

The world witnessed around 286 and 228 extreme weather events in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Of these, India recorded 23 in 2018 and 9 in 2019.

In terms of casualties, 48 per cent of the deaths in Asia due to extreme weather events were witnessed in India.

And in 2019, comparatively more people died in India even though the number of extreme weather events were less.

Extreme weather events include conditions like drought, wildfire, flood, landslides, extreme temperatures, fog and storm.

The State of India’s Environment report said, “The continuity of extreme events from one month to the next means that the world needs to always be on its toes. Scientists and environmentalists have called this a climate emergency.”

Sunita Narain, director general of CSE said “Climate change impacts are the tipping points as the poor are already living on the margins. Increased inequality is adding to stress; rural economies are dying. Weather-related events will drive people to the point of no return — they will join the hordes of migrants. We know this from the number of illegal settlements in our cities today.”

According to the National Disaster Management Authority, 27 of the 37 states and Union territories are disaster-prone.

Some 68 per cent of the cultivated land is vulnerable to drought, 58.6 per cent landmass is prone to earthquakes, 12 per cent to floods, 5,700 km of the coastline is prone to cyclones and 15 per cent of the area is susceptible to landslides.

The 2011 Census shows that 405 million (or 33 per cent) of the country’s population are on the move, with some 9.9 million people migrating from one state to another every year.

Displacement or rise in migration due to disasters has raised concerns on increasing human trafficking. It is a known fact that in countries like India, there have been clear evidences of linkages between disaster, migration and vulnerability to human trafficking.

The UN Environment Programme estimates that trafficking goes up by 20-30 per cent during disasters. Large-scale migration is also increasing xenophobia and intolerance around the world.

25 European MPs to visit J&K on Feb 12

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): After envoys from 15 countries travelled to Jammu and Kashmir last month, 25 European Parliamentarians (MEPs) are expected to visit the Union Territory from February 12 for two days.

The MEPs will be visiting various districts of Kashmir to assess the situation on the ground. Officials of the Jammu and Kashmir administration will brief them about the current situation, sources said.

Besides meeting administration officials, the MEPs will also be briefed by top Army Commanders on security situation within Jammu and Kashmir and on the border with Pakistan.

The visit of the EU MPs assumes significance as a resolution moved in the European Parliament last month is slated to be discussed and voted upon next month.

The vote was scheduled in January but it was deferred to March, a development that was seen as a diplomatic victory for India.

This will be the third visit by foreigners and second visit by the EU MPs after the abolition of Article 370 in August last year.

Earlier, Ambassadors of 15 countries visited Jammu and Kashmir for two days from January 9.

The envoys, including the US Ambassador, visited Jammu and Kashmir for on-the-spot assessment of situation.

The delegation also included diplomats from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Norway, Maldives, South Korea, Morocco, Brazil, and Nigeria.

National Deworming Day: Albendazole tablets to be administered to children 

New Delhi (NVI): On the occasion of National Deworming Day (NDD) today, the Health Ministry is administering single dose of a safe medicine Albendazole tablet to children across the country in an effort to make every child worm-free.

The medicine is being administered to children in the age group of 1-19 years.

The objective of National Deworming Day is to deworm all preschool and school-age children between the ages of 1-19 years through the platform of schools and Anganwadi Centers in order to improve their overall health.

This year Health Ministry will also ensures that the worms are no longer a public health problem.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 241 million children in India in the ages of 1-14 years are at a risk of parasitic intestinal worms or also known as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH).

This means, India accounts for approximately 28 per cent of the total number of children globally estimated to be at-risk of STH infections.

Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) or parasitic worms are among the most common infections worldwide.

It lives in human intestines and consume nutrients meant for the human body.

They produce thousands of eggs each day, which are passed in faeces and spread to others in areas used for public toilet.

Worm infections can cause anemia, malnourishment, impaired mental and physical development and may cause a serious threat to children’s health, education, and productivity.

Intestinal worm infection often makes its way through vegetables which are not properly washed, peeled and cooked, contaminated water and outdoor activities – children who play in soil and then put their hands in their mouths without washing them.

New blood test detects brain tumors with 87% accuracy

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): A new blood test that can detect brain cancer has been developed in the United Kingdom. It’s cutting edge technology uses artificial intelligence and has a high accuracy rate.

This new blood test sounds very promising. Researchers used an infrared light technique to produce what’s called a biochemical ‘fingerprint’. Then machine learning technology, otherwise known as Artificial Intelligence (AI) was trained to identify brain cancer in blood samples. And out of 104 patients in this study, the test was correct 87% of the time.

According to the National Cancer Institute, around 0.6% of people will develop brain cancer or another cancer of the nervous system in their lifetime.

This research has been published in the journal Nature Communications and its principal author is Matthew J. of the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom.

Why is it so hard to detect brain cancer?

The symptoms for brain tumors are pretty nonspecific, for instance, you can have headaches, memory issues, balance problems or seizures. So it’s hard to know if you have a tumor or some other condition. Plus symptoms can vary depending on what type of tumor it is and where it’s located. Some tumors show no symptoms until they’re very large while others develop slowly over time. So that’s why this type of test is so vital. It won’t provide a final diagnosis, but it looks like it could be a very important tool when it comes to diagnosing brain tumors.

More rapid means of diagnosis

As the researchers explain in their paper, they used a technique called attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and coupled it with machine learning technology to detect brain cancer.

The authors explain that the technique is “a simple, label free, noninvasive, nondestructive” way of analyzing the biochemical profile of a blood sample without requiring extensive preparation of the sample.

The ATR-FTIR technique allowed the researchers to work out a biochemical “fingerprint” of brain cancer.

Many cases of brain tumors are found in India

According to a 2018 report of the International Association of Cancer Registries, 28,142 brain tumor cases are found in India every year. Of these, around 24,000 people die. The reason behind a large number of deaths is because most people are unable to get the brain tumor detected or examined on time.

Common Symptoms

The initial symptoms of brain tumors are so common that people usually ignore it and the disease keeps growing inside. Usually, the onset of a brain tumor includes frequent headaches, forgetting things, migraine-like symptoms or occasional fainting, tremors, etc.

Now diabetes patients can have oral insulin capsule

New Delhi (NVI): Scientists have created oral capsules of insulin as an alternative to injection for diabetes patients.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a tablet full of insulin and essential proteins for diabetic patients, which can be eaten like normal medicines.

Diabetes is a disease that can never be completely cured. However, one can lead a healthy life by controlling diabetes.

Diabetes patients usually have to take insulin injections to control blood sugar. But recently, scientists have found a breakthrough in this field.

Now patients with diabetes do not need to take daily injections because scientists have made oral capsules of insulin.

This will solve a major problem of diabetes patients. So far, diabetes patients have to take insulin injections with them, but soon after the arrival of this capsule, they will be able to use this capsule like normal medicine.

Why did insulin have to be injected?

Insulin is a type of hormone that controls sugar in our body and promotes its correct use.

When insulin does not work properly in a person’s body, the sugar produced in his body dissolves in the blood instead of going to cells, which is called blood sugar.

To balance this hormone, diabetes patients have to take insulin injections.

Insulin is made up of hormone proteins. So if it is taken by mouth like normal medicines, then firstly it will go into the intestines and there it will be digested (under the process of digestion).

In this process, insulin hormones are destroyed. That is why insulin medicine could not be made until now, and it had to be taken by injection.

Finally got success in making medicine!

Scientists for a long time wanted to make such medicines to control blood sugar, which could be eaten like tablets.

Scientists claim that the new drug they make is so strong that it will not be destroyed by the acid that builds up in the stomach and will reach the small intestine without any harm.

Going there (towards the process), this capsule will dissolve and the body will be able to use this medicine.

Adequate insulin in small capsules

MIT professor and author of this research paper Robert Langer said “We are really happy with our discovery. Our lab members have finally succeeded in creating a drug that will help future diabetes patients and (other people too).”

The new drug is about 30mm capsules, but it has enough insulin, which is necessary for a diabetic patient.

The special thing is that this medicine dissolves very quickly and reaches the bloodstream, which will give immediate benefit to the diabetic patient.

1...1,3771,3781,379...1,546Page 1,378 of 1,546

MUST READ