Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 29 April 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Recently seen in news, the ‘Big Catch-up’ Initiative is best related to which one of the following?

1. Development of carbon-neutral technologies
2. Data generation on deep-sea minerals
3. An initiative to stop hidden hunger
4. Immunization against critical diseases

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 28 April 2023

Explanation:

• Option (1) is correct: To mitigate this crisis of missed essential immunization against critical diseases in 2021, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO, under Immunization Agenda 2030 along with other public health organizations have come together to implement The Big Catch-up Initiative. The main collaborators are WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Immunization Agenda 2030, and other health partners. It aims to Boost childhood vaccination rates and reverse declines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It targets 20 countries including India, where three-quarters of the children who missed vaccinations in 2021 live. Salient features include Strengthening healthcare workforces, improve health service delivery, build demand for vaccines, and address obstacles to immunization.

Q) Consider the following statements about patent regime in India:

1. India is a signatory to both the Berne Convention and the Budapest Treaty on patents.
2. In India, patents are valid for ten years after the application is filed.
3. According to the Indian Patent Act, the government may permit the manufacture of a patented innovation without the patent owner’s permission.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: A patent is an exclusive set of rights provided for an invention, which may either be a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. India is party to various IPR conventions, including Berne convention, Budapest Treaty, Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Berne convention deals with the protection of works and the rights of their authors. Budapest Treaty, adopted in 1997, concerns the international patent process for microorganisms. Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property applies to industrial property in the widest sense, including patents, trademarks, utility models, industrial designs, service marks, geographical indications trade names and the repression of unfair competition.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Patent in India has validity of twenty years from the date of filing the application, irrespective of whether it contains provisional or complete specification. Under the the Indian Patent Act of 1970, patents are granted if following conditions are fulfilled:
• It must be novel
• It must have inventive step/s or it must be non-obvious
• It must be capable of Industrial application
• It must not attract the provisions of sections 3 and 4 of the Patents Act 1970
• Statement 3 is correct: Under Section 3(d) of the Indian Patent Act 1970 (as amended in 2005), patents are not given to inventions involving new forms of a known substance unless it significantly differs with regard to efficacy. This issue has been a concern especially for pharma industry, which usually rely on evergreening of patents. The government has powers to direct use, manufacture, and import or sells a patented invention without the patent-owner’s consent. Foreign investors bringing new technology are concerned that compulsorily licensing is misused to replicate their products.

Q) With reference to PM SHRI scheme, consider the following statements:

1. Under this scheme, new schools will be developed for the students of scheduled tribes.
2. These schools will develop eco-friendly practices of waste management and water conservation.
3. Most of such schools will be built in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme, 6,448 schools from 28 states and union territories have been chosen for upgrading. PM SHRI scheme is a Centrally Sponsored scheme announced in 2022. Objective of this scheme is the development of more than 14500 schools across the country by strengthening selected existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies.
• Statement 2 is correct: The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as Green Schools, incorporating environment-friendly aspects. These will be equipped with solar panels, LED lights, nutrition gardens, and waste management, water conservation and harvesting systems. Modern facilities including ICT (information and communication technologies) facility, smart classrooms, library, digital library, science labs and vocational labs etc will be provided in thses schools.
• Statement 3 is correct: Under PM SHRI scheme Uttar Pradesh has the most selected schools (928), followed by Andhra Pradesh (662), Telangana (543), Maharashtra (516), Madhya Pradesh (416), and Rajasthan (402). The duration of the scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27, after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools.

Q) Consider the following statements about Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO):

1. CDSCO is responsible for approval of clinical trials of new drugs in the country.
2. It is responsible for conducting drug safety tests under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
3. CDSCO decides the prices of medicines included in the National List of Essential Medicines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 and 2 are correct: At least 48 commonly used medicines have failed the latest drug safety test conducted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) CDSCO is under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. It is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India. It is the Central Drug Authority for discharging functions assigned to the Central Government under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. It is responsible for approval of licenses of specified categories of Drugs such as blood and blood products, IV Fluids, Vaccine and Sera. It is responsible for approval of New Drugs, Clinical Trials in the country, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs, coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organizations and providing expert advice with a view of bring about the uniformity in the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: In order to make medicines affordable, Government of India promulgated the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2012 bringing all medicines with specified dosage and strength included in National List of Essential Medicines under price control. Accordingly, Drug Price Control Order, 2013 was issued by Department of Pharmaceuticals under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers for fixing the ceiling price of medicines included in NLEM, 2011.

Q) With reference to ‘SUPREME’ Initiative, consider the following statements:

1. The initiative aims to develop green technologies to reduce pollution in the steel industry.
2. It was recently launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct: Recently, Ministry of Science and Technology has launched a SUPREME initiative to provide financial support for the upgradation and maintenance of analytical instrumentation facilities (AIFs). It is a first-of-its-kind programme by the government, which extends financial support for repair, upgradation, maintenance, retrofitting, or acquiring additional attachments to increase functional capabilities of existing analytical instrumentation facilities. Different facilities created under the projects/Analytical instrumentation facilities (AIFs) with the support of DST only will be considered for funding support under this Scheme. UGC recognized Central Universities/State Funded Universities/Deemed Universities /Private Universities among others are also eligible to apply under this scheme. The duration of support will be for a period not exceeding 3 years. The funding pattern in the scheme would be 75:25 for all private and government-owned institutions (except for state-funded institutions for which 100% funding would be considered).

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