DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 20 MAY 2021

1. GHOLVAD SAPOTA

In a major boost to exports of Geographical Indication (GI) certified products, a consignment of Dahanu Gholvad Sapota (chikoo) from Palghar district of Maharashtra was today shipped to the United Kingdom.

About:

• GI certification of Ghovad Sapota is held by Maharashtra Rajya Chikoo Utpadak Sangh and the fruit is known for its sweet and unique taste. It is believed that the unique taste is derived from calcium rich soil of Gholvad village.
• Currently in the Palgahr district, around 5000 hectares of land is under sapota or plantation. Out of 5000 farmers who grow Sapota, 147 farmers are authorized GI users.
• Sapota is grown in many states- Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka is known to be the highest grower of the fruit, followed by Maharashtra.
• Earlier this month, a consignment of 2.5 Metric Tonne of GI certified Banganapalli & Survarnarekha mangoes sourced from farmers in Krishna & Chittor districts of Andhra Pradesh was exported to South Korea.

Source : PIB

2. FERTILISER SUBSIDY

Government takes historic pro-farmer decision of hiking fertiliser subsidy.

About:

• PM Narendra Modi chaired a high level meeting on the issue of fertiliser prices. It was discussed that the price of fertilisers is undergoing an increase due to the rising prices of phosphoric acid, ammonia etc internationally.
• A historic decision was taken to increase the subsidy for DAP fertiliser from Rs. 500 per bag to Rs. 1200 per bag, which is an increase of 140%.
• Thus, despite the rise in international market prices of DAP, it has been decided to continue selling it at the older price of Rs.1200 and the central government has decided to bear all the burden of price hike. The amount of subsidy per bag has never been increased so much at once.
• Recently, the international prices of phosphoric acid, ammonia etc. used in DAP have gone up by 60% to 70%. So the actual price of a DAP bag is now Rs 2400, which could be sold by Fertilizer companies at Rs 1900 after considering a subsidy of Rs 500. With recent decision, farmers will continue to get a DAP bag for Rs 1200.

Source : PIB

3. PRADHAN MANTRI SWASTHYA SURAKSHA YOJANA (PMSSY)

New AIIMS started under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana are providing advanced COVID Care in States.

About:

• Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), a Central Sector Scheme, was announced in 2003 to address imbalances in availability of tertiary care hospitals and improve medical education in the country.
• The scheme received a fresh impetus to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of quality medical education in the underserved States, and many new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences are being set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
• So far setting up of 22 new AIIMS has been approved under the scheme, out of which six AIIMS at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh are already fully functional.
• In another seven AIIMS, OPD facility and MBBS classes have started while in five more institutes only MBBS classes has started.
• These regional AIIMS, set up or being set up under PMSSY, have played a very significant role in management of COVID since the beginning of the pandemic early last year.

Source : DD News

4. COVID-19 RECOMMENDATIONS

The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has shared fresh recommendations regarding COVID-19 vaccination with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which has accepted them.

Recommendations wrt Deferring the COVID-19 vaccination in the following scenario:

• Individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 COVID-19 illness: COVID-19 vaccination to be deferred by 3 months after recovery.
• SARS-2 COVID-19 patients who have been given anti-SARS-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma: COVID-19 vaccination to be deferred by 3 months from the date of discharge from the hospital.
• Individuals who have received at least the 1st dose and got COVID-19 infection before completion of the dosing schedule: the 2nd dose should be deferred by 3 months after clinical recovery from COVID-19 illness.
• Persons with any other serious general illness requiring hospitalization or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Other recommendations

• An individual can donate blood after 14 days of either receipt of COVID-19 vaccine or testing RT-PCR negative, if suffering from COVID-19 disease.
• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all lactating women.
• Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination of pregnant women, the matter is under discussion and further deliberation by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI).

Source : PIB