According to the scientists from a city-based International Institute for Population Studies (IIPS), Covid-19 pandemic has affected the lives of people across the world.

Key Points

• As per scientists, in India, covid-19 pandemic has resulted a drop in life expectancy by almost two years.
• Report points out a drop in life expectancy at birth in men as well as women.
• In the year 2019, life expectancy at birth was 69.5 years for men while 72 years for women. This is decreased to 67.5 years for men and 69.8 years for women in the year 2020.
• The study also included a factor term called ‘length of life inequality’.
• As per study, Covid-19 claimed maximum lives of men among the people aged 39-69.
• In the year 2020, the age group 35-79 observed excess deaths due to covid-19 as compared to normal year.

How is life expectancy calculated?

The life expectancy at birth is calculated based on the average number of years a new-born is expected to live in case mortality patterns at the time of the birth of infant remain constant in future.

Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, announced a free education scheme in state, to boost the level of education in the state.

Key Facts

• Scheme has been announced to those whose verified family income is lower than Rs. 1.80 lakh per annum.
• This announcement was made by CM, while he was interacting with students who have cracked civil services exam-2020 and JEE advance exam-2021, during a felicitation programme held at Panchkula.
• Announcement was made under Haryana’s ‘Super 100 Programme’.

Significance of the scheme

Through this scheme, the state government seeks to ensure that no talented student, belonging to a poor family, loses a chance to go with his or her dreams.

NEP 2020 in Haryana

• As per New Education Policy-2020, the state is setting up institutions wherein education will be provided from KG to postgraduate levels.
• In the initial phase, this arrangement will be made in four universities.
• The Kurukshetra University has already started preparations to take admission under “KG to PG scheme” for the academic session 2021-22.

The United Nations Day is observed on October 24, every year since 1948.

Why is this day celebrated?

The day marks the anniversary of the entry of the UN Charter into force in 1945.

What is UN Charter?

• The UN Charter is the founding document of the United Nations, which has been working towards global equality and peace.
• With the ratification of this founding document by majority of its signatories, including five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations was officially established in the year 1945.
• Since 1948, October 24 has been celebrated as United Nations Day 1971.
• On the recommendations of United Nations General Assembly, the day is observed as a public holiday by the Member States.

History of United Nations

The United Nations was officially established on October 24, 1945, after the UN Charter was ratified by China, the Soviet Union, France, the United States and the United Kingdom as well as other signatories. President of United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt had coined the name “United Nations”. He was also the first to use this name in Declaration by United Nations during Second World War, on January 1, 1942. Currently, there are 193 Member States and each of them are a member of the UN General Assembly as well.

When was UN Charter signed?

The UN Charter was signed on June 26, 1945, by the representatives of the 50 countries. Poland, which was not represented at the Conference, signed the charter at later stage and became one among the original 51 Member States.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Uttar Pradesh on October 15, 2021 and launch Pradhan Mantri Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana in Varanasi.

Key Points

• Earlier on the same day, he inaugurated nine medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh.
• PM is also set to inaugurate several development projects worth more than Rs 5200 crore for Varanasi.

About Prime Minister Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMASBY)

PMASBY is going to be one of the largest pan-India schemes to strengthen healthcare infrastructure across India. This scheme is being launched in addition to the National Health Mission. It is a central sector scheme, that targets for building an IT enabled disease surveillance system by means of developing a network of surveillance laboratories at national, regional, district and block levels.

Objective of PMASBY

PMASBY will be launched with the objective of filling critical gaps in public health infrastructure, with special focus on critical care facilities & primary care across the urban and rural areas.

The Standing Committee on Information Technology has decided to review ethical standards in the media coverage.

Highlights

• The standing committee also examines issues related to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• Committee took this decision after looking at several public complaints in functioning of media.
• It will also study the impact of suspension of telecom services and Internet over the last five years in States like Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi in the aftermath of protests against the governments.
• Functioning of the Prasar Bharati Organisation will also be reviewed.
• Committee would also take up the issue of “challenges facing Indian film industry”.
• Functioning and outreach of Doordarshan Channels and Bureau of Outreach & Communication (BOC) would also be looked upon by the committee.
• Committee will also study the growth and opportunities of community radio stations.

Who heads the committee?

The reconstituted panel is headed by veteran Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Indian government notified “Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2021” on October 22, 2021, for incorporating provisions related to nominal one-time compensation.

Highlights

• The rules also seek to incorporate “uniform procedure for establishing overground telegraph line in Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016”.
• Rules have also fixed the amount of one-time compensation for establishing overground telegraph line will at a maximum of Rs 1,000 per km.
• Documentation for Right of Ways (RoW) application for overground telegraph line has also been made simple.
• Earlier, RoW Rules were only covering underground optical fibre cable (OFC) and mobile towers.
• As per notification, there will not be any other fee other than administrative fee and restoration charges to establish, maintain, repair, work, repair, shift or transfer the underground and overground telegraph infrastructure.

How has it eased permission procedures?

These amendments will ease permission procedure related to RoW for establishing and augmenting digital communications infrastructure in India. With a robust pan India digital infrastructure, new rules will also help in bridging the digital divide between rich & poor and rural & urban areas.

First case of Zika Virus was reported from Kanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh on October 24, 2021.

What is Zika Virus?

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys. It was later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. From the 1960s to 1980s, rare sporadic cases of human infections were found across Africa and Asia, typically accompanied by mild illness.

The first recorded outbreak of Zika virus disease was reported from the Island of Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) in 2007. This was followed by a large outbreak of Zika virus infection in French Polynesia in 2013 and other countries and territories in the Pacific. In March 2015, Brazil reported a large outbreak of rash illness, soon identified as Zika virus infection, and in July 2015, found to be associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome.  

Zika fever

Zika fever or Zika virus disease is caused due to Zika virus. It often causes no or some mild symptoms, which are like mild form of dengue fever. The virus can spread from a pregnant woman to her baby, which can result in microcephaly, some birth defects and severe brain malformations.

Treatment for zika virus

There is no specific treatment for the disease. However, paracetamol may help in relieving the symptoms.

Vaccines for the disease

No specific vaccines are available for zika virus disease. However, several vaccines are currently in clinical trials.