Soft Robotic Actuators
Indian scientists have developed soft robotic actuators with enhanced photomechanical capacity, using highly Porous Carbon Nanoparticles (PCN) from waste onion peels.
- Soft robotic Actuators consisting of rubber-like polymer with embedded nanomaterials can act as efficient traps for the illuminating low-power near-infrared (NIR) light.
- [Actuation is the state or condition of being impelled or moved to action]
- Actuators can convert the control signal (source of energy) into mechanical motion with bioengineering applications.
- Generation of predesigned motion is facilitated by their flexibility, affordability, and easy customization.
- High thermal conductivity of the nanoforms results in rapid distribution of the heat generated locally by thermal and photo-thermal stimuli.
- Specific surface area of PCNs were efficient traps for the illuminating NIR light resulting in the film comprising PCNs and PDMS achieving large magnitude (multi-mm) actuation with sub-second responses.
- With an additional ultrathin (30 nm) gold layer, the magnitude of actuation could be more than doubled, and bidirectional photo-controlled face-sensitive movement realized.
- Applications - Actuators can be used for bio-medical applications (drug delivery, wearable and assistive devices, prostheses and artificial organs), military, and remote space operations.
Achievements under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)
- As a result of sustained efforts being made under the NACP-IV and its extension phase (2012-21), HIV in India continues to be low nationally, with an estimated adult (15-49 yrs.) prevalence of 0.22% in 2020.
- Estimated annual new HIV infections in India have declined by 48% (2010-2020) in comparison to the global average of 31%.
- Estimated annual AIDS-related mortalities have declined by 82% (2010- 2020) in comparison to the global average of 42%.
National AIDS Control Programme
- Launched in 1992, NACP is being implemented as a comprehensive programme for prevention and control of HIV/ AIDS in India.
- Over time, the focus has shifted from a national response to a more decentralized response and to increasing involvement of NGOs and networks of People living with HIV (PLHIV).
- NACP I (1992) had an objective of slowing down the spread of HIV infections to reduce morbidity, mortality and impact of AIDS in India.
- NACP II (1999) aimed to reduce the spread of HIV infection in India, and to increase India’s capacity to respond to AIDS on a long-term basis.
- NACP III (2007) was launched with the goal of Halting and Reversing the Epidemic over its 5-year period.
National AIDS Control Programme - IV
- Launched in 2012, NACP IV aims to accelerate the process of reversal and further strengthen the epidemic response in India through a cautious and well defined integration process over 5 years period.
- Objectives of NACP - IV
- Reduce new infections by 50% (2007 Baseline of NACP III)
- Provide comprehensive care and support to all persons living with HIV/AIDS and treatment services for all those who require it.
- Key strategies - Intensifying and consolidating prevention services, with a focus on High Risk Groups (HRGs) and vulnerable population.
- Expanding Information Education and Communication (IEC) services for general population and HRGs with a focus on behaviour change and demand generation.
- Targeted Prevention Interventions for HRGs and Bridge Population (Female Sex Workers, Men who have Sex with Men, Transgenders/ Hijras, Injecting Drug Users (IDU), Truckers & Migrants)
- Needle-Syringe Exchange Programme (NSEP) and Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) for IDUs
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
JSY has made significant impact in last one decade by increasing institutional delivery from 38.7% in NHFS-3 to 78.9% in NFHS-4.
- It was launched in 2005 by modifying the National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS), a component of National Social Assistance Program.
- JSY is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NHM).
- This 100 % centrally sponsored scheme is implemented by the Department of Health & Family Welfare in all states and UTs, with a special focus on Low Performing States (LPS).
- Objective - Reducing maternal and infant mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.
- It integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care.
- Target Group - The scheme focuses on poor pregnant woman with a special dispensation for states that have low institutional delivery rates.
- States with low institutional delivery rates - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Orissa, and Jammu and Kashmir.
- While these states have been named Low Performing States (LPS), the remaining states have been named High Performing states (HPS).
- The scheme provides performance based incentives to women health volunteers or Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) for promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.
- Benefits - Cash assistance is given for both the institutional delivery and home delivery.
- Institutional delivery - In both LPS & HPS, BPL/SC/ST women are entitled for cash assistance in accredited private institutions.
- Home delivery - BPL pregnant women, who prefer to deliver at home, are entitled to a cash assistance of Rs. 500 per delivery regardless of the age of pregnant women and number of children.
- Eligible mothers get JSY benefit regardless of any age and number of children. They get benefit directly into their bank accounts.
E-Prisons Project
- The e-Prisons have been operationalised in all States and Union Territories.
- E-Prisons Project, which aims at computerization of the functioning of prisons in the country, is assisted financially by the Home Ministry.
- e-Prisons data has been integrated with Police and Court system under the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
- 3 components of the e-Prisons Project
- e-Prison Management Information System (MIS) is used at the prisons for their day to day regular activities.
- National Prisons Information Portal (NPIP) is a citizen centric portal maintained by States and UTs. It shows statistical data of various prisons in the country.
- It can be accessed through NIC network, exclusively by authorized officials of Law Enforcement Agencies and Prisons, through ICJS.
- Kara Bazaar Portal showcases and sells the products manufactured in various prisons of the country by inmates.
Inter-operable Criminal Justice System
- It is a common platform for information exchange and analytics of all the pillars of criminal justice system - Police, Forensics, Prosecution, Courts, Prisons, etc.
- It aims to reduce errors and time taken in sharing of the information.
- Invested under the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) project of the MHA, the ICJS enables a nationwide search on police, prisons & courts databases across all States/ UTs in India.
Emission Control Measures By Thermal Plants
- In 2020, the Government of India made rules for use of coal by thermal power plants, without stipulations of ash content or distance.
- Technology Solution for emission norms - Compliance of specified emission norms for Particulate Matter, as per the notifications of Central Pollution Control Board, issued from time to time.
- In case of washeries, Middling and rejects to be utilized in Fluidised Bed Combustion (FBC) technology based thermal power plants.
- Ash Ponds - Thermal plants must comply with the Fly Ash notification, without being entitled to extra power generation capacity of fly ash pond on ground of switching from washed to unwashed coal.
- Segregation of ash may be done at the Electro-Static Precipitator stage to ensure maximum utilization of fly ash.
- Coal Transportation may be undertaken by Railway wagon (covered by tarpaulin or other means) or covered conveyer beyond the mine area.
- However, road transportation may be undertaken in covered trucks, if Rail transport/conveyer infrastructure is not available.
- With advancement in pollution control technologies, thermal plants are better equipped to capture fly-ash generated in combustion process and unwashed coal can be used more efficiently and economically.
Fluidised Bed Combustion Technology
- It is a combustion technology used to burn solid fuels (types of coal, coal waste and woody biomass) at high efficiency and without the necessity for expensive fuel preparation.
- Fuel particles are suspended in a hot, bubbling fluidity bed of ash and other particulate materials (sand, limestone etc).
- Through this suspension, jets of air are blown to provide the oxygen required for combustion or gasification.
- The resultant fast and intimate mixing of gas and solids promotes rapid heat transfer and chemical reactions within the bed.
- For any given thermal duty, FBCs are smaller than the conventional furnace, so they offer advantages in terms of cost and flexibility.
- Reduced Emissions - FBC reduces the amount of SOx, NOx emitted.
Other Options
Various technology options for regulating the emission standards in coal-fired power plants include,
- Flue Gas Desulfurization System,
- Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA),
- Circulating Dry Scrubber (CDS),
- Limestone-based Wet FGD,
- Selective Non Catalytic Reduction,
- Electrostatic Precipitator,
- Bag House Dust Collector.
Source: PIB, The Hindu, The Indian Express
