UPSC Daily Current Affairs | Prelim Bits 02-09-2024

Intranasal vaccine

Recently Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) in collaboration with Griffith University has developed a live-attenuated needle-free intranasal booster vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2.

• Intranasal Vaccines – These are vaccines that are administered through nasal pathways.
• Features of Intranasal Vaccine- The nasal route has excellent potential for vaccination due to the organized immune systems of the nasal mucosa.
  • Non-invasive, Needle-free.
  • Ease of administration – does not require trained health care workers.
  • Elimination of needle-associated risks (injuries and infections).
  • High compliance.
  • Scalable manufacturing – able to meet global demand.

• Mucosal Immunity – The intranasal vaccine helps prevent the virus from establishing an infection at its entry point, the nasal passages.
• An intranasal vaccine stimulates a broad immune response of neutralizing IgG, mucosal IgA, and T cell responses.
• Localized Immunization - Immune responses at the site of infection in the nasal mucosa helps in blocking both infection and transmission of COVID-19.
• Immunity Period - This localised immune response could offer protection for up to a year with just one dose.
• IIL’s Vaccine - It is a live-attenuated booster vaccine that utilises codon deoptimization technology.
• Codon deoptimization technology – This method involves modifying the virus in such a way that it mimics a natural infection without causing harm.
• Features - It involves decreasing the frequency of underrepresented codon pairs (genetic determinants for amino acids) without changing the amino acid sequences.
• It is an efficient virus attenuation strategy, where the degree of attenuation can be regulated as required.
• It is extremely safe and takes less time than the conventional way of attenuating viruses which usually takes several years.

References

1. Indian Express | Newly-developed needle-free Covid vaccine
2. The Hindu | Indian Immunologicals Ltd Intranasal Vaccine

Digital Bus initiative

The Digital Bus initiative has so far empowered young adults in remote areas with over three lakh beneficiaries.

• Digital Bus – These are mobile classrooms that bring IT courses, assessment, and certification, as well as access to the world of information and knowledge, to students in remote areas.
• It is a joint venture between the National Digital India Mission and the NIIT Foundation.
• Digital India – It was launched in 2015 for connecting rural areas with high-speed Internet networks and improving digital literacy.
• NIIT Foundation – It is an Education NGO registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 to provide skilling and education to underserved communities.
• Launched – 2017
• Objective
  • Reducing the Digital divide for those living in remote areas
  • Providing Linkages to Government programs and initiatives
  • Enhancing interest-levels in learning
  • Introducing the multidisciplinary approach to education
  • Encouraging collaborative learning
  • Developing interpersonal skills
  • Providing awareness on technology amongst rural community
  • Providing equal opportunities for rural youth
• Components of the program
  • Provide Digital Literacy at the Village Doorstep
  • IT Education
  • Entrepreneurship Development Program
  • Common
  • public utility services
  • Video conferencing consultation
  • Dissemination of Government policies
• Features of the Bus
  • Solar-powered
  • 5G-enabled with computers and Internet
  • Camera/video capabilities
  • Preinstalled e-courses.
• Types of Courses
  • Using e-mail, the Internet, and applications like MS Office.
  • Financial Literacy
  • Cyber Security
• Career programme – It offers a career programme to help the beneficiary look for a job in the nearest city of town.

References

1. The Hindu | Digital Bus Initiative
2. NIIT Foundation | Digital Bus

Munich Agreement

On this day 85 years ago in September 1, 1939, German troops marched into Poland, triggering the beginning of World War II.

• Munich Agreement- It is a settlement reached by Great Britain, France, and Italy with Germany that permitted German annexation of the Sudetenland, in western Czechoslovakia to ensure peace in Europe.
• Signed - September 29-30, 1938.
• Sudetenland – It is the region in the vicinity of the Sudeten Mountain ranges which had a predominately German population and was incorporated into Czechoslovakia in 1918–19.

• Sudeten Annexation – Czechoslovakia, though not officially party to the Agreement, was forced to agree to the deal under pressure from Great Britain and France.
• Following the Munich Agreement, German troops occupied these areas between October 1 and October 10, 1938.
• The annexation was part of Hitler's plan to create a "Greater Germany."
• Outbreak of WWII - Six months after the agreement, Hitler violated it by invading the rest of Czechoslovakia on outbreak of World War II
• WWII Outbreak – On September 1, 1939 German troops marched into Poland, triggering the beginning of World War II.
• Great Britain and France, which had assured help to Poland, declared war on Germany and its allies on September 3.

Reference

Indian Express | Munich Agreement

India Post Payment bank

Recently The India Post Payments Bank celebrateed its 7th Foundation Day.

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)- It is a public sector payments bank with 100% equity owned by Government of India.

Payment banks are a new type of financial institution that was introduced in 2014 to provide basic banking services to people who are currently unbanked or underbanked.

• Established - September, 2018
• Nodal ministry- Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications
• Objective- To provide every household in India an access to efficient banking services and enable them financially secured and empowered.
• Services provided – IPPB offers various Personal  and Merchant banking products and services.

• Aadhaar services – Aadhaar enrolment for children up to 5 years old and mobile number update through Child Enrolment Lite Client (CELC) service.
  • Aadhaar-enabled payment systems
• Door Step Banking - It provides paperless, cashless, and present less banking facilities at the doorstep, even in remote areas.
• Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks- They are functioning as mobile banks through IPPB, delivering various services at the doorstep.
• It promotes the initiative "Aapka Bank, Aapke Dwar" (Your Bank at Your Doorstep).
• Fincluvation – It is Innovation for Financial Inclusion initiative to invite Fintech Start-up community to co-create solutions for financial inclusion.
• Significance of IPPB- It plays an important role in financial inclusion and Digital India, especially in rural areas.
• It facilitates the delivery of various public welfare schemes of the Central and State Governments to the last mile of society.
• It provides paperless, cashless, and present less banking facilities at the doorstep, even in remote areas.

References

1. PIB | India Post Payments Bank
2. Economic Times | 7th Foundation Day of IPPB

Rule 170 of Drugs Act

The Supreme Court of India has stayed a notification issued by the Ministry of AYUSH that removed Rule 170 from the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.

• Rule 170 - It was issued in 2018 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to govern the manufacture, storage, and sale of medicines in India.
• Advertisement regulation – It specifically provides for controlling inappropriate advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicines.
• Provision of the Rules
  • Unique Identification Number (UIN) - It requires manufacturers to obtain approval and a UIN from the state licensing authority before advertising their products.
  • Mandate- The manufacturers must provide textual references, rationale, safety, effectiveness, and quality evidence for their products.
  • Rejection - The advertisements can be rejected if they lack contact details, contain vulgar content, promote sexual enhancement products, use celebrity endorsements, make misleading claims.
• Recent changes-The AYUSH ministry issued a notification on July, 2024, directing state licensing authorities not to take action under Rule 170.
• In May 2023, Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Drugs Technical Advisory (ASUDTAB) recommended the omission of Rule 170.

Reference

Indian Express | Rule 170 of Drugs Act