Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 5.0)

Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 5.0), a campaign of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will conclude all 3 rounds on 14th October 2023.

About Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 5.0):-

Launch:2023.

Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Objective: to enhance immunization coverage for all vaccines provided under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) as per the National Immunization Schedule (NIS).

It is the flagship routine immunization campaign of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (Mission Indradhanush)

Salient Features:-

The campaign will be conducted across the country during the months of August, September and October this year.

During these three rounds, children of the 0-5 years age group and pregnant women, who have missed any dose of vaccine as per the National Immunization Schedule ( NIS), will be vaccinated.

This year, for the first time the campaign is being conducted across all the districts in the country and includes children up to 5 years of age (Previous campaigns included children up to 2 years of age).

Government of India is committed to achieving the target of Measles-Rubella Elimination ( MR Elimination) by December 2023 and the Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 program is a major step toward achieving this goal. (India’s plan to eradicate measles, rubella)

All States/UTs except Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Punjab will conclude all three rounds of the IMI 5.0 campaign by 14 October 2023.

As of 30th September 2023, over 34,69,705 children and 6,55,480 pregnant women were administered vaccine doses during the first 2 rounds of the IMI 5.0 campaign across the country.

Significance:-

IMI 5.0 ensures that routine immunization services reach the missed-out and dropped-out children and pregnant women across the country.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 21st National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSAR) meeting recently.

Key highlights of the 21st NMSAR meeting:-

Date: 12 October 2023.

Venue: Kolkata.

The meeting was chaired by Director General Rakesh Pal, ICG in his capacity as Chairman, of the NMSAR Board.

ICG is the coordinating and executing agency for Maritime Search and Rescue in the Indian Search and Rescue Region.

NMSAR Board:-

It was formed in 2002 and since the Board meeting is being held annually.

To discuss policy issues, formulate guidelines/ procedures and consider recommendations for reviewing the National Search and Rescue plan.

During the meeting, National Search and Rescue (SAR) awards for the year 2022-23 were also presented.

The United Kingdom Flag vessel MV Furious was awarded in the merchant vessel category.

Indian Fishing Boat New Aparajita from West Bengal was awarded in the fishing boat category.

ICG Ship Sujeet & ICG Air Squadron 835 Sqn(CG) in Govt owned SAR unit category.

Gujrat Maritime Board and INMCC received the award in the ashore unit category.

About the Indian Coast Guard (ICG):-

Establishment: 1978.

Ministry: Ministry Of Defence.

HQ: New Delhi, Delhi

It was established in August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent armed force of India.

It is the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world.

For effective command and control, the Maritime Zones of India are divided into five Coast Guard Regions, namely, North-West, West, East, North-East and Andaman & Nicobar, with the respective Regional Headquarters located at Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Port Blair.

Objectives and Functions:-

To protect our ocean and offshore wealth including oil, fish and minerals.

To assist mariners in distress and safeguard life and property at sea. (Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGS))

To enforce maritime laws with respect to sea, poaching, smuggling and narcotics.

To preserve marine environment and ecology and protect rare species.

To collect scientific data and back up the Navy during war.

To Prevent and Control of Marine Pollution.

To ensure the safety and Protection of Artificial Islands and Offshore Terminals

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session on 14th October 2023.

Background:-

The 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session, will be held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai.

IOC session is being held in India after a gap of about 40 years.

India is hosting the IOC Session for the second time. (Mission Olympic Cell)

About the International Olympic Committee (IOC):-

Establishment: 1894.

HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland.

IOC Session discusses and decides on the key activities of the global Olympics movement including:-

Adoption or amendment of the Olympic Charter

The election of IOC members and office-bearers

Election of the host city of the Olympics

Functions:-

Olympic Games Organization: They select the cities for the Games and ensure smooth operations.

The IOC chooses which cities will host the Olympic Games.

The IOC supports and develops sports globally.

It provides financial assistance and Aid to National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

The IOC perform such activities in order to assist them with sports development.

The IOC perform such activities in order to assist them with sports development.

The IOC collaborates with sports organizations to ensure their efficient management.

It also plays a significant role in the fight against doping in sports, working with organizations like the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to maintain the integrity of Olympic competitions.

Asteroid Bennu

Recent reports show that the samples collected from the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu could indicate the building blocks of life on Earth.

Background:-

The sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is seen shortly after touching down in Utah, on September 24, 2023.

The sample was collected from the asteroid Bennu in October 2020. (NASA’s OSIRIS-REx)

About Asteroid Bennu:-

Discovered: 1999.

Discovered by: NASA.

The asteroid was discovered by a team from the NASA-funded Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research team in 1999.

It was originally named as 1999 RQ36.

The name Bennu comes from an Egyptian deity related to the Sun, often depicted as a grey heron.

It is a 500-meter-wide asteroid in an elliptical orbit around the sun.

It is currently more than 200 million miles from Earth.

Bennu’s orbit is close in proximity to Earth’s, even crossing it.

The asteroid makes its closest approach to Earth every 6 years.

It is one of the most potentially hazardous asteroids currently known to Earth.

It has a 1‐in‐2,700 chance of impacting Earth during one of its close approaches to Earth in the late 22nd century.

OSIRIS-REx – short for Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer was the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid

About OSIRIS-Rex:-

Launched on: Sept. 8, 2016.

Launched y: NASA.

OSIRIS-REx – short for Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer.

It was the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid.

The OSIRIS-REx mission is essentially a seven-year-long voyage.

It was meant to explore asteroid Bennu.

The spacecraft contains five instruments including cameras, a spectrometer, and a laser altimeter.

The spacecraft arrived at Bennu in December 2018.

It Surveyed the asteroid for more than two years.

National Human Rights Commission

The National Human Rights Commission celebrated its 30th Foundation Day recently.

About the National Human Rights Commission:-

Established: 1993.

HQ: New Delhi.

NHRC is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993.

The Act also provides for the creation of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) as well.

Historical Background:-

NHRC was established in conformity with the Paris Principles.

Paris Principles: adopted for the promotion and protection of human rights in Paris in 1991. It was endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1993.

Composition of NHRC:-

It is a multi-member body. (NHRC)

It consists of a chairperson, five full-time Members, and seven deemed Members.

Chairperson: a retired chief justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.

Appointments:-

The chairman and members are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a six-member committee consisting of:-

Prime Minister (head)

Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha

Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament

Union Home Minister.

Term: three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.

Removal: The president can remove them from office under specific circumstances.

They can be removed only on the charges of proven misbehaviour or incapacity if proved by an inquiry conducted by a Supreme Court Judge.

Functions of NHRC:-

To investigate the violation of human rights.

To prevent a human rights violation.

To conduct research about human rights.

To create awareness campaigns through various mediums, and encourage the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

NGO: a group that functions independently of any government.

It is the watchdog of human rights in the country.