Scheme for pension and medical assistance to artists
Why in News
• The Ministry of Culture administers the ‘Scheme of Pension and Medical Assistance to Artists’. The objective of this scheme is to improve the financial and socio-economic condition of such old age artists and scholars, who have made significant contribution in their specific fields of art and writing etc., but are in a state of poverty. This information was given by the Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region; Shri G. Kishan Reddy gave in Rajya Sabha.
Key point
Swadesh Darshan Scheme• On the basis of the request received from the Government of Bihar, Ministry of Tourism has included Punaura Dham in the Ramayana circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The destination of Punaura Dham has recently been included in the PRASAD scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. Tourism Minister Shri. Kishan Reddy gave this information in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
Key point
• The details of the projects sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme for the state of Bihar are given below:
• Development of Tirthankar circuit at Vaishali-Ara-Masad-Patna-Rajgir-Pawapuri-Champapuri under Jain theme was sanctioned in 2016-17 with an amount of Rs 37.20 crore.
• An amount of Rs 26.11 crore has been released for this so far.
• Integrated development of spiritual circuit under spiritual theme at Sultanganj-Dharamshala-Deoghar, approved in the year 2016-17 at a cost of Rs 44.76 crore. 42.52 crore has been released so far.
• Development of Buddhist Circuit – The construction of Convention Center at Bodh Gaya was approved in the year 2016-17 at a cost of Rs.98.73 crore. 93.22 crore has been released so far.
• Development of Gandhi Circuit: Bhitiharwa-Chandrahiya-Turkauliya was sanctioned in the year 2017-18 under rural theme at a cost of Rs 44.65 crore. 35.72 crore has been released so far.
• Development of pilgrimage circuit in Mandar Hill and Anga Pradesh under approved spiritual theme in the year 2017-18 was approved at a cost of Rs 47.53 crore. 38.02 crore has been released for this so far.
GS PAPER II
World cancer day
Why in News
• World Cancer Day is celebrated every year on 04 February.
Key point
• World Cancer Day is a global event. This event is celebrated every year to unite the people of the world in fighting the fight against cancer.
• On this day many government and private organizations organize camps, lectures and seminars to make cancer aware.
Objective
• The objective of celebrating World Cancer Day is to create awareness about cancer and the need for early detection of the disease and to focus on cancer treatment.
• The main objective of this day is to save millions of people in the world every year from death due to cancer. The first goal of this day is to reduce cancer deaths.
Theme
• World Cancer Day 2022 is being celebrated with the theme Close the Care Gap.
• The first Cancer Day was celebrated in Geneva, Switzerland in the year 1933 at the initiative of the World Health Organization. Since then, a new theme is issued every year on World Cancer Day.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has also considered cancer as a deadly disease. According to the World Health Organization, one Indian in every ten is at risk of getting cancer.
• According to the World Health Organisation, by the year 2025, 1.6 million people of the country may become a victim of cancer.
History
• World Cancer Day was established by the International Union for Control of Cancer (UICC). It is a leading global NGO.
• The International Cancer Control Association was established in the year 1933. Various campaigns to prevent cancer are run by various government and non-government organizations on this day.
What is cancer?
• Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of a group of cells in the body. These cells affect the tissue.
• Due to this the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.
• Cancer can occur at any age. But if cancer is not detected at the right time and it is not treated at the right time, then it can also increase the risk of death.
• Common symptoms of cancer are weight loss, fever, loss of appetite, bone pain, cough or bleeding from the mouth.
GS PAPER II
World wetlands day 2022
Why in News
• World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2nd February all over the world.
Key point
• The international theme of World Wetlands Day 2022 is ‘Wetlands Action for People and Nature’.
• The day is celebrated to mark the date of adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 02, 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the coast of the Caspian Sea. World Wetlands Day was first observed in the year 1997.
• The main objective of this day is to spread awareness about the importance of wetlands such as swamps and mangroves in combating global warming.
• Wetlands are some of the world’s most fragile and vulnerable ecosystems that support unique habitats for plants and animals, and provide livelihoods to millions of people around the world.
• This day is organized to raise global awareness about the important role of wetlands for people and our planet.
Background
• World Wetlands Day was first celebrated on February 02, 1997, on the 16th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention.
• This day is celebrated every year since 1997. An area with moisture or marshy land is called a wetland or wetland.
What are wetlands?
• Wetland is a place where a dense diversity of plant and animal species is found and it is also rich in biodiversity.
• These are land areas that are always or seasonally saturated or submerged. Wetlands make water free from pollution.
• A wetland is an area that is partially or completely covered with water throughout the year.
• Wetlands in India extend from cold and dry areas to tropical monsoon regions of central India and moist areas of the south.
GS PAPER II
Ramsar site
Why in New
• Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in UP have been declared as Ramsar sites.
Key point
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed happiness over the inclusion of two more wetlands, Khijadia Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat and Bakhira Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, in the list of Ramsar sites.
• With this the total number of protected wetlands in the country has gone up to 49.
• Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary and Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary have been recognized as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Treaty.
• The Environment Minister made this announcement at an event organized to commemorate World Wetlands Day in Sultanpur National Park, which was included in the Ramsar list last year.
49 Ramsar Site:
• At present there are 49 Ramsar sites in India. They are spread over an area of 10.93 hectares, which is the largest area in South Asia.
• The theme of World Wetlands Day was ‘Action on Wetlands for People and Nature’.
• On the occasion, Yadav, Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Choubey and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal also released the National Wetlands Decade Change Atlas prepared by Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, which throws light on the changes in wetlands over the past decade.
International treaty
• The Ramsar Treaty is an international treaty for the conservation and efficient use of wetlands.
• It is named after the Iranian city of Ramsar on the Caspian Sea, where the treaty was signed on February 2, 1971.