It is a joint search and rescue exercise between India and Japan to help increase mutual understanding in Anti-Piracy operations.
During the exercise, helicopters of the Japan and Indian Coast Guard will perform cross landing operations to improve compatibility between the two forces.
This year, it will be held in Chennai.
Japanese coast guard ship “Tsugaru”, a patrol vessel with helicopters will participate in this exercise.
Internet Service Provider for Nepal
China has recently become Nepal’s second Internet service provider, breaking India’s monopoly in providing Internet access.
So far, Nepal had been linked to the global internet network through Indian telecom operators using optical fibre connections in few provinces in Nepal.
But a new terrestrial fibre cable launched by China Telecom Global (CTG) in 2016 will now connect Nepal and China through the border gateway.
It is to be noted that CTG has already expanded Internet services to Pakistan, Laos and Thailand.
Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently given its approval to continuation of MPLADS till the term of the 14th Finance Commission i.e. 31.03.2020.
The MPLAD Scheme is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme which was launched in 1993-94.
It enables the Members of Parliament to improve physical and institutional infrastructure in their constituencies.
Lok Sabha MP chooses these villages from the constituency he/she represents and the Rajya Sabha MP chooses it from the state he/she represents.
MPs cannot pick villages which belong to themselves or their spouses.
Gram Panchayat would be the basic unit for development.
The scheme requires MP to draft a village development plan, identify gaps in funding and mobilizing MPLAD funds to create additional resources specifically from CSR initiatives of various corporate houses.
District Collectors will carry ground-level surveys along with monthly review meetings to monitor progress.
LEADS Index
Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) index is a composite indicator to assess international trade logistics across states and Union territories.
It is based on a stakeholders’ survey conducted by Deloitte for the Ministry of commerce and industry.
Gujarat topped the first-of-its-kind index, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh took the second and third positions, respectively.
The index is loosely based on the World Bank’s biannual Logistics Performance Index (LPI).
India was ranked 35 among 160 countries in LPI in 2016, up from 54 in 2014.
LEADS is based on eight parameters such as infrastructure, services, timeliness, track and trace, competitiveness of pricing, safety of cargo, operating environment and regulatory process.
Kala Azar
India has missed the 2017 deadline for elimination of Kala Azar.
Elimination is defined as reducing the annual incidence of Kala Azar to less than 1 case per 10,000 people at the sub-district level.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is caused by the protozoan Leishmania parasites.
It is transmitted to humans through infected sandflies.
It is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia.
The parasite migrates to the internal organs such as the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and, if left untreated, may result in the death.
It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent in 119 districts in four countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal).
India itself accounts for half the global burden of the disease.
Further, a little-known skin condition called Post Kala Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL), a red flag for transmission of Kala Azar has been growing steadily over the past few years.
Chiru Goat
Chiru goat is also known as the Tibetrean antelope.
It is native of China (Tibet, Xinjiang region) and India (North Eastern Ladakh region) and regionally extinct in Nepal.
Its numbers and distribution have decreased sharply as a result of commercial hunting for the underfur for making of shawls.
In India, it is killed for making of the famous Shahtoosh shawls, which is renowned for its quality from Srinagar.
In 2017, it has been included in “Near Threatened” category by IUCN.
The parliamentary standing committee on science & technology, environment & forests had recommended to the ministry of environment, to conserve and breed the Chiru goat, which can then be given to the shawl makers.
The motive behind such recommendation is to provide a sustainable livelihood opportunity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, Ministry of Environment has ruled out the possibility of conservation breeding citing that it may lead to decline in its population due to commercial poaching.
