The term "living fossil" is meant to describe an organism that has remained relatively unchanged over millions of years, or one that has no, or very few, close surviving relatives.
It was originally used by Charles Darwin to describe ancient species, like the ginkgo tree or horseshoe crab that appeared little changed over millions of years.
If a species does not constantly have to adapt to survive, it will have little need to change.
The coelacanth (a fish) is the most famous and widely recognized species of "living fossil".
Deen Dayal Hastkala Sankul
PM inaugurated Centres of Excellence at Deen Dayal Hastkala Sankul in Varanasi recently.
It is a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts.
It aims to facilitate weavers, artisans and exporters in promoting handlooms and handicrafts.
Drug price control
The government has authorised think-tank NITI Aayog to recommend drugs that could be put under price control.
The decision will dilute the he National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) powers.
Earlier the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) was drawn by the Health Ministry and the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP).
The list would merely notify the list for prices to be fixed.
Now a Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products (SCAMHP) has been constituted, with VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, as the Chairman.
It will act like a recommending body to NPPA on prices of drugs and health products.
NLEM is based on a list of essential medicines released by the World Health Organization.
It basically says that such medicines should be affordable and be available to the population of each country.
National Pharmaceutical and Pricing Authority (NPPA)
NPPA is an organization of the Government of India and is under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizer.
It was established to fix/ revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995.
The organization is also entrusted with the task of recovering amounts overcharged by manufacturers for the controlled drugs from the consumers.
It also monitors the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
It collects/ maintains data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulations.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
The Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum was held in Davos, Switzerland.
The theme of WEF 2019 is “Globalization 4.0: Shaping a New Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution”.
WEF was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland
Its objective is to improve the state of the world.
