Prelims bits 15-11-2017

Comprehensive Drug Monitoring System (CDMS)

• Andhra Pradesh is set to launch Comprehensive Drug Monitoring System (CDMS).
• It is an app that all registered doctors have to use to generate e-prescriptions mentioning the patient’s name, mobile or Aadhaar number, medicines advised, and the manufacturer’s name.
• When a doctor makes a digital signature on the app, the patient will receive a One Time Password on the cell phone, which he/she has to show at the pharmacy to buy medicines.
• Only doctors registered with the Medical Council of India’s AP chapter would be able to access the app and generate e-prescriptions.
• Only pharmacists registered with the Pharmacists’ Council would be able to access it.
• People without mobile phones have to show their Aadhaar card.

BrahMos missile Test-fire

• BrahMos missile is set to be test fired from IAF's Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet.
• The Su-30-BrahMos combination will carry out air combat operations within and beyond visibility range.
• It will provide the IAF with the capability of attacking targets protected by powerful air defence assets.
• BrahMos missile is a short-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land.
• It is co-developed by India and Russia.
• BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has a range of 290-km, which is said to be the world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile.
• It can be launched in either inclined or vertical configuration based on the type of the ship.

India's first wave-powered navigational buoy

• A buoy is an anchored float serving as a navigation mark, to show reefs or other hazards, or for anchorage.
• A wave-powered navigational buoy, developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
• This buoy for guiding ships, is powered by wave energy while conventional ones use solar power, it stores energy generated by waves in a battery.
• It will guide ships in and out of ports, navigate through a designated channel.
• The buoy would be able to record data on wind speed and direction various other aspects, which would be relayed to port authorities,
• It was launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences on the eve of executive committee meeting of IEA-OES.

IEA-OES meeting

• 33rd executive committee meeting of International Energy Agency-Ocean Energy Systems Collaboration Programme (IEA-OES) held recently.
• Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries.
• It operates under the framework established by the International Energy Agency.
• India became a member of the forum in April 2017, by this India would have access to advanced research and development teams, technologies and data in the area of ocean energy across the world.

International Solar alliance (ISA)

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 121 countries, most of them being sunshine countries.
• The initiative was jointly launched by India and France.

• The alliance's primary objective is work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
• The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization, 44 countries have already signed the treaty.
• By which countries that do not fall within the Tropics can join the ISA and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting rights.
• ISA’s three ongoing programmes are

1. Facilitating affordable finance for solar.
2. Scaling up solar applications for agriculture.
3. Promoting solar mini-grids in member nations.

• Multilateral development banks and other financial institutions are providing support for solar projects through low-cost finance mechanism.

Mission Indradhanush

• Recently Mission Indradhanush earned praise in a Johns Hopkins report on global diarrhoea and pneumonia.
• Mission Indradhanush is the central government immunisation drive, which aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine preventable diseases.
• The diseases being targeted are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B.
• Four phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed in which 2.55 crore children and 68.7 lakh pregnant women have been vaccinated across the country.
• This mission is not to be confused with Mission Indradhanush for PSBs

Mission Indradhanush for PSBs

• Mission Indradhanush is a 7-pronged plan to address the challenges faced by public sector banks (PSBs).
• The 7 parts include (ABCDEFG)

1. Appointments
2. Bank Boards Bureau
3. Capitalisation
4. De-stressing
5. Empowerment
6. Framework of accountability
7. Governance Reforms

Source: Indian Express, Financial Express, Business standard, Business Line