UPSC Quiz – 2024 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 3rd May 2024

·       It was launched as the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) by World Health Organisation in 1974 to ensure that all children, in all countries, benefited from life-saving vaccines.

·       This programme has evolved into what is now commonly known as the Essential Programme on Immunization.

Disease covered (Total 13)

·       Initially this programme focused on protection against six childhood vaccine-preventable diseases namely Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and measles.

·       Later on WHO added 7 more disease under this initiative Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Hepatitis B (HepB), rubella, pneumococcal disease (PNC), rotavirus (Rota), human papillomavirus (HPV), and COVID-19 (for adults).

·       India launched the EPI in 1978, which was later renamed as the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in 1985.

Objectives:

·       To rapidly increase immunization coverage.

·       To improve the quality of services.

·       To establish a reliable cold chain system to the health facility level.

·       Monitoring of performance.

·       To achieve self-sufficiency in vaccine production.

·       Nationally against 9 diseases – Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Hemophilus Influenza type B

·       Sub-nationally against 3 diseases – Rotavirus diarrhoea, Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Japanese Encephalitis; of which Rotavirus vaccine and Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine are in process of expansion while JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts.

·       It aimed to protect and regulate street vending in cities, with State-level rules and schemes, and execution by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) through by-laws, planning, and regulation.

·       The Act clearly delineates the roles and responsibilities of both vendors and various levels of government.

·       It provides that the States/ULBs conduct a survey to identify SVs at least once every five years.

·       Additionally, the Act outlines mechanisms for addressing grievances and disputes, proposing the establishment of a Grievance Redressal Committee chaired by a civil judge or judicial magistrate.

·       It mandates that street vendor representatives must constitute 40% of TVC members, with a sub-representation of 33% of women SVs.

·       These committees are tasked with ensuring the inclusion of all existing vendors in vending zones.

·       It is a common law principle applied in civil litigation.

·       It states that all victims should be fully compensated for their losses, even in situations where the victim was more-susceptible to injury due to a predisposing condition or preexisting injury.

·       This rule ensures that a defendant (the person being sued) cannot escape liability for exacerbating a pre-existing condition due to their negligence.

·       The eggshell skull doctrine is named after a hypothetical situation where a person with a fragile skull, akin to an eggshell, suffers a head injury.

·       If the victim’s skull fractures more easily than the average person, the defendant is still fully liable for all resulting damages, despite the victim’s unusual vulnerability.

·       Despite its name, the eggshell skull rule applies to all types of injuries, including physical, emotional, and psychological harm.

·       The rule is applied for claiming an enhanced compensation — for damage that is more than what could have been ordinarily anticipated to be caused by the defendant.

·       The eggshell skull rule has consequently also been referred to as the ‘thin skull rule’ in many of the cases

·       Origin: The origins of the eggshell skull rule are most often traced back to an 1891 Vosburg vs. Putney case in Wisconsin, US.

·       Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) is a next generation missile, canister-based, long-range supersonic anti-submarine missile.

·       Objective- To enhance the anti-submarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedo.

·       It is light weight torpedo delivery system that extends the conventional range of torpedoes.

·       Sea skimming- It is a technique used by the missile to avoid radar, infrared detection, and to lower probability of being shot down during their approach to the target.

·       Acoustic huming- It is the process in which a system uses the sound or acoustic signals of a target or destination to guide a moving object.

·       Guidance system- The missile uses a inertial navigation system (INS), and allows real-time course correction and target updating via datalink.

·       Testing- The missile is successfully tested by DRDO from a ground based launcher at Integrated Test Range, Balasore, Odisha.

·       Objective- To enhance the anti-submarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedo.

·       Canister-based missiles are a type of missile system where the missiles are stored and launched from canisters or tubes

·       Features- The missile consists of  two-stage solid propulsion system, an electromechanical actuator system and a precision inertial navigation system.

·       Launch- SMART system can be launched from surface ship or a truck-based coastal battery.

·       Propellant- Solid fuel and silver zinc battery.

·       Range- The missile has a range of 643 km carrying a light weight torpedo of range 20 km with 50 kg high explosive warhead

·       Patachitra, or Pattachitra, is a general term for traditional, cloth-based scroll painting based in the eastern Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal.

·       It is believed to have originated as early as the 12th century.

·       In the Sanskrit language, “Patta” literally means “cloth” and “Chitra” means “picture”.

·       It is known for its intricate details as well as the mythological narratives and folktales inscribed in it.

·       Most of these paintings depict stories of Hindu deities.

·       Pattachitra is one of the ancient artworks of Odisha, originally createdfor ritual useand as souvenirs for pilgrims to Puri, as well as other temples in Odisha.

·       Patachitras are a component ofancient Bengali narrative art, originally serving as a visual device during the performance of a song.

·       Making:

·       Pattachitra paintings are made on a special canvas where cotton sarees are layered with tamarind paste and then coated with clay powder.

·       Traditionally, cotton canvas was used; now, both cotton and silk canvas are used for paintings.

·       Once the canvas becomes sturdy, colours are filled in directlywithout any initial sketches. It is a tradition to complete the borders of the painting first.

·       All colours are obtained from natural sources like lamp soot and powdered conch shells.

·       Each painting can take up to weeks or months to be prepared.