Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 26 Jul 2023
- 5 min read
Heli Summit 2023 and UDAN 5.2
Recently, the Ministery of Civil Aviation inaugurated the Heli Summit 2023 and UDAN 5.2 in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, focusing on regional connectivity through helicopters and small aircraft.
- Heli Summit 2023, jointly organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Pawan Hans Ltd., and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), emphasizes regional connectivity through helicopters and small aircraft.
- UDAN 5.2 aims to achieve last-mile connectivity with small aircraft (Category 1A <9 seats and Category 1 <20 seats) in remote and regional areas.
- UDAN 5.2 increases the viability gap funding (VGF) and reduces fare caps to enhance accessibility.
- HeliSewa mobile application is launched to create an ecosystem between helicopter operators and district authorities for seamless operations.
Read more: UDAN 5.0 Scheme
Mission Shakti- Hub for Empowerment of Women
Recently, National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) under Ministry of Women and Child Development organised the First Capacity Building Programme on ‘Mission Shakti- Hub for Empowerment of Women’ for State Nodal Officers and State Mission Coordinators.
- NIPCCD is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Women and Child Development that works to promote voluntary action, research, training and documentation in the field of women and child welfare.
- It was established in 1966 and has its headquarters in Delhi and four regional centres in Bangalore, Guwahati, Indore and Lucknow.
- Mission Shakti scheme focuses on making women economically empowered, ensuring their safety from violence, and increasing their participation in the labor force.
- 'Mission Shakti' comprises two sub-schemes - 'Sambal' for safety and security of women and 'Samarthya' for their empowerment.
- Sambal includes components like One Stop Centre, Women Helpline, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Nari Adalats for gender justice.
- Samarthya incorporates schemes like Swadhar Greh, Working Women Hostel, National Creche Scheme, and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, along with a new component of Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment.
- Hub for Empowerment of Women It is an initiative under the Samarthya sub-scheme.
- 'Mission Shakti' comprises two sub-schemes - 'Sambal' for safety and security of women and 'Samarthya' for their empowerment.
Batagaika Crater: A Disturbing Symbol of Accelerating Permafrost Thaw
Russia’s Batagaika crater, the world's largest 1km-long permafrost crater, expands due to global warming and thawing permafrost.
- Deforestation triggered underground permafrost melting, causing the crater's growth in the Sakha Republic, Russia. It also holds dangerous organic carbon, exacerbating global warming.
- Russia is warming is occurring at an alarming rate, approximately 2.5 times faster than the global average.
- As a result, large areas of the country's long-frozen tundra, covering about 65% of its landmass, are experiencing significant thawing, releasing potent greenhouse gases like methane.
- Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen—32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least two years straight.
- These permanently frozen grounds are most common in regions with high mountains and in Earth's higher latitudes: near the North and South Poles.
Read more: Permafrost, Global warming
WHO's Updated HIV and Mpox Guidelines
The World Health Organization (WHO) presented updated guidance on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during the 12th International AIDS Society Conference.
- The guidelines stress the significance of HIV viral suppression and undetectable virus levels in improving individual health and curbing virus transmission.
- Additionally, the WHO urged countries to integrate mpox (monkeypox) detection, prevention, and care with existing HIV and sexually transmitted infection programs.
- Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.
- It can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
- A multi-country outbreak of mpox in 2022-2023 reported over 82,000 cases, with around 32,000 linked to HIV.
- The guidelines highlighted the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in preventing HIV transmission when achieving undetectable virus levels.
Read more: World Health Organization, HIV, Monkeypox
