NGT Fines Punjab Government for Poor Waste Management
National Green Tribunal (NGT) has fined the Punjab Government ₹1,000 crore for failing to manage solid and untreated sewage waste effectively.
This amount is to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016: Mandates Urban Local Bodies to set up systems for waste collection, transportation, processing, and disposal.
Challenges: Include poor waste segregation at source, lack of strategic municipal solid waste plans, and insufficient budget and data on waste generation.
Supreme Court Stays Ayush Ministry’s Notification
The Supreme Court has stayed a notification by the Ayush Ministry due to concerns over misleading advertisements, particularly in Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs.
Misleading Advertisements: Pose health hazards and breach consumer trust, highlighting the need for ethical advertising.
Initiatives: Includes the Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) portal for online complaint registration.
Demand for Autonomy in Promotion of Classical Languages
Centres for the promotion of four classical languages (Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia) seek autonomy for better functioning.
Current Setup: Operates under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, with financial constraints and high vacancy rates.
Unequal Funding: Union government spent significantly less on these languages compared to Sanskrit between 2017-18 and 2019-20.
Himachal Pradesh Raises Marriage Age for Women
Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed a bill to raise the marriage age for women from 18 to 21.
Aim: To ensure gender equality, improve reproductive health, and empower women through better education and employment outcomes.
Concerns: Risks of non-institutional marriages and negative impacts on marginalized communities.
Launch of National Medical Register (NMR) Portal
Union Health Minister launched the National Medical Register (NMR) to maintain a comprehensive database of all registered allopathic doctors in India.
Significance: Strengthens the digital healthcare ecosystem and ensures transparent access to quality medical professionals.
India’s Rural Economy Boosts FMCG Sector
RBI highlighted the role of India’s rural economy as ‘Green Shoots’ in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector.
Green Shoots: Indicates growth signs in an economy or sector after a downturn.
FMCG Sector: Characterized by high turnover consumer packaged goods, crucial for economic revitalization.
Key Concepts and Policies
Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016: Aim to enhance the urban local bodies’ capabilities in managing municipal solid waste effectively.
Misleading Advertisements: Ads that give consumers an incorrect understanding or overstate the benefits of products, particularly in health-related sectors.
Classical Languages: Languages that have ancient origins and a rich literary tradition. Status provides several cultural and educational benefits.
National Medical Register (NMR): A digital platform under the National Medical Commission for maintaining up-to-date records of medical practitioners in India.
