Top News Highlights- 29 August 2024

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.