1. India and the World
International Ranger Award won by Indian range officer, Mahinder Giri
Mahinder Giri, range officer of Rajaji Tiger Reserve is the only ranger from Asia to win the Award for his contribution.
The award has been announced for 10 professionals across the world by the IUCN and the WCPA.
These awards aim to highlight and felicitate the extraordinary work that rangers do in protected and conserved areas worldwide.
Quick Fact: The International Ranger Federation, Global Wildlife Conservation, and Conservation Allies were created in 2020 in collaboration with the IUCN and WCPA.
2. National Affairs
New Chairperson of SCOPE: SAIL Chairperson Soma Mondal
Soma Mondal, the chairperson of the state-owned SAIL, was elected the new chairperson of the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE).
Mondal will have a two-year term starting April. She took charge of SAIL on January 1, 2021.
SCOPE is an apex professional organization representing the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
Quick Fact: SAIL Headquarters are in New Delhi and it was founded on 19 January 1954.
3. National Affairs
National Health Minister launches ‘Tribal TB Initiative’ in pursuit of TB Mukt Bharat
The Health Minister has launched the ‘Tribal TB Initiative’ in pursuit of TB Mukt Bharat.
The government accords top priority to ensuring Universal Access to free treatment and care for TB across the country.
He said the government has already increased the Budget allocation for TB in India four-fold in the last five years.
Quick Fact: The Health Minister of India is Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
4. Awards
66th Filmfare Awards 2021
The awards for the 66th annual Filmfare awards were announced. The event was hosted by actors Rajkummar Rao and Riteish Deshmukh.
Despite the difficulties the film industry faced during 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Filmfare decided it was important to commemorate the best of Indian cinema.
Among the winners was the late Irrfan Khan, who won the award for best actor in a leading role (male) category, while Amitabh Bachchan bagged the best actor (critics) Award.
Quick Fact: The awards were first introduced by the Filmfare magazine of The Times Group in 1954, the same year as the National Film Awards.
5. National Affairs
NATHEALTH’s 7th annual summit
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan, addressed the 7th annual summit of NATHEALTH.
The summit focused on ‘Indian Health system expansion in post-COVID era’.
The primary vision of the policy-framework is to attain the highest possible level of health and well-being for all irrespective of all age groups.
Quick Fact: The government has also launched the Ayushman Bharat program, which aims to provide free primary health care to all to promote health and well-being.
6. National News
Nagaland Health Minister launches ‘i-Learn’ for Community Health Officers
Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom has launched i-Learn, a capacity building and performance tracking application for Community Health Officers, CHOs in the state at his office chamber in Kohima.
The state government launched the i-Learn application in partnership with USAID-NISHTHA/Jgpiego which will cater across the 189 Health & wellness centres in the state.
The state is committed to defeating the pandemic and as such it has rolled out several interventions including digital technology like the Naga Telehealth services.
Quick Fact: The Chief Minister of Nagaland is Neiphiu Rio and the Governor is R. N. Ravi.
