1. Which state started work on implementing Solar Fence Farmland Protection Programme?
a. Tamil Nadu
b. Andhra Pradesh
c. Punjab
d. Maharashtra
S-a
EXPLANATION-
• The Tamil Nadu government has started preliminary works for implementing the unique Solar Fence Farmland Protection Programme, under the Central Agriculture Improvement Scheme.
• The temporary break from normal agricultural activities because of Covid-19 lockdown is being utilized by farmers in such innovative preparatory works.
• Since many of the districts in the state, including Trichy, Theni, Coimbatore etc have the foothills of the Western Ghats as one of their boundaries, agricultural lands in these areas are always at a risk of attack from animals - especially elephants.
• Against this background, the electric fences powered by eco-friendly, non polluting solar panels are being set up in various parts of the state.
• Under the Central Agriculture Improvement Scheme, 50% of the cost of constructing the electric fence, including setting up of the power generating solar panels, will be provided as subsidy to farmers. A maximum limit of 2.18 lakh rupees has been fixed for availing subsidy.
2. For how many days will the Indians returning from abroad be asked for hotel quarantine?
a. 14
b. 7
c. 28
d. 21
S-b
EXPLANATION-
• As India carries out one of the world's biggest rescue missions for stranded Indians abroad, Vande Bharat, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued additional guidelines for quarantine of returnees from abroad, their contacts and isolation of suspects, or confirmed cases, in private facilities.
• Hotel quarantine requirement for Indians returning from abroad reduced to 7 days from 14 days.
• There are a large number of facilities such as hotels, service apartments, lodges that remain unoccupied due to the impact of Covid-19 on travel and tourism.
• There are also instances where people who don't have the requisite space at home may opt for such facilities.
• This is likely to reduce the pressure on the family, give comfort to the person, and protect the family members and the immediate neighbourhood.
• The ministry has directed the owners of the facilities to make them either a quarantine or isolation facilities as they cannot co-exist. These facilities will offer a single room on a paid basis to contacts and cases with attached washrooms.
3. Where has the clinical trial of Ayurvedic medicine for COVID-19 started?
a. Gujarat
b. Punjab
c. Haryana
d. Arunachal Pradesh
S-a
EXPLANATION-
• In Gujarat, the clinical trial of Ayurvedic medicine for COVID-19 derived from panchgavya is to begin in Rajkot.
• The Chairman of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog Dr Vallabh Kathiria has said that clinical trials of the medicine will begin soon using protocols used to test allopathic medicines.
• The effectiveness of Panchgayva medicine is known in India for centuries but not established in modern scientific context.
• The effectiveness of cow urine and cow dung to treat certain ailments is already documented in Ayurveda.
• The five main products derived from cows- milk, butter, ghee, dung and urine - has mention in Vedas as Panchgavya and are being used in India since long. Now, the clinical trials of these five elements will authenticate its medicine value in the treatment of COVID-19 .
• This is for first time in India, that the clinical trials of any Ayurveda medicine will be carried out. After Rajkot, the clinical trials of Panchgavya medicine will also be carried out in Surat and Ahmedabad. According to experts, it will be a break-through in Covid19 treatment after the success of clinical trials.
4. Which of the following state government will develop 800 km roads as Herbal roads?
a. Madhya Pradesh
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Arunachal Pradesh
d. Andhra Pradesh
S-b
EXPLANATION-
• Uttar Pradesh government will develop 800 km roads as Herbal roads in the state.
• These herbal roads will have medicinal and herbal trees along with the land on their both sides.
• These herbal roads will have trees like like Peepal, Neem, Sehjan along with other herb varieties like Brahmi, Ashvagandha and Jatrofa.
• These plants will provide raw material for the medicines and will also help in curbing the erosion of land.
• This scheme will help both development and beautification and bring medicinal benefits along with promoting bio diversity.
• These 800 kilometer roads will be along national and state highways passing through state and the herbal garden along with them will keep air-borne, bacterial and other diseases at bay.
• PWD Department will also make arrangement for rain water recharging system on these herbal roads.
5. Which Indian state will launch State Health Register as a robust and standardized health repository of all the citizens?
a. Punjab
b. Haryana
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Karnataka
S-d
EXPLANATION-
• Karnataka government will soon launch a project to maintain the health database of all its citizens. A first of its kind initiative State Health Register will be a robust and standardized health repository of all the citizens.
• This project will be implemented first in Chikkaballapur district on experimental basis.
• Covid-19 experience has demonstrated the necessity of having robust, real-time public health data and therefore, there is a need to maintain repository of health data of each and every citizen.
• The Government will be undertaking a survey of all 6.5 Crore people in the state using a team of Primary Health Centre officials, revenue officials, Education department staff and ASHA karyakartas.
• They will visit each household and collect health data of all the members of the family.
• This will not only help the government to provide better health care, but will also help efficient resource allocation, management and better implementation of various citizen centric schemes in the state.
