Today's Brief 21/12/2024

IE Analysis:

JN Analysis:

1 .Kuwait:  a country in Western Asia, situated at the northern tip of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south.  It has a coastline of approximately 500 km (311 mi).   Kuwait is a wealthy country with a high standard of living.   It is a major oil producer and a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). 

 Kuwait City is the capital and largest city of Kuwait.

2.India demonstrates remarkable progress in malaria reduction: World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that India has demonstrated remarkable progress in reducing malaria cases and associated mortality in the country, particularly in its high-endemic states.

This was highlighted in the WHO’s World Malaria Report 2024. The stakeholders gathered at a meeting in the UK Parliament complex this week, to reflect on the report’s findings and make the case that investing in ending malaria is the economically smart thing to do.

During the meeting, the stakeholders praised the contributions of India’s community health workers, mostly women, who are effectively reducing malaria in remote areas.

Key Factors: This significant achievement is attributed to a combination of effective strategies implemented by the Indian government.

These include:

• Improved Case Management: Enhanced access to quality diagnosis and effective antimalarial treatments.

• Preventive Measures: Widespread distribution and use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS).

• Targeted Interventions: Focused efforts in high-risk areas with high malaria transmission.

• Strong Surveillance System: Robust monitoring and evaluation to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

• Global Impact: India's success story in malaria control serves as an inspiration for other countries grappling with the disease, particularly in the South-East Asia region.

OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of 13 oil-producing countries

Formation (1960): Five oil-producing nations - Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela - came together in Baghdad to form OPEC. Their goal was to gain more control over the oil industry, which was largely dominated by Western multinational companies.

3 .Two indigenously-built warships Nilgiri & Surat delivered to Indian Navy: The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) has delivered two Capital warships, Nilgiri and Surat to the Indian Navy.

Nilgiri is the First Stealth Frigate of Project 17A Class Ship while Surat is the Fourth Stealth Destroyer of Project 15B Class Guided Missile Destroyer. The warships will now undergo sea trials. Both warships have been designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, constructed by MDL and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team, Mumbai.

Nilgiri is the First of Class (FoC) ship of Project 17A. The Ship features cutting-edge advanced technology and is comparable to the finest ships of similar class anywhere in the world.

4 .The NITI Aayog recently released a report titled "S.A.F.E. Accommodation: Worker Housing for Manufacturing Growth." This report highlights the crucial need for secure, affordable, flexible, and efficient (S.A.F.E.) accommodations for industrial workers in India.

Key takeaways from the report:

• Inadequate housing: The report emphasizes that inadequate housing near industrial hubs is a significant barrier to India's manufacturing growth, contributing to high attrition rates and reduced productivity.

• SAFE housing: The report proposes solutions for improving worker accommodations, including designating S.A.F.E. housing as a separate residential category to apply standard taxes and tariffs.   

• Boosting manufacturing: By providing secure, affordable, and comfortable housing for workers, the report suggests that India can attract and retain a skilled workforce, thereby boosting the manufacturing sector.

The report also highlights the following:

• Need for collaboration: The report emphasizes the need for collaboration between the government, private sector, and civil society to develop and implement effective worker housing solutions.

• Policy recommendations: The report provides specific policy recommendations, such as offering GST exemptions for qualifying accommodations and including S.A.F.E. housing in existing exemptions for industrial sheds and hostels.   

Overall, the NITI Aayog's report on S.A.F.E. accommodations underscores the importance of providing decent housing for industrial workers to enhance their quality of life and contribute to India's economic growth.

5 .PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation): Since its launch in 2015, PRAGATI has emerged as a powerful tool for transforming India’s infrastructure landscape. By June 2023, the platform had reviewed 340 projects valued at ₹17.05 lakh crore ($205 billion), significantly expediting their implementation. This includes the development of 50,000 kilometres of National Highways and doubling the country’s airports, reflecting a decade of unparalleled progress.

The selection of these 340 projects was highly strategic, focusing on initiatives of national importance that presented unique and complex challenges. PRAGATI has been instrumental in addressing these 'wicked' projects, often considered the most daunting in terms of execution.

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