CURRENT NEWS

CURRENT HAPPENINGS

President signed Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance to facilitate e-auction of coal blocks

The President Pranab Mukherjee on 26 December 2014 signed Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance to facilitate e-auction of coal blocks. He signed the ordinance in accordance with the Article 123 of the Constitution.

Earlier, Union Cabinet had approved the re-promulgation of the Ordinance to facilitate e-auction of coal blocks for private companies for captive use and allot mines directly to state and central Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

The re-promulgation of ordinance on coal blocks was approved by the Union Cabinet after Union government was not able to get the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2014 passed in Rajya Sabha in the winter session of Parliament in 2014. Though, Lok S
abha had passed the bill.

The re-promulgation of the Ordinance will enable the Union coal ministry approve 101 mines, including 65 through auction, in the first phase.  Among 101 blocks, 63 mines would be given to the power sector, while the rest would be for sectors like steel and cement. As many as 36 blocks will be directly allotted to state-owned companies.
Besides, President Pranab Mukherjee also signed ordinance on insurance allowing 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in medical devices in the pharmaceutical sector and 49 percent FDI in Insurance Sector.

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Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Mission Indradhanush

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 25 December 2014 launched Mission Indradhanush to achieve full immunization coverage for all children by 2020.

The Mission Indradhanush aims to cover all those children who are either unvaccinated or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine preventable diseases including diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B. 

The Mission was launched on Good Governance Day that marks the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malaviya and birthday of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Highlights of the Mission Indradhanush
•    Under Mission Indradhanush, four special vaccination campaigns will be conducted between January and June 2015 with intensive planning and monitoring of these campaigns.
•    The ministry has identified 201 high focus districts that have nearly 50 percent of all unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children. These districts will be targeted by intensive efforts to improve the routine immunization coverage.
•    Out of the 201 districts, 82 districts are in just four states of UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and nearly 25 percent of the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children of India are in these 82 districts of 4 states.
•    201 districts will be covered in the first phase of the mission, 297 districts will be targeted for the second phase in the year 2015.
•    The Ministry will be technically supported by WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and other donor partners.
•    Mass media, interpersonal communication, and sturdy mechanisms of monitoring and evaluating the scheme are crucial components of Mission.

Background
Between 2009-2013, immunization coverage has increased from 61 to 65 percent, indicating only 1 percent increase in coverage every year.

To accelerate the process of immunization by covering 5 percent and more children every year, the Mission Mode has been adopted to achieve target of full coverage by 2020.