UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 01-02-2025

PM-JANMAM Scheme

Why in News?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs clears speedier sanctioning of homes for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups across India under its PM-JANMAN package.

• PM-JANMAN - Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan.
• Launch- On Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas (Birth anniversary of Birsa Munda) on 15^th November, 2023 in Jharkhand.
• Aim – It intends to achieve 100% saturation of basic schemes like housing, piped water, roads, etc. across habitations of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) populations in 3 years.
  • PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups.

There are 75 PVTGs out of 705 STs, spread over 18 states and 1 Union Territory (A&N Islands) with around 27.6 lakh as per 2011 Census.

• Implementing Agency - The scheme will be implemented by 9 ministries with Ministry of Tribal Affairs playing the key role.
• Awareness generation- The government will showcase and spread awareness of various government schemes made for the tribals.
• Focus- 11 Basic amenities for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG).
• Housing - Under the housing component, a target has been set to sanction and build 4.90 lakh PM-AWAS homes to PVTGs under the package.
• Under this method, each district is required to upload exact details of the place, the village, the village code, and number of beneficiaries that require PM-AWAS home on the PM-GatiShakti portal.
• It is monitored by the respective line ministries and supervised by the Tribal Affairs Ministry.

• Debar Commission, 1961 - The sub-category "Primitive tribal group" was created within the grouping of Scheduled Tribe to identify groups, especially lacking in modern development.

Reference

The Hindu | PM-JANMAN package

Suzetrigne

Why in News?

The United States Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a new type of non-opioid painkiller, suzetrigne.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention There were 82,000 opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2022.

• Opioids - Opioids are a class of drugs that derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant.
• Some common opioids include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, and fentanyl.
• Prescription opioids are primarily used for pain relief but they are quite addictive.
• They do so by getting attached to opioid receptors in the brain cells to release signals that block the perception of pain, and boost the feelings of pleasure or euphoria.
• Suzetrigne - Unlike opioids, which numb the sensation of pain in the brain, suzetrigne works by targeting pain signals before they reach the brain.
• Pain is essentially a signal from one’s body to the brain that something potentially harmful has happened or is happening to the body.
• It is meant to prompt a reaction where one avoids further damage.
• Working - Several body parts are involved in the sensation of pain.
• First are specialized nerve endings or ‘nocireceptors’ which are widely distributed across the body.
• Any tissue damage activates these receptors which send electrical signals through the spinal cord to the brain, which then interprets these as pain.
• Suzitrigne interrupts that path, so even though the tissue injury exists, the brain does not know.
• Since suzetrigne does not produce any sensation of pleasure or euphoria, experts believe that the drug could not create addiction or dependence among users.
• Dosage - Suzetrigne is a 50-milligram prescription pill that is consumed every 12 hours after a larger starter dose.
• The pill is given in two dosages. In trials, participants got an initial dose of 100 milligrams, followed by 50 milligrams every 12 hours.

Reference

The Indian Express | Suzetrigine

Appointment of Ad-hoc Judges

Why in News?

The Supreme Court recently relaxed to appoint ad hoc judges in High Courts to clear the backlog of pending criminal cases, and said vacancies in HCs needn’t be more than 20% of its sanctioned strength.

• Ad-hoc Judges – An ad hoc judge is a retired judge who is appointed on a temporary basis for a specific vacancy or purpose only for a limited period of time.
• The Supreme Court issued directions allowing the appointment of ad hoc judges under Article 224 of the Constitution in 2021 judgment in the Lok Prahari versus Union of India case.
• Article 224 - To deal with the unprecedented situation arising from the backlog of cases pending in the High Courts.
• Article 224A - It deals with the appointment of retired Judges at sittings of High Courts.
• Appointed by - The Chief Justice of a High Court for any State, may with the previous consent of the President, request any person with the below described qualification.
• Qualification – He held the office of a Judge of that Court or of any other High Court to sit and act as a Judge of the High Court for that State.
• Allowances – He is entitled to such allowances as the President may by order determine.
• The individual holds all the jurisdiction, powers, and privileges of a High Court Judge, but is not considered a Judge otherwise.
• Lok Prahari vs Union of India (2021) - Supreme Court Involves Article 224-A for Ad hoc Judge Appointments
• Allows appointment of judges to address case backlog.
• Guidelines ensure appointments occur after filling regular vacancies.
• Chief Justice can exercise discretion if vacancies exceed 20% sanctioned strength, cases pending for over 5 years, over 10% older than 5 years, or disposal rate lower than new case filings.
• Revised Guidelines - Each HC may appoint ad hoc judges by taking recourse to Article 224A for appointment of ad hoc judges between 2 to 5 in number but not exceeding 10% of the sanctioned strength.
• It also said that the 20% vacancy requirement, be kept in abeyance.
• The bench also made it clear that the Memorandum of Procedure which lays down a procedure for appointment under Article 224A will be applied.

Reference

The Indian Express | Appointment ad hoc judges

Indian Gharial

Why in News?

Recently, scientists warned that Indian gharial and other 5 species might go extinct within the next 5 years unless drastic conservation measures are taken.

• Indian Gharial – It is the only visibly sexually dimorphic crocodilian, derives its name from Ghara, an Indian word for Pot.
• Scientific Name – Gavialis gangeticus.
• It is known as Gharial, Fish Eating Crocodile, Indian Gavial, Gavial and Long Nosed Crocodile.
• Habitat – River habitats with deep, clear, fast-flowing waters and steep, sandy banks.
• Distribution – Only in the waters of India and Nepal.

The surviving population found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system and less than 250 in the wild.

• Morphology – It has a thick skin covered with smooth epidermal scales that do not overlap.
• The snout of the gharial is uniquely the thinnest and most elongated among all the crocodilians.

• Characteristics – Its long narrow snout has very little resistance to water, allowing swiping motions to snap up fish in their mouth.
• Diet – Primarily fish eaters, some individuals known to scavenge dead animals.
• Feed on warm-blooded species, fish, insects, larvae and small frogs.
• Threats – Dam construction
  • Barrages and water abstraction
  • River bed cultivation
  • Pollution
  • Loss of river habitats.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN – Critically Endangered.
  • CITES – Appendix I.
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 – Schedule I.

 References

1. The Indian Express| Indian Gharial   
2. WWF| Gharial
3. WII| Gharial’s Characteristics, Diet & Habitat