• In Tamil Nadu, efforts to improve access to financial mechanisms by the Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY - NRLM) programme has resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission (TNSRLM). 

• IOB is a public sector bank based in Chennai and has been given a target of Rs 1,875 crore for FY 2023-24 by Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women to increase disbursal under the scheme. DAY - NRLM aims at creating effective and efficient institutional platforms to enable the rural poor to increase their household income by means of sustainable livelihood enhancements and better access to financial services. 

• This collaboration will enable access to financial resources for SHGs, encourage them to undertake entrepreneurial activities and help in the overall economic development of the state.

• The 17th National Statistics Day was celebrated on 29th June to commemorate the birth anniversary of (Late) Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, the Father of Indian Statistics and a Padma Vibhusan awardee. 

• He has contributed immensely in the field of Official Statistics and Economic Planning of the country after independence. 

• Some of his notable works include: 

1.  Devised Mahalanobis Distance (useful statistical measure for comparing two data sets). 

2. Introduced the concept of pilot surveys and advocated the usefulness of sampling methods. 

3. Established the Indian Statistical Institute at Kolkata and Central Statistical Organisation. 

4. One of the members of the first Planning Commission post-independence.        

• The objective of this day is to create public awareness, particularly among the younger generation, about the role and importance of statistics in socioeconomic planning and policy formulation.

• The theme for Statistics Day, 2023 is “Alignment of State Indicator Framework with National Indicator Framework for Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals”.        

• This year, the main event of Statistics Day, 2023 was organized at Scope Convention Centre, New Delhi, where the Report on Sustainable Development Goals-National Indicator Framework, 2023 was released during the event.

• The Union Cabinet approved introducing the National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill 2023 to promote Research and Development (R&D) in the country.        

• After approval from the parliament, NRF will be established to function as the apex body, which will provide strategic direction to research.         

• The Science and Engineering Research Board will be repelled and subsumed under this bill.         

• The Department of Science and Technology will function as the administrative department.        

• Ex-officio President: Prime Minister          

• Ex-officio Vice Presidents: the Union Ministers of Science and Technology and Education.        

• The NRF will create a policy framework and put forward regulatory processes to increase collaboration and funding for R&D.

• The recommended salt intake is < 5 gms per day.  But Indians take >10 gms per day & exact salt intake is under reported when compared with 24hr Urinary Sodium excretion. Increased salt intake causes more water retention exerting extra Pressure for Heart and Kidney perfusion.  

• The subsequent failures in Glomerular filtration Rate and Na+ excretion cause Hypertension. And the later is responsible for 57% of stroke deaths and 24% of all cardiac deaths.  In addition to that, salt decreases the Nitrous oxide production at vessel endothelium affecting the arterial elasticity and stiffness adversely. 

• Decreasing salt intake of 1.75gm in daily intake would contribute to reduction of 4.2/2.1 mmHg (SBP/DBP).

• By 2020, International Society of Hypertension Practice Guidelines recommended population based efforts to reduce salt intake at cooking , on table and also to avoid High salt containing foods like pickles, pappads , Namkeen chips, Chutney etc. Also, Weight Reduction of 5.1Kg can drastically bring down SBP of 4.3mmHg and DBP of 3.6mmHg DBP. 

• Possible Prevention measures includes measuring BP every 5 years, dietary corrections ( WHO plan globally to reduce salt intake by 2025), Abstinence from Alcohol and cigarette  and Weight control.

• Maharashtra became one of the 1st states to launch the “Universal healthcare policy,” which consists of co-branding the PM-JAY scheme with the state’s Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). The salient features of this scheme include:         

• Five lakh cover to12 crore families, irrespective of the ration card color.      

• Increased coverage to 1900 ailments 

• This scheme will also:         

1. Increase the number of empaneled hospitals and Jan Aushadi Kendras.     

2. Strengthen the rural healthcare infrastructure.         

3. Open 50-bedded critical care units in each district  

• One crore beneficiaries will receive the co-branded card by August 2023, funded centrally by the National Health Authority.

• In Tamil Nadu, efforts to improve access to financial mechanisms by the Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY - NRLM) program has resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission (TNSRLM).          

• IOB, a public sector bank in Chennai has been given a target of Rs 1,875 crore for FY 2023-24 by Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women to increase disbursal under the scheme.        

• DAY - NRLM aims to create effective and efficient institutional platforms to enable the rural poor to increase their household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and better access to financial services. 

• This collaboration will enable access to financial resources for SHGs, encourage them to undertake entrepreneurial activities, and help in the state's overall economic development.

• The government has decided to focus on a new integrative and multidirectional regulation regarding decriminalising drug use and paying attention to the addicts for proper patient care to achieve CM Bhagwat Mann’s “Rangla Punjab” dream. 

• Drug use is still condemned legally. The emphasis will be : 

1.  to detect addicts using small amounts and enable deaddiction.  

2. putting them up for rehabilitation and skills development instead of punishment.  

3. strong penalties for smugglers and dealers.  

• Discussions have happened between various ministries and departments to collaborate and plan for providing services.

#A cross-sectional study was conducted recently in New York among 1105 Taxi drivers to check if there was an association between untreated medical health condition and alcohol & Tobacco use, using Logistic regression modelling.  #Evidently , there existed an association where the drivers with untreated mental health problems had 1.9X the odds of reporting current Tobacco use and 1.6X the odds of reporting current alcohol use( 95% confidence interval) than those without untreated health problems. #The need for timely screening of mental health problems among taxi drivers was certainly insisted