CSIR-IGIB develops FELUDA, an affordable coronavirus screen for pathogen detection:
`Feluda` has been developed by scientists from the Council of Science & Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), a low-cost coronavirus test for pathogen detection. No expensive machines will be needed.
Feluda:
♦ In the stories of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray the tool `Feluda` was named after the detective character.
♦ Debojyoti Chakraborty and Souvik Maiti created the Test. This method is supposed to be a simplified way to detect the presence of SARS-coV2 in the clinical samples.
♦ The start of the test method is similar to the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in real time, where the ribonucleic acid (RNA) is extracted and transformed into DNA.
♦ But the newly established approach varies by using a particular PCR reaction to amplify a portion of the sequence of viral nucleic acids. Following this, FnCAS9, a highly specific CRISPR, binds to the sequence which can be interpreted as a positive unit. CRISPR, FnCAS9 were developed at IGIB.
♦ The system uses fluorescent reporters for the amplification and detection of presence of viral nucleic acid.
♦ The total test time needed is less than an hour.
♦ Implementation of the system includes costly Real-Time PCR machines at specialist sites.
♦ Following positive validation by regulatory agencies, it will allow the test to be carried out in local path laboratories that do not have expensive real-time PCR machines, but simple cheap thermal blocks used for traditional PCR.
CSIR-IGIB:
CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) was established in 1977. The primary focus is on integrative biology. It aims to translate concepts developed in basic biological research to commercially viable technologies for the utilization of health care across the country. It functions under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
CCMB, IGIB implement software surveillance to track and regulate the spread of COVID-19:
The Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and the Institute of Genetics and Integrated Biology (IGIB) are currently improving automated and molecular surveillance of the spread of novel coronavirus in order to understand the effects of genetics, epidemiology and disease.
Highlights:
♦ The control center will be set up at IGIB where all the labs, testing centers and hospitals can share their data by cloud sharing.
♦ The surveillance will be carried out at three stages, namely the patient`s virus, and the patient`s clinical path.
♦ Virus-level control applies to the Virus genome. CCMB plays a significant role for this, because it will include sequences of the genomes.
♦ The second part deals with the medical info, which is descriptions of the clinical samples patients testing.
♦ Third, the specifics of the clinical course will be clinical care data or data from hospitals which lead to outcomes. Some patients require ventilators while others will recover on their own.
♦ The data to be connected to the Aarogya Setu app will be used by GoI. The aim is to provide the maximum number of people with the benefits.
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CSIF to Provide its staff with COVID-19 security equipment and healthcare paraphernalia:
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is to provide its more than 40,000 workers with COVID-19 security equipment and sanitary paraphernalia. CISF staff will have near physical contact with passenger lakhs once the airports and re-start operations on the Delhi Metro.
CSIF measures:
The CISF is taking many anti-coronavirus steps to secure its soldiers. The move comes after two of Mumbai`s CSIF workers have tested positive for the COVID-19 infection. CSIF has upgraded beds in 349 isolation wards units to accommodate more staff when necessary.
CSIF:
Formed on: 10 March 1969
Headquarters: New Delhi, India
Minister responsible: Amit Shah, Union Home Minister
Director-General of CISF: Rajesh Ranjan
CSIF functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. It covers around 300 industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments located all over India. It is a unique organization in paramilitary forces for India.
NITI Aayog recommended to farmers relaxing mandi requirements for 6 months:
NITI Aayog, a policy think tank, has proposed that the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act be held in suspended animation for the next six months in view of COVID-19. Member and agricultural policy expert Ramesh Chand moved the NITI Aayog Recommendation. It also recommended that it should be done across states even if an ordinance is required.The step is aimed at relieving the burden on farmers and ensuring a smooth supply of agricultural goods.
Highlights:
♦ The APMC Act will empower the state governments to specify market areas that are operated and regulated by market committees. The market area is where farmers bring their produce for sale.
♦ Any relaxation in the provisions of the Act will have to be done through state governments.
♦ The recommendation also included that the farmers be allowed to take processed or cleaned up produce directly to the warehouse. Earlier, the farmers brought the produce to the mandi.
APMC Act 2003:
The wholesaling of agricultural produce is governed by the Agricultural Produce Marketing Acts of various State governments in India. The APMC Act empowers the state governments to notify the commodities, and designate markets and market areas where the regulated trade takes place. It provides for the formation of APMC that is responsible for the operation of the markets.
The APMC act aims to develop the efficiency of the marketing system and promote agri-processing and agricultural exports.
Amitabh Kant Chairs Empowered Committee to review the coordination of COVID-19 related response activities among various stakeholders:
Amitabh Kant Chairs Empowered Committee to review the coordination of COVID-19 related response activities among various stakeholders. The committee constituted of members namely Vikram Doraiswami, (AS, MEA); Dr. Vijayaraghavan, PSA; Kamal Kishore (Member, NDMA); Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar (Member, CBIC); Anil Malik (AS, MHA); P. Harish (AS, MEA); Gopal Baglay (JS, PMO); Aishvarya Singh (DS, PMO); Tina Soni (DS, Cabinet Secretariat); and the work of EG6 is serviced by Sanyukta Samaddar (Adviser, SDG, NITI Aayog).
Highlights:
♦ The meeting discussed the issues faced and the expectations of the government.
♦ It aimed to formulated plans with three groups of stakeholders namely:
1) The UN agencies, World Bank, Asian Development Bank
2) Civil Society Organisations and development partners
3) Industry associations namely Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), NASSCOM
♦ The committee appealed to over 92000 NGOs/ CSOs registered on the Darpan portal of NITI Aayog. The committee directed them to provide assistance to the government in identifying hotspots and deputing volunteers and caregivers to deliver services to the elderly, persons with disabilities (PwDs), children, transgender persons, and other vulnerable groups. It also directed them to create awareness about social distancing, prevention, isolation, and combating COVID-19 and provide shelter to homeless, daily wage workers, and urban poor families.
♦ It discussed all the proactive measures taken by the government to combat COVID-19.
Essential facilities, medicines provided by Swasth ke Sipahi under PMBJP in patients `doorstep:
During the nationwide lockdown, Swasth ke Sipahi pharmacists at Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra (PMJAK) provide critical services and medicines at the doorstep of patients and the elderly under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
Swasth ke Sipahi:
♦ The pharmacist is working as part of PMJAK. Currently, they are extending essential services by making available quality generic medicines at affordable prices to the common people of the country and the elderly persons at their doorstep to fight the Corona pandemic.
♦ Swasth ke Sipahi is supporting the government`s initiative of practicing social distancing.
PMJAK:
PMJAKs are being run by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India. The main objective of PMJAK is to provide quality and affordable healthcare to anyone in need. Currently, more than 6300 PMJAKs are functioning across the nation, covering 726 districts of the country.
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The Center helps farmers to stop market place using eNAM:
The Government of India (GoI) allowed farmers to directly sell products from farmer organizations (FPO) premises and selected warehouses through the Electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM) electronic marketing platform. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar made the announcement on 2 April.The Minister introduced the logistics project directly from FPO centers and warehouses to facilitate the transportation of the product.
Benefits:
♦ The aim of the move is to introduce a major agriculture reform that will decongest market place.
♦ The move by GOI will help farmers to sell produce at remunerative prices near to their farm gate without coming to the market place (mandis).
♦ The Centre launched the required software facilities to create a direct marketing channel alternative to mandis.
♦ FPOs and farmers can now use online facilities for transportation that can be tracked.
♦ It is being planned that eNAM will soon be expanded to 1,000 mandis from the existing 585 mandis across 16 states and two UTs.
eNAM:
Founded on: 14 April 2016
eNAM is an online trading platform for agricultural products in India. It functions under the Ministry of Agriculture, GoI. The Minister responsible for the Agriculture Ministry is Narendra Singh Tomar. The platform aims to facilitate the smooth marketing of their produce.
IISc scientists build prototype indigenous ventilators using local parts:
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) scientists have created an indigenous ventilator of high quality. The idea of circumvent is to Provide in the escalating COVID-19 crisis.
IISc`s ventilator:
♦ The indigenously developed ventilators make use of sensors and parts sourced from the local automotive and RO water filter industries.
♦ The prototype makes use of materials that are readily available and in large numbers such as pressure sensors used in cars and solenoid filter valves in Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filters.
♦ The ventilator uses a pressurized mixture of medical-grade oxygen and compressed air which is mixed using food-grade containers and tubing used in domestic RO water filters.
♦ A Raspberry Pi computer and a programmable logic controller (PLC) board will control the air pressure, the oxygen composition and flow characteristics.
♦ The ventilator will be developed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
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