Syllabus- Environmental Policy; Population Policy; Policy on Education; Policy on Health; Poverty Alleviation Programmes; Welfare Schemes for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, Women, Children, Minorities, Aged and Disabled.
Number of questions- Mains: 02, Prelims – 10
Mains Questions of the day
1.Explain the reasons that are contributing to resilient health ecosystem of Telangana State.
Introduction: Discuss the importance of Health for any society.
Body:
Mention the Telangana Government initiatives towards providing the resilient health ecosystem in the state.
Conclusion:
- The Government would continue to strive to provide high-quality healthcare services to all as envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals
- It would work towards eradicating diseases and strengthening the health system in the state, with a special focus on personnel development and addressing new emerging health challenges.
Content:
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines ‘health’ as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
- In line with the WHO’s definition, the Telangana government focuses on the preventive as well as curative aspects of health, with the aim of:
- prolonging the life and
- promoting the well-being of its citizens.
- Since the state’s formation, the Government has invested significantly in strengthening its public health system.
- It has further sharpened its focus towards quality healthcare provisioning in light of pandemic.
- The state has constituted a committee to review the conditions of government hospitals as well as to study the best practices in other well-performing states and countries.
- In order to improve health outcomes in the state, specifically for persons belonging to marginalized communities, the Government has launched several schemes that focus on improving the availability, accessibility, and affordability of quality healthcare.
- Further, in alignment with the Government’s objective of “Aarogya Telangana”, and to instill new confidence in the government healthcare system, the Government made a budgetary allocation towards the National Health Mission for improving healthcare service delivery.
- The past year has seen a substantive increase in the investments towards the expansion and improvement of health infrastructure in the state.
- Telangana ranked 3rd on below both aspects, it was the only state to have:
- demonstrated a strong overall performance and
- a marked incremental performance on NITI Aayog’s Annual Health Index 2019-20
- Its efforts towards strengthening the health systems in the state, it was declared as the only larger state where all Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Urban PHCs(UPHCs) are now functioning as Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs).
- As per the IPHS (2012) norms for staffing in 2019-20, Telangana had:
- No shortfall in the number of Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) at Health Sub Centers (HSCs)
- No shortfall in the number of Medical Officers (MOs) at PHCs and UPHCs, and
- One of the lowest shortfalls in the number of specialist doctors at District Hospitals.
- In 2021, the Telangana Government announced plans to establish four Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (TIMS) hospitals with infrastructure at par with corporate hospitals.
- To strengthen the medical education in the state, the Government sanctioned 8 new Government Medical Colleges with a cumulative intake of MBBS students.
- To bring healthcare services close to the urban poor, the Government has established Basti Dawakhanas in urban slums that offer 53 different health services free of cost including:
- outpatient consultation
- medicines
- basic lab diagnosis
- antenatal/postnatal care and
- screening for non-communicable diseases.
- Basti Dawakhanas also provide specialist consultation through Telemedicine.
- After the success of the Basti Dawakhanas, the model is being replicated in rural areas to deliver comprehensive primary healthcare service by upgrading the sub-centres to “Palle Dawakhanas”.
- Few sub-centres have been upgraded to Palle Dawakhanas.
- To increase the reach and benefits of health insurance scheme, Aarogyasri, the Telangana Government has converged the scheme with the Government of India’s Ayushman Bharat scheme.
- Over the last two years, the Government has taken several measures to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The health ecosystem has remained resilient in the face of the pandemic and has ensured maximum care and minimum loss of life.
- Recognizing the importance of emotional, psychological, and social well-being of its citizens, especially in the wake of the pandemic, the Telangana Government has rolled out the National Mental Health Program in all districts.
- Above 18+ age group, Telangana has successfully achieved:
- 100% coverage of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination and
- 89% coverage of the second dose of vaccination.
- As of now, 76% coverage has been achieved in the case of the first dose of vaccination in the age group 15- 18 years.
- 3.60 lakh precautionary doses have been given to frontline workers and persons aged 60+ years.
2. What is Telangana’s ‘GO 111’ orders? The Telangana Government wanted to end the GO111 orders, Discuss its impact on Environment.
Introduction:
Mention the what is GO111 of Telangana Government.
Body:
Mention the consequences of ending of GO111 orders of Telangana Government.
Conclusion:
- The government needs to have a special master plan that will ensure lakes are protected and there is no pollution.
- The government executes the master plan ensures lake protection, low-density houses, institutions that do not lead to pollution then there would be no real estate lobby control.
Content:
- Telangana Government has announced scrapping of a 26-year-old Government Order (GO 111).
- The government order 111 issued in 1996 has become redundant now.
- It could send two Nizam-era reservoirs into:
- a death trap and
- put lakhs of acres of land at a massive risk of concrete urbanisation.
GO 111:
- The Government issued GO111 order in order to restrict major construction and industrial activity in and around 10-km of the two reservoirs Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar.
- Both reservoirs have been a key source of:
- drinking water for the city for decades and
- an essential part of flood control, among other environmental factors.
- With an intention to protect the reservoirs, the GO111 created a buffer zone to avoid any kind of polluting activity in the catchment areas from industrial, commercial to heavy residential constructions in the lake area.
Historical Background of orders:
- Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar were built in 1920 and 1927 respectively under the last Nizam-era ruler Mir Osman Ali Khan, after the devastating 1908 floods in Hyderabad.
- M. Visvesvaraya wanted to make the city flood-proof.
- Under his recommendation to control excess water during floods, these two massive storage reservoirs were built.
- The reservoirs eventually became a crucial source of drinking water as water from river Musi and Esa.
- GO 111 is applicable to 1.32 lakh acres of land in 84 villages.
- The 84 villages fall under the 10-km catchment area of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.
- Development of residential zones are permitted but with following restrictions on land use:
- About 90% area for recreation and conservation.
- About 60% of the total area shall be kept as open space and roads in the catchment area.
Consequences of ending the GO111 of Telangana Government:
- According to Telangana Government, the city no longer depended on these reservoirs for its water needs as the government is now able to draw water from massive Krishna and Godavari rivers.
- However, the local body had tapped water resources of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar as recently as 2019, after other reservoirs dried up.
- It would not be easy to revoke the government order, due to a “precautionary principle” issued by the Supreme Court in 2000 when an industrial unit approached the top court for operate within 10 km of the catchment area.
- The court had upheld GO 111, restricting any construction activities which could pollute the lake.
- Any move to scrap the government order would be a violation of Supreme Court judgement.
- By scrapping this government order, a move that could largely benefit the real estate sector.
- Both Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar were mainly built for flood control after 1908 massive floods.
- Hyderabad got flooded twice in the last three years and that resulted in loss of life and inundation of several areas.
- If reservoirs like Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar are not kept intact, the water impact flowing into the city will be much higher and that will create havoc for the city.
- The reservoir gates were opened during 2020 and 2021 floods and they are still a source of drinking water.
- These are gravity reservoirs and the water from here naturally flows into the filter beds in the city.
Environmental factors:
- The reservoirs located in the southwest direction of the city, also provide quality wind during the southwest monsoon.
- Any kind of pollution in those areas would affect the wind quality.
- The Mrugavani National Park between the twin reservoirs and the entire area acts as a heat absorption unit for the city and if that is allowed, the city would become a furnace.
- The state’s most fertile land is in these areas and mostly locals depend on agriculture for their source of income.
Prelims Questions of the day:
1.Which of the following statement is true regarding the Geomatics?
- It refers to the methods and technologies used to collect, distribute, store, analyze, process, and present space data only.
- It encompasses Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Cartography, Remote Sensing, and Surveying.
- It is exclusively used in space application.
- It has helped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consider the following options?
- 1,2 and 3
- 1 and 3
- 1,2,3 and 4
- 2 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation:
Geomatics:
- Geomatics refers to the methods and technologies used to collect, distribute, store, analyze, process, and present geographic data.
- It encompasses Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Cartography, Remote Sensing, and Surveying.
- The forest department uses Geomatics-based tools for the efficient management of its forests along with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools.
- The department has developed a modular based web-enabled Forest Management Information System (FMIS) for the public servants and other stakeholders.
- 20 modules have been developed and operationalized and 5 modules are at different stages of development.
- These systems have also helped during the COVID-19 pandemic to cope with emergencies.
2.Which of the following is true regarding the Mana OoruMana Badi/Mana Basti-Mana Badi initiative of Telangana government?
- It is to expand the learning opportunities for children beyond classrooms
- It is to upgrade the infrastructure facilities in the government schools
- It is to impart quality education to the students belonging to the marginalised communities
- It is to train the faculty in the government schools
Answer: B
Explanation:
Mana OoruMana Badi/Mana Basti-Mana Badi:
- The Government launched its flagship initiative “Mana OoruMana Badi/Mana Basti-Mana Badi” in January 2022 to upgrade the infrastructure facilities in the government schools for a period of three years with an approved budget of Rs. 7,289.54 crores.
- 26,067 government and local body schools and 19,84,167 students are covered under this programme
3.What is the main objective of establishing of Telangana State Forest Development Corporation?
- To Raise the plantations to meet the demand of wood based industries.
- To conduct the training programme for public service officer for efficient management of forest resources.
- To bring out qualified forestry professionals for the conservation and sustainable management of forest resources
- To raise the income of forest dwellers.
Answer: A
Explanation:
TSFDC:
- The Telangana State Forest Development Corporation was established with the objective of raising plantations to meet the demand of wood based industries.
- The corporation has been raising various species such as eucalyptus and bamboo to meet the pulpwood demand of various paper mills in the state, thus relieving the natural forests from the burden of supplying the raw materials to them.
- TSFDC is spread across 12 districts in the state with a net area of 33,743 hectares.
4.What is the rank of Telangana in NITI Aayog’s Annual Health Index 2019-20?
- Second
- First
- Third
- Fifth
Answer: C
Explanation:
Telangana was the only state have demonstrated a strong overall performance, as well as a marked incremental performance on NITI Aayog’s Annual Health Index 2019-20, ranking 3rd on both aspects.
5.In which of the following area Telangana Government has established a Forest College and Research institute in Telangana?
- Mulugu
- Amrabad
- Kawal
- Jawarhnagar
Answer: A
Explanation:
FCRI Mulugu:
- The Government established a Forest College and Research Institute (FCRI) in 2016 in Mulugu of Siddipet district.
- FCRI aims to bring out qualified forestry professionals for the conservation and sustainable management of forest resources.
- FCRI offers bachelors-level, masters-level and doctoral degree programmes in forestry.
- It also develops appropriate methods through rigorous research to propagate plantation crops to meet the domestic and industrial needs.
- Furthermore, FCRI provides extension training to farmers and develop agro-forestry models suitable for different agro-ecological systems.
6.In which of the following district in Telangana, AIIMS institution was established under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)?
- Hyderbad
- Warnagl
- Yadadri Bhuvanagiri
- Nirmal
Answer: C
Explanation:
- The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was announced in 2003 with the objective of correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable and reliable tertiary healthcare services, and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country.
- AIIMS, Bibinagar in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district is one of the apex healthcare institutes established under Phase VII of PMSSY.
- The institute became functional in the year 2019, and has been providing out-patient, in-patient, telemedicine, surgeries, Intensive Care Units (ICU), and investigative services to patients since then.
- Additionally, AIIMS is a premier institute for health education in the state, with its first batch of 50 students from the MBBS course due to pass out in the year 2024.
7.Under the Swadesh Darshan initiative of Government of India, which of the following district of Telangana has been developed for the eco-tourism?
- Mahabubnagar
- Nirmal
- Waranagal
- Nalgonda districts
Answer: A
Explanation:
- Under the Swadesh Darshan initiative of Government of India an eco-tourism circuit in Mahbubnagar district has been developed.
- Encompassing the Nallamala Hills and the Eastern Ghats, this circuit covers rivers and waterfalls, temples, and natural caves, with the Srisailam temple anchoring the whole package.
- The revenue generated through the eco-tourism projects in Mannanur, Farhabad, Mallelatheertham and Domalapenta with the involvement of local communities is deposited in the Tiger Conservation Foundation and utilized for the development and conservation of wildlife, particularly tigers.
8. Which of the following is “The Health city of Telangana”?
- Warangal
- Hyderabd
- Rangareddy
- Kawal
Answer: A
Explanation:
Warangal City -The Health City of Telangana:
- In 2021, the Government laid the foundation stone and sanctioned Rs 1,100 crore for the construction of a super specialty hospital in Warangal as part of its plan to develop Warangal into a health city and a medical tourism destination.
- The 24-storeyed hospital will be constructed across a 15 acre area, and will have 2,000 beds including 800 beds for super specialty services.
- The hospital will have 36 super specialty divisions, around 500 doctors, more than 1,000 nurses, paramedics and other staff.
- The hospital will also have facilities for organ transplant, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and a helipad for emergency airlifting of patients using helicopters, and would be fully equipped with specialized medical units, a Medical and a Dental College.
9.Telangana government manages which of the following area/areas of Zoos for Ex-situ conservation methods to facilitate the breeding and rehabilitation of endangered species?
- Hyderabad
- Warangal
- Nalgonda
- Both A and B
Answer: D
Explanation:
Ex-situ Conservation:
- The Government of Telangana has adopted ex-situ conservation methods to facilitate the breeding of endangered species and their rehabilitation in the natural habitat.
- For this purpose, the Government manages two zoos in the state—in Hyderabad and Warangal.
- The Government has also set up deer parks to conserve antelopes including black buck (Antilope cervicapra), Sambhar deer (Rusa unicolor), Chousingha deer (Tetracerus quadricornis) and Spotted deer (Axis axis) at four locations.
- In addition, there are two private deer parks in the state.
10.What is the Infant mortality rate (IMR) of Telangana according to National Family Health Surveys NFHS-5(2019-20)?
- 27.7
- 28.9
- 26.4
- 23.9
Answer: C
Explanation:
Infant mortality rate (IMR) dropped from 27.7 to 26.4 (per 1000 live births) between National Family Health Surveys NFHS-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-20) respectively.