Current Affairs - National

The Ministry of Culture will set up a 10.24-acre cultural village called 'Kalagram' in Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh. This initiative aims to showcase India's rich heritage and cultural diversity. The site will feature performances, with a Ganga Pandal capable of holding 10,000 people, along with 20 stages across the city for cultural programs. Kalagram will focus on promoting emerging artists and performances from prestigious institutions such as the National School of Drama and Zonal Cultural Centres, making it an important cultural highlight of the event.

The 10th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC 2024) was launched in Dehradun, marking an important milestone in the promotion of Ayurveda globally. The event, which centred around the theme "Digital Health: An Ayurveda Perspective," focuses on exploring how Ayurveda can be integrated with modern technology to improve global healthcare. The inauguration was attended by key dignitaries, including the Union Minister of State for Ayush and the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, further highlighting its significance. Dehradun was chosen as the venue for this landmark event due to its connection with traditional Indian healing practices.

The Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana, which increases financial aid for eligible women, was announced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi. This initiative is aimed at supporting women with no formal income and is seen as a key strategy for the Delhi Assembly elections. The announcement was made at an event in New Delhi, highlighting its importance in the electoral campaign to mobilize women voters.

India’s first human gene therapy, developed by CSCR at CMC Vellore, targets Hemophilia A, a genetic disorder causing blood clotting issues. The therapy, using lentiviral vectors, successfully reduced the annual bleeding rates to zero for five participants, eliminating the need for repeated injections. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and show both long-term safety and efficacy. This breakthrough offers significant hope for the 136,000 patients suffering from Hemophilia A in India, marking a major step forward in the treatment of genetic disorders.

Bihar’s sex ratio at birth has dropped to 882 females per 1,000 males, which is a significant decline from 894 in 2022-23. This alarming drop has led the government to take urgent action, including stricter enforcement of the PC-PNDT Act and launching awareness campaigns to curb female foeticide and improve gender parity. The government's initiative focuses on community engagement and promoting the value of the girl child, with particular emphasis on districts like Vaishali, Bhojpur, and Saran, where the decline is most pronounced.