Andhra Pradesh High Court quashes Central Government’s decision of the creation of 4.5 % sub-quota for religious minorities including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Parsis, within the 27% OBC quota

The Neurology centre at All India Medical Institute of Sciences (AIIMS) will aid in building a National Registry for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).It will help in maintenance of epidemiological data of MS patients from across India for evidence based research, treatment, and education.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

• Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects brain and spinal cord.
• An inflammatory disease in which fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms.
• In this disease the body’s own immune system attacks and damages the myelin. When myelin is lost, the axons can no longer effectively conduct signals.
• The name “multiple sclerosis""” refers to scars (scleroses—better known as plaques or lesions) particularly in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, which is mainly composed of myelin.

When does MS usually occurs?

• Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in women than men. MS affects youth in the age of 20-40 years.

Symptoms:

• numbness & weakness in the limbs
• sudden loss of balance
• blurred vision
• paralysis
• Dysphagia
• Fatigue
• Cognitive Impairment

What is the “Reaching Out” Project?

• 'Reaching Out' is a 3-year pilot project has been initiated all over cities in Uttar Pradesh to collect more data on MS patients. The project will also be implemented in other states as well in the years to come.

5th International Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) Day celebrated in Nepal.

Objective: To mark the first successful climb to the world’s highest peak Mount Everest. The day is celebrated every year to propagate the message of Nepal across the world not only as a heart of mountaineering but also a centre of adventure activities.

• Mount Everest is locally known as Sagarmatha in Nepal.
• On May 29, 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Tenzing reached the zenith of the mountain.

As per latest India State of Forest Report 2011, amongst all the Indian states, MP has the maximum Forest Cover area in country.

As per latest India State of Forest Report 2011:

• Geographical area of the country is under Forest and Tree cover: 23.81% i.e. 78.29 million hectare
• Madhya Pradesh has 11.24% of the total forest land in the country
• Arunachal Pradesh with 67,410 kms under forest cover stands, second
• Chhattisgarh with a forest cover of 55,870 kms, stands third
• As compared to the data of 2009 there is a decline of 367 sq km in country’s forest cover
• 15 states registered aggregate increase of 5000sq km in their forest cover with Punjab at the forefront with an increase of 100sqkm
• 12 states/UTs (mainly the NE states) show a loss of 867sqkm forest
• Decrease of 281 sq km in Forest cover of Andhra Pradesh is mainly related to harvesting of mature plantation of Eucalyptus & other species
• Fall in Forest cover of North East is attributed to the practice of shifting cultivation in this region
• In terms of % of forest cover in compared to total geographical area, Mizoram tops the chart with 90.68% followed by Lakshadweep with 84.56%

*Some path-breaking chapters added in 2011 report are concerned with:

• Assessment of bamboo resources
• Production-consumption assessment of wood based on data stock in India’s forests
• Assessment of carbon stock in India’s forests

The Centre agreed upon a Rs 35000 crore debt restructuring package to the textile sector. Step is taken to support the textile industry in this moment of crisis. The total outstanding debt of the textiles sector is Rs 1,55,809 crore of which debt of Rs 35,000 crore requires restructuring. Govt would issue directives to Banks to consider Restructuring on priority and case to case basis. The Finance Ministry would examine, in consultation with RBI, a 2-year moratorium on term loans, special provision in NPA norms to avoid asset reclassification and working capital eroded to be converted into working capital term loans repayable over a period of 3-5 years.