IIT Goa gets solar-powered weather monitoring station under US-India collab (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- As part of the collaboration between the USA and India, the City University of New York (CUNY) has installed a solar-powered weather monitoring station at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Goa.
Details:
- The weather station at IIT Goa, located at Farmagudi village in South Goa, was installed.
- This project is related to weather and climate monitoring.
- It will give details of regular weather information, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, UV radiation, moisture, air quality and other things.
Way Forward:
- The CUNY will install more such stations in Western India including that at DY Patil University in Navi Mumbai, then to Gujarat to two installations including Ahmedabad University.
Government introduces a new category of Ayush visa for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Indian systems of medicine
(GS Paper 2, Health)
Why in news?
- Ministry of Home Affairs, has notified the creation of a new category of Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals for treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine.
Details:
- The introduction of Ayush Visa fulfills the proposal for introduction of a special visa scheme for foreigners visiting India for treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine like therapeutic care, wellness and Yoga.
- A new chapter i.e. chapter 11A – Ayush Visa has been incorporated after Chapter 11 - Medical visa of the Visa Manual, which deals with treatment under the Indian systems of medicine and accordingly necessary amendments has been made in various chapters of the Visa Manual, 2019.
Background:
- The Prime Minister had announced a creation of a special Ayush Visa category for facilitating foreign nationals travel to India seeking Ayush therapy, at Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in April 2022.
Heal in India initiative:
- Introduction of Ayush Visa category is part of India’s roadmap for the Heal in India initiative of the government, which is intended at promoting India as a medical value travel destination.
- Ministry of Ayush and the ministry of Health & Family Welfare are working together to develop a one stop Heal in India portal to promote India as a Medical tourism destination of the world.
Economic aspect:
- According to the report ‘The Global Wellness Economy: Looking beyond COVID’ by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the Global Wellness economy will grow at 9.9% annually.
- Ayush based healthcare & Wellness economy is estimated to grow to $70 billion by 2025.
Way Forward:
- Ministry of Ayush has been working on many fronts to promote Ayush system of treatment national and globally.
- Recently, a MoU with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Ministry of Tourism, GoI was signed to work together for the promotion of Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.
