REC inks MoU with NICSI for ICT and Digital Transformation (GS Paper 3, Economy)
Why in news?
- The REC (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited), a ‘Maharatna’ company under the Ministry of Power, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) under National Informatics Centre (NIC), for various Information & Communications Technology (ICT) and Digital Transformation Services.
- This MoU will benefit the REC ecosystem by facilitating exploration of latest technology in evolving areas like IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Blockchain, Cyber Security etc.
About REC Limited:
- REC Limited is an NBFC focusing on Power Sector Financing and Development across India.
- Established in 1969, REC Limited has completed over fifty years in the area of its operations.
- It provides financial assistance throughout the complete power sector value chain; for various types of projects including Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Renewable Energy. REC’s funding illuminates every fourth bulb in India.
Way Forward:
- This collaboration with NICSI will enable REC in providing one-stop end-to-end NIC/NICSI Software products deployment, hosting, core roll-out, technical support, security, services, system administration, etc.
P20 Summit unanimously adopts Joint Statement
(GS Paper 2, International Summits)
Why in news?
- Indian Prime Minister inaugurated the 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi recently.
- The summit was hosted by the Parliament of India.
Details:
- In line with the theme of India’s G20 Presidency, the theme of the 9th P20 Summit is ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
- Speakers of Parliaments of G20 members and invitee countries attended the event.
- The Pan-African Parliament also took part in the P20 Summit for the first time after the African Union became a member of G20 at the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit on 9-10 September 2023.
- The thematic sessions during this P20 Summit focused on the following four subjects –
- Transformation in People’s Lives through Public Digital Platforms;
- Women-led development;
- Accelerating SDGs; and
- Sustainable Energy Transition.
Joint Statement:
- The Presiding Officers unanimously adopted a Joint Statement under the Chairmanship of Lok Sabha Speaker.
- The Presiding Officers welcomed the comprehensive and constructive dialogue held during the G20 Leaders’ Summit and India’s G20 Presidency, focusing on the issues related to accelerating progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), technological transformation and inclusive digital economy, global economic recovery, food and energy security, addressing climate change, inclusive energy transition, promotion of sustainable production and consumption patterns, reinvigorating multilateralism, peace-building, counter-terrorism, global skill mapping, disaster risk reduction, and strengthening global health architecture.
- The Presiding Officers congratulated Parliament of India for passage of the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, ensuring reservation of one-third seats in Lok Sabha and in State legislatures.
Way Forward:
- The Parliaments will continue to engage in parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue in relevant fora as a catalyst for promoting international peace, prosperity and harmony, including supporting the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes
India homegrown CAR T cell therapy, a form of immunotherapy, gets market authorisation
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- For treating relapsed-refractory B-cell lymphoma and leukemia, Mumbai-based Immunoadoptive Cell Therapy Private Limited (ImmunoACT) announced the approval of India’s first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) recently.
Details:
- Called NexCAR19, it is an indigenously developed CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy.
- CD-19 is biomarker for B lymphocytes and can be utilised as a target for leukemia immunotherapies.
- ImmunoACT is an IIT Bombay-incubated company founded in 2018 and works on converting research into pharmaceutical products.
How does the treatment work?
- For CAR-T-cell therapy, a type of cancer immunotherapy treatment, blood is first drawn from the patient.
- Then, immune cells called T-cells are genetically modified in a laboratory and are injected back into the patient to enable the cells to locate and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
- It is a major breakthrough as the therapy is not available in India outside of clinical trials.
- The multi-centre Phase I and II clinical trials were conducted with 60 patients with r / r B-cell lymphomas and leukemia. The clinical data indicated a 70 per cent overall response rate.
Side effects:
- CAR T-cell therapy is generally accompanied by some side effects. One of them, according to the American Cancer Society, is cytokine release syndrome (CRS).
- It is when CAR T-cells multiply, they can release large amounts of chemicals called cytokines into the blood, which can ramp up the immune system.
- In comparison to other CAR T-cell therapies, the safety profile of CRS and the absence of neurotoxicity indicates a significant improvement.
Way Forward:
- NexCAR19 has shown an excellent balance of efficacy and low toxicity, which is a significant advantage in clinical management (post-infusion) of the patients in our resource-constrained settings.
- Priorly, CAR-T cell therapy cost around $400,000 or over Rs 3.3 crore and patients could avail of it in the United States.
- With this development, the therapy will be accessible at 20 Indian government and private hospitals treating cancer across major cities at around Rs 30-35 lakh per patient.
