Daily Current Affairs – 01-01-2025

Tamil Nadu

Mumps vaccine to UIP

® Tamil Nadu records at least 150 cases of mumps in a month now. ® There were 61 cases during 2021-22 and 129 during 2022-23, the cases soared to 1,091 during 2023-24. ® Nearly 40% of the cases occurred in the age group of six to nine, followed by children aged less than 5 years, which was 33%. ® The state requested the union Government to consider adding the mumps vaccine to the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) ® Under UIP in Tamil Nadu, 11 vaccines are provided to children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine preventable diseases. ® The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine was included in the UIP from April 2017.

Lowest Domestic Electricity

® The average cost of electricity in Tamil Nadu, as of March 2023, stands at Rs 113 for 100 units. ® In comparison, the cost is much higher in other states - Rs 643 in Maharashtra, Rs 833 in Rajasthan, Rs 618 in Madhya Pradesh, Rs 689 in Uttar Pradesh, Rs 654 in West Bengal, and Rs 426 in Odisha. ® Farmers in Tamil Nadu receive free electricity, including 2 lakhs agricultural pumpsets which are fully subsidised. ® The Powerloom weavers benefit from 1,000 free units of power, while handloom weavers are provided 300 free units every two months.

Annual income for welfare schemes in 2024

® The Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment of Tamilnadu has officially increased the annual income ceiling of families from Rs 72,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh. ® Due to the change in economic status, the per capita income and standard of living in Tamil Nadu have registered a rise. ® There will be an overall surge in beneficiaries for these schemes as the income ceiling has been revised. ® The department constantly revised the annual income ceiling from Rs 12,000 in 1993 to Rs 24,000 in 2008. ® Further, in 2012, the ceiling was revised from Rs 24,000 to Rs 40,000 in rural areas and to Rs 60,000 in urban regions. ® However, the last revision of the income ceiling was made in 2014, raising it to Rs 72,000.

Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam 2024

® The Tamilnadu State government’s flagship health scheme, Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) crossed a coverage of two crore persons. ® The scheme provides the comprehensive home-based healthcare services for the ® hypertension and diabetes across the State.It was launched by CM in Krishnagiri district on August 5, 2021 and it benefits people aged over 45. ® Physiotherapy treatment is also provided to patients. ® The scheme covers 385 rural blocks with 8,713 health sub-centres, and 21 corporations with 460 urban primary health centres in the State. ® For this scheme, the UN Inter-Agency Task Force award for 2024 was conferred upon the State’s Health Department.