Recently, the Central Government approved India's accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA).
The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) is an international fishing agreement signed in Rome on 7 July 2006. It entered into force in June 2012.
It aims to enhance the management of ocean resources and create opportunities for Indian fishing vessels to operate in the Southern Indian Ocean while adhering to international regulations.
Conservation and Sustainable Use: To ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources in the area through cooperation among the Contracting Parties.
Sustainable Fisheries Development: To promote the sustainable development of fisheries in the area.
The agreement covers fishery resources, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other sedentary species within its area.
However, it excludes highly migratory species listed in Annex I of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It is the governing body of SIOFA and comprises all Contracting Parties. It meets at least once every year.
It is a subsidiary body that acts as an advisory body to the Meeting of the Parties. Its functions include conducting scientific assessments, encouraging and promoting cooperation, and providing scientific advice.
The Secretariat implements and coordinates the administrative provisions of the Agreement. It also maintains records of the proceedings of the Meeting of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies.
At present, India is classified as a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party (CNCP) to SIOFA, which has limited its participation in decision-making processes since 2022.
Full Participation: Accession as a Contracting Party will enable India to participate fully in the governing and subsidiary bodies of SIOFA.
Scientific Cooperation: India will gain access to scientific data, research programmes and fish-stock assessments.
Fishing Opportunities: It will open up new fishing opportunities for Indian fishers and entrepreneurs in the Southern Indian Ocean.
Marine Conservation: India will be able to play a key role in preserving marine resources, ensuring their long-term viability and supporting the livelihoods of Indian fishing communities.
India’s national mental health helpline, Tele-MANAS, has received nearly 48 lakh calls in four years.
Tele-MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) provides a wide range of mental health services.
It was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2022.
Its aim is to provide universal access to equitable, affordable and quality mental health care through a 24×7 tele-mental health service. It forms a key digital component of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).
The service is available across all States and Union Territories, with assured linkages to ensure seamless mental health care.
It aims to expand the reach of mental health services nationwide by ensuring that people across India can access support at any time through dedicated 24×7 tele-mental health facilities in every State and Union Territory.
It seeks to establish an integrated system that goes beyond counselling by providing medical and psychosocial interventions, video consultations with specialists, e-prescriptions, follow-up care and connections to in-person services.
It prioritises mental health services for vulnerable and difficult-to-reach groups, ensuring access to essential care.
Tele-MANAS follows a two-tier system to optimise care delivery and strengthen mental health support.
Tier 1: It comprises State Tele-MANAS cells staffed by trained counsellors and mental health specialists. These professionals provide immediate support through tele-counselling and tele-consultation.
Tier 2: It comprises specialists from District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) facilities and medical colleges. They provide additional resources through physical consultations and audiovisual consultations via e-Sanjeevani.
Tele-MANAS has launched a mobile application and video consultation services to improve access to mental health support.
The mobile application provides a comprehensive platform offering mental health resources, including self-care tips, stress management strategies and tools to recognise early signs of distress.
Multilingual User Interface: Supports access to mental health resources in different languages.
Chatbot (Asmi): Provides chatbot-based assistance.
Accessibility: Facilitates access to mental health services.
Emergency Module: Provides support through an emergency-related feature.
Tele-MANAS will be available in 10 regional languages, in addition to English and Hindi.
The regional languages include Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Odia and Punjabi.
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In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
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