Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 20 Mar 2023

Tamil Nadu TB Death Free Project (TN-KET)

TN-KET (Tamil Nadu Kasanoi Erappila Thittam, meaning TB death-free project) has achieved significant reduction in the number of early TB deaths. The program is implemented by Tamil Nadu government with the support of Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of tuberculosis research (ICMR-NIRT) in Chennai and the WHO India.

‘Differentiated TB Care’ as a part of the initiative is aimed at assessing and triaging patients to decide whether people with TB need ambulatory care or admission in a health facility.

The TN-KET initiative has already achieved the initial target of 80% triaging of patients, 80% referral, comprehensive assessment and confirmation of severe illness, and 80% admission among confirmed.


Kudumbashree and Unnathi Programme

Recently, the President inaugurated the silver jubilee celebration of ‘Kudumbashree’ - one of the largest women’s self-help networks in the world and launched ‘Unnathi’ – an umbrella programme to create opportunities for employment and self-employment, among the youth belonging to SC and ST communities.

Kudumbashree was launched in Kerala in 1998 as a joint programme of the Government of Kerala and NABARD to wipe out absolute poverty through community action. It is the largest women empowering project in the country. It has three components i.e., microcredit, entrepreneurship and empowerment. It has three tier structure - neighborhood groups (SHG), area development society (15-20 SHGs) and Community development society (federation of all groups).


Matua Mahamela

Matua mela is being organised in West Bengal to celebrate the 212th birth anniversary of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur, the founder of the Matua sect.

Harichand Thakur was born in peasant farmer family of the Thakur community (SC community). He founded a sect of Vaishnavite Hinduism called ‘Matua’. This was adopted by members of the Namasudra community, also known as Chandalas and considered untouchable.

Originally from East Pakistan, the Matuas migrated to India during Partition and after the creation of Bangladesh. However, a sizable number are yet to get Indian citizenship.

Matua Mahasangha is a religious reformation movement that originated, around 1860 AD, in modern-day Bangladesh for the upliftment of the oppressed.