Kargil Vijay Diwas: It is celebrated on July 26 every year. The day commemorates the victory of the Indian armed forces in the Kargil War fought against Pakistan. The day is observed to pay tribute to and honour the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers in the war of 1999.
The year 2023 marks the 24th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Kargil War: It was fought between India and Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC)in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Kargil War was an unexpected intrusion by Pakistani forces into Indian territory. They occupied key vantage points in the Kargil region, leading to intense military engagement. The Indian Army fought bravely and recaptured the famous ‘Tiger Hill’ and other important posts around under ‘Operation Vijay’ by evicting the Pakistani troops in the 1999 Kargil War. It lasted for approximately three months. It was the first ever war to be broadcasted live on TV channels in India. The war came to an end on July 26, 1999, when India successfully pushed back the Pakistani forces from the occupied positions. As per official figures, around 500 Indian soldiers laid down their lives while at least 1,000 Pakistani troops were also killed. It was the last war that happened between India and Pakistan.
International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem: International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is celebrated every year on July 26. It is celebrated every year on July 26. This International Day was adopted by the General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015.
Purpose: To raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.
UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award: Recently, the heritage Byculla Railway station which has been restored to its original glory, received the UNESCO award. The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation is supported by a partnership between UNESCO and Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation since 2021. UNESCO introduced the new category, ‘Special Recognition for Sustainable Development’, in 2020, together with an updated set of Awards Criteria. It is to acknowledge the role and contribution of cultural heritage to sustainable development within the broader framework of the UN 2030 Agenda. Since 2000, UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation have been recognizing the achievement of the private sector and public-private initiatives in successfully conserving or restoring structures, places and properties of heritage value in the region.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: Out of 27,000 hospitals empanelled for PM-JAY since its 2018 launch, only 18,783 remain active, the latest health ministry data showed. It is the world’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the government. The households included are based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 for rural and urban areas respectively. It provides a cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India. It provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary. There is no restriction on family size, age or gender. The benefits of the scheme are portable across the country i.e.; a beneficiary can visit any empanelled public or private hospital in India to avail of cashless treatment. The scheme is being implemented by the National Health Authority.
