Prelims Focus 3rd June 2025

Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs)

In News: Despite the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) 2021 and a nationwide financial assistance program, over 300 patients—mostly children with Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs)—remain without essential medical care in India. 

• The policy’s one-time funding cap of Rs 50 lakh is insufficient for lifelong treatments like enzyme replacement therapy, leading to therapy discontinuation and severe health deterioration. 
• Delays, bureaucratic hurdles, and technical issues further hinder timely access to care. 
• Although the policy was amended to increase funding, lack of sustainable support mechanisms continues to leave many patients stranded, resulting in preventable deaths and highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure uninterrupted, life-saving treatment.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

In News: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a transformative five-year initiative to invest up to $10 billion in India’s urban infrastructure, aiming to support the country’s rapid urbanization and its vision for “Viksit Bharat 2047”. 

• This ambitious plan focuses on expanding metro rail networks, developing new Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors, and upgrading essential city services such as water supply, sanitation, housing, and waste management. 
• The initiative is anchored by the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), a flagship mechanism designed to attract private and third-party investment into urban infrastructure projects, with foundational studies already underway in 100 cities.
• ADB’s approach combines sovereign loans, private sector financing, and technical assistance, including a $3 million allocation to help states and urban local bodies design bankable projects and strengthen governance. 
• With India’s urban population expected to exceed 40% by 2030, the program aims to address rising demands on infrastructure, promote sustainable and inclusive growth, and improve mobility and accessibility—especially for marginalized communities. 
• ADB is currently active in 110 cities across 22 states, with a portfolio that includes 27 ongoing urban loans worth $5.15 billion and $4 billion already committed to metro and RRTS projects over the past decade. 
• The new initiative is set to accelerate delivery, scale solutions, and mobilize global capital, positioning India’s cities as engines of economic growth and innovation.

Heavy Rainfall in NorthEast India

In News: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a pink alert for Assam and Meghalaya for heavy rainfall.

Reasons for High Rainfall in NE region: 

• Influence of the South-West Monsoon Winds: The South-West Monsoon (June to September) is the main contributor to rainfall in India.
  • When these moisture-laden winds blow from the Bay of Bengal, they at once hit the North Eastern hills and valleys.
• Orographic Rainfall (Topographic Effect): The Eastern Himalayas, together with hills of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and others, act as a barrier.
  • When the monsoon winds rise over those hills, the air cools and condenses, leading to heavy rainfall.
• Proximity to the Bay of Bengal: The vicinity may be very close to the Bay of Bengal, that is a major provider of moisture.

International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed)

In News: China asks Nepal to join its new International mediation organisation.

• International Organisation for Mediation a China-led global initiative, formally launched on May 30, 2025, in Hong Kong.
• It is positioned as an alternative dispute decision discussion board aimed at resolving global conflicts via mediation, as opposed to arbitration or litigation.
• At its inception, the IOMed saw participation from 33 founding member countries, many of them developing countries from Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia regions where China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has already been established.
• The conference promotes mediation based on key global norms: sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and non violent decision of disputes.

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