Huntington’s Disease | Payments Regulatory Board | Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ)

Huntington’s Disease

Health and Society

Context

• Huntington’s Disease is increasingly recognised as underdiagnosed in India due to limited awareness and delayed diagnosis.

Huntington’s Disease (HD)

• It is a rare, progressive, hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and leads to motor dysfunction, cognitive decline, and psychiatric disturbances (depression, psychosis, irritability, OCD), resulting in lifelong disability.
• The disease is caused by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene and follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, meaning a child inheriting the mutated gene from either parent will develop the disorder.
• Consanguineous marriages significantly increase the probability of transmission, up to 75%.
• Symptoms typically begin between 40 and 50 years of age and progress over 15–20 years.
• While there is no cure for the disease, treatments are available that can improve patients’ quality of life and ease the burden on caregivers.

Policy Perspective

• The WHO defines rare diseases as those affecting 1 or fewer per 1,000 people. Although over 7,000 rare diseases exist globally, fewer than 5% have treatment options.
• In 2021, the Union government formulated the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD)-2021 for identification, prevention and providing support to families with rare diseases.
• The NPRD recognises 63 rare diseases in India, but Huntington’s Disease is not included. Patients with any of the 63 recognised diseases are eligible for financial assistance of up to ₹50 lakh under PM-JAY.

Payments Regulatory Board

Economy

In News

• The first meeting of the Payments Regulatory Board (PRB) was held under the chairmanship of RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, marking the operationalisation of India’s new payments governance framework.

Payments Regulatory Board

• It is a statutory body through which the Reserve Bank of India exercises regulatory and supervisory control over payment and settlement systems in India.
• Established under – Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.
• Mandate – Its objective is to ensure safety, efficiency, stability, and consumer protection in digital and non-cash payments.

Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ)

Geography & Environment

In News

• The National Green Tribunal issued a notice to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government over non-compliance with environmental norms in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ).

Taj Trapezium Zone

• Purpose: It is a 10,400 sq. km trapezoidal shape area to safeguard the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri (all UNESCO World Heritage Sites) from the damaging effects of air pollution.
• Establishment: In 1996 by the Supreme Court to control pollution affecting the Taj Mahal.
• SC Directive: The Supreme Court mandated that industries within the TTZ switch from using coal and coke to cleaner fuels like natural gas.

Additional Information – National Green Tribunal

• Legal status – It is a statutory body established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
• Mandate – to ensure speedy and effective disposal of cases related to environmental protection and conservation.
• It hears matters linked to major environmental laws in Schedule I, including the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, among others.