Universal Health Coverage (UHC) | Blue Cities

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Syllabus: GS2/Health

In News

• Investing in healthcare boosts resilience and productivity, helping India achieve affordable universal care and a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

• Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they require without any financial hardship.

Various Steps

• National Health Mission—launched in 200 establishes community-owned and decentralised health systems to provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services to vulnerable populations.
• Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to achieve universal health care. It is the world’s largest public healthcare scheme with crores of vulnerable Indian families enrolled in it.
• National Health Policy 2017- It addresses changing healthcare challenges in India such as the rise of lifestyle diseases like non-communicable diseases,

Blue Cities

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Around the world, leading maritime hubs are transforming into “blue cities”.

Blue Cities

• It refers to coastal or port cities that integrate ocean-based economic activities with sustainable urban development.
• The concept is rooted in the idea of a “Blue Economy” — using ocean resources for economic growth while preserving the health of marine ecosystems.

Opportunity for India

• India has a 11,098.81 km coastline, 13 major ports, 200+ non-major ports.

India’s Pilot Blue Cities

1. Mumbai: Combine port logistics with sustainable finance and innovation.
2. Vizag: Naval and shipbuilding expertise.
3. Chennai: Tech and advanced manufacturing integration.
4. Mundra: Private investment and clean-energy logistics.
5. Kochi: Maritime services and offshore renewables.

Additional Information – India’s Port Sector

• India has 13 major ports (central government controlled) and 217 minor ports (state government controlled).
• The ports are managed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• India’s Maritime Sector Overview: Handles 95% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value, with port infrastructure critical to the economy.
• Port Ranking Improvement: India’s port ranking improved from 54th in 2014 to 38th in 2023, with nine Indian ports now in the top 100 globally.
• Maritime Sector’s Importance: India is the 16th-largest maritime nation, occupies a key position in global shipping, with major trade routes passing through its waters.