Defence and Security/GSIII
Supersonic missile assisted torpedo system gets successfully launched

What's the NEWS

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed supersonic missile assisted torpedo system was successfully launched from Wheeler Island in Odisha on December 13, 201.

• The system is a next generation missile-based standoff torpedo delivery system.
• During the mission, full range capability of the missile was successfully demonstrated.
• The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo.
• This was a text book launch, where the entire trajectory was monitored by the electro optic telemetry system, various range radars, including the down range instrumentation and down range ships.
• The missile carried a torpedo, parachute delivery system and release mechanisms.
• This canister-based missile system consists of advanced technologies viz. two stage solid propulsion, electro-mechanical actuators and precision inertial navigation.
• The missile is launched from ground mobile launcher and it can cover a range of distances.
• A number of DRDO laboratories developed various technologies for this advanced missile system.
• The system will further enhance the strength of our Navy and promote self-reliance in defence, harnessing of expertise and capabilities.

• Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and the Royal Embassy of Denmark to India announced the second edition of water innovation challenges to address the global water woes through innovations as part of the Indo-Danish Bilateral Green Strategic partnership.

• Doubling down on the efforts to scale up innovations in the water sector, the AIM-ICDK water challenge is being rolled out under the year-old ambitious partnership of AIM, NITI Aayog and Innovation Center Denmark (ICDK) under the aegis of Denmark Embassy in India, and the Denmark Technical University (DTU).
• The initiative aims to identify innovative & next-gen solutions to solve proposed challenges in collaboration with corporate and public partners.
• The initiative will engage young talents from leading universities and innovation hubs across the nation to build their skills and apply their technical disciplines and innovation capacity.
• The winners of the challenges will also represent India at the International Water Congress 2022.
• The Denmark Embassy in India, and the DTU will be preparing the Indian participants for the Global Next Generation Water Action (NGWA) program to be hosted by DTU.

• Doordarshan will be hosting the international finals of Robocon 2022 in August next year.
• The Robot competition, which is organised by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union and hosted by different member countries every year, will be held in New Delhi in 2022.
• ABU Robocon 2021 was hosted by China wherein the international Robocon contest was held on December 12, 2021.
• Teams from Nirma University and Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Ahmedabad, who were the India finalists, participated in the international contest from India.

• It is an Asian-Oceanian college robot competition, founded in 2002 by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.
• In the competition robots compete to complete a task within a set period of time.
• The contest aims to create friendship among young people with similar interests who will lead their countries in the 21st century, as well as help advance engineering and broadcasting technologies in the region.
• The event is broadcast in many countries through ABU member broadcasters.

• The major focus of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 [SBM (U) 2.0] and AMRUT 2.0 launched on 1st October, 2021 is to make the cities garbage free and water secure during the mission period of five years (2021-2026).

• North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) [erstwhile Cane and Bamboo technology Centre (CBTC)] is an ISO 9001:2008 certified organization and was established in the year 2000 as an implementation unit for the project - Cane and Bamboo Technological Up-gradation and Networking Programme of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
• On conclusion of the project, it was registered as a Society, chaired by Secretary, NEC, with the Mission Directors of the State Bamboo Mission from the North Eastern States as members in the Governing Body.

• NECBDC is one of the designated Bamboo Technical Support Group (BTSG) under the National Bamboo Mission (NBM), Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India since the inception of the National Bamboo Mission in 2006-07.
• NECBDC is located at the Bamboo Technology Park at Burnihat, Assam
• It has trained more than 7000 numbers of Government Official/Indian Army/artisans/farmers/bamboo workers/Handicap Persons (India and abroad) in various bamboo trade.
• An Integrated Bamboo Project' at Tamenglong, Manipur which is funded by North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong is underway.
• The project comprises of the ‘Cane and Bamboo nursery', ‘Bamboo Treatment Plant' and the ‘Common Facility Centre'( CFC ) for cane and bamboo processing.

• Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been created for control of wildlife crime at the Central Government level which work in close coordination with State forest department and other law enforcement agencies.
• Between 2018 and 2020 about 2054 cases were registered for killing or illegal trafficking of wild animals in India.
• In the three years about 3836 accused were arrested for the crime.
• The data was made available on the basis of cases registered by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and State Forest and Police Authorities in the past three years.
• WCCB has conducted a number of species-specific enforcement operations with coordination of State Enforcement Agencies

• The WCCB had launched operation "Save Kurma" from to 15th December 2016 to 30th January 2017 to focus on the poaching, transportation and illegal trade of live turtles and tortoises.

1. Another operation "Operation Turtshield- I" from 1st December 2019 to 31st January 2020 and Operation Turtshield-II" (1st December 2020 to 28th February 2021) was taken up to tackle the illegal trade of live turtles from resulting in the seizure of 4,601 live/dead turtles

• WCCB conducted Operation "Lesknow" (1st August 2017 to 31st Aug 2017), "Lesknow-II" (1st September 2018 to 30th September 2018) and Operation "Lesknow-III" (1st September, 2019 to 30th September 2019) to gain attention of enforcement agencies towards the illegal wildlife trade in lesser-known species of wildlife.

• WCCB's "Operation Clean Art" in October 2019 to drag attention of enforcement agencies towards illegal wildlife trade in Mongoose hair brushes resulted in the arrest of 43 wildlife offenders and seizure of 54,352 Mongoose hair brushes and 113 Kgs of raw Mongoose hair.

• Another "Operation Softgold" from 1st October, 2018 to 31st March, 2019 to tackle Shahtoosh Shawl (made from Chiru wool) illegal trade and to spread awareness among the weavers and traders engaged in this trade.

• The agency also conducted "Operation Birbil" to curb illegal trade in wild cat and wild bird species

• "Operation Wildnet" (1st May 2017 to 30th June 2017), "Operation Wildnet-II" (1st November to 30th November, 2019), "Operation Wildnet-III" (1st July to 30th September, 2020) and "Operation Wildnet-IV" (1st August to 30th September, 2021) were aimed to draw the attention of the enforcement agencies within the country to focus their attention on the ever increasing illegal wildlife trade over internet using social media platforms.

• The other operations include "Operation Freefly" on illegal trade of live birds and "Operation Wetmark" to ensure prohibition of sale of meat of wild animals in wet markets across the country.

• Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj released the Report on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Panchayati Raj Institutions

• India is a signatory of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is committed to the achievements of SDGs through the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) Scheme.
• The RGSA scheme mandates to capacitate elected representatives for good governance through attainment of SDGs through participatory local planning at Gram Panchayat level.
• In May 2021, an Expert Group was constituted by MoPR to provide policy guidance to the Ministry on Localization of SDGs at the Panchayat level.
• The Expert Group after thorough deliberations submitted a detailed report in October 2021 with recommendations on the strategies and initiatives to be taken for localization of the SDGs at the Grassroot level engaging Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and all relevant stakeholders in rural India.

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