• Launch vehicle - SSLV D1
• Satellite carrying by the launch vehicle - AzadiSAT and EOS-02
• Position - Lower Earth Orbit

• The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) launched from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
• The maiden flight of SSLV D1 has been completed and it performed all stages as expected.
• The new rocket was carrying earth observation satellite EOS-02 weighing 145 kg and AzaadiSat, made by 750 school girls to celebrate the 75 years of Independence under SpaceKidz India, weighing 8 kg.
• The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) has so far been the ISRO's trusted vehicle for varied missions.
• This is the space agency's third launch this year. While the PSLV-C53 mission was carried out successfully on June 30, the PSLV-C52/EOS-04 earth observation satellite mission was carried out in February.

• The Indian space agency made history again as it launched a new vehicle that will cater to a specific section of the aerospace market - the on-demand small satellite launches
• The SSLV, which uses three solid fuel-based stages and a liquid fuel-based velocity trimming module (VTM) to place the satellite in orbit, was designed keeping in mind the quick turnaround time needed for commercial launch.
• This SSLV caters the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to Low Earth Orbits on ‘launch-on-demand' basis.
• The SSLV would offer the space agency option to launch mini, nano, and micro satellites, weighing between 10-500 kg.

• The AzaadiSAT carries 75 different payloads each weighing around 50grams.
• Girl students from rural regions across the country were provided guidance to build these payloads.
• The payloads are integrated by the student team of 'Space Kidz India'.
• The payloads include a long-range transponder and a selfie camera.
• The ground system developed by 'Space Kidz India' will be utilised for receiving the data from this satellite.

• EOS-02 - an earth observation satellite - that is also being carried by the SSLV is meant for agriculture, forestry and disaster management.

Government Schemes
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program

What's the NEWS

• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the strategic implementation and knowledge partner of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has initiated a project to recognise the prior skills of 75,000 people between the age group of 18-45 years and upskill them in association with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
• The project aims at certifying them to increase their relevance in the volatile job market and encourage them in contributing toward nation-building.
• The initiative will be funded by NDMC and SANKALP (World Bank Project under MSDE) and implemented by NSDC.
• The workers will be upskilled in multiple trades across construction, electrical, plumbing, pottery etc.
• The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)/Upskilling program will be implemented in three phases through Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and their empanelled training providers.

Environment
Six more Tamil Nadu wetlands declared as Ramsar sites; state's tally now 10

What's the NEWS

• India and China now have the most number of wetlands of international importance with 10 more Indian sites entering the Ramsar list, taking the total to 64.
• The new Ramsar sites include six from Tamil Nadu and one each from Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
• The new sites cover a total of 12,50,361 hectares of land.

Ramsar list (aim and objective)

• The Ramsar list focuses on "developing and maintaining an international network of wetlands, which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life, through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.
• The designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources,
• India is one of the contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. New Delhi signed it on February 1, 1982.

Know! about Ramsar convention

• A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
• The Convention on Wetlands is the oldest of the modern global intergovernmental environmental agreements.
• The treaty was negotiated through the 1960s by countries and non - governmental organisations concerned about the increasing loss and degradation of wetland habitats for migratory waterbirds.
• It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.

Know! about Wetlands

• Wetlands are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems.
• They provide essential services and supply all our fresh water.
• Wetland includes all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas, and tidal flats, mangroves, and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

• The Department of Consumer Affairs conducted a Video Conference regarding "Grand Onion Challenge" with Heads of Educational Institutions
• This challenge seeks ideas from young professionals, professors, scientists in product designs and prototypes for improving pre-harvesting techniques, primary processing, storage, and transportation of post harvested onions in the country.
• The challenge also seeks ideas for modernization of technology in dehydration, valorization of onions and onion food processing domain.
• The Grand Onion Challenge instituted by Department of Consumer Affairs
• It is expected that post the challenge, the losses in onion storage can be reduced by 5-10% due to innovative ideas.
• More than 282 participants from different institutions, universities, research organizations and private sector startups participated in the virtual meeting from across the country.

• The Ministry of Textiles hosted the 8th National Handloom Day on August 7, in honour of the handloom industry and its weavers.
• In 2015, the Union government had declared August 7 as National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Andolan that began in 1905 on the same day.
• The movement was aimed at encouraging Indians to wear clothes that were handwoven by indigenous communities instead of foreign-made apparel

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