Weekly Current Capsules

October (1st week) 2022

 

Personalities in NEWS(PIN)

153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

 

Mahatma Gandhi: A True Peacemaker | by Dev | Medium

 

Know! all about M.K Gandhi

 

 

• He is regarded as the Father of Nation.
• Gandhi was a social reformist
• He was a leader of Indian Independence Movement who introduced the idea of non-violent resistance called Satyagrah.
• Gandhi was born in Gujarat and studied law at the Inner Temple, London.
• After organising a civil disobedience movement for Indians living in South Africa, he returned to India in 1915.
• He assumed the leadership of Indian National Congress in 1921
• He organised the Dandi Salt March in 1930 and Quit India Movement in 1942.
• He also worked for the upliftment of untouchables and have them a new name 'Harijan' meaning the children of God.

 

 

International Day of Non-Violence 2022 observed on 2nd October

 

• The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2nd October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
• On June 15th, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to designate October 2 as International Day of Non-Violence.
• In January 2004, Iranian Noble Laureate Shirin Ebadi proposed the idea for the special day.

 

 

118th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri

 

Know! all about Lal Bahadur Shastri

 

• Nation's second Prime Minister.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904
• At the age of 16, Shastri joined the non-cooperation movement to fight against the British.
• His Prime ministership was for a short term of 19 months, but he has served the nation for 30 years by being a part of India's struggle for independence.
• He was a life member of the servants of the people's society (Lok Sevak Mandal) founded by Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Around the 1920s, Shastri joined the Indian independence movement and was sent to jail for a period of time by the Britishers.
• In the 1930s, he participated in salt satyagraha and was sent to jail for more than two years.
• In 1937, he was the organising secretary of the Parliamentary Board of UP and, later in 1942, was again sent to jail when Mahatma Gandhi delivered the Quit India speech in Mumbai.
• His imprisonment continued till 1946, with an average of nine years in total in jail
• He was also awarded India's highest civilian award posthumously in 1966.
• He promoted the white and green revolution in India that helped in increasing the production of milk by supporting the Amul milk co-operative in Gujrat and creating the National Dairy Development Board.
• In 1965, his boost to the green revolution helped in the productivity of food grain in places like Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
• He received the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, posthumously in 1966.
• Shastri died on January 11, 1966, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, just a day after the peace treaty was signed for the end of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War.

 

 

 

Buddhist caves in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) reported 26 Buddhist caves in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
• Besides the caves, which date back to the 2nd-5th century BCE, other archaeological remains of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism, such as chaitya-shaped doors and cells containing stone beds, were also reported

 

 

Know! about the caves

 

 

• The 26 caves that were found are associated with the Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
• These date back to the same time as the Ajanta caves in Aurangabad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Besides the caves, the ASI team also found the remains of 26 temples, two mathas, two stupas, 46 idols and sculptures, 26 fragments and 19 water bodies.
• ASI also mentioned a Buddhist pillar fragment containing a miniature stupa carving, dating to the 2nd-3rd century CE, and 24 Brahmi inscriptions from the 2nd-5th century CE.
• The temples are from more recent times - the Kalachuri period (9th-11th century), while the water bodies range between 2nd-15th centuries CE.
• The places Kaushami, Mathura, Pavata (Parvata), Vejabharada and Sapatanaairikaa are mentioned in the Brahmini inscriptions, while the inscribed names of kings include Shri Bhimsena, Maharaja Pothasiri and Bhattadeva.
• This was the first phase of the current exploration by ASI, which covered the expanse of the Tala Range.
• In the coming phases, the ASI will survey the remaining ranges of the Bandhavgarh forest, Khitauli and Magadhi.
• Tala, Khitauli and Magadhi comprise the three main zones of the national park, which together cover an area of 716 km.

 

 

GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX 2022

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

•  India has climbed to the 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index of World Intellectual Property Organization. This is a huge leap of 41 places in 7 years.
• The World Intellectual Property Organization released the Global Innovation Index 2022 in which Switzerland has emerged as the world's most innovative economy for the 12th consecutive year.
• Switzerland leads globally in innovation outputs, and specifically in patents by origin, software spending, high-tech manufacturing, production, and export complexity.
• The second position was secured by the US followed by Sweden, the UK, and the Netherlands.

 

 

 

 

 

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

 

 

• It is one of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations (UN).
• WIPO was created to promote and protect intellectual property (IP) across the world by cooperating with countries as well as international organizations.
• It began operations on 26 April 1970 when the convention entered into force.

 

 

 

Intellectual property

 

• It is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect.
• There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others.
• The best-known types are copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets.
• Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The United States announced $810 million in new funding for Pacific islands at a summit with President Joe Biden amid inroads by China in the strategic but sparsely populated region.

 

 

Know! about the new funding

 

 

 

• The new fund will be in the form of a 10-year package to clean up and develop dirty waters to support the tuna industry, while the United States will also expand climate and development aid and its diplomatic presence.
• Biden will also address the first-ever Washington summit of Pacific Island nations, including 12 heads of state or government, in hopes of using a personal touch to reconnect with a region that has been tied closely to the United States since the Second World War.
• With the U.S. until now often seen as taking the region for granted, China has asserted itself strongly in recent years through investment, police training and, most controversially, a security pact with the Solomon Islands.
• The Biden administration also announced that the United States would recognise Cook Islands and Niue, a self-governing territory whose foreign and defence policies and currency are linked to New Zealand.
• The step will allow the United States to increase its diplomatic footprint in the Cook Island and Niue, which have fewer than 20,000 inhabitants.

 

 

OPERATION GARUDA

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a multi-phase Operation GARUDA to dismantle drug networks with international linkages.

 

 

Know! about GARUDA operation

 

 

• The CBI is doing this in close coordination with enforcement actions across international jurisdictions through INTERPOL and Narcotics Control Bureau with special focus on Indian Ocean Region.
• Operation GARUDA seeks to target drug networks with international footprints for action against handlers, operatives, production zones and support elements.
• During the Operation, searches, seizures and arrests were carried out across multiple states and UTs in the country.
• Apart from CBI and NCB, eight states and UT Police including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Manipur have also participated in this Operation.

 

 

International Day of Older Persons

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• October 1 is observed as the International Day of Older Persons across the globe.

 

 

Know! about it

 

 

• This year, the theme for the International Day of Older Persons is "Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World"
• The day was introduced by the United Nations General Assembly with an aim of honouring the contribution of older persons and looking into the problems that they face.
• The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on December 14, 1990, to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons.
• The day came into being after the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing initiative, which was adopted by the World Assembly on Ageing in 1982.
• The UN General Assembly in 1991 approved the United Nations Principles for Older Persons. Later in 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing embraced the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.
• It was done to address and understand the opportunities and challenges faced by the older generation in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

 

Tokenised card transaction

 

 

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s New Credit & Debit Card Tokenisation Rules will be applicable from 1 October.

 

 

Know! about the Tokenisation Rules

 

 

• Tokenisation here refers to replacement of actual credit and debit card details with an alternate code called the "token".
• A token is a 16-digit number unique for a combination of card, token requestor and merchant.
• By tokenising the card with a merchant, the actual card details of the customer are replaced with token credentials, which can be used only for the merchant for which the token has been created.
• Tokenisation can be performed only by the authorised card network and recovery of original Primary Account Number (PAN) should be feasible for the authorised card network only.
• Adequate safeguards have to be put in place to ensure that PAN cannot be found out from the token and vice versa, by anyone except the card network.
• A tokenised card transaction is considered safer as the actual card details are not shared with the merchant during transaction processing.

 

 

India Mobile Congress/Launch of 5G

 

 

 

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Prime Minister launched the 5G next-generation mobile network in the sixth edition of annual India Mobile Congress (IMC),
• India was dependent on other countries for 2G, 3G and 4G technologies.
• But with 5G, India has created a new history. With 5G, India is setting a global standard in telecom technology for the first time.

 

 

Know! about IMC

 

 

• IMC is a leading forum which brings together all the stakeholders to discuss and showcase unique opportunities emerging from the rapid adoption and spread of digital technology.
• IMC is jointly organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).
• The IMC 2022 is scheduled to be held from 1st to 4th October with the theme of "New digital Universe".

 

 

 

Know! about 5G technology

 

 

• 5G is the next generation of mobile communication networks, which is supposed to offer much faster speeds and wider use cases than 4G.
• It is believed that the rollout of 5G will accelerate the adoption of cloud gaming, AR/VR technology, Internet of Things, etc.
• It enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
• 5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users.
• In 5G the latency will be ten times less than in 4G, being able to perform remote actions in real time.

 

 

 

Nord Stream pipelines

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Recently it has been discovered the fourth leak in the two damaged offshore pipelines that comprise the crucial Nord Stream pipelines (Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2).

 

 

 

Know! about Nord Stream

 

 

• Nord Stream 1 is a 1,224 km underwater gas pipeline running from Vyborg in northwest Russia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany via the Baltic Sea.
• The majority owned by the Russian energy giant Gazprom, it is the primary network through which gas reaches Germany.
• Most of the gas goes directly to Germany, while the rest travels west and southwards through onshore links to other countries and into storage caverns.
• The 1,200-km Nord Stream 2 pipeline was to run from Ust-Luga in Russia to Greifswald in Germany through the Baltic Sea and carry 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year.
• It was meant to run along with the Nord Stream 1 system. Germany is Russia's biggest European gas consumer, and most of it comes through the Nord Stream.

 

 

Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) recently launched Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme.

 

 

Know! about TTDF

 

 

• Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) aims to fund R&D in rural-specific communication technology applications and form synergies among academia, start-ups, research institutes, and the industry to build and develop the telecom ecosystem.
• Additionally, the Scheme aims to promote technology ownership and indigenous manufacturing, create a culture of technology co-innovation, reduce imports, boost export opportunities and creation of Intellectual Property.
• Under the scheme, USOF is also targeting to develop standards to meet countrywide requirements and create the ecosystem for research, design, prototyping, use cases, pilots, and proof of concept testing, among others.
• The scheme entails grants to Indian entities to encourage and induct indigenous technologies tailor-made to meet domestic needs.

 

Zhurong rover

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• China's Zhurong rover has peered under the surface of Mars and has found evidence of two huge floods that shaped the landscape.

 

 

Know! about the rover

 

 

• Since May 2021, Zhurong has been exploring Utopia Planitia, in Mars's northern hemisphere.
• Images from the rover's ground-penetrating radar found layered patterns under the surface, which are made of sedimentary rocks carried in by two major floods around 1.6 billion years ago.
• China's Zhurong rover landed in the Utopia Planitia, a 2,000-miles-wide (3,300 kilometers) basin in the Northern Hemisphere of Mars, in May 2021.
• Since then, the rover has been studying local geology, chemical composition of rocks, and local weather conditions using its six scientific instruments.
• Zhurong has already completed its primary mission of 90 sols. But the rover is continuing its way to the south of its landing site, collecting data as it goes.

 

 

Bosnia

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Bosnia's presidential and parliamentary elections were held recently amid its worst political crisis since the end of the 1992-95 war.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina is country situated in the western Balkan Peninsula of Europe.
• The capital of the country is Sarajevo.
• It has borders with Croatia (at the Southwest and the largest part of the North), Serbia (at the Northeast) and Montenegro (at the Southeast).

 

 

YUVA (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) 2.0 scheme

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Prime Minister's Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors - YUVA 2.0 was launched recently.

 

 

Know! about the scheme

 

 

• It is a Prime Minister's scheme for mentoring young authors, and a programme to train young and budding authors below the age of 30 to promote reading, writing, and book culture in the country, and project India and Indian writings globally.
• The ministry of education (MoE) launched the YUVA 2.0 scheme in view of the significant impact of the first edition of the YUVA.
• The first edition witnessed a large-scale participation from young authors in 22 different Indian languages including English.
• It is in tune with the Prime Minister's vision to encourage the youth to understand and appreciate India's democracy.
• It will help to develop a stream of writers who can write on a spectrum of subjects to promote the Indian heritage, culture, and knowledge system.
• The National Book Trust, India, as the implementing agency under MoE will ensure the phase-wise execution of the scheme under well-defined stages of mentorship.
• The young authors will be trained by eminent authors and mentors from 1st March to 31st August 2023.

 

 

Matadata Junction program

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Election Commission to launched Matadata Junction on All India Radio.

 

 

Know! about the programme

 

 

• It is a year-long voter awareness program.
• The Matadata Junction program will be broadcast in 23 languages across the country.
• The weekly program covers all aspects of the Voter ecosystem and shall be broadcast every Friday on the All India Radio network.
• Each Program will be based on a particular Theme on the Electoral process.
• All the 52 Themes are aimed at encouraging all eligible citizens and especially the young and first time voters to vote and make an informed decision during the elections.
• The program includes a Citizen's Corner where any citizen can ask a query or suggest any aspects of the voting.

 

Tap water connections

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Around 62% of rural households in India have fully functional tap water connections within their premises, according to a survey commissioned by the Union Ministry of Water Resources to assess the functioning of the government's marquee Jal Jeevan Mission.

 

 

Know! about the Survey highlights

 

 

• Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Puducherry reported more than 80% of households with fully functional connections, while fewer than half the households in Rajasthan, Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Sikkim had such connections.
• A fully functional tap water connection is defined as a household getting at least 55 litres per capita per day of potable water all through the year.
• Close to three-fourths of households received water all seven days a week and 8% just once a week.
• On an average, households got water for three hours every day, and 80% reported that their daily requirements of water were being met by the tap connections.
• The report mentions a concerning problem of chlorine contamination.

 

 

Purchasing Managers' Index

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by S&P Global, fell to 55.1 in September from 56.2 in August 2022.
• The survey pointed out that Indian businesses become more confident in the outlook as inflation worries were tamed.

 

 

Know! about Purchasing Managers' Index

 

 

• Purchasing Managers' Index or PMI is an economic indicator, which is derived after monthly surveys of different companies.
• The index shows trends in both the manufacturing and services sector.
• The index helps in determining whether the market conditions, as seen by purchasing managers, is expanding, contracting or staying the same.
• It is used to provide information regarding the current and future business conditions.
• PMI is one of the closely watched indicators of business activity and helps in predicting the economic health of a country.
• There are two types of PMI - Manufacturing PMI and Services PMI. A combined index is also made using both manufacturing PMI and services PMI.
• A PMI number greater than 50 indicates expansion in business activity. A number less than 50 shows contraction. The rate of expansion is also judged by the difference from the mid-point (50) and also by previous month's data.

 

 

 

Tri-services Missile Command

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The central government is considering setting up of a tri-services missile/rocket command on the lines of the space and the cyber command as the first steps towards military theatre commands.

 

 

Know! about the missile command

 

 

• The proposed missile command will be responsible for deployment of missile and rocket regiments against any hostile adversary and will be manned by commanders of the three services in rotation.
• This means that conventional missiles like BrahMos and Akash as well as Pinaka rockets will be placed under one command for rapid deployment against any adversary.
• The proposal to set up a missile command has been moved in the aftermath of the May 2020 East Ladakh stand-off with the PLA and the use of rockets and missiles in the Ukraine theatre by the Red Army.
• The missile command will be on similar lines as the tri-services cyber command and the space command as the future wars will hardly have any contact between troops unless used for capturing enemy territory.

 

 

 

Windfall tax

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The government recently cut the windfall tax on domestically-produced crude oil to Rs 8,000 per tonne from Rs 10,500, and halved the levy on export of diesel to Rs 5 per litre.

 

 

Know! about Windfall tax

 

 

• A windfall tax is a tax levied by governments against certain industries when economic conditions allow those industries to experience above-average profits.
• The idea is to target firms that were lucky enough to benefit from something they were not responsible for - in other words, a windfall.
• In other words, windfall tax is imposed on companies that have seen their profits extraordinarily not because of any clever investment decision or an increase in efficiency or innovation, but simply because of favourable market conditions.

 

 

 

Shyamji Krishna Varma

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Shyamji Krishna Varma on his birth anniversary, October 4.

 

 

Know! about Shyamji Krishna Varma

 

 

• Shyamji Krishna Varma (1857 - 1930) was an Indian freedom fighter, lawyer and journalist.
• He founded Indian Home Rule Society (IHRS) in London in 1905
• IHRS sought to promote the cause of self-rule in British India.
• He founded IHRS with support from Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naoroji and S.R. Rana.
• He also founded India House in London.
• It was a student residence that existed between 1905 and 1910 which was opened to promote nationalist views among Indian students in Britain.
• He founded Indian Sociologist in London. The monthly Indian Sociologist became an outlet for nationalist ideas.

 

 

World Habitat Day 2022

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The United Nations observes the first Monday of October as World Habitat Day.
• This year, World Habitat Day will be observed on October 3.
• Theme: "Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind".
• It seeks to draw attention to the growing inequalities and vulnerabilities in cities and human settlements that have been exacerbated by the triple ‘C' crises - COVID-19, climate and conflict.
• The day came into existence with a resolution by the UN General Assembly in 1985.
• World Habitat Day was first celebrated in 1986 in Nairobi, Kenya, with the theme ‘Shelter is my right'.

 

 

National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The last date for submission of application for ‘National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme for the year 2022-23 extended till 15th October, 2022'.

 

 

Know! about the scholarship scheme

 

 

• It is a Central Sector Scheme that was launched in 2008.
• Award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at secondary stage.
• One lakh fresh scholarships are awarded to selected students of class IX every year and their continuation / renewal in classes X to XII for study in State Government, Government-aided and Local body schools under the scheme.
• The amount of scholarship is Rs. 12000/- per annum from 1st April 2017 (earlier it was Rs. 6000/- per annum).
• The Cabinet has approved continuation of the Scheme from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 with total allocation of Rs.1827 crores.

 

 

Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) /Bharatmala Pariyojana

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Tenders were called for the construction of a double tier four-lane elevated corridor in Chennai on Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.
• The project developed at an estimated cost of ₹5,800 crore will be completed by December 2024.

 

Bharatmala Pariyojana

 

 

• It is a new umbrella programme started in 2017 under the ultimate administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, and will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
• This will be done by development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads and Green-field expressways.

 

Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)

 

 

• It is a type of Public funding Model.
• In such types of models, full freedom to plan, design and construction is given to the private contractor and core requirements are specified in schedules.
• Payments by the Government are linked to specified stages of construction.
• The Contract Price is subject to adjustment on account of variation in the cost and change in scope ordered by employer.

 

 

Three new missions - coastal system, human health and sustainable transport added to NAPCC

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The Central government has added three new missions - coastal system, human health and sustainable transport - to the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• This has taken the total number of dedicated missions under NAPCC to 11.

 

 

Know! about National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)

 

 

• Launched in - 2008
• Country's first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
• It outlines existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation.
• There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC.

 

National Solar Mission

 

 

• The Mission's objective is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for solar technology diffusion across the country.
• The Mission targets installing 100 GW grid-connected solar power plants by the year 2022.

 

National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE)

 

• NMEEE aims to strengthen the market for energy efficiency through implementation of innovative business models in the energy efficiency sector.

It aims to do so through:

 

 

• Reduction in Energy Footprint: It plans to reduce its energy footprint and stimulate investment in the energy efficiency sector.
• Energy Saving Certificates: It also seeks to give major energy-intensive enterprises energy reduction targets to meet and to award Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts) for doing so.
• Energy-efficient Machinery and Appliances: It aims to encourage the use of energy-efficient machinery and appliances.
• Willingness on Investments: It seeks to boost investors' and financial institutions' willingness to back energy efficiency programs.

 

National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (NMSH)

 

To promote energy efficiency as a core component of urban planning, the plan calls for -

• Extending the existing Energy Conservation Building Code;
  A greater emphasis on urban waste management and recycling, including power production from waste;
  Strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel economy standards and using pricing measures to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles; and
  Incentives for the use of public transportation.E
• A greater emphasis on urban waste management and recycling, including power production from waste;
• Strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel economy standards and using pricing measures to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles; and
• Incentives for the use of public transportation.

 

National Water Mission

 

• The plan sets a goal of a 20% improvement in water use efficiency through pricing and other measures.

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

 

 

• The plan aims to conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecological values in the Himalayan region, where glaciers that are a major source of India's water supply are projected to recede as a result of global warming.

National Mission for a Green India

 

 

• Goals include the afforestation of 6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding forest cover from 23% to 33% of India's territory.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

 

 

• The plan aims to support climate adaptation in agriculture through the development of climate-resilient crops, expansion of weather insurance mechanisms, and agricultural practices.

National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

 

 

• To gain a better understanding of climate science, impacts and challenges, the plan envisions a new Climate Science Research Fund, improved climate modelling, and increased international collaboration.
• It also encourages private sector initiatives to develop adaptation and mitigation technologies through venture capital funds.

 

India's updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):

 

• In United Nations Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC) COP 26 at Glasgow in 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a series of new promises to strengthen climate action from India.

 

The updated NDCs include

 

Emission Intensity

 

• India is now committing itself to at least 45% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP (emissions per unit of GDP) from 2005 levels.
• The existing target was a 33% - 35% reduction.

 

Electricity Generation

 

• India is also promising to ensure that at least 50% of installed electricity generation capacity in 2030 would be based on non-fossil fuel-based sources.
• This is an increase from the existing 40% target.

 

Other existing NDCs include

 

 

• Increase non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW (gigawatts) by 2030.
• Reduce the total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes (BT) by 2030.
• Achieve net zero carbon by 2070.

 

 

 

 

SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for 2022

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for 2022 will be awarded to Yunqing Tang.

 

 

Know! about it

 

 

• Yunqing Tang is an Assistant Professor with the University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A.
• According to SASTRA Ramanujan Prize Committee Ms. Yunqing's works display a remarkable combination of sophisticated techniques, in which the arithmetic and geometry of modular curves and of Shimura varieties play a central role, and her results and methods are bound to have major impact on future research in this area.
• The award, instituted by the Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) in 2005 with a cash prize of $10,000, is presented annually to individuals aged 32 and below, who made outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics, influenced by Srinivasa Ramanjuan in a broad sense.

 

 

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin)

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• According to the government data, 69% houses under PMAY in rural India are owned by women.
• As on September 29, 2022, a total of two crore houses had been constructed out of the 2.46 crore houses that were sanctioned.
• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) was launched by the Prime Minister under the Ministry of Rural Development in 2016 with the aim of constructing 2.95 crore houses.
• Beneficiaries are identified using parameters from Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data and verified by Gram Sabhas.

 

 

 

Nobel Prize in Physiology, 2022

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Swedish scientist Svante Pääbo has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology for the year 2022 "for his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution".
• He has spearheaded the development of new techniques that allowed researchers to compare the genome of modern humans and that of other hominins - the Neanderthals and Denisovans.
• He spent decades trying to extract DNA from 40,000-year-old bones, culminating in the unveiling of the Neanderthal genome in 2010.
• The research helped establish that modern humans and Neanderthals share a common ancestor that lived some 600,000 years ago
• His seminal research gave rise to an entirely new scientific discipline; paleogenomics.

 

 

 

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The disbursal of small business loans under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) logged a record 30 per cent growth in the first half of the current fiscal ended September compared to the same period last year.

 

 

Know! about the scheme

 

 

• It is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, launched on 8th April, 2015.
• It is a Financial Inclusion (FI) programme in the country based on three pillars - Banking the Unbanked, Securing the Unsecured and Funding the Unfunded.

 

Types of loans:

 

• Shishu - Covering loans up to Rs 50,000;
• Kishor - Covering loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh;
• Tarun - Covering loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh.

 

Eligibility:

 

• Any Indian Citizen who has a business plan for a non-farm sector income generating activities such as manufacturing, processing, trading or service sector.
• They can avail from all Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFI) and Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC) up to Rs 10 lakhs Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd. (MUDRA) loans under PMMY.

 

 

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH): Prachanda

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• · Indian Air Force has formally inducted the indigenously developed multi-role Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Prachand.
• The Helicopter is suitable for operating in high-altitude battlefields, and capable of destroying enemy air defence and engaging in counter-insurgency operations.
• The Limited Series Production version of the light combat helicopter has around 45 per cent indigenous content by value.

 

Know! all about Prachand

 

 

• The LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 meters with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.
• Designed as a twin-engine, it has the maximum take-off weight of 5.8 tonnes, maximum speed of 268 kilometers per hour, range of 550 kilometers.
• It has an endurance of over three hours and service ceiling - the maximum density altitude to which it can fly - of 6.5 kilometres.
• It is powered by two French-origin Shakti engines manufactured by the HAL.
• As far as weapons systems are concerned, a 20 mm turret gun, 70 mm rockets and air-to-air missile systems are onboard.

 

Know! about Chetak and Cheetah

 

 

• India has been operating sub-3-ton category French-origin legacy helicopters, Chetak and Cheetah, made in India by the HAL.
• These single engine machines were, primarily, utility helicopters.
• Indian forces also operate the Lancer, an armed version of Cheetah.
• In addition, the Indian Air Force currently operates the Russian origin Mi-17 and its variants Mi-17 IV and Mi-17 V5, with maximum take-off weight of 13 tonnes.
• These helicopters are to be phased out starting 2028.

 

 

 

Nobel Prize in Physics 2022

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger have jointly won the Nobel Prize in Physics "for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science".

 

 

Know! about their work

 

 

• Two of the laureates-John Clauser and Alain Aspect-worked on firming up the concept of quantum entanglement and developing more complex experiments that demonstrated this phenomenon, especially creating, processing and measuring what are called Bell pairs.
• The third laureate, Anton Zeilinger, has been chosen for his innovative use of entanglement and Bell pairs both in research and application such as quantum cryptography.

 

Know! the associated terminologies

 

Quantum cryptography

 

 

• Quantum information science has a broad range of potential implications in areas such as secure information transfer, quantum computing and sensing technology.
• One of the most mature applications of quantum technology is quantum cryptography, which takes advantage of the fact that changes made to one particle in an entangled system affect the other.

 

Quantum entanglement

 

 

• It is a phenomenon by which a pair of particles, say photons, are allowed to exist in a shared state where they have complementary properties, such that by measuring the properties of one particle, you automatically know the properties of the other particle. This is true regardless of how far apart the two particles are transported.

 

 

 

Pahari community

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Justice GD Sharma Commission has recommended reservation for Paharis, Gujjars and Bakerwals and after completion of the administrative process, these communities will get reservation benefits.

 

 

Know! about the Paharis

 

 

• The Pahari community is a linguistic group mainly residing in the Pir Panjal valley.
• They constitute of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs and make up around 10-11 per cent of the population in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Their mother tongue, Pahari, is an offshoot of Pothwari language with varying dialects and their own unique culture.
• They usually reside in rural areas and are majorly involved in agricultural and cattle activities.

 

The criteria presently followed for specification of a community as a Scheduled Tribe are :

 

 

• · indications of primitive traits,
• · distinctive culture,
• · geographical isolation,
• · shyness of contact with the community at large, and
• · backwardness.

 

 

However, these criteria are not spelt out in the Constitution.

 

 

Article 342

 

 

• Article 342 prescribes the procedure to be followed in the matter of specification of Scheduled Tribes.
• Under Clause (1) of Article 342, the President may, with respect to any State or Union Territory, and where it is a State, after consultation with the Governor thereof, notify tribes or tribal communities or parts of these as Scheduled Tribes. This confers on the tribe, or part of it, a Constitutional status invoking the safeguards provided for in the Constitution, to these communities in their respective states/UTs.
• Clause (2) of the Article 342 empowers the Parliament to pass a law to include in or exclude from the List of Scheduled Tribes, any tribe or tribal community or parts of these.
• The List of Scheduled Tribes is State/UT specific and a community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a state need not be so in another state/UT.

 

 

DART SPACECRAFT

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• · In the first-of-its kind, save-the-world experiment, NASA is about to hit hard a small, harmless asteroid millions of miles away.
• · A spacecraft named Dart will zero in on the asteroid, intent on slamming it head-on at 14,000 mph

 

 

Know! about the DART spacecraft

 

 

• The impact should be just enough to nudge the asteroid into a slightly tighter orbit around its companion space rock - demonstrating that if a killer asteroid ever heads our way, we'd stand a fighting chance of diverting it.
• The asteroid with the bull's-eye on it is Dimorphos, about 7 million miles (9.6 million kilometers) from Earth.
• It is actually the puny sidekick of a 2,500-foot (780-meter) asteroid named Didymos, Greek for twin.
• Discovered in 1996, Didymos is spinning so fast that scientists believe it flung off material that eventually formed a moonlet. Dimorphos - roughly 525 feet (160 meters) across - orbits its parent body at a distance of less than a mile (1.2 kilometers).

 

 

Mahakaleshwar Corridor

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Mahakaleshwar Corridor, constructed in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain

 

 

Know! about the corridor

 

 

• Mahakal Maharaj Mandir Parisar Vistar Yojna is a plan for the expansion, beautification, and decongestion of the Mahakaleshwar temple and its adjoining area in Ujjain district.
• Under the plan, the Mahakaleshwar temple premises of around 2.82 hectares is being increased to 47 hectares, which will be developed in two phases by the Ujjain district administration. This will include the 17 hectares of Rudrasagar lake.
• The project is expected to increase annual footfall in the city from the current 1.50 crore to nearly three crore.

 

Mahakaleshwar Temple

 

 

• Mahakaleshwar, which means the ‘Lord of time', refers to Lord Shiva. As per Hindu mythology, the temple was constructed by Lord Brahma and is presently located alongside the holy river Kshipra.
• Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain is one of the 12 jyotirlingas considered the most sacred abodes of Shiva.
• The temple's Mahakal Lingam is believed to be Swayambhu (self-manifested) and unlike any other jyotirlingas in the country, the idol of Mahakaleshwar faces south.

 

 

 

CLEAN INDIA 2.0 PROGRAM

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The Department of Youth Affairs of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Government of India) will launch a month-long nationwide Clean India 2.0 from 1st -31st October, 2022 after the successful campaign of last year.

 

 

Know! about the programme

 

 

• The programme is being organised in all the villages across the country through the network of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), affiliated Youth Clubs & National Service Scheme Affiliated Institutions.
• This month-long nationwide programme will be launched to collect waste material mainly single-use plastic and create awareness among people.
• One crore kilogram of waste material including plastic and e-waste will be collected and disposed off with the support and voluntary participation of citizens.
• Hotspots for waste collection will be Tourist Places, Educational Institutes, Bus Stand/Railway Stations and the vicinity, National Highways, Historical and heritage buildings, religious places & surroundings, Hospitals and Water Resource etc.

 

 

M777 Ultra Light Howitzer

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• The Indian Army is inducting the M777 Ultra Light Howitzer on the northern borders.
• In the next five years, the Army's Regiment of Artillery will see major force accretion with the induction of several guns, including indigenous ones.
• It includes the Dhanush, Sharang, M777 Ultra Light Howitzer (ULH), additional K9-Vajra howitzers and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).

 

M777 Ultra Light Howitzer

 

 

• The M777s are a key component of the army's field artillery rationalisation plan (FARP), cleared in 1999.
• The 155 mm/39-caliber M777 howitzers have a range of up to 30km, but it is capable of striking targets at ranges of more than 40 km in some areas where the geography allows the shells to fly in rarefied air.
• Built with titanium and aluminum alloys, the howitzers weigh 4,218 kg.
• In contrast, 155mm towed guns weigh twice as much.
• The Indian Air Force's CH-47F Chinook helicopters can carry the howitzers as underslung load for swift deployment in high-altitude areas.

 

International Solar Alliance's Fifth Assembly

 

• NEWS - Fifth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance
• Location - New Delhi from 17th - 20th October, 2022.
• ISA President - India holds the office of the President of the ISA Assembly.
• Participants - Ministers, missions and delegates from 109 Member and Signatory Countries are set to participate in this meeting.
• Presided by - The Assembly will be presided over by Shri R.K. Singh, Union Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy.

 

 

ISA assembly

 

• Apex decision-making body of ISA, in which each Member Country is represented.
• This body makes decisions concerning the implementation of the ISA's Framework Agreement and coordinated actions to be taken to achieve its objective.
• The Assembly meets annually at the ministerial level at the ISA's seat.
• The Fifth Assembly of the ISA will deliberate on the key initiatives of ISA on three critical issues of energy access, energy security, and energy transition.

 

 

Following the 5th General Assembly, three analytical reports will also be launched, namely:

 

• World Solar Technology Report
• World Solar Market Report
• World Solar Investment Report

 

International Solar Alliance

 

• It is an international organisation with 109 member and signatory countries.
• The Headquarters is in India with its Interim Secretariat being set up in Gurugram.
• It works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable way to transition to a carbon-neutral future.
• ISA's mission is to unlock US$ 1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the technology and its financing.
• It promotes the use of solar energy in the Agriculture, Health, Transport and Power Generation sectors.
• It is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies.
• Its basic motive is to facilitate energy access, ensure energy security, and drive energy transition in its member countries.
• The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions.
• With the signing and ratification of the ISA Framework Agreement by 15 countries, on 6 December, 2017, ISA became the first international intergovernmental organization to be headquartered in India.
• ISA is partnering with multilateral development banks (MDBs), development financial institutions (DFIs), private and public sector organisations, civil society, and other international institutions to deploy cost-effective and transformational solutions through solar energy, especially in the least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

 

Objectives of ISA

 

• The ISA seeks to develop and deploy cost-effective and transformational solar energy solutions.
• To help member countries develop low-carbon growth trajectories, with particular focus on delivering impact in countries categorized as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

 

 

 

Swachh Survekshan 2022

 

What's the NEWS

 

 

• Indore was recently awarded the cleanest city in India for the sixth year in a row and Madhya Pradesh awarded the cleanest state in the country.

 

 

 

Know! about Swachh Survekshan 2022

 

 

• It is an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India, launched as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (specifically under SBA-Urban).
• It was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) with Quality Council of India (QCI) as its implementation partner.
• The SBA was launched (on 2nd October 2014) to make India clean and free of open defecation by 2nd October 2019.
• The SBA was split into two - rural (SBA-Gramin, monitored by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti) and urban (SBA-Urban, overseen by the MoHUA).
• SBM-U 2.0 was recently launched on 1st October, 2021, focused on ensuring complete access to sanitation facilities for all The vision of a Garbage Free India is an initiative under SBM-U 2.0.
• The first survey was undertaken in 2016 (covering 73 cities), which had grown to cover 4242 (by the 2020 survey).

 

 

 

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