Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Li-Ion cell and about the agreement between ISRO and BHEL) + Mains ( GS III indigenization of technology and developing new technologies)
What's the NEWS

• ISRO has transferred its indigenous technology to produce space-grade Li-Ion cells to BHEL.

Know! more about the agreement

• In March 2018, BHEL signed the Technology Transfer Agreement with ISRO for acquiring the Li-Ion Cell production technology.
•  This production facility is primarily targeting to meet Li-Ion Cell requirements for ISRO and other strategic sectors.
•  However, BHEL can also produce and sell Li-Ion cells for meeting other national/commercial applications by suitably modifying the space-grade cell which can lead to cost reduction.
• BHEL is in the process of establishing the Li-Ion production facility near Bangalore in Karnataka.
• Various equipment (both indigenous and imported) for establishing this facility are procured and being commissioned.
• ISRO has already provided all technical documentation for establishing the production plant as well as hands-on training in various production activities for BHEL staff at ISRO's facilities.
• As per the Technology Transfer Agreement, space-grade Li-Ion cells manufactured by BHEL are meant for meeting the national requirements only. However, BHEL can also sell the space-grade Li-Ion cells to parties outside India after obtaining prior written consent from ISRO.

Know! about Lithium - ion battery

• A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery (abbreviated as LIB) is a type of rechargeable battery.
• Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for portable electronics and electric vehicles and are growing in popularity for military and aerospace applications.
• In the batteries lithium ions move from the negative electrode through an electrolyte to the positive electrode during discharge, and back when charging.
• Li-ion batteries use an intercalated lithium compound as the material at the positive electrode and typically graphite at the negative electrode. The batteries have a high energy density, no memory effect (other than LFP cells) and low self-discharge.

Defence
Defence Acquisition Council, approves Capital Procurement for the Services

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about DAC and the procurements of weapons) + Mains ( GS III security challenges and their management in border areas)
What's the NEWS

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approval for Capital Procurement for the Services amounting to over Rs 22,800 crore.

Know! more about DAC approvals

• To boost the 'Make in India' initiative, the DAC accorded approval for indigenous design, development and manufacturing of 'Thermal Imaging Night Sights' for Assault Rifles.
• These sights will be manufactured by the Indian private industry and used by troops deployed on the frontline.

Thermal Imaging Night Sights

• 'Thermal Imaging Night Sights' would enable troops to undertake long range accurate engagements in dark and all weather conditions thereby enhancing the night fighting capabilities.

Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)

• As a follow up of the successful indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) programme, the DAC revalidated the Acceptance of Necessity for the procurement of additional Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) India aircraft.
• The mission system and sub-systems for these aircraft would be indigenously designed, developed and integrated onto the main platform by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• These platforms would provide on-board Command & Control and 'Early Warning' which would assist the Indian Air Force (IAF) in achieving effective air space dominance in the least possible time.
• Induction of these systems would increase the extent of coverage along our borders and greatly enhance both the Air Defence and Offensive capabilities of the IAF.

Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance (LRMR )

• The DAC also approved procurement of Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance (LRMR) Anti-Submarine Warfare P8I aircraft for the Indian Navy.
• These aircraft would greatly strengthen the Navy's capabilities for maritime coastal surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Vessel (ASV) strike.

Twin Engine Heavy Helicopters (TEHH)

• The DAC approved procurement of Twin Engine Heavy Helicopters (TEHH) for the Indian Coast Guard These aircraft would enable the Coast Guard to undertake missions to prevent maritime terrorism, infiltration of terrorists by sea routes as well as Search & Rescue operations.

International Organisations
ADB, India sign $451 Million Loan to strengthen Power Connectivity in Tamil Nadu

Relevance IN - Prelims (about the agreement + about ABD + and about CKIC and ECEC) + Mains (GS II international organisations + GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India today signed a $451 million loan to strengthen power connectivity between the southern and northern parts of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC), which is part of the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), in Tamil Nadu. ADB is the lead partner of the Government of India for developing ECEC.

Know! more about the agreement

• The project will help Government of Tamil Nadu meet the increasing demand for power supply from industry and commercial enterprises in the State through transfer of power from new generation facilities, including renewable energy, in the southern CKIC to the industrial hubs in the state's northern region
• The project will provide an impetus to the industrial development of CKIC, which ADB has been assisting through strategic planning and investments in infrastructure while facilitating industrial investments.
• The state is aiming to develop the northern Chennai-Tiruchirappalli area of CKIC as a manufacturing center while targeting the relatively poor southern Madurai-Thoothukudi portion for the development of renewable energy-based power generation because of the availability of wind and solar resources.
• ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.
• In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members-49 from the region.

Disaster Management
Ministry of Home Affairs inaugurates 1st International Conference on "Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience-2019"

Relevance IN - Prelims (about the conference) + Mains (GS III Disaster management)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the 1st International Conference on "Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience".

Know! more about the conference and the measures to mitigate the menace of natural disasters

• The objective of the Conference was called for developing technology to anticipate disasters like landslides and develop infrastructure to quickly respond to minimise the damage.
• The landslides have attracted global attention as they may cause huge havoc on communities, live stock, environment leading to huge loss of lives .
• On the one hand landslides effect loss of infrastructures-roads, buildings, bridges, communication systems etc, on the other, they may lead to stagnation of human activity and mobility
• Although landslides are a natural calamity but of late, our life styles, our greed and irresponsible planning along with global warming and climate change are also contributing to them and the damage there of.
• Since the adoption of the Disaster Management Act 2005, the Government has taken a number of initiatives to strengthen the resilience capacity of all the stakeholders at different levels.
• The National Institute of Disaster management (NIDM) organized the first of its kind conference in the country, called for making extensive collaborative programs involving international community and all the stakeholders at national, state and regional levels to tackle the problem.

Human Resource Development
Government has set up Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to provide exposure to science and technology to students

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about AIM) + Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of science and technology)

What's the NEWS

• The Government of India is encouraging the schools to provide exposure to science and technology to students so that they can be acquainted with futuristic technology platforms.

Know! about AIM

• Government has setup the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog.
• The objective of establishing AIM is to create scientific temper and cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation among young minds.
• Towards this end, AIM is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) across the country for students between grade 6^th to 12^th, equipped with latest emerging technologies such as electronics, IoT, 3D printing, Robotics, etc.
• In schools, AIM facilitates to set up network of ATL in India.
• The vision of ATL initiative is to ‘Cultivate 1 Million children in India as Neoteric Innovators'.
• The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds and inculcate skills such as design mind-set, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing, rapid calculations, measurements, etc.
• As on date, 8878 schools have been selected and 4680 schools have been given the ATL grant in aid for establishment of ATL.
• A total of Rs. 1000 crores are currently earmarked for AIM up to financial year 2019-20. There is no direct allocation of funds at a state/district level by AIM. The disbursement of the funds is directly made by AIM to the beneficiaries and administered centrally.
  
  

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