Relevance IN - Prelims (about Ultra Swachh)
What's the NEWS

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh to disinfect a wide range of materials, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), electronics items, fabrics, etc.
• Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), the Delhi based laboratory of DRDO has developed this product

• The system uses an advanced oxidative process comprising of multiple barrier disruption approach using Ozonated Space Technology for disinfection.
• The system is double layered with specialised Ozone sealant technology assuring trapping of ozone for the necessary disinfection cycle.
• It also has catalytic converter to ensure environment friendly exhaust i.e. only oxygen and water.
• The Ultra Swachh comes in two variants namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra Technology.
• Trinetra technology is the combination of Ozonated space and radical dispenser.

Government Schemes

CHAMPIONS: Technology Platform to empower MSMEs

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about CHAMPOINS portal and its objective) + Mains ( GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister launched the technology platform CHAMPIONS which stands for Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength.

Know! more about the portal

• The portal is basically for making the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding.
• It is a technology packed control room-cum-management information system.
• It is a real one-stop-shop solution of MSME Ministry.

Know! the objectives of CHAMPIONS:

i. Grievance Redressal: To resolve the problems of MSMEs including those of finance, raw materials, labor, regulatory permissions etc particularly in the Covid created difficult situation;
ii. To help them capture new opportunities: including manufacturing of medical equipments and accessories like PPEs, masks, etc and supply them in National and International markets;
iii. To identify and encourage the sparks: i.e. the potential MSMEs who are able to withstand the current situation and can become national and international champions.

Know! more about the portal

• In addition to ICT tools including telephone, internet and video conference, the system is enabled by Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Machine Learning.
• It is also fully integrated on real time basis with GOI's main grievances portal CPGRAMS and MSME Ministry's own other web based mechanisms.

Hub & Spoke Model

• As part of the system a network of control rooms is created in a Hub & Spoke Model.
• The Hub is situated in New Delhi in the Secretary MSME's office.
• The spokes are in the States in various offices and institutions of MSME Ministry.

Prelims Factoids
SPIC MACAY's International Convention

 
Relevance IN - Prelims ( all about Spic Macay)
What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today addressed the Spic Macay's International Convention via video conference.

Know! all about SPIC MACAY

• SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth) is a non-political, nationwide, voluntary movement founded in 1977 by Dr Kiran Seth, Professor-Emeritus at IIT-Delhi
• SPICMACAY's intention is to enrich the quality of formal education by increasing awareness about different aspects of Indian heritage and inspiring the young mind to imbibe the values embedded in it.
• It seeks to inspire youth through experiencing the mysticism embodied in the rich and heterogeneous cultural tapestry of Indian and World Heritage
• For this, the most accomplished artistes of the country render programmes of Indian classical music and dance, folk, poetry, theatre, traditional paintings, crafts & yog primarily in schools and colleges.
• SPIC MACAY is supported nationally by the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the HRD Ministry.
• In 2011, SPIC MACAY was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana award in recognition of its contribution to youth development.
• SPIC MACAY celebrates Nishkaam Seva - the spirit of volunteerism - of giving selflessly without expectation, a value that is intrinsic to our culture and important to nurture in today's world.
• SPICMACAY is a non-profit, voluntary, non-political and participatory student movement registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and gets the benefit of Section 80(G) tax exemption under the IT Act 1961.
• People from all walks of life are welcome to join and contribute with their ideas, time, finance or any other resources.

Prelims Factoids
Rare bandtail scorpionfish found in Gulf of Mannar

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the features of bandtail scorpionfish + about the location of gulf of mannar + about CMFRI)
What's the NEWS

• Indian researchers have found a rare fish - capable of changing its colour- off the Sethukarai coast in the Gulf of Mannar, one of the world's richest region from a marine biodiversity perspective.

Know! about The bandtail scorpionfish (Scorpaenospsis Neglecta)

• It a rare marine species well-known for the stinging venomous spines and the ability to change colour, was found during an underwater exploratory survey of the seagrass ecosystem by CMFRI scientists.
• This was the first time this particular species was found live in the Indian waters

Bandtail scorpionfish (highlights)

• The fish is called 'scorpionfish' because its spines contain neurotoxic venom.
• "When the spines pierce an individual, the venom gets injected immediately and it can be extremely painful
•  Eating this fish would lead to death.
• It is a nocturnal feeder, the band-tail scorpionfish lays motionless in the sea bottom and waits for the prey to come close to it.
• Most of them feed during night time with an ability to attack and suck its prey at lightning speed.

Know! about Gulf of Manner Biosphere Reserve

• The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GOMMBR) is a hot spot for marine biodiversity located off the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu, India.
• This marine biosphere reserve comprises 21 coral islands, the environmental status of which is under serious threat due to natural and anthropogenic activities.
• Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park consist of small islands and coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean of Tamil Nadu.
• The park has a high diversity of plants and animals in its marine and shore habitats, Dugong, a vulnerable marine mammal also found here.
• The Gulf of Mannar's 4,223 species of plants and animals representing from primitive to higher forms make it one of the richest coastal regions in India.
• Sethukarai is a famous pilgrimage centre in Tamil Nadu, connected to Indian mythology. It is believed that Lord Ram constructed a bridge over the sea from Sethukarai to Sri Lanka.

Know! about Gulf of Mannar

• Gulf of Mannar, inlet of the Indian Ocean, between southeastern India and western Sri Lanka.
• It is bounded to the northeast by Rameswaram (island), Adam's (Rama's) Bridge (a chain of shoals), and Mannar Island.
• The gulf is 80-170 miles (130-275 km) wide and 100 miles (160 km) long.
• It receives several rivers, including the Tambraparni (India) and the Aruvi (Sri Lanka).
• The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean .
• It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka .
• A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam's Bridge , also called Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island , separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palk Bay , which lies to the north between India and Sri Lanka.
• The Thamirabarani River of south India and the Aruvi Aru of Sri Lanka drain into the Gulf.

Know! about Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute(CMFRI)

• It was established by Government of India on February 3^rd 1947 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and later it joined the ICAR family in 1967.
• The Institute has emerged as a leading tropical marine fisheries research institute in the world.
• The research effort contributed significantly to India's marine fisheries development from a predominantly artisanal, sustenance fishery till the early sixties to that of a complex, multi-gear, multispecies fisheries.

• One of the major achievements of CMFRI is the development and refinement of a unique method for estimation of fishery catch and effort from the over 8000 km coastline called the "Stratified Multistage Random Sampling Method".
• With this methodology the Institute is maintaining the National Marine Fisheries Data Centre (NMFDC) with over 9 million catch and effort data records from all maritime states of India of more than 1000 fished species.

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