Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Vriksharopan Abhiyan + Going Green initiative)
What's the NEWS

• Union Home Minister will launch Vriksharopan Abhiyan in the presence of Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary affairs

Know! about Vriksharopan Abhiyan

• It will be organized by Ministry of Coal involving all Coal/Lignite PSUs which large scale plantation would be carried out in mines, colonies, offices and other suitable areas of Coal/Lignite PSUs and seedlings will be distributed in the nearby areas for promoting plantation by the society.
• Going Green is the key thrust area of coal sector involving maximization of green cover through ecological reclamation of mined out areas and overburden dumps, plantation in and around mines and avenue plantation at suitable places.
• Ministry's Going Green initiative will kick start through active participation of coal/lignite PSUs as well as private miners.

Government Schemes
Manipur Water Supply Project
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Jal Jeevan Mission )
What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister will lay the foundation Stone for Manipur Water Supply Project on 23rd July 2020
• Manipur Water Supply Project is an important component of efforts of the State government to achieve the goal of Har Ghar Jal by 2024.
• The project outlay is about Rupees 3054.58 Crores with a loan component funded by New Development Bank.

Know! about Jal Jeevan Mission

• Government of India initiated the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide safe and adequate quantity drinking water to every rural household of the country by 2024 with the motto "Har Ghar Jal".
• The programme also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting.
• The Jal Jeevan Mission is based on a community approach to water and has extensive Information, Education and Communication as a key components of the mission.
• It looks to create a Jan Andolan for water, thereby making it everyone's priority.
• There are about 19 crore households in India. Only 24% have Freshwater Household Tap Connections (FHTCs).
• The Mission aims to provide 14, 33, 21,049 households with FHTC through partnership of all stakeholders including inter alia the State governments, Panchayat Raj Institutions and local communities.

Defence
Bharat

Relevance IN - Prelims(about indigenously-developed drone Bharat)
What's the NEWS

• DRDO has provided its indigenously-developed drone named Bharat to the Indian Army for carrying out accurate surveillance in high altitude areas and mountainous terrain along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.
• The Indian Army requires drones for accurate surveillance in the ongoing dispute in the Eastern Ladakh area. For this requirement, the DRDO has provided the Bharat drones to it

Know! more about Bharat

• The Bharat drones have been developed by a Chandigarh-based laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
• The Bharat series of the drones, indigenously developed by the DRDO, can be listed among "World's most agile and lightest Surveillance drone.
• The small yet powerful drone works autonomously at any location with great accuracy.
• The unibody biomimetic design with advance release technology is a lethal combination for surveillance missions
• The drone is equipped with artificial intelligence to detect friends and foes and can take action accordingly.
• The drone has been made capable of survival in extreme cold weather temperatures and is being developed further for vision capabilities, it can detect humans hidden in deep forests. It can operate in swarm operations

Defence
Dhruvastra, India`s anti-tank guided missile, test-fired successfully

Relevance IN - Prelims(about anti-tank guided missile `Dhruvastra`)
What's the NEWS

• The flight trial of India`s anti-tank guided missile `Dhruvastra` were successfully conducted at the Interim Test Range (ITR) in Odisha recently.
• The trials of the helicopter-launched Nag Missile (HELINA), which has now been named as Dhruvastra anti-tank guided missile, were conducted in direct and top attack mode.
• Dhruvastra is the helicopter version of 'Nag Helina' with several new features and meant to be fired from air to destroy enemy bunkers, armoured vehicles and main battle tanks.
• The helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.

Know! about Nag Missile (HELINA)

• HELINA is a third-generation fire and forget class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
• The system has all-weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as explosive reactive armour.
• The ATGM is guided by an infrared imaging seeker (IIS) operating in the lock-on before-launch mode and helps in further strengthening the defence capabilities of the country.
• The HELINA missile can engage targets both in the direct hit mode as well as top attack mode.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) last year carried out three successful test firings of the NAG missiles in the Pokhran firing ranges.
• It was done after the Defence Acquisition Council approved the procurement of DRDO-designed and developed NAG Missile System (NAMIS) at the cost of Rs 524 crore.
• The system includes a third generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the NAG, along with the Missile Carrier Vehicle (NAMICA).
• The successful induction of the NAG missile into the Indian Army is expected to give a quantum boost to the Army's capability against enemy armour.
• Official says they do not offer the desired protection against virus spread

Prelims Factoids
N-95 valved respirator/ masks
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about N-95 valved respirator/ masks)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Health Ministry cautioned against the use of N-95 valved respirator/ masks, stating that it doesn't offer the desired protection against the spread of COVID-19.
• The warning comes after the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) sounded an alarm against the use of these masks.

Know! about N95 masks

• N95 masks are personal protective equipment that protects the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face.
• The latest government warning is for those N95 masks that come with exhalation valves.
• N95 masks are worn mostly by healthcare workers and are known to offer the highest level of protection against airborne infections, but they still have limitations.
• N95 masks filter about 95 per cent of particles smaller than 300 nanometres (1 nm is a billionth part of a metre). Covid-19 virus is in the size range of 65-125 nm.
• The Health Ministry has stated that N95 masks with valved respirators does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask.
• The valve is basically a ‘one-way valve' that only protects the person wearing it and doesn't filter the aerosols coming out.
• Hence, an asymptomatic carrier of the novel coronavirus can easily spread the infection to others when the valve releases the unfiltered exhaled air in the immediate surroundings.

Economy
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the objective of NFRA and about the role of TAC)
What's the NEWS

• The audit regulator, National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), has constituted a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) under the Chairmanship of R Narayanaswamy,

Know! the role of TAC

• The TAC, which comprises seven members, including the Chairman, would, among other things, aid and advise the Executive Body of the NFRA on issues related to the drafts of accounting standards and auditing standards.
• It will also provide inputs from the perspectives of users, preparers and auditors of financial statements.
• The terms of reference of TAC include advise on development of measures of audit quality; advise on suitable methods for promoting awareness (a) relating to compliance with accounting and auditing standards and (b) of the role of the NFRA in protecting investors through independent auditor regulation.

Know! about NFRA

• The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) was constituted on 01st October,2018 by the Government of India under Sub Section (1) of section 132 of the Companies Act, 2013.
• The establishment of NFRA as an independent regulator for the auditing profession will improve the transparency and reliability of financial statements and information presented by listed companies and large unlisted companies in India.

Functions and Duties

• Recommend accounting and auditing policies and standards to be adopted by companies for approval by the Central Government;
• Monitor and enforce compliance with accounting standards and auditing standards;
• Oversee the quality of service of the professions associated with ensuring compliance with such standards and suggest measures for improvement in the quality of service;
• Perform such other functions and duties as may be necessary or incidental to the aforesaid functions and duties.

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