Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a keynote address virtually at this year’s High-Level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council session on Friday, 17th July 2020 from 0930-1130 hrs (local time) at the United Nations in New York. Prime Minister will be speaking at the valedictory session along with the Prime Minister of Norway and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The annual High-level Segment convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from the Government, the private sector, civil society and academia. The theme of this year’s High-level Segment is "Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary”.
Set against the changing international environment and the COVID-19 pandemic, this session will focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the global agenda through strong leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and enhanced significance of global public goods.
This will be first opportunity for PM to address the broader UN membership since India’s overwhelming election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on 17th June, for the term 2021-22. The theme of the High-Level Segment of the ECOSOC, on the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN, also resonates with India’s Security Council priority, wherein we have called for ‘reformed multilateralism’ in a post-COVID-19 world. It also recalls India’s role, as the holder of the inaugural Presidency of ECOSOC (Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, in 1946). PM had earlier delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of ECOSOC in January 2016.
Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar appreciates the efforts of scientists in agricultural progress; says, it has to be ensured that the benefits of contract farming reach the small farmers
There is need to reduce dependence on imports, increase production of healthy foods - Shri Tomar Posted On: 16 JUL 2020 7:02PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) celebrated its 92nd foundation day today. On this occasion, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar appreciated the efforts of the agricultural scientists due to which ICAR has contributed immensely in the progress of agriculture in the country during the last nine decades. He said that today India is surplus in foodgrains production due to the research contribution of the scientists and hard work of the farmers.
He congratulated the farming community in the country for record production of crops even during the lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic. Shri Tomar also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for bringing in long-awaited agricultural reforms by announcing legal amendments and ordinances which will empower the farmers and help them in getting remunerative prices for their produce. He said that ICAR and KVK scientists also have to ensure that the benefits of contract farming reach the small farmers.
Exhorting the scientists to ensure that in its tenth decade, the Pusa Institute (IARI) gets upgraded from a national institute to an institute of international status, the Minister said that there is need to reduce dependence on imports, increase production of healthy foods and also increase production of pulses and oilseeds. Palm oil production needs to be increased by research and increased cultivation. Laying emphasis on developing new varieties of oilseeds, Shri Tomar said that the near self-sufficiency achieved in pulses production needs to be replicated for oilseeds production also so that import of edible oils is reduced.
On this occasion, 8 new products and 10 publications were released. Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Shri Parshottam Rupala and Shri Kailash Choudhary, Director General, ICAR, Dr. Trilochan Mahapatra, a number of ICAR scientists and officials were present.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. It was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The Council is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. With 102 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.
The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green Revolution and subsequent developments in agriculture in India through its research and technology development, thus making a visible impact on the national food and nutritional security. It has played a major role in promoting excellence in higher education in agriculture.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has been recognizing and rewarding the institutions, scientists, teachers, farmers and agricultural journalists every year. This year; nearly 160 awardees under 20 different categories have been selected. These comprise three Institutions, two AICRP, 14 KVKs, 94 Scientists, 31 farmers, 6 journalists and 10 staff members of various ICAR Institutes. It is heartening to note that of the 141 awarded persons 19 are women.
Among the Agricultural Universities and Deemed universities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar has been bestowed upon the Best Agriculture University Award for the rapid strides in all spheres of teaching, research, extension and innovations, ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochi has been awarded the Best Institution Award among the large institute category whereas, the ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai has been adjudged the best ICAR institution among smaller ICAR Institutes category.
All India Coordinated Research Project on Sorghum, Hyderabad and All India Coordinated Research Project on Maize, Ludhiana have been jointly conferred Chaudhary Devi Lal Outstanding All India Coordinated Research Project Award 2019.
Deendayal Upadhyay Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puruskar for KVKs at National Level has been jointly bagged by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Datia, Madhya Pradesh and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Venkataramannagudem, Andhra Pradesh for outstanding extension/ outreach activities having significant impact in developing agriculture and allied sectors of the district.
Funded under PRASHAD Scheme of Tourism Ministry, the project successfully completed at a cost of Rs. 45.36 crores Posted On: 16 JUL 2020 7:40PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State(IC) for TourismSh. Prahlad Singh Patelvirtually joined Chief Minister of GujaratSh. Vijaybhai Rupanion the inauguration of project“Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Somnath, Gujarat” today. The project “Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Somnath, Gujarat” sanctioned under the PRASHADscheme in March 2017 has been successfully completed with the cost of Rs. 45.36 crores. High quality world class facilities for Parking, Tourism Amenities Centre and Solid Waste Management have been developed under the project.
Shri Patel praised the State Government for the optimum use of the funds released by the Government of India for creating the facilities of international standards. Minister further, assured the State Government for every cooperation and support required from the Ministry of Tourism under tourism sector.
The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) launched by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15 with the objective of integrated development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations.
The scheme aimed at infrastructure development such as entry points (Road, Rail and Water Transport), last mile connectivity, basic tourism facilities like Information/ Interpretation Centers, ATM/ Money exchange, eco-friendly modes of transport, area Lighting and illumination with renewable sources of energy, parking, drinking water, toilets, cloak room, waiting rooms, first aid centers, craft bazars /haats/ souvenir shops/ cafeteria, rain shelters, Telecom facilities, internet connectivity etc.
Around 23,000 Key Resource Persons and 17.5 lakh teachers and school heads have been trained under this NISHTHA face to face mode till date- Union HRD Minister
For training the remaining 24 lakh teachers and school heads, NISHTHA has been customized for online mode - Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'
Posted On: 16 JUL 2020 5:51PM by PIB Delhi The first on-line NISHTHA programme for 1200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh was launched by Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriya 'Nishank' and Minister of State for HRD Shri Sanjay Dhotre virtually in New Delhi today.
While addressing the participants the HRD Minister said that NISHTHA is a National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha -a flagship programme of MHRD to improve learning outcomes.
The Minister added that NISHTHA in face-to-face mode was launched on 21st August, 2019. Thereafter, 33 states/UTs have launched this programme in their states/UTs in collaboration under Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. In 29 States/UTs, the NISHTHA training programme has been completed by the NCERT at the state level. In 4 States/UTs (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, J&K and Bihar), the training at the state level is still in progress. In two states, it is yet to be launched. District level teacher training programme has been initiated in 23 States/UTs.
Shri Pokhriyal highlighted that around 23,000 Key Resource Persons and 17.5 lakh teachers and school heads have been covered under this NISHTHA face to face mode till date.
The Minister informed that due to COVID-19 pandemic situation, sudden lockdown has affected the conduct of this programme in face-to-face mode. Therefore, for providing training to remaining 24 lakh teachers and school heads, NISHTHA has been customized for online mode to be conducted through DIKSHA and NISHTHA portals by the NCERT. He further informed that Andhra Pradesh is the first state for which we are launching on-line NISHTHA programme for 1200 Key Resources Persons through NISHTHA portal. These resource persons will help in the mentoring of teachers of Andhra Pradesh, who will take on-line NISHTHA training on DIKSHA later on.
Shri Pokhriyal informed that the modules developed under NISHTHA focus on holistic development of children and hence include curriculum and inclusive education health and well-being, personal social qualities, art integrated learning, initiatives in school education, subject-specific pedagogies, ICT in teaching-learning, leadership, pre-school education, pre-vocational education, etc.
All the modules are centred around learning outcomes and, learner-centred pedagogy. He added that these modules are made interactive with reflective and engaging activities for teachers providing space to educational games, quizzes, etc. for joyful learning by the teachers and school heads, which in turn will motivate teachers to implement this in their classroom for enhancing students’ learning outcomes.
Shri Pokhriyal appreciated the efforts of MHRD and NCERT for building capacities of teachers and school heads at the elementary level across the country through NISHTHA. This will not only help in enhancing learning outcomes of students but also in their all-round development.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Dhotre said that The world has been developing at a rapid pace. In order to be in sync with this fast-evolving world, our teachers also need to constantly upgrade their world view, understanding, and methods of teaching.It is imperative on us to enable this as an ever-continuing process across the country in the most effective manner.
He added that our in-service teacher education system must be sensitive to the feedback from the teachers.And the teachers' individual innovations must be recognised for their pedagogic values and should become part of our standard teaching methods.
It is also important for us that our teachers must be very actively sensitized towards diversities of our country. Then only our children can become sensitive to the huge and different diversities is of this vast nation. With these efforts only, our children can grow up with the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat, as envisaged by our honourable Prime Minister.
He further added that technology can't replace good teachers, but good teachers assisted by technology can do wonders in transforming education. Under the visionary leadership of our prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi we are committed to ensure value-based quality education assisted by technology for realising Atmanirbhar Bharat.
NISHTHA- online includes multiple approaches for interaction. While there are text modules alongwith videos, there will also be live sessions by the National level Resource persons on DTH Swayam Prabha TV Channel. Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) will also be utilized for interaction with teachers. Shri Dhotre congratulated the officials of NCER and MHRD for the initiative.
In NISHTHA-face-to-face, first level training had been provided by the National Resource Group (NRG) to the Key Resource Persons (KRPs) and State Resource Persons-Leadership (SRPs-L) identified by the states/UTs. The NRG had been constituted and oriented by the NCERT drawing members from the NCERT, NIEPA and KVS. KRPs and SRPs-L had provided training directly to teachers at block level reducing the cascading effect of training. In NISHTHA –online also, Key Resource Persons will play a role of mentors for the teachers.
Milk production is expected to rise to 330 million tons by 2024; Government trying to increase milk processing up to 40% - Shri Giriraj Singh
AHIDF will facilitate incentivization of investments in establishment of infrastructure for dairy and meat processing and value addition, and establishment of animal feed plants in the private sector Posted On: 16 JUL 2020 4:05PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Giriraj Singh today launched the Implementation Guidelines for Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) worth Rs. 15,000 crores, which was approved by the Union Cabinet on 24.06.2020 under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan stimulus package for ensuring growth in several sectors. Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi was also present on the occasion.
Thanking Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for announcing the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development fund (AHIDF), Shri Giriraj Singh said that India is engaged in breed improvement to increase milk production and on the other hand also taking care of the processing sector. India is producing milk of 188 million tonnes and by 2024 the milk production is expected to rise up to 330 million tons.
Only 20-25% milk is coming under processing sector and Government is trying to bring the same upto 40%. He also informed that the Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) is being implemented for infrastructure development in cooperative sector and AHIDF is a first type of scheme for private sector.
Millions of farmers will be benefited once the infrastructure is created and more milk will be processed. This will also increase export of dairy products which is presently negligible. India needs to go up to the standards of countries like New Zealand in the Dairy sector. He expressed satisfaction that during Covid-19 lockdown, dairy farmers could maintain steady supply of milk to the consumers in the country.
Government has been implementing several schemes for incentivizing the investment made by dairy cooperative sector for development of dairy infrastructure. The AHIDF has been set up as MSMEs and Private companies also need to be promoted and incentivized for their involvement in processing and value addition infrastructure. AHIDF would facilitate much needed incentivisation of investments in establishment of such infrastructure for dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure and establishment of animal feed plant in the private sector.
The eligible beneficiaries under the Scheme would be Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), MSMEs, Section 8 Companies, Private Companies and individual entrepreneurs with minimum 10% margin money contribution by them. The balance 90% would be the loan component to be made available by scheduled banks. Government of India will provide 3% interest subvention to eligible beneficiaries. There will be 2 years moratorium period for principal loan amount and 6 years repayment period thereafter.
Government of India would also set up Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs. 750 crore to be managed by NABARD. Credit guarantee would be provided to those sanctioned projects which are covered under MSME defined ceilings. Guarantee Coverage would be upto 25% of Credit facility of borrower. The beneficiaries intending to invest for establishing dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure or strengthening of the existing infrastructure can apply for loan in the scheduled bank through “Udyami Mitra” portal of SIDBI.
There is huge potential waiting to be unlocked in investment through private sector. The INR 15,000 crore AHIDF and the interest subvention scheme for private investors will ensure availability of capital to meet upfront investment required for these projects and also help enhance overall returns/ pay back for investors. Such investments in processing and value addition infrastructure by eligible beneficiaries would also promote export of these processed and value added commodities.
Since, almost 50-60% of final value of dairy output in India flows back to farmers, therefore, growth in this sector can have significant direct impact on farmer’s income. Size of dairy market and farmers’ realization from milk sales is closely linked with development of organized off-take by cooperative and private dairies.
Thus, investment incentivization in AHIDF would not only leverage 7 times private investment but would also motivate farmers to invest more on inputs thereby driving higher productivity leading to increase in farmers’ incomes. The measures approved through AHIDF would also help in direct and indirect livelihood creation for 35 lakh persons.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi said that Government has decided to vaccinate 53.5 crore animals and 4 crore animals have already been vaccinated. Breed improvement is taking place through technology intervention. However, we are lagging behind in processing sector. Using the AHIDF, processing plants can be established for fodder also. This will help in doubling farmers’ incomes and also contribute in achieving Hon’ble Prime Minister’s dream of a 5 trillion dollar economy.
A study was conducted by researchers at University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
It analysed population trends in 195 countries. It used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 to model future population in various scenarios as a function of fertility, migration, and mortality rates.
Key findings: World population will peak in 2064, at 9.73 billion. This is 36 years earlier than the 11 billion peak projected for 2100 by last year’s UN report World Population Prospects. For 2100, the report projects a decline to 8.79 billion from the 2064 peak.
What about TFR? Global total fertility rate (TFR) is predicted to steadily decline from 2.37 in 2017 to 1.66 in 2100.
It is projected to fall below 2.1 in 183 countries. In 23 countries including Japan, Thailand, Italyand Spain, it is projected to shrink by more than 50%. For a generation to exactly replace itself, the replacement-level total fertility rate (TFR) is taken to be 2.1.
India related findings: It projects a peak population of 1.6 billion in 2048, up from 1.38 billion in 2017.
By 2100, the population is projected to decline by 32% to 1.09 billion. India’s TFR is already below 2.1 in 2019. It will reach 1.29 in 2100. The number of working-age adults (20–64 years) in India is projected to fall from around 748 million in 2017 to around 578 million in 2100. However, this will be the largest working-age population in the world by 2100. In the mid-2020s, India is expected to surpass China’s workforce population (950 million in 2017, and 357 million in 2100).
From 2017 to 2100, India is projected to rise up the list of countries with the largest GDP, from 7th to 3rd. India is projected to have the second largest net immigration in 2100, with an estimated half a million more people immigrating to India in 2100 than emigrating out.
Among the 10 countries with the largest populations in 2017 or 2100, India is projected to have one of the lowest life expectancies (79.3 years in 2100, up from 69.1 in 2017).
Challenges ahead: Forecasts highlight huge challenges to the economic growth of a shrinking workforce, the high burden on health and social support systems of an ageing population.
It forecasts continued trends in female educational attainment and access to contraception will hasten declines in fertility and slow population growth.
What needs to be done? Countries should address the potential catastrophic impact of a shrinking working-age population.
Suggested Measures include: such as incentives to increase TFR, and using artificial intelligence as a path towards self-sufficiency. Wealthy countries such as the UK and the USA could counteract the impact of these changes through net migration of working-age adults from the countries with growing populations.
The effect of fertility decline on women’s reproductive health rights has to be accompanied by greater economic independence. This would allow women to negotiate with the system on their own terms and for better support services as well.
The report titled ‘Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients- Status, Issues, Technology Readiness, and Challenges’ was brought out recently by Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), an autonomous organization under the Department of Science & Technology.
Major recommendations given in the report: Focus on engineering and scale aspect of technology development. Need for Mission mode Chemical Engineering with defined targets for uninterrupted synthesis of molecules.
Create mega drug manufacturing clusters with common infrastructure in India. Technology platform to be developed for biocatalysis towards reducing process steps for cost optimization.
Scale supporting techno-economic feasibility. Attention to technologies like hazardous reactions, flow chemistry, cryogenic reactions, and membrane technology.
What is an API? Every medicine is made up of two main ingredients — the chemically active APIs and chemically inactive, excipients, which is a substance that delivers the effect of APIs to one’s system. API is a chemical compound that is the most important raw material to produce a finished medicine.
In medicine, API produces the intended effects to cure the disease. For instance, Paracetamol is the API for Crocin and it is the API paracetamol that gives relief from body ache and fever. Fixed-dose combination drugs use multiple APIs, while single-dose drugs like Crocin use just one API.
How an API is manufactured? API is not made by only one reaction from the raw materials but rather it becomes an API via several chemical compounds. The chemical compound which is in the process of becoming an API from raw material is called an intermediate.
There are some APIs that pass “through over ten kinds of intermediates in a process when it changes from being a raw material into an API”. The long manufacturing process is continued until it is purified and reaches a very high degree of purity.
What’s the concern for India now? How COVID 19 induced pandemic has affected? Despite being a leading supplier of high-quality medicines to several countries, Indian pharmaceutical industry is highly dependent on China for APIs.
In the 2018-19 fiscal, the government had informed the Lok Sabha that the country’s drug-makers had imported bulk drugs and intermediates worth $ 2.4 billion from China.
But with frequent lockdowns due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, supplies of raw materials from China to produce drugs for treating HIV, cancer, epilepsy, malaria, and also commonly-used antibiotics and vitamin pills, are likely to be hit.
How India lost its API market to China? During the early 90s, India was self-reliant in manufacturing APIs. However, with the rise of China as a producer of API, it captured the Indian market with cheaper products and it eventually led to high economies of scale for China.
China created a low-cost API manufacturing industry. The industry was backed by the low cost of capital followed by aggressive government funding models, tax incentives.
Their cost of operation is one-fourth of India’s cost. Even the cost of finance in China is 6-7 per cent against India’s 13-14 per cent. So, due to low-profit margins and non-lucrative industry, Indian pharma companies over the years stopped manufacturing APIs.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the first fully indigenously developed conjugate vaccine for pneumonia- Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine.
It has been developed by the Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd, This vaccine is used for active immunisation against invasive disease and pneumonia caused by “streptococcus pneumonia” in infants.
How is Pneumonia spread? Infectious agents may include bacteria, viruses and fungi. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is the second most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common viral cause of pneumonia.
Air sacsin an infected individual’s lungs (alveoli) become inflamed due to deposits of fluid and pus, making it painful and difficult for them to breathe.
What are the symptoms of infection? Symptoms include high fever and chills, cough with phlegm, physical weakness and a feeling of being unwell, shortness of breath and rapid breathing, and a racing pulse.
How can it be prevented and treated? Preventive measures include maintaining hygiene and getting vaccinations against certain pneumonia causing bacteria. Saving a child from pneumonia requires urgent treatment, that usually involves the administration of antibiotics, which typically do not cost much. On average, treatment lasts for about five to seven days.
In the recent joint working group meeting of the Sustainable Growth Pillar, an India Energy Modeling Forum was launched. Composition: The forum would include knowledge partners, data agencies and concerned government ministries.
NITI Aayog will initially coordinate the activities of the forum and finalizing its governing structure.
Background: Sustainable Growth Pillar is an important pillar of India-US Strategic Energy Partnership co-chaired by NITI Aayog and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The SG pillar entails energy data management, energy modelling and collaboration on low carbon technologies as three key activities.
The Forum aims to: Provide a platform to examine important energy and environmental related issues; Inform decision-making process to the Indian government; Improve cooperation between modelling teams, government, and knowledge partners, funders;
Facilitate exchange of ideas, ensure production of high-quality studies; Identify knowledge gaps at different levels and across different areas; Build capacity of Indian institutions.
What is Energy Modelling? Energy modeling or energy system modeling is the process of building computer models of energy systems in order to analyze them.
Such models often employ scenario analysis to investigate different assumptions about the technical and economic conditions at play. Outputs may include the system feasibility, greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative financial costs, natural resource use, and energy efficiency of the system under investigation.
What are Energy Modelling Forums (EMF)? The Energy Modelling Forum (EMF) in USA was established in 1976 at Stanford University to connect leading modelling experts and decision makers from government, industry, universities, and other research organizations.
The forum provides an unbiased platform to discuss the contemporary issues revolving around energy and environment.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa as its vice-president (V-P) for private sector operations and public-private partnerships.
About ADB: It is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966. headquartered — Manila, Philippines. official United Nations Observer.
Membership: The bank admits the members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP, formerly the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East or ECAFE) and non-regional developed countries.
Currently, it has 68 members.
Voting rights: It is modeled closely on the World Bank, and has a similar weighted voting system where votes are distributed in proportion with members’ capital subscriptions.
Roles and functions: ADB defines itself as a social development organization that is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
This is carried out through investments – in the form of loans, grants and information sharing – in infrastructure, health care services, financial and public administration systems, helping nations prepare for the impact of climate change or better manage their natural resources, as well as other areas.
The launch of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) first mission to Mars is scheduled for July 16 launch. It will take off from its launch site, Tanegashima Space Center, in Japan.
Why July launch matters? The spacecraft must blast off from the Earth during a brief launch window in July, since Earth and Mars orbit the Sun at different rates and are aligned at their closest points only once every two years.
About the Hope mission: Announced in 2015 with the aim of creating mankind’s first integrated model of the Red planet’s atmosphere. The Hope mission is a Mars orbiter spacecraft, which will study the thin atmosphere of Mars.
The mission is officially named the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) and the orbiter has been named Hope or ‘Al Amal’. If successful, the Hope orbiter will join six others in studying Mars, from the US, Europe and India.
The Hope orbiter: The Hope probe has a mission life of one Martian year, which is almost two Earth years.
The three main objectives of the Hope probe are: to understand the climate dynamics and global weather map of Mars by studying the lower atmosphere of Mars.
to explain how the weather of Mars affects the escape of hydrogen and oxygen, by correlating conditions in the lower and upper atmosphere. to understand the presence and variability of hydrogen and oxygen in the upper atmosphere, and why Mars is losing these gases to space.
Significance of the mission: It is a known fact that the Red Planet was once habitable, from signatures of flowing water and organic material that point to a past that could have supported living things. An understanding of Mars’ past could help scientists understand the future of Earth.
Madhya Pradesh forest department has released the latest Dolphin census report.
Key findings: There are just 68 dolphins left in 435-kilometre-long Chambal river sanctuary which passes through three states (Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan).
Dolphins’ number in Chambal river has been reduced by 13 per cent in four years. The decreasing trend is continuing from 2016 when there were 78 dolphins.
Reasons for the decline: Illegal sand mining. Overuse of river water. Changing River course. Inland waterways / Movement of large cargo vessels. Various anthropogenic / religious activities. Accidental killing – by catch/ fisheries related entanglements.
Key facts- Gangetic dolphin: Platanista gangetica has been declared endangered by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has rudimentary eyes. From preying to surfing, dolphins do it through ultrasonic sound.
It is India’s national aquatic animal and is popularly known as ‘Susu’ They are distributed across seven states in India: Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Location: The 700MW power project is on the Jhelum river in Sudhoti district of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Why in News? Pakistan and China have signed an agreement on this under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Other projects in the region: 1,100 MW Kohala project- on Jhelum near Muzaffarabad. Karot Hydropower station– on the Jhelum is on the boundaries of Kotli district in PoK and Rawalpindi district in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Two hydel projects are planned in Gilgit Baltistan – Phandar Hydro Power, and Gilgit KIU.
Why in News? A melting glacier at Europe’s Mont Blanc mountain range recently disentombed Indian newspapers buried there for 54 years –- some of them carrying headlines such as “India’s First Woman Prime Minister”, referring to Indira Gandhi’s election win in 1966.
The newspapers are among the remains of Air India Flight 101, a Boeing 707 plane that on January 24, 1966, crashed into Mont Blanc. Among the 177 dead was Homi Bhabha, the founding leader of India’s nuclear programme.
Location: Mont Blanc is the second-highest mountain in Europe after Mount Elbrus. It is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe. The mountain stands in a range called the Graian Alps, between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Savoie and Haute-Savoie, France. Its epithet the “Roof of Europe”.
It is also known as White Mountain in French. The border between Italy and France passes through the summit of Mont Blanc, making it both French and Italian.
Vallarpadam Terminal of Cochin Port is envisaged as first trans-shipment port of India.
Trans-shipment Hub is the terminal at the port which handles containers, stores them temporarily and transfers them to other ships for the onward destination.
What is milk tea alliance? It is a term used to describe an online democratic solidarity movement made up of netizens from Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
It arose in response to the increased presence of Chinese trolls and nationalist commentators on social media.
The ‘Milk Tea Alliance’ is an informal term coined by social media users because in the region, tea is consumed in many nations with milk, with the exception of China.
It is a multilateral currency swap arrangement among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong), Japan and South Korea.
Launched in 2010 to manage regional short-term liquidity problems and to avoid relying on the IMF.
Located in the Amaravati district of Maharashtra. It is on the southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range in Central India, called Gavilgarh Hill.
The Tapti Riverand the Gawilgadh ridge of the Satpura Range form the boundaries of the reserve.
It was declared a tiger reserve in 1974. It was among the first nine tiger reserves notified in 1973-74 under Project Tiger. It was the first tiger reserve of Maharashtra.
The name ‘Melghat’ means the confluence of various ‘ghats’ or valleys as is typical from the landscape of this tiger Reserve.
Other prominent animals are Sloth Bear, Indian Gaur, Sambar deer, Leopard, Nilgais, etc. The endangered and ‘back from extinction’ Forest Owlet is also found in various areas of Melghat.
It is a type of capacitor that can store many times as much energy as older capacitors. They were developed in the late 20th century.
It has high power density, long durability, and ultrafast charging characteristics.