Vikas Engine

Why in news?

All three satellite launch vehicles of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are set to add muscle to their spacecraft lifting power in upcoming missions this year. The space agency has improved the thrust of the Vikas engine that powers all of them. The agency said the high-thrust engine qualified on Sunday after a ground test lasting 195 seconds (over three minutes).

The main beneficiary of the high-thrust Vikas engine is said to be the heavy-lifting GSLV-Mark III launcher, which ISRO expects will now put 4,000-kg satellites to space. This would be the third Mk-III and the first working one to be designated MkIII Mission-1 or M1.

Benefits

• The Vikas engine “will improve the payload capability of PSLV, GSLV and GSLVMk-III launch vehicles
• The Vikas engine is used in the second stage of the light lifting PSLV; the second stage and the four add-on stages of the medium-lift GSLV; and the twin-engine core liquid stage of Mk-III.

BrahMos

Why in news?

The supersonic cruise missile BrahMos was successfully test-fired , under extreme weather conditions, as part of the service life extension programme for the Army.

About BrahMos

• BrahMos, a joint venture between India and Russia, has been demonstrated in various configurations in land-attack, anti-ship and from the air. The Army and the Navy have already inducted the missile, while the air launched variant is undergoing trials.
• It has a strike range of around 290 km and is described as the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile.
• Brahmos missile has established itself as a major force multiplier in modern-day complex battlefields with its impeccable land-attack, anti-ship capabilities with multi-role and multi-platform abilities,” the Ministry said.
• Test launch comes close on the heels of two trials of the missile conducted on May 21 and 22 in which the major sub-systems manufactured indigenously under the ‘Make in India’ campaign were tested.

Women’s Reservation Bill

Why in news?

Two days before the monsoon session of Parliament gets under way, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

About Women’s Reservation Bill

• The Women’s Reservation Bill or The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008, is a lapsed bill in the Parliament of India which proposed to amend the Constitution of India to reserve 33% of all seats in the Lower house of Parliament of India, the Lok Sabha, and in all state legislative assemblies for women.
• The seats were proposed to be reserved in rotation and would have been determined by draw of lots in such a way that a seat would be reserved only once in three consecutive general elections.

• The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 9 March 2010.However, the Lok Sabha never voted on the bill.The bill lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2014.

Witch-hunting bill

Why in news?

President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent to the Bill against witch-hunting that the Assam Assembly passed three years ago has rejuvenated the campaign of a barely literate 65-year-old woman against superstition that has claimed scores of lives.

Why it is passed?

This law was prepared in order to reign in the rising incidents of witch hunting cases across the state. It was prepared in lines with the spirit of universal declaration of human rights, crimes in witch hunting cases cause gross violation of basic human rights.

Salient features of the bill

• It aims to eliminate the superstition from society by making such offences under the Act as non-bailable, non-compoundable and cognizable.
• Prohibit any person from calling, identifying or defaming any other person as witch by words, signs, conducts or indications.
• Stringent Punishment: If anybody found guilty, the act imposes up to 7 years of jail and fine up to 5 lakh rupees. This provision will come as per Sec Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• Proposes sentence of 3 years imprisonment if anybody blames a person for natural disasters in a particular locality such as floods, droughts, illness or any death.
• Special Courts: Special courts will be set up in consultation with the high court for trial of such offences.

The legislation is crucial in the present context in which communication technology is being used to magnify superstitious beliefs, black magic and social prejudices with fatal consequences, primarily affecting the life of marginal groups.

World Customs Organisation (WCO)

Why in news?

India has become the Vice-Chair (Regional Head) of the Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation (WCO) for a period of two years, from July, 2018 to June, 2020.

About WCO

• The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.
• Now the WCO represents 182 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.
• As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community.
• The WCO has divided its Membership into six Regions. Each of the six Regions is represented by a regionally elected Vice-Chairperson to the WCO Council.

Functions

• As a forum for dialogue and exchange of experiences between national Customs delegates, the WCO offers its Members a range of Conventions and other international instruments, as well as technical assistance and training services provided either directly by the Secretariat, or with its participation.
• Besides the vital role played by the WCO in stimulating the growth of legitimate international trade, its efforts to combat fraudulent activities are also recognized internationally.
• WCO has also been responsible for administering the World Trade Organization’s Agreements on Customs Valuation, which provide a system for placing values on imported goods, and the Rules of Origin, which are used to determine the origin of a given commodity.

IFFCO iMandi

It is an e-commerce platform launched by IFFCO to address all needs of the farming community associated with it. For this initiative, IFFCO has partnered with Singapore-based technology firm iMandi.

Through this e-commerce platform, IFFCO is targeting to reach GMV (gross merchandise value) of $5 billion in the next two years by catering needs of 5.5 crore farmers already associated with it.

About IFFCO iMandi

• The e-commerce platform is one stop shop for agri inputs and produce, FMCG, electronics, loans, insurance etc.
• It has features like buy-sell, communication, entertainment and information/advisory content to keep farmers engaged.
• Using it, farmers buy all agri inputs of IFFCO, including fertilisers, agro chemicals and seeds at discounted price and get free delivery at their doorstep.

Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)

• IFFCO is large scale fertiliser cooperative federation in India which is registered as Multistate Cooperative Society.
• It is one of India’s biggest cooperative society which is wholly owned by Indian Cooperatives.

Bansagar Canal Project

Why in news?

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,  dedicated the Bansagar Canal Project to the Nation in Mirzapur

This project will provide a big boost to irrigation in the region, and will be greatly beneficial for the farmers of Mirzapur and Allahabad districts of Uttar Pradesh.

About Bansagar Dam project

• Bansagar Dam project is a joint venture between Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• Bansagar Dam is a multipurpose river Valley Project on Sone River situated in the Ganges Basin in Madhya Pradesh.
• The total canal network under it is 171 kms long.
• Canals under this project will bring waters from Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh for Adwa Barrage, Meza Dam and Jirgo reservoir.

Son river

• Son River is the second largest of the Ganges’s southern tributaries after Yamuna River.
• The Son originates near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh just east of the headwater of the Narmada River, and flows north-northwest through Madhya Pradesh state before turning sharply eastward where it encounters the southwest-northeast-Kaimur Range.

Right of first refusal

Why in news?

A proposed move by the Centre to abolish the ROFR clause for transportation of Indian cargo by Indian-flagged vessels, the only benefit available to Indian shipping companies is threatening the existence of the domestic shipping industry.

What is it?

Right of first refusal is a contractual right, but not obligation, to enter into a business transaction with a person or company before anyone else can. If the entity with the right of first refusal declines to enter into a transaction, the owner of the asset who offered the right is free to open the bidding up to other interested parties.

Effects on Indian shipping

• If the clause is scrapped, it could hurt the Indian shipping industry. Indian shipping companies have a combined fleet of 1,372 ships with a total capacity of 12.35 million Gross Tonnage (GT).
• The move may also prompt Indian Shipping firms to de- register their vessels from India and flag them in tax havens of Panama and Bahama to survive and compete with foreign lines.