National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams – 25th October 2018
Israel, India sign $777 mn missile deal
Topic: International relations
In news: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a $777 mn deal with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to supply additional Barak-8 Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) systems for seven warships of the Indian Navy.
More on the topic:
- Barak 8 also known as LR-SAM or as MR-SAM is an Indian-Israeli surface-to-air missile (SAM), designed to defend against any type of airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs as well as ballistic missiles,cruise missiles and combat jets.Both maritime and land-based versions of the system exist.
- The LRSAM can intercept aerial targets up to a range of 80 km. It is being co-developed by the DRDO in India and IAI, and will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited.
Source:Hindu
Skill development centres
Topic: Indian Economy
In news: The Centre has decided to set up skill development institutes on government land, in partnership with private players, across the country. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme.
More on the Topic:
- The public-private partnership model will be adopted to set up the institutes — to be called the Indian Institutes of Skills — at select locations, based on demand and available infrastructure.
- The institutes are expected to help boost the global competitiveness of key industry sectors by providing high-quality skill training, applied research education and a direct and meaningful connection with the industry.
- It will also provide opportunity to aspiring youth across the country to have access to highly skilled training, and enhance the scope of accountability through its linkage with industry and global competitiveness across sectors.
National Skill Development Agency (NSDA):
- The National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) attempts to increase Employability of Youth in India. It is a fully autonomous body, constituted on the approval of Union Cabinet of India.
Source:The Hindu
Punjab government bans sale of herbicide
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news: The Punjab government has banned the sale of glyphosate, a herbicide which is extensively used in the State to control a wide variety of weeds in almost all the crops.
Why the Ban:
- This chemical has been observed to be a Group 2A cancer-causing material. Besides cancer, this chemical is also known for causing other health problems and has the potential to damage human DNA as per the opinion of experts.
Where Glyphosphate is allowed India
- The Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee has recommended the use of the herbicide only for tea gardens and non-cropped areas and therefore there is a dire need for strict compliance under the Insecticides Act, 1968.Punjssb don’t have
Tea gardens and non-cropped areas are very limited.
Harmful effects of Herbicides:
- Herbicides are used to kill weeds and other undesirable plants. There are many different types of herbicides, all of which can be dangerous to humans or the environment if used irresponsibly.
- Herbicides may cause harm by acute poisoning or long-term, cumulative exposure, with side effects ranging from mild to deadly.
- When inhaled, many herbicides can cause serious damage and irritation to the respiratory tract. The nose, throat, lungs and sinuses may be affected, causing either temporary symptoms or permanent structural damage.
- While it can be difficult to determine the true cause of cancer in most cases, certain herbicides have been linked to an increased risk for cancer in humans.
Source:The Hindu
Cell-sized robots can be used to detect diseases
Topic: Science and Technology
IN NEWS: MIT scientists have developed a method to mass produce robots no bigger than a cell that could be used to monitor conditions inside an oil or gas pipeline, or to search out disease while floating through the bloodstream.
More on the Topic:
- The key to making such tiny devices, which the team calls “syncells” (short for synthetic cells), in large quantities lies in controlling the natural fracturing process of atomically-thin, brittle materials.
- The process, called “autoperforation”, directs the fracture lines so that they produce miniscule pockets of a predictable size and shape. Embedded inside these pockets are electronic circuits and materials that can collect data.
- The technology uses a two-dimensional form of carbon called graphene, which forms the outer structure of the tiny syncells.
- These tiny objects “behave like a living biological cell”.
Source:The Hindu
SC bans sale of BS-IV vehicles from 2020
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news: The Supreme Court on Wednesday banned the sale and registration of motor vehicles conforming to the emission standard Bharat Stage-IV in the entire country from April 1, 2020.
Why This Ban:
- BSVI compliant vehicles are going to be more expensive than BSIV compliant vehicles. People have a tendency to buy cheaper vehicle(s) even from a neighbouring city.
- The problem of pollution is not limited to the NCR of Delhi but it is a problem which has engulfed the entire country especially the major cities. India has the dubious distinction of having 15 out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world.
More on Bharath Stage Norms:
- Bharat Stage (BS) emission norms are standards instituted by the government to regulate output of air pollutants from motor vehicles. The BS-IV norms have been enforced across the country since April 2017. In 2016, the Centre had announced the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.
Bharath VI norms:
- Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) is an emission standard that will bring much-needed changes in the Indian automobile industry in terms of pollutant emissions. With this emission norm coming into effect, India will come at par with the US, European countries and other advanced automotive markets across the globe.
- Bharat Stage VI norms includes a wide list of technology modifications under the hood, the most significant being making OBD (On-board diagnostics) mandatory for all vehicles.
- Vehicular emission is a major contributor to the worsening air quality of Indian cities. Emission of NOx, SO2, CO2 and particulate matter is taking a toll on people’s health. In cities like Delhi, the PM2.5 level is more than 6 times the prescribed levels by WHO.
- Under Bharath VI norms NOx emission will come down by approximately 25% for the petrol engine and 68% for the diesel engines.
- The PM emission will see a substantial decrease of 80% in diesel engines.
- OBD will become mandatory for every vehicle and it will help monitor the pollution caused by the vehicle in real time.
- RDE (Real Driving Emission) will be introduced for the first time that will measure the emission in real-world conditions and not just under test conditions.
- Bharat Stage VI norms will also change the way particulate matter is measured. It will now be measured by number standard instead of mass standard thereby, regulating the fine particulate matter as well.
Source:The Hindu
Nuclear Energy Conclave
Topic: Science and Technology
In news:Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates 10th Nuclear Energy Conclave on the theme: ‘Nuclear Power- Towards a Clean & Base Load Energy’.
More on the Topic:
- The 10th Nuclear Conclave is being organized on the theme “NUCLEAR POWER: TOWARDS A CLEAN AND BASE LOAD ENERGY”. Over the years, the Nuclear Conclave organized by IEF has emerged as a content rich and one of the largest events in India on Nuclear Energy.
- Besides the theme, there would be a roundtable on Growth of Nuclear Power including fleet mode implementations of Nuclear Projects: non- power applications of Nuclear Energy and future prospects of Nuclear Energy.
- Industry leaders from India and abroad are being invited to deliberate and share their views and experiences on these issues.
India Energy Forum:
- The Forum is a unique, independent, not-for-profit, research organization and represents energy sector as a whole. It is manned by highly qualified and experienced energy professionals committed to evolving a national energy policy covering nuclear, coal, hydro, thermal, oil and gas, renewables etc.
- The Forum’s mission is development of a sustainable and competitive energy sector, promoting a favourable regulatory framework, establishing standards for reliable and safety, ensuring an equitable deal for consumers, producers and the utilities, encouraging efficient and eco-friendly development and use of energy and developing new and better technologies to meet the growing energy needs of the society.
Source:The Hindu
Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC)
Topic: Government Schemes
In news:The Minister of Human Resource Development launched the web portal of the Scheme “Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC)” in New Delhi.
About SPARC:
- SPARC scheme aims at improving the research ecosystem of India’s higher educational institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world.
- Under this Scheme, 600 joint research proposals will be awarded for 2 years to facilitate strong research collaboration between Indian research groups with the best in class faculty and renowned research groups in the leading universities of the world, in areas that are at the cutting edge of science or with direct social relevance to the mankind, specifically India.
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur is the National Coordinating Institute to implement the SPARC programme.
PIB
