WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, off the Bay of Bengal coast in Odisha.

• DRDO is the Research & Development wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies.

Designed and developed by: 

• Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), of DRDO.
  • ADE is a key Aeronautical Systems Design Laboratory under DRDO.
  • It is involved in the design and development of state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Aeronautical Systems and technologies to meet the requirements of the Indian Armed forces.

Features

• It is powered by a gas turbine engine to sustain a long endurance flight at subsonic speed.
• It is equipped with a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control.
• The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight and their check-out is done using a laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS).

Utility:

• It will be used as a target for the evaluation of various missile systems.
  • It offers a realistic threat scenario for practice of weapon systems.

Other Recent Developments:

• In September 2021, the DRDO tested a new version of the Akash Missile – ‘Akash Prime’ – from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
• In July 2021, DRDO launched the Akash-NG (New Generation) and the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).
• In June 2021 a new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-P (Prime) was successfully test-fired by the DRDO.
• In February 2021 India also successfully test-fired indigenously-developed anti-tank guided missile systems ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’.
• In October 2020, the DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Drought fueled by climate change has dropped Lake Tahoe in the US below its natural rim and halted flows into the Truckee River.

• It is a historically cyclical event that’s occurring sooner and more often than it used to.

About:

• Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America, and the second deepest lake in the US, with Crater Lake in Oregon being the deepest in the US.
  • Alpine lakes are lakes or reservoirs at high altitudes, usually over above sea level or above the tree line.

Note: Great Lakes, a chain of deep freshwater lakes in east-central North America comprising Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Except for Lake Michigan, the lakes provide a natural border between Canada and the United States.

Impact of Climate Change on Lakes:

• Less Ice Cover: Lakes are experiencing less ice cover, with more than 1,00,000 lakes at risk of having ice-free winters if air temperatures increase by 4 °C.
• Increasing LSWT: Lake Surface Water Temperatures have increased worldwide, which is similar to or in excess of air temperature trends.
• Increase in Evaporation rate: Global annual mean lake evaporation rates are forecast to increase 16% by 2100, with regional variations dependent on factors such as ice cover, stratification, wind speed and solar radiation.
  • Lake stratification is the tendency of lakes to form separate and distinct thermal layers during warm weather.
• Affecting Lake Water Storage: Global lake water storage is sensitive to climate change, but with substantial regional variability, and the magnitude of future changes in lake water storage remains uncertain.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The central government has planned to set up a committee for National Employment Policy (NEP), which seeks to create a roadmap for improving job opportunities in India.

About:

• The committee will comprise representatives from the Ministry of labour and other ministries.
• It will also include prominent people from the industry.
• It will be a high-powered committee, of which views and recommendations will be taken.

National Employment Policy (NEP)

The NEP seeks to create a sector-wise strategy to improve the potential of job creation by pulling investments towards employment-intensive sectors, attracting new industries by creating an enabling environment and by policy interventions. It will be created based on data from five all-India labour surveys and E-Shram portal for facilitating evidence-based policymaking to generate employment. Following the consultations, it will be sent for cabinet approval.

AQEES survey

The first All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES) was launched in September 2021, for the April-June 2021 quarter. This survey is conducted by Labour Bureau, an office of Ministry of Labour & Employment. As per Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), unemployment rate had touched a record high of 23.52%, in April 2020. During April-June 2020-21 quarter, around 121 million jobs were lost, the highest ever monthly job loss on record since it started compiling employment data.

E-Shram Portal

Labour Ministry had launched the E-Shram portal on August 26, 2021. The platform registers an estimated 380 million informal & unorganised workers like construction workers, street vendors, domestic workers, gig & platform workers, agricultural & migrant workers, and other unorganised workers. This portal will facilitate the implementation of policies for unorganised sector. Portal will help in monitoring and supervising government policies as well as ensure that benefits reach the targeted group.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission on October 25, 2021, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

About:

• This scheme is worth Rs 5000-crore and is India’s largest scheme launched to scale up health infrastructure.
• The mission was launched to improve the public health infrastructure in urban as well as rural areas.
• It will work in addition to the National Health Mission.
• About Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission

The Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission was announced by PM. It is expected to extend support to 17,788 rural Health & Wellness Centres across 10 high focus states. Under the scheme, 11,024 urban Health & Wellness Centres will be established. The mission will be launched with the aim of strengthening the critical healthcare network in India.

Objective of Mission

This mission was launched with the objective of filling critical gaps in public health infrastructure. It will bridge the gap between critical care facilities and primary care across urban and rural areas.

Second aspect of mission

Second aspect of the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is related to “testing network for diagnosis of diseases”. Necessary infrastructure will be developed under the mission for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. Under it, 730 districts in India will get Integrated to Public Health labs. Apart from that, 3 thousand blocks will be provided Block Public Health Units.

Significance of the scheme

Scheme will investigate the expansion of existing research institutions that are studying pandemics. It will also help in strengthening 80 Viral Diagnostic and research labs. It will also set up “WHO regional research platform for South Asia” in a bid to strengthen this network.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented the 67th National Film Awards on October 25, 2021.

About:

• 51^stDadasaheb Phalke Award was conferred to actor Rajinikanth.
• Manoj Bajpayee, Kangana Ranaut and Dhanush were conferred with acting honours.
• Best Feature Film award was given to Priyadarshan’s Malayalam period epic named ‘Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea’.
• Best Hindi Film Award was presented to Chhichhore movie, starring the late Sushant Singh Rajput.

About 67^th National Film awards

67th National Film awards were announced in March 2021 however, they were honoured the best in cinema in the year 2019. Awards were postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic.

National Film Awards

It is the most prominent film award ceremony, held in India. It was established in the year 1954. It has been administered since 1973, along with Indian Panorama and International Film Festival of India by the Directorate of Film Festivals of Indian government.

How are entries selected?

Government appoints a national panel every year to select the winning entry. Award ceremony is held in New Delhi and the President of India conferred the awards to winning entries. After that, National Film Festival is inaugurated where award-winning films are screened for public. Awards are declared for films produced in previous year and they hold distinction of awarding merit to the best of Indian cinema. Awards are also presented for the best films in each region and language of India.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

• Hollywood veteran Martin Scorsese and celebrated Hungarian filmmaker Istevan Szabo will be honoured with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
• The 52nd edition of the film festival will be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa.
• While Szabo is known for his masterpieces like 1966’s “Father” and 1981 movie “Mephisto”, Scorsese is one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential directors in film history.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The United Nations Day is observed on October 24, every year since 1948.

Why is this day celebrated?

The day marks the anniversary of the entry of the UN Charter into force in 1945.

What is UN Charter?

• The UN Charter is the founding document of the United Nations, which has been working towards global equality and peace.
• With the ratification of this founding document by majority of its signatories, including five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations was officially established in the year 1945.
• Since 1948, October 24 has been celebrated as United Nations Day 1971.
• On the recommendations of United Nations General Assembly, the day is observed as a public holiday by the Member States.

History of United Nations

The United Nations was officially established on October 24, 1945, after the UN Charter was ratified by China, the Soviet Union, France, the United States and the United Kingdom as well as other signatories. President of United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt had coined the name “United Nations”. He was also the first to use this name in Declaration by United Nations during Second World War, on January 1, 1942. Currently, there are 193 Member States and each of them are a member of the UN General Assembly as well.

When was UN Charter signed?

The UN Charter was signed on June 26, 1945, by the representatives of the 50 countries. Poland, which was not represented at the Conference, signed the charter at later stage and became one among the original 51 Member States.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

India’s first IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) calf of Banni breed of buffaloes was born at a farmer’s house in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat.

About:                                   

• Banni breed of buffalo is found primarily in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
• IVC process was carried out in a bid to enhance the number of genetically superior buffaloes for increasing milk production.
• Banni buffalo, belonging to a dairy farmer, from Dhanej village gave birth to IVF male calf.

How was this process completed?

• Embryos of Banni donors were implanted in 18 recipient buffaloes using the IVF technology.
• Banni breed had achieved six pregnancies, out of which one calf was born, at the farmer’s firm. More will be born in a few days.
• This process was carried out by JKBovagenix of NGO JK Trust which is a social initiative of Raymond Group.

About Banni buffalo

• Banni buffalo are also known as “Kutchi” or “Kundi”. This breed of buffalo is found primarily in Kutch district of Gujarat.
• The word ‘Banni’ is specific to not only the buffaloes but pasture grass species as well, that are native to this region.
• This breed of buffaloes is preserved by a local community of Kutch called the ‘Maldharis’.

Characteristics of Banni buffalo

An average Banni buffalo yields about 12 to 18 litres of milk every day. Thus, they are known for their higher milk producing capacity as well as resilience in an arid environment. They have a different genetic makeup as compared to more common breeds, allowing for longer lactation periods & high milk production potentials.

WHY IN THE NEWS?                     

• The Sports Authority of India (SAI) appointed Commodore PK Garg as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) at the Mission Olympic Cell meeting. He joined the Indian Navy in 1984 and was in charge of many important and prestigious assignments over 34 years of service.
• Commodore Garg, who was the High-Performance Director with Sports Authority of India till June 2021, is also an Arjuna Awardee recipient (1990) in Sailing and has also won the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardee in 1993-94.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

• Barbados has elected its first-ever president as it prepares to become a republic, removing Queen Elizabeth as head of state.
• Dame Sandra Mason, 72, is set to be sworn in on 30 November, which will mark the country’s 55th anniversary of independence from Britain.
• The first woman to serve on the Barbados Court of Appeals, Dame Sandra has been governor-general since 2018. The historic election came after a joint session of the House of Assembly and the Senate.  described the vote as a “seminal moment” for the nation.