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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
DoP & ISRO’s NRSC Forge Partnership to Revolutionalise India’s Addressing System
- This marks a major milestone in India’s journey towards digital transformation and geospatial excellence.
- The MoU was signed in the presence of Manju Kumar, Member (Operations), DoP and Dr. Prakash Chauhan, Director of NRSC, ISRO, ahead of the first National Space Day(23rd August 2024).
Key Points:
i.This strategic partnership is an important component of DoP’s initiative for standardizing addressing in India.
- For this, NRSC’s expertise in satellite data and remote sensing technologies are integrated with DoP’s extensive infrastructure and services.
- DoP is also partnering with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), New Delhi(Delhi) for this purpose.
ii.The geo-coded addressing system will make tracking easier, streamline delivery services and enhance delivery routes.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Released an e-magazine, “Sapno ki Udaan”
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE) released the inaugural edition of e-magazine, “Sapno ki Udaan(Flight of Dreams)” on the occasion of India’s 1st National Space Day (NSpD) on a virtual platform.
- He was accompanied by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (MoS) for Education and MoS (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
Key Dignitaries: The event was attended by D.P. Saklani, Director, NCERT; Rahul Singh, Chairperson, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE); and Saroj Sharma, Chairperson, National Institute of Opening School (NIOS).
About Sapno ki Udaan:
i.The e-magazine is developed by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), MoE in collaboration with NCERT.
ii.It features poetries, essays, stories, anecdotes, and riddles given by students, teachers, and parents across the country.
iii.As of now, the e-magazine is on a quarterly basis. Later, it will issue on a monthly basis.
Recent Related News:
The Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications(MoC) has released the commemorative postage stamp of Denomination Rs 5 to mark the Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary) of Kargil Vijay Diwas, at Dras, Kargil in Ladakh.
About Ministry of Communications (MoC):
Union Minister- Jyotiraditya Scindia (Lok Sabha Constituency- Guna, Madhya Pradesh, MP)
About Ministry of Education (MoE):
Union Minister- Dharmendra Pradhan (Lok Sabha Constituency- Sambalpur, Odisha)
MoS– Jayant Chaudhary (Rajya Sabha- Uttar Pradesh (UP)); Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (Lok Sabha Constituency- Balurghat, West Bengal (WB))
Cabinet Approvals on 24th August, 2024
i.Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for central government employees.
ii.The merger of 3 umbrella schemes under a new unified central sector scheme,” Vigyan Dhara” of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
ii.Biotechnology for Economy Environment and Employment (BioE3) Policy for fostering High Performance Biomanufacturing.
About Ministry of Science and Technology(MoS&T) :
Minister of State(MoS) – Dr. Jitendra Singh (Constituency: Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir, J&K)
>> Read Full News
C-DAC signs MoUs with various Industries; inaugurates Hardware Emulation Facility
- Aim: To promote indigenous technology development and support the ecosystem for Electric Vehicle(EV) charging infrastructure.
- The agreements were formalized in the presence of S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY.
C-DAC signed MoU with,
i.L&T(Larsen & Turbo) Semiconductor Technologies Limited(LTSCT)for the development of VEGA processor-based Security Operation Center’s (SOC) for various application.
ii.Aheesa Digital Innovations Private Limited(ADIPL) for the development of network security solutions such as CDAC Rakshak and Darpan Virtual Network Solutions.
- The MoU focuses on developing network security solutions to detect breaches and support cyber forensics.
iii.Hykon India Limited(HIL) for the development and deployment of vehicle to grid (V2G), vehicle to home (V2H) and vehicle to building (V2B) technologies.
iv.Tata Power Electric Mobility Limited(TPEML) to advance and implement Vehicle-to-Grid technologies.
v.JMV LPS Limited for the development, deployment, and proliferation of the Smart Meter technologies for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).\
vi.In collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science(IISc), Bangalore(Karnataka) transferred high voltage high-frequency Planar magnetics technology to Reliamotive Labs.
Other Launches:
i.S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, inaugurated a Hardware Emulation Facility at C-DAC’s campus, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
- This facility aims to advance the indigenous development, testing, and validation of hardware designs, particularly in Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) and System on Chip (SoC) technologies.
ii.He also launched Hybrid Power Conditioning Systems for Microgrids technologies by Hykon India Ltd. The Hybrid power Conditioning System for resilient industrial Microgrids has been developed under the National Mission on Power Electronics Technology(NaMPET) programme.
- The resiliency has been achieved by ensuring redundancy and fault tolerance through design and control. Robust hardware and advanced cooling systems for power converters are also addressed in the design.
iii.He also inaugurated the Model Indigenous Electric Vehicle Charging Station which will have various Alternating current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) fast chargers for vehicles ranging from 2W to Heavy vehicles.
About Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC):
Director General(DG)- Magesh Ethirajan
Headquarters– Pune, Maharashtra
Establishment– 1988
Amrit Lal Meena, Coal Secretary, Reviewed the Development of the Indian Coal Mines Safety Report Portal
- PM Prasad, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL) presented the portal during the review meeting.
- This is in line with the commitment of the Ministry of Coal towards achieving “Zero Accident, Fail-Proof Safety”.
Key People: CMDs of subsidiaries of CIL, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Coal participated in the meeting.
About the Portal:
i.The portal demonstration showcased two key modules – the Accident Module and the Safety Audit Module.
- Accident Module will enable near-time reporting with 24 hours and efficient management of accidents, ensuring prompt response and thorough analysis
- Safety Audit Module will enhance the auditing process, reinforcing safety practices and protocols across the coal mining sector.
ii.Integrating these two advanced modules will address the critical safety challenges and set a benchmark for safety management.
Significance:
i.Coal Companies are dedicated to implementing a comprehensive safety policy.
ii.Due to several operational and occupational hazards in coal mining, the safety protocols are vital for safe working in mines.
iii.The Ministry of Coal aims to promote a culture of safety, and productivity and ensure the well-being of all employees of the coal mining sector by leveraging innovative technologies and policies.
Additional info: CIL produces around 83% of India’s overall coal production in India where approximately 57% of primary commercial energy is coal-dependent.
About Ministry of Coal:
Union Minister– G. Kishan Reddy (Constituency- Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State(MoS)– Satish Chandra Dubey(Rajya Sabha- Bihar)
About Coal India Limited (CIL):
CIL is a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking(PSU) under the Ministry of Coal.
Chairman and Managing Director(CMD)– P.M. Prasad
Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal
Established– 1975
MSDE & Flipkart signed MoU to Upskill Employable Youth Across India
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Flipkart’s Supply Chain Operations Academy (SCOA) to upskill thousands of employable youth across India.
i.The MoU was exchanged during an event which celebrates the 5-year journey of Flipkart Samarth, a program that empowers artisans, weavers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Women and Rural entrepreneurs.
ii.Under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0, this collaboration aims to upskill thousands of youth in India improving their employability in the supply chain and e-commerce sectors.
iii.The candidates receive 45 days of hands-on industry exposure at Flipkart’s facilities after seven days of classroom training.
iv.Flipkart also launched the ‘Samarth storefront’ Indian Roots on its app.
- This virtual platform provides artisans, weavers, and MSMEs with unprecedented national market access, allowing them to show their unique products to over 500 million customers in India.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Highlights of the Prime Minister’s visit to Poland and Ukraine on August 21 to 23, 2024
He also visited Ukraine on 23rd August 2024 at the invitation of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.
- This marks the first visit by an Indian PM to Poland in the past 45 years since Morarji Desai in 1979.
- Modi’s visit to Ukraine marks the first visit of an Indian PM to the country since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992.
i.India and Poland have decided to upgrade the India-Poland bilateral relations as a “Strategic Partnership” to strengthen the cooperation across various sectors.
- To implement the Strategic Partnership, both India and Poland have agreed to a five-year Joint Action Plan for 2024-2028.
ii.Indian PM Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have formalised four key agreements focusing on agriculture, medicine, culture & humanitarian assistance.
About Ukraine:
President – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Capital – Kyiv
Currency– Ukrainian hryvnia
About Poland:
Prime Minister– Donald Tusk
Capital– Warsaw
Currency– Polish złoty
>> Read Full News
BANKING & FINANCE
Piramal Finance & Central Bank of India Partners to Form Strategic Co-Lending Partnership
Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Piramal Capital and Housing Finance Limited (PCHFL) (Piramal Finance), a wholly owned subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL), have announced a strategic partnership with the Central Bank of India (CBI) to expand their co-lending business.
i.The partnership will offer loans to middle- and low-income borrowers, focusing on semi-urban and rural regions.
ii.This collaboration leverages the Central Bank of India’s extensive branch network and financial expertise in addition to Piramal Finance’s ‘High Tech + High Touch’ approach, which uses technology to offer a seamless customer experience.
iii.It benefits customers in the unorganised sector, like self-employed and salaried persons, who struggle to obtain conventional credit due to lack of income verification.
iv.This partnership will offer competitive interest rates and customised credit solutions to customers who are either new to credit or underserved by larger financial institutions, focusing on developing a diverse, multi-product loan book.
v.It will provide competitive interest rates as well as customised credit solutions to clients who are new or underserved by larger financial institutions, focusing on developing a diverse, multi-product loan book.
Note: Central Bank of India is a Indian Public Sector Bank (PSB) headquartered at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
TPSSL Collaborates with ICICI Bank for Solar Loans
Tata Power Solar Systems Limited (TPSSL), a leading solar company in India, has partnered with ICICI Bank Limited, India’s leading Private Sector Bank (PSB), to offer financial solutions for the purchase of solar panels/units for residential and corporate customers.
- Aim: To enhance the accessibility and affordability of sustainable energy solutions and promote the broader adoption of solar energy in India.
i.Under this collaboration, ICICI Bank will provide loans up to Rs 90 lakh with collateral-free options and tenure of up to 5 years, for the purchase of solar panels from TPSSL.
ii.Customers can also avail of higher loan amounts with collateral which can be extended up to 20 years.
iii.Flexible down-payment options at 20-25% of the loan amount make it easier for customers to invest in solar energy.
Note: Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based TPSSL is a subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL).
RBI Clears E-Mandate for Auto-Replenishment of FASTag & NCMC
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) modified its electronic mandate (e-mandate) framework to include the auto-replenishment of balances in FASTag and the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC),effective immediately.
- Aim: To streamline recurring transactions without fixed periodicity.
i.Previously, a 24-hour pre-debit notification was required and this is no longer necessary for auto-replenishment transactions.
ii.Auto replenishment of balances in FASTag and NCMC triggers whenever the balance falls below a customer-defined threshold.
iii.The e-mandate framework, established in 2019, ensures customer protection by providing notification for upcoming debits.
Note: FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India and NCMC is a contactless smart card for multiple transportation systems and retail shopping across the country.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Goldman Sachs Cuts India’s GDP Growth Forecasts for 2024 & 2025
- It has estimated that India’s GDP is likely to expand at 6.7% in CY24 and 6.4% in CY25.
Reasons for Downgrade:
i.The current year’s downgrade factors a 35% Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) reduction in government expenditure during the April-June quarter.
ii.It has cited that India’s growth for CY25 will be hindered by the center government’s commitment in the union budget to bring down the fiscal deficit to below 4.5% of GDP.
iii.The growth expansion will further face headwinds from slower real consumption growth, mainly driven by a slowdown in household credit due to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s stricter rules to control unsecured lending by banks.
Related Information:
i.In August 2024, the RBI released its 3rd bi-monthly Monetary Policy of FY25 and has projected India’s real GDP to grow at 7.2% for FY25.
ii.Meanwhile, ICRA Limited has also projected India’s GDP to moderate six quarter low of 6% in Q1 of FY25 from 7.8% in Q4 of FY24.
About Goldman Sachs Inc.:
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – David M. Solomon
Headquarters- New York City, the United States of America (USA)
Founded – 1869
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
India Launched its 1st Reusable Hybrid Rocket “RHUMI-1”
- The rocket was lifted off from a mobile launchpad on East Coast Road (ECR), Thiruvidanthai in Chennai, TN.
- It was carrying 3 Cube Satellites and 50 PICO Satellites and deployed them into a suborbital trajectory using a mobile launcher.
Key Objectives:
i.The Cube satellites will monitor and collect atmospheric conditions like: cosmic radiation intensity, Ultra Violet (UV) radiation intensity, and air quality.
ii.While, PICO satellites will examine various environmental factors such as: vibration, accelerometer readings, altitude, ozone (O3) levels, toxic content, and molecular bonding, which will help in deeper understanding of atmospheric dynamics.
About RHUMI Mission:
i.It comprises RHUMI series of rockets, including RHUMI-1, RHUMI-2, and RHUMI-3 which are designed specifically to cover a range of altitudes from 1 kilometer (km) to 500 km.
ii.The mission is led by Anand Megalingam, founder of the SZI under the guidance of Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, former Director of Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) Satellite Centre (ISAC).
iii.In 2023, over 25,00 students from government, tribal, and public schools across the country contributed to designing and constructing a student satellite launch vehicle through “Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam Students Satellite Launch- in 2023”.The vehicle was capable of carrying a payload of 150 PICO satellites research experiment cubes.
Key Features of RHUMI-1:
i.It is 100% pyrotechnic-free and 0% Trinitrotoluene (TNT) rocket.
ii.It uses hybrid propulsion system that combines solid fuel and liquid oxidizer technologies to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs as well as ensure environmental safety.
iii.The launch angle of the rocket can be precisely adjusted between 0 to 120 degrees which allows accurate trajectory control.
iv.It is a cost effective, innovative and environment friendly mechanism which uses carbon dioxide (CO2) to ensure the safe recovery of rocket components.
About Space Zone India (SZI):
It is an aero-technology company in India which aims to provide low-cost, long-term solutions in the space industry.
Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Anand Megalingam
Headquarters- Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN)
Established- 2018
Indian Army Transfers Xploder & Agniastra Technologies to Private Sector for Mass Production
- The Transfer of Technology (ToT) ceremony was presided over by Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani, Vice Chief Of Army Staff (VCOAS).
The ToT process is facilitated by the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at the Indian Institutes of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) in New Delhi, Delhi.
Features of Xploder:
i.The Xploder, an advanced Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), is a versatile system designed for a range of combat and operational roles.
ii.Equipped with all-terrain capabilities, the Xploder can conduct unmanned reconnaissance, precisely deliver explosive payloads, and safely dispose of remote Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
iii.It also features a self-destruct mode for effective hideout clearance and can be deployed in disaster relief operations, demonstrating its broad utility in multiple environments.
Features of Agniastra:
i.The Agniastra is a Multi-Target Portable Detonation System, revolutionising remote detonation technology.
ii.It enhances the Army’s ability to conduct remote detonation across multiple targets
iii.It is capable of simultaneously targeting multiple locations over extended ranges and can be manually placed or delivered via UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)/UGVs.
iv.The system is expected to transform both conventional warfare and counter-terrorism operations, facilitating precise room interventions, bunker demolitions, and large-scale infrastructure destruction.
About the Indian Army:
Chief Of the Army Staff (COAS)- General Upendra Dwivedi
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
2024 Theme– Year of Technology Absorption
Planet Launches ‘Tanager-1’, First Hyperspectral Satellite and 36 SuperDoves with SpaceX
- Tanager-1 expected to remain operational until 2029.
- Named after the vibrant tanager bird native to Central and South America, the satellite is part of a larger constellation designed to monitor and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale.
Tanager-1 Overview:
Tanager-1 is developed by the Carbon Mapper Coalition, a philanthropically-funded efforts aimed at detecting and tracking methane(CH4) and carbon dioxide( CO2 ) super-emitters at a level of granularity needed to support direct mitigation action.
i.The satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL), California, the USA. It can measure point-source emissions globally, scanning 130,000 square kilometers(km2) of Earth’s surface per day.
ii.Data from Tanager-1 will help scientists identify gas plumes with unique spectral signatures of methane and carbon dioxide, allowing them to pinpoint emission sources.
- Expert scientists at Carbon Mapper will analyze Tanager-1’s imagery for methane and CO2 source detection and quantification.
iii.Planet Labs will commercialize the hyperspectral data for various applications, including defense and intelligence monitoring, biodiversity assessments, mineral mapping, and water quality assessments.
iv.36 SuperDoves will contribute to the company’s global monitoring mission. The data from PlanetScope, generated by these satellites, is used by the customers to make informed decisions and better contextualise events on the ground.
Note:
Methane is responsible for approximately 30% of atmospheric warming since 1750. Over 20 years, methane is 80 times more potent at warming than carbon dioxide, contributing significantly to global warming.
- Ground-level ozone, formed due to methane, is a harmful gas contributing to about one million premature deaths annually.
About Planet Labs PBC:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Will Marshall
Headquarters– San Francisco, California, the United States of America(USA)
Establishment -2010
SPORTS
Formula 1: McLaren’s Lando Norris wins Dutch GP 2024
- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen a Dutch-Belgian racing driver (competing under the Dutch flag) finished 2nd followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc of Monaco at the 3rd position.
Key Points:
i.The Dutch GP 2024 was the 15th round of the 2024 Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) F1 world championship.
ii.The 16th round will be the F1 Pirelli Gran Premio D’italia 2024 which will be held in Autodromo Nazionale Monza(Monza Circuit) near Milan, Italy, from 30 August to 1 September 2024.
Top 3 at Dutch GP 2024:
Position | Driver | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 26 |
2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 18 |
3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 15 |
About Lando Norris:
i.Lando Norris won his first F1 carrer title at the 2024 Miami GP in May 2024 in Florida, the United States of America (USA).
ii.Norris became the 1st McLaren driver to win from pole since Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (British racing driver) in 2012.
iii.Norris is the 1st non-Red Bull driver to win by over 10 seconds in almost 2 and a half years. Norris won by 22.896s, the largest winning margin of the season.
- The last was Charles Leclerc for Ferrari in Australia in 2022.
iv.It was the 1st McLaren win at Zandvoort since Austria’s Niki Lauda’s last race win in 1985.
About the Dutch GP:
i.The 1st edition of the F1 Dutch GP was held at the Zandvoort track in 1952 and raced on and off at the track until 1985.
- After 36 years, the Dutch GP again returned in 2021.
ii.About the Zandvoort circuit:
- Number of Laps- 72;
- Circuit Length- 4.259 kilometers (km)
- Race Distance- 306.587 km
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Water Week – 25 to 29 August 2024
- World Water Week 2024 takes place from 25 to 29 August 2024.
- World Water Week 2023 was observed from 20 to 24 August 2023.
This annual event is organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) in Stockholm, Sweden.
- The theme of the 2024 WWW conference is, “Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future”.
Background:
i.In 1991, Stockholm celebrated its clean waters with a public festival, which included the 1st Stockholm Water Symposium, gathering the world’s leading water scientists.
ii.In 2001, the Stockholm Water Symposium was officially renamed the World Water Week in Stockholm, the premier annual meeting place for discussing freshwater issues.
About the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI):
Executive Director (Interim)- Christel Wiman
Headquarters– Stockholm, Sweden
Established– 1991
>> Read Full News
STATE NEWS
Odisha CM Mohan Majhi Announces SoP For Subhadra Scheme
- The Scheme was approved by the Cabinet for implementation from the Financial Year 2024-25 (FY 25) to Financial Year 2028-29 (FY29) with an allocated budget of Rs 55,825 crore.
About Subhadra Scheme:
i.The women aged between 21 and 60 years will be eligible for Subhadra assistance.
ii.A total of Rs. 10,000 each year will be paid in two instalments of Rs.5000 on Rakhi Purnima Day and International Women’s Day (March 8). Thus a total of Rs. 50,000 will be received in five years.
iii.The Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) will be used to transfer funds directly to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-enabled Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) bank account.
iv.The beneficiary will also get a ‘Subhadra’ debit card.
v.Widows and divyang women receiving allowances will also be benefitted from the scheme.
vi.The women who are receiving assistance of Rs. 1,500 or more per month or Rs. 18,000 or more per year under any other government scheme will not be eligible for inclusion under Subhadra.
vii.To promote digital transactions, each gram panchayat and urban local body will identify 100 beneficiaries with maximum digital transactions, and each will be given an additional incentive of Rs. 500.
viii.The Subhadra Samiti, a society will be established by the Women and Child Development Department to monitor this scheme.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister (CM) – Mohan Charan Majhi
Governor – Raghubar Das
Ports – Paradip Port, Dhamra Port
Festivals – Kalinga Mahotsav, Chandan Yatra or Gandhalepana Yatra
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