Also in News
Posted 19 Sep 2024
9 min read
Chandrayaan-4
Union Cabinet gave approval for Chandrayaan-4 Mission, a successor to Chandrayaan-3 which demonstrated soft landing on Moon.
About Chandrayaan 4
- It aims to develop and demonstrate key technologies for landing on the Moon, collecting lunar samples, and returning to Earth safely.
- It will achieve the foundational technologies capabilities eventually for an Indian landing on the moon (planned by year 2040) and return safely back to Earth.
- ISRO will be responsible for the development of spacecraft and launch.
- Timeline: Expected to be completed within 36 months.
- Budget: ₹2104.06 crore.
- Tags :
- ISRO
- Lunar Exploration
- Chandrayaan -4
Articles Sources
NPS Vatsalya Scheme
National Pension System Vatsalya (NPS Vatsalya) scheme, a pension scheme for minors, has been launched.
NPS Vatsalya Scheme
- Eligibility: All minor citizens (age below 18 years).
- On attaining the age of majority, plan can be converted seamlessly into a normal NPS account.
- Regulation and Administration: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
- Objective: Promoting long-term financial planning and security, inculcate habit of savings and dignified life in old age.
- Subscriber Contribution:
- Minimum: Rs 1000/- per annum.
- Maximum: No limit.
- PFRDA will provide multiple investment choices to subscribers such as government securities, corporate debt, equity etc.
- Tags :
- PFRDA
- NPS Vatsalya
- Minor Pension
- NPS Minor
- Vatsalya Scheme
AVGC-XR sector
Union Cabinet approved the establishment of National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR).
- NCoE will be set up in Mumbai as a Section 8 Company (Non-Profit Organization) under the Companies Act, 2013.
- NCoE will offer specialized training-cum-learning programs, foster R&D and function as an incubation centre.
About AVGC-XR sector
- Industry currently employs 2.6 lakh people and is expected to create 23 lakh direct jobs by 2032.
- Revenues are expected to cross $26 billion by 2030, up from $3 billion currently.
- Challenges: Lack of standardization, lack of skilling and vocational training centres, etc.
- Tags :
- AVGC Sector
- National Centre of Excellence (NCoE)
- Non-Profit Organization
Articles Sources
Trademark Search Technology
Ministry of Commerce & Industry unveiled the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based Trademark Search Technology and IP Saarthi Chatbot.
- IP Saarthi Chatbot is a digital assistant designed to provide instant support and guidance to users navigating the Intellectual Property (IP) registration process.
Trademark Search Technology:
- Advanced AI and ML algorithms for precise trademark identification.
- Streamlined search processes for domestic and international businesses.
- Enhanced protection capabilities for trademarks.
- Benefits: Expedite trademark registration processes, improve overall user experience, foster international collaboration.
- Tags :
- Saarthi
- Trademark Search Technology
Articles Sources
Pheromone
Indian scientists have developed a sustainable pheromone dispenser with a controlled release rate which can help reduce costs of pest control and management.
- Released pheromones alter the behaviour of the target insect species and attract them to sticky traps.
About Pheromones
- Pheromones are chemical signals which trigger a response or elicit specific behavioural expressions from the opposite sex, same sex or both sexes of the same species.
- Pheromones can be found in body fluids like urine, sweat, specialized exocrine glands, and genital mucous secretions.
- Used by Insects: To help attract mates, warn about predators, and find food.
- Tags :
- Pheromone
- Pheromone Dispenser
Articles Sources
Greater one-horned Rhino
The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) published the ‘State of the Rhino’ report.
Findings of Report
- Greater One-Horned Rhinos are benefiting from improved habitats and wildlife corridors.
- Its population has grown 20% in the last decade, and now exceeds 4,000 animals.
About Greater one-horned Rhino
- Habitat: Indo-Nepal Terai, northern parts of West Bengal, and Assam.
- IUCN status: Vulnerable
- Sociability: Usually solitary except for females with young. Males maintain loosely-defended territories.
- Gestation lasts approximately 15 – 16 months, and mothers give birth to one calf every 2 – 3 years.
- Population in india: 3,262 (2021). Assam has the largest population of greater one-horned rhinos.
- More than 90% of them are in Kaziranga National Park.
- Tags :
- Kaziranga National Park
- Greater one-horned Rhino
Amazon river
Solimoes, one of the main tributaries of the mighty Amazon River, is facing the worst drought on record.
- Nearby Lake Tefé has also dried up.
About Amazon River:
- Largest River system in the world in terms of the volume of water flow and area of its basin.
- Origins: High in the Peruvian Andes
- River basin: Includes the greater part of Brazil and Peru, significant parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia, and a small area of Venezuela.
- Tributaries: Approximately 1,100 tributaries,
- Notable tributaries: Japurá (Caquetá in Colombia), Juruá, Madeira, Negro, Purus, and Xingu rivers.
- River's Drains into: Atlantic Ocean, on the northeastern coast of Brazil.
- Tags :
- River
- Brazil
- South America
- Amazon
Circumnutation
New study highlights the role circumnutations could play in plant growth patterns.
About Circumnutation:
- It refers to small, continuous movements made by plants to explore their environments.
- These movements appear as spirals or zigzags.
- Significance: It is an inherent behavior across plant species, allowing them to adapt to environmental conditions and maximize their growth potential.
- E.g. Self-organization of Sunflower: Sunflowers form a zigzag pattern when grown in dense rows, allowing sunflowers to lean away from one another, avoiding shade and maximizing sunlight exposure.
- Researchers found that circumnutation often seems random, with plants moving in unpredictable ways.
- Tags :
- Circumnutationn
- plant biology
India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership
Recently, MoUs were signed under Green Strategic Partnership to strengthen the India-Denmark’s maritime relations
About Green Strategic Partnership
- Signed in 2020, It expands economic relations and green growth, creates jobs and strengthens cooperation on addressing global challenges.
- Focus of GSP: Implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Joint Action Plan on Green Strategic Partnership (2021-2026): was also drawn up for furthering GSP.
- Under GSP, collaboration has expanded across key areas such as Quality shipping, Cooperation on Port State Control, Maritime training and education etc.
- Tags :
- Green Strategic Partership
- India-Denmark
- Joint Action Plan on Green Strategic Partnership
Articles Sources
News Today (Sep 19, 2024)