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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (May 2017 – February 2018) Table of Contents 4.1.4. Missile ______28 1. BIOTECHNOLOGY ______4 4.1.5. Missile______28 1.1. Gene Therapy ______4 4.2. Other Missile Tests______28 1.2. Genome Sequencing of Ragi ______4 4.2.1. BRAHMOS Tested From Andaman Islands28 4.2.2. Subsonic Cruise Missile______29 1.3. Three Parents Baby ______5 4.2.3. Missile ______29 1.4. Stem Cells Therapy ______6 4.3. Air Defence Systems ______29 1.5. Bio-Ink ______6 4.3.1. Advanced MRSAM ______29 4.3.2. Endo-Atmospheric Interceptor Missile _ 30 1.6. Biotechnology in North East Region ____ 7 4.3.3. Quick Reaction Surface-To-Air Missile (QRSAM) ______30 1.7. Embryo Transfer Technology ______7 4.4. Surveillance Technologies ______30 2. NANOTECHNOLOGY ______9 4.4.1. NETRA______30 2.1. Nanotechnology ______9 4.4.2. Rustom-2 Drone ______31 4.4.3. Muntra, 's First Unmanned Tank __ 32 3. SPACE TECHNOLOGY ______10 4.5. Technological Developments in Navy__32 3.1. ISRO______10 4.5.1. Scorpene Class Submarine ______32 3.1.1. Missions ______10 4.5.2. Arihant Class Submarine ______32 3.1.2. Launchers ______13 4.5.3. Project 28 ______33 3.1.3. Satellite ______14 4.5.4. First Indigenously Built Floating Dock __ 33 3.1.4. , 2017 ______15 4.5.5. Naval Offshore Patrol Vehicle (NOPV) __ 33 3.1.5. Village Resource Centres ______16 4.6. Defence Related News ______33 3.1.6. Saraswati: A Supercluster of Galaxies __ 16 4.6.1. Comprehensive Integrated Border 3.1.7. NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Management System (CIBMS) ______33 (NISAR) ______17 4.6.2. ‘SAMADHAN’ Doctrine for Naxal Violence34 3.2. NASA ______17 4.6.3. Aaddhar Security ______34 4.6.4. NTRO Under Intelligence Act ______35 3.3. Other Space Related Developments___ 19 4.6.5. Merger of NCRB with BPRD ______35 3.3.1. Blue Moon______19 4.6.6. Creation of Space, Cyber and Special 3.3.2. Meteor Shower ______20 Operations Commands ______35 3.3.3. Solar Flare ______21 4.6.7. National Authority for Chemical Weapons 3.3.4. Half of The Universe's 'Missing Matter' is Convention (NACWC) ______36 Finally Found ______21 4.6.8. Thermobaric Bomb ______37 3.3.5. Bosons ______22 4.6.9. Laser weapons system (LAWS) ______37 3.3.6. India Neutrino Observatory (INO)_____ 22 3.3.7. Most Ancient Spiral Galaxy Found ____ 23 5. IT AND COMPUTER ______38 3.3.8. Spacex’s FaLcon Heavy Launched _____ 23 3.3.9. Venus Satellite ______24 5.1. Big Data ______38 3.3.10. Water as Propellant in CubeSat _____ 24 5.2. Maharashtra’s Public Cloud Policy ____38 3.3.11. The Removedebris Mission ______24 3.3.12. National Large Solar Telescope ______25 5.3. Block-Chain Technology______38 3.4. Important Terms Related to Space ____ 25 5.4. India Joins Quantum Computing Race _39 4. DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY______27 5.5. Supercomputers Pratyush and Mihir __40 4.1. Integrated Guided Missile Development 5.6. Panel for AI Roadmap ______40 Plan (IGDMP) ______27 5.6.1. Project Brainwave ______41 4.1.1. ______27 5.6.2. Humanoid ______41 4.1.2. ______27 5.7. Telecom Sector ______41 4.1.3. ______27 5.7.1. Bharat Net Project ______41

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5.7.2. 5G ______42 7. PHARMACEUTICALS______61 5.7.3. Free Space Optical Communication ___ 43 5.7.4. RFID ______44 7.1. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients ____61 5.7.5. Tarang Sanchar Portal ______44 7.2. Price Cap on Knee Implants ______61 5.7.6. TRAI Favours Net Neutrality ______45 7.3. Digital Therapeutics or Digiceuticals __62 5.8. Nation-Wide Hackathon #OpenGovDataHack Launched______45 7.4. Use of Pet Bottles for Medicines _____62 5.9. Cyber Issues ______46 7.5. Biosimilar for Cancer ______62 5.9.1. NIC-CERT ______46 7.6. National BioPharma Mission ______63 5.9.2. Budapest Convention ______47 5.9.3. Digital Police Portal Under CCTNS ____ 48 8. IPR ______64 5.9.4. Cyber-Security Index ______48 8.1. International Intellectual Property Index 5.10. World Congress on Information 2018 ______64 Technology (WCIT) ______49 8.2. Geographical Indication______65 6. HEALTH ______50 9. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ______67 6.1. Vector Borne Diseases ______50 6.1.1. India and Zika Virus ______50 9.1. Solar Technology ______67 6.1.2. Monkey Fever ______50 9.2. India's Three-Stage Nuclear Power 6.1.3. Elephantiasis ______51 Programme ______67 6.1.4. Kala Azar ______51 6.1.5. Japanese Encephalitis (JE) ______52 9.3. Cold Fusion ______68 6.2. Neglected Tropical Diseases ______52 9.4. Graphene Based Battery ______68 6.2.1. National Deworming Mission ______52 9.5. Lithium-Ion Battery ______69 6.3. Polio Vaccine ______53 9.6. Artificial Leaf ______69 6.4. Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV __ 53 9.7. Supercritical CO2-Brayton Cycle ______69 6.5. Norovirus at Winter Olympics ______54 10. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT_____ 71 6.6. Bird Flu ______54 10.1. India's Spending on R&D ______71 6.7. H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) ______55 10.2. Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship 6.8. Tuberculosis ______55 Scheme ______72 6.9. Home Grown Vaccine for Leprosy: 10.3. ATL Community Day ______72 Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii ______56 10.4. Schemes for Brain Gain ______73 6.10. Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight ______56 10.5. Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana ______73 6.11. First India-Designed Vaccine Passed Who Test ______56 11. AWARDS ______75 6.12. New Developments in Non- 11.1. Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Communicable Diseases ______57 Disarmament and Development, 2014 ____75 6.12.1. India Hypertension Management Initiative 11.2. Nobel in Chemistry ______75 (IHMI) ______57 6.12.2. Jeevan Bindi ______57 11.3. Nobel Prize in Physics ______75 6.12.3. Thalassemia ______57 11.4. Nobel Prize in Medicine ______76 6.13. Antibiotic Resistance: WHO Revises 12. RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN S&T _____ 77 Antibiotics Protocol ______58 12.1. Xfel generates First X-Ray Laser Light_77 6.14. Plant diseases ______59 12.2. Sohum-Hearing Screening Device 6.15. Fortified Foods to Tackle Malnutrition60 Launched ______77 6.16. Milk Adulteration______60

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12.3. New Matter ‘Excitonium’ Discovered 77 13.8. Kalamsat ______81 12.4. World’s Thinnest Hologram ______78 13.9. CHESS ______82 12.5. Raman Effect ______78 13.10. HWASONG-15______82 12.6. Triboelectric Nanogenerator ______78 13.11. ATAGS ______82 13. MISCELLANEOUS ______80 13.12. KUNLONG ______82 13.1. Jigyasa Initiative ______80 13.13. Stratolaunch Plane ______82 13.2. Proposals for High-Tech Public Transport 13.14. Smart Robo Cop ______82 ______80 13.15. Google Lunar Xprize ______82 13.3. Private Participation in Defence _____ 80 13.16. Chang’E 4 ______82 13.4. India’s First Private Missile Production 13.17. Gaia mission ______82 Facility Unveiled ______81 13.18. TAbby's Star ______82 13.5. Liquid Nitrogen in Food and Drinks __ 81 13.19. Kimberly Process Certification Scheme 13.6. Novel Molecule to Treat Cancer - Disarib ______83 ______81 13.7. Bacteria Named After A P J Abdul Kalam ______81

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1. BIOTECHNOLOGY 1.1. GENE THERAPY Human immune system? The Immune system is a complex network of cells and organs that work together to defend against foreign Why in news? substances (antigens-bacteria, virus etc.). Various cells Recently, U.S Food and Drug Administration associated are: (USFDA) approved a Yescarta (axicabtagene • B-cell – It is a type of white blood cell that makes ciloleucel) therapy to treat adults with certain antibodies. Antibodies are large Y-shaped proteins types of large B-Cell lymphoma (blood cancer). which bind to specific antigens. This signals the other cells of the immune system to get rid of the Yescarta uses CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T- invading microbes. cell therapy for treatment. • T-cell – These are designed to recognise the molecular signatures of particular proteins, such as those from bacteria, in order to activate an immune response. • Macrophage – It is the first cell to recognize and engulf foreign substances. It may break down these substances and present the smaller proteins to the T lymphocytes . 1.2. GENOME SEQUENCING OF RAGI

Why in news? Recently, Genome sequencing of Ragi has been done. About Yescarta therapy Ragi/Finger Millet: • It is a type of gene therapy that turns cells in • It was introduced to India in around 3,000 BC. the patient’s body into a “living drug” that • It has a low glycemic index, so preferred by targets and kills cancer cells. diabetics. • It has been given Orphan Drug Designation, • Ragi is drought resistant and is the main crop of under which it will be provided with financial dry land farmers. • incentives to encourage the development of It occupies 12% of global millet cultivation area. • Karnataka, which has the second largest drought- drugs. prone crop land after Rajasthan, leads in its • Living Drug - Genetically modified cells are that are cultivation. infused back into patients in CAR T-cell therapy, What is Genome sequencing? continue multiplying to fight disease for months or years. That’s why these immunotherapy • Genome sequencing is figuring out the order treatments are called “living drugs.” of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome • Orphan Drug - A biological product or medicine i.e. the order of As (Adenine), Cs (Cytosine), that is intended to treat diseases so rare that Gs (Guanine), and Ts (Thymine) which make sponsors are reluctant to develop them under up an organism's DNA. The human genome is usual marketing conditions. According to WHO, made up of over 3 billion of these genetic disease having fewer than 100 patients per 100,000 population is described as rare disease letters. and fewer than 2 patients per 100,000 is described • It may provide new information on the as ultra rare disease. Examples of the rare diseases genetic basis of poorly understood diseases, are haemophilia, thalassemia etc. with the potential to provide new therapies. • Genes – They are the biological templates the body DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid uses to make the structural proteins and enzymes • It is the hereditary material in humans and almost needed to build and maintain tissues and organs. all other organisms. Humans have about 20,000 genes bundled into 23 • Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it pairs of chromosomes all coiled up in the nucleus of nearly every cell in the body. is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

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• DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. high-productivity, cost-efficient vaccine Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a and pharmaceutical development using sugar group & a nitrogen base. The four types of human cells and organoids. nitrogen bases are adenine(A), thymine(T), • The project could encourage broad guanine(G) & cytosine (C) intellectual property access via patent • DNA is a double helix formed by base pairs pooling. attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone. • It can almost accurately ascertain the identity of • But, the HGP-write will require public a person, establish biological relationships involvement and consideration of ethical, between individuals etc. Thus, useful in legal, and social implications. investigations of crime, identification of The Genome Asia 100k initiative: unidentified bodies, or in determining parentage. • It can also reveal person looks, eye colour, skin • A non-profit consortium called Genome Asia colour as well as more intrusive information like 100K based in Singapore has announced an their allergies or susceptibility to diseases. ambitious plan to sequence 100,000 Asian • It can be used in biometric identification in individuals in hopes of accelerating precision addition to Iris scanning, Retinal scanning and medicine applications for Asian populations. Voice recognition. • Bangalore-based MedGenome has also Biological computing teamed up with it. • For a long time, it was known that DNA can be used for data storage. • This may be used in future to build biological 1.3. THREE PARENTS BABY computers that use biological materials such as Why in news? RNA, DNA and proteins, mimic biological organisms or are used to study biological UK became the first country to have officially organisms approved procedures to create “three-parent” • The biological computer may be an implantable babies. device that is mainly used for tasks like monitoring the body’s activities or making simple About “three-parent” babies calculations or inducing therapeutic effects, all at • Mitochondrial Replacement therapy (MRT) the molecular or cellular level. is used to replace mother’s faulty Some other genome sequencing projects Mitochondrial DNA with healthy Mitochondria from a donor woman during Human Genome Project (HGP): IVF process, thus the name- “three-parent” 1. HGP-Read: baby • This was an international and multi- • The donor’s mitochondria contribute just 37 institutional effort that took 13 years genes to the child, compared with more than [1990-2003] and $2.7 billion to produce a 20,000 from the parents. That is a negligible blueprint of the human genome. amount and far less than one would gain

• The HGP has revealed that there are from a blood transfusion or organ transplant. probably about 20,500 human genes • No other characteristics in terms of composed of over 3 billion base pairs. intelligence, eye colour, hair colour, height • India did not participate in HGP-read etc. are changed. 2. HGP-Write: • This project was launched in 2016 to write or build an artificial human genome from scratch with sophisticated bioengineering tools. • HGP-write will aim to address a number of human health challenges. Potential applications include growing transplantable human organs, engineering immunity to viruses in cell lines via genome-wide recoding, engineering cancer resistance into new therapeutic cell lines, and accelerating 5 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

those that are lost through normal repair, disease, or injury. ASCs are found throughout ones lifetime in tissues such as the umbilical cord, placenta, bone marrow, muscle, brain, fat tissue, skin, gut, etc. • Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: These cells are produced by genetically manipulating somatic cells to produce embryonic-like stem cells Importance • Stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. • To screen new drugs and to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify causes of birth defects. • Study how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Immunosuppressants are a class of drugs that suppress the immune response through various mechanisms. In organ transplantation, they are used to prevent the body from either recognition or attacking the foreign organ. Draft Guidelines for Stem Cell Research • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in association with the Department of Biotechnology recently released the revised Draft Guidelines for Stem Cell Research, 2017 which calls for: o conducting research in an ethical and scientifically responsible manner About Mitochondrial Disease o involving various stakeholders in research • The mitochondria are organelles inside cells that are involved in releasing energy by producing of human stem cells. adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the key energy o option of sharing IPRs currency that drives metabolism. o ensuring compliance with the national • Mitochondria are inherited solely from the guidelines through National Apex mother and this results into cases of babies been Committee for Stem Cell Research and born with rare mitochondrial diseases if mother Therapy which currently monitors and has the faulty mitchochondrial DNA. oversees research activities at the national level. 1.4. STEM CELLS THERAPY 1.5. BIO-INK Why in news? Recently, miniature eye-like organs have been Why in news successfully grown using induced pluripotent • Recently, a new printing material called flink stem (iPS) cells. (functional living ink), has been developed by Stem Cells: Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated scientists using bacterias. cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell About Bio-Ink types. Commonly, stem cells are of the following types: • Bio ink consists of a hydrogel biomaterial. It • Embryonic stem cells - derived from the inner cell temporarily mimics the natural extracellular mass of an embryo and these are capable of matrix environment of mammalian cells, forming any cell types of the body. giving them time to produce their own • Adult stem cells – also known as somatic stem cell milieu. and it refers to non-reproductive cells in the body • Bio inks are ideal for 3D bioprinting, thus (eggs or sperm). They generate cells to replace provide a 3D environment for culturing cells. 6 8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD

• The bio-ink contains two different polymer packaging technology for export market, components: a natural polymer extracted Production of safe efficacious phyto- from seaweed, and a sacrificial synthetic pharmaceutical drugs following global polymer used in the medical industry. standards. • Application: It can be used for printing • Brahmaputra Biodiversity and Biology Boat complex tissues using the patient’s own stem (B4) cells for surgical bone or cartilage implants, o It is an effort towards conservation of which could be used in knee and hip world’s largest riverine island and India’s surgeries. first island district – Majuli facing excessive erosion, in collaboration with 3D printing DONER. • 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a o Under this program, large boats will be process of making three dimensional solid set up in the river which will have a well- objects from a digital file. equipped laboratory along with cold • It is an additive process wherein an object is storage facility to store samples. It will created by laying down successive layers of also have a number of satellite boats and material until the object is created. Each of rafts will also venture in the river to these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced collect samples. horizontal cross-section of the eventual • Human Resource Skilling Programs object. o Twinning R&D Program – Under this • 3D printing produces complex (functional) program DBT has initiated establishment shapes using less material than traditional of link institutes in NER with the rest of manufacturing methods. the country. This has resulted in 252 research publications and 600 junior and Application senior fellowship being awarded to the • Manufacturing: Mass customisation, Rapid students in biotechnology research. Prototyping, Rapid manufacturing, cloud- • Infrastructure and Resource binding – based additive manufacturing. through establishment of biotech hubs, • Medical applications: Printed prosthetics, animal house facility for critical animal use of bioprinting in tissue engineering, high experiments, Advance Animal Disease dose pills manufacturing. Diagnostic & Management Consortium • Industrial applications: Apparel, (ADMaC) for surveillance of pathogens from customisable art and jewelry, in automotive NER, collaborating for conservation of industry as 3D printed cars, construction, fire delicate ecology of NER. arms etc. 1.7. EMBRYO TRANSFER 1.6. BIOTECHNOLOGY IN TECHNOLOGY NORTH EAST REGION Why in news? Why in news? Department of Animal Husbandry launched Recently Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Embryo Transfer Technology to increase the under Ministry of Science and Technology has livestock productivity. announced a series of new programs and Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) missions for North Eastern Region (NER). • It is a technique of assisted reproduction in Recent Programs and Missions Launched by DBT which the embryo or zygote is collected from • Phyto-Pharma Plant Mission a donor animal with higher genetic merit and o The mission would work towards transferred to a recipient animal which serves conservation and cultivation of as surrogate for rest of the pregnancy. endangered and threatened species • Government has undertaken a Mass Embryo o Major objectives of the mission are: Transfer programme in Indigenous Breeds Captive cultivation of selected medicinal under the scheme, National Mission on plants of NER, Development of Bovine Productivity.

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• The programme is implemented with the About National Mission on Bovine Productivity objective of conservation and development • Aim: Enhancing milk production and of indigenous breeds under Rashtriya Gokul productivity and thereby making dairying Mission. more remunerative to the farmers. • Indigenous Cow Breeds such as Sahiwal, Gir, • Mission components: Red Sindhi, Ongole, Deoni and Vechur will be o Pashu Sanjivni- It includes identification the recipient surrogates under the program. of animals in milk using UID, issuing • Benefits of ETT health cards to all animals in milk and o Farmers may get 5-6 times increased uploading data on INAPH data base. number of off springs o Advance reproductive Technique- Under o Calves will be of high genetic merit and the component sex sorted semen born disease free. production facility is being created at 10 About Rashtriya Gokul Mission A graded semen stations and 50 Embryo Transfer Technology Labs with IVF • Aim: Development and conservation of facilities are being created in the country. indigenous bovine breeds to enhance milk o Creation of E Pashu Haat Portal- For production and productivity through: linking farmers and breeders of o Induction of high genetic merit bulls for indigenous breeds semen production, o Establishment of National Bovine o Strengthening of bulls mother farms. Genomic Centre for Indigenous o Setting up of Gokul Grams. Breeds(NBGC-IB): For enhancing milk o Generating awareness among farmers for production and productivity through rearing of indigenous breeds. genomic selection among indigenous breeds.

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2. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2.1. NANOTECHNOLOGY organic manures or biogas and fertilizers can also be quickened through use of Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and Nanoparticles (such as Iron oxide technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is particles). about 1 to 100 nanometers. The physical, chemical and biological properties exhibited by a material changes at this size level is unique and peculiar way, i.e. it follows the laws of quantum physics which is very different from the laws of Newtonian physics we see and feel. As nanotechnology allows manipulation of properties at a very small scale, it can have many applications such as: • Medical field: Nano scale diagnostic devices are more efficient in detecting cancer or infection, Nano size drugs can be delivered to targeted areas which can also help fight cancer. For example - Recently, a new technology for safer and cheaper diagnosis and treatment of cancer has been found by turning nano-particles of calcium phosphate • Agriculture: Food processing industry can get into fully biodegradable radio frequency (RF) better packaging, presentation with least agents that can be imaged in MRI and CT waste and minimum moisture flow and scans. growth of bacteria. Also, Silver Nanoparticles • Combating climate change: by developing which exhibit antifungal, anti-bacterial, anti- nanomaterial which can effectively help to inflammatory, antiviral and antiplatelet reduce the Carbon Dioxide in the air and properties can be used to increase the shelf trigger bioremediation to get rid of toxic life of agricultural products. waste such as dyes, oil spill etc. • Defence: Use in intelligence gathering o Combating Carbon Emission: The Nano through difficult to detect sensors/cameras/ CO2 Harvester can capture more CO2 recording devices, precision guiding tools etc. than usual and is more efficient fuel • Construction: as nanomolecular structures converter. can make asphalt and concrete more robust o Cleaning Water: The magnetically to water seepage, heat-resistant charged nanoparticles have been proved nanomaterials can block ultraviolet and potent in researches to have effectively infrared radiation etc. carried on adsorption process to remove • Energy: such as Novel hydrogen storage heavy & toxic metals, dyes from and oil systems based on carbon nanotubes and spills from water bodies. other lightweight nanomaterials, o Accelerating Biodegradation (Solid Nanocatalysts for hydrogen generation etc. Waste Management): They accelerate the conversion of organic waste into

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3. SPACE TECHNOLOGY 3.1. ISRO Development for the year 2014 for the successful and for • The Indian Space Research Organization strengthening international co-operation (ISRO) is the pioneer 3.1.1.2. CHANDRAYAAN-1 agency of the based at Bengaluru. Why in news? • It aims to develop and harness space Recently, scientists from Brown University, USA technology in national development, while have created the first map of water trapped in pursuing planetary exploration and space the uppermost layer of ’s soil using the data science research. captured by instrument on Chandrayan-1. • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) operates through a countrywide network of More on news centre such as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre • Scientists have stated that the water thus in Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO Satellite Centre detected by the Chandrayan-1 lunar mission in Bangalore, Satish Dhawan Space Centre on mostly concentrated around the polar region Island, near Chennai, Sensors and is present everywhere and not just polar payloads Space Applications Centre in region. Ahmedabad, National Remote Sensing Centre • It was also found that the concentration of in Hyderabad etc. water changes over the course of Lunar Day • ISRO’s commercial arm is , at latitudes lower than 60 degrees i.e. wetter which has its headquarters in Bangalore. in morning and evening and dry during lunar 3.1.1. MISSIONS noon with fluctuations up-to 200ppm. Findings of Chandrayan-1 3.1.1.1. MARS ORBITER MISSION • Detection of Water – Major finding was the • Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), has completed detection of Water (H2O) and Hydroxyl (OH) on the surface of the moon. The data revealed its four years in space since its launch on presence in abundance around the polar region. November 5, 2013 • Magma Ocean Hypothesis – It confirmed the • It was India's first interplanetary mission, Ocean Magma Hypothesis i.e. the moon was once launched by using a Polar Satellite Launch completely in molten state using HySi and TMC. Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. • Evidences of landing site of and 17 – • First Asian Nation: India had created global TMC found the anomalies in Lunar surface about history by becoming the first Asian nation to the landing of USA’s Apollo-15 and 17. reach the Mars orbit in a space mission. • New Spinel-rich Rock – Data from TMC, HySI, M3 • Proved the capability and efficiency of ISRO: and SIR2 have led to detection of new spinel-rich ISRO has become the fourth space agency to rock type on lunar far-side. • X-Ray signals detected– C1XS have detected x-ray reach Mars, after the , signals during weak solar flares thus indicating NASA, and the European Space Agency presence of magnesium, aluminium, silicon and • MOM was aimed to explore and observe calcium on lunar surface. Mars surface features, morphology, ISRO is planning to launch a fully indigenous mineralogy and the Martian atmosphere Chandrayan-2 in October this year. This would include • It carried 5 instruments for Atmospheric an orbiter, and a rover. studies (Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP), About Chandrayan-1 Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)), Particle environment studies (Mars Exospheric • Chandrayan-1 was launched by India in Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)), October, 2009 using PSLV-C11. Surface imaging studies (Thermal Infrared • The primary objective of the mission was to Imaging Spectrometer (TIS), Mars Colour prepare a three-dimensional of both Camera (MCC). near and far side of the moon and chemical, • ISRO was presented with the Indira Gandhi mineralogical and photo-geological mapping Prize for Peace, Disarmament and of moon.

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• It had made almost 3400 orbits around the An atomic clock is a clock device that uses an moon before it lost contact with Earth in electronic transition frequency of the electromagnetic 2009. spectrum of atoms as a frequency standard for its • Chandrayaan-1 had payloads from India timekeeping element. namely: Atomic clocks are the most accurate time and o Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC) frequency standards known and are used as primary o Hyper Spectral Imager (HySI) standards for international time distribution services, to control the wave frequency of television o Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI) broadcasts, and in global navigation satellite systems o High Energy X-Ray Spectrometer (HEX) such as GPS. Moon Impact Probe (MIP). A rubidium atomic clock is a frequency standard in Lunar Day which a specified hyperfine transition of electrons in • Lunar Day refers to time taken by the Earth’s rubidium-87 atoms is used to control the output moon to complete one rotation on its axis and it is frequency. It is the most inexpensive, compact, and also the time taken by the moon to complete one widely used type of atomic clock. orbit around the Earth. • One Lunar Day equals to 27 Earth Days, 7 hours, More on news 43 minutes and 12 seconds. • It is usually the phase between two new . • IRNSS-1A is the first of the seven satellites comprising the Navigation with Indian 3.1.1.3. NAVIC Constellation (NavIC) - (IRNSS-1G; IRNSS-1F; Why in news? IRNSS-1E, IRNSS-1D, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1B; and IRNSS-1A) Recently, IRNSS received setback due to failure of • It has been designed to support vehicle the atomic clocks on board IRNSS-1A and tracking, fleet management, disaster unsuccessful launch of navigational satellite management and mapping services besides IRNSS 1H. terrestrial, marine and aerial navigation for India and its neighbourhood. • It was carried on by PSLV (Polar )-C39 to augment the existing seven satellites of the NavIC constellation. NAVIC or IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) • It is an independent indigenous regional system developed by India on par with the US-based Global Positioning System (GPS), Glonass of Russia, Galileo by Europe, BeiDou by China and Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) by . • IRNSS will provide basically two types of services: o Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for civilian users o Restricted Service (RS), is an encrypted service provided only to specific users • It offers services like terrestrial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, navigation aide for hikers and travellers, visual and voice navigation for drivers and marine & aerial navigation for India and its neighbourhood.

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3.1.1.4. • Various paylods carried by it are: Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter, Ultraviolet Why in news? Imaging Telescope, Soft X-Ray Telescope, Astrosat is indulged in observing major events Scanning Sky Monitor, Cadmium Zinc such as merging of two Black holes, gamma ray telluride Imager. burst etc. Major objectives of ASTROSAT Background • Understand high energy processes in binary • US-based LIGO group had detected star systems containing neutron stars and gravitational waves emanating from the black holes. merger of two massive black holes located • Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars. nearly 3 billion light years away. It was also • Study star birth regions and high energy confirmed by Hawaii-based ATLAS group. processes in star systems lying beyond our • However, AstroSat team in collaboration with galaxy. the GROWTH network of observatories, has • Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in concluded that this event is due to a gamma the sky. ray burst, which was confirmed by POLAR 3.1.1.5. CREW MODULE ATMOSPHERIC project. REENTRY EXPERIMENT (CARE) • A gamma ray burst is light emanating from a bursting star, that may lead to the formation • It's a module developed by ISRO to carry of a black hole. human beings to space. GROWTH (Global Relay of Observatories Watching • ISRO tested it's ability to re-enter the Earth's Transients Happen) atmosphere with thermal resistance, • GROWTH is an international scientific collaborative parachute deployment in cluster formation, project in astronomy studying the physics of fast- aero braking system and apex cover changing events in the cosmos like supernovae, separation procedures. neutron stars or black hole mergers, and near- earth asteroids. It is partnership of eleven 3.1.1.6. ADITYA L1 universities and research institutions from US, Why in news? India, Sweden, Taiwan, Japan, Israel and Germany. • It continuously gathers data of cosmic transient • India is set to launch its first solar mission events in the first 24 hours after detection to build Aditya-L1 in 2019. a more complete picture and better understand the physical processes of their evolution. About Aditya L1 • It jointly operates 17 observatories in the northern • The Aditya L1 will be placed in a halo orbit hemisphere. Girawali Observatory – IUCAA in around a vantage point in space known as L1 Maharashtra (near Pune) is part of this network. POLAR project Lagrange point. POLAR is an international mission of China and • The point L1 has the major advantage of European collaboration is dedicated to establishing viewing the sun without any occultation/ whether the photons from Gama-ray bursts (GRBs) — eclipses. thought to be a particularly energetic type of stellar • The mission will carry seven payloads explosion — are polarized. including the main payload the Visible About ASTROSAT Emission Line Coronagraph (VLEC). • Aditya L1 is to be the first satellite to study • It is India’s first dedicated multi wavelength the magnetic field of the sun’s corona. space observatory. • The Aditya L1 is expected to help study that • It observes universe in the optical, why the photosphere, the deeper layer of Ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions the sun is at much lower temperature than of the electromagnetic spectrum, whereas the corona. most other scientific satellites are capable of • It will also study aspects that affect space observing a narrow range of wavelength weather, the origin of solar wind ions, their band. reaction to coronal mass ejections, the • It's dubbed as a smaller version of NASA's distribution of these in the heliosphere- the Hubble Space Telescope

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space around the sun that extends up to spectral imagery for agricultural crop Pluto. monitoring and disaster management

• Halo Orbit: It is periodic, three-dimensional orbit support applications. Nanosatellites or near the L1, L2 and L3 lagrange point (unstable) in nanosats weigh between 1 kg and 10 kg. a three body system. Significance of the launch • Lagrange Point: It is the point where the combined gravitational force of two large bodies • The launch marks the roll out of the 100th is equal to the centrifugal force that is felt by a satellite by ISRO third body which is relatively smaller. • It is also significant in the sense that India • There are about 5 such points in a two body failed in its last attempt to launch its backup system. navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV- • Corona: The outer layers of the Sun, extending to C39 failed. thousands of km above the disc (photosphere) is • It is the second time that ISRO will be termed as the corona. It has a temperature of achieving the two orbits feat. This was done more than a million degree Kelvin which is much higher than the solar disc temperature of around through the “multiple burn technology” 6000K. under which the rocket’s engine is switched off and then switched on to control its height. • It reinstates India’s position as a successful multiple satellite launcher. • Government recently also announced funding to develop an exclusive Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to cater mini and micro satellites exclusively.

3.1.2. LAUNCHERS 3.1.2.2. GSLV MK III 3.1.2.1. PSLV C40 Why in News? Why in news? • Recently, GSLV MK III D1 rocket (GSAT 19) • ISRO’s through PSLV C40 has successfully was launched successfully. placed 31 satellites (second highest number Background launched by ISRO using a single rocket) including main payload -2s series • The first experimental flight of LVM3- and 28 foreign satellites in two different X/CARE mission successfully tested the orbits. atmospheric phase of flight. Crew module • It also includes the Indian nano satellite, Atmospheric Reentry Experiment was also NIUSAT which belongs to Tamil Nadu's Nooral carried out in this flight. This was the first Islam University. This will provide multi- testing of the indigenous cryogenic engine. 13 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

Cryogenic: Cryogenic propellants are liquefied gases launch satellites of lift-off mass of up to 2,500 stored at very low temperatures, most frequently kg to the GTO and satellites of up to 5,000 kg liquid hydrogen as the fuel and liquid oxygen as the lift-off mass to the LEO (low earth orbit). oxidizer. 2. GSLV-III: It is a three stage vehicle with an • The liquid fuel and oxidizer are pumped from the indigenous cryogenic upper stage engine storage tanks to an expansion chamber and (C25). It has been designed to carry heavier injected into the combustion chamber where they communication satellites weighing upto up to are mixed and ignited by a or spark. 4000 kg into the Geosynchronous Transfer • The fuel expands as it burns and the hot exhaust Orbit. gases are directed out of the nozzle to provide thrust. 3.1.2.3. REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE– Features TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR (RLV- TD) • It is the heaviest rocket to be launched from India till now. • It is one of the most technologically • Apart from the upper cryogenic stage, the challenging endeavors of ISRO, that is, vehicle has two solid strap-on motors (S200) developing essential technologies for a fully and a core liquid booster (L110). reusable launch vehicle • For the first time there will be no • If developed, it would enable low cost access transponders on the satellite. It will be using to space. The configuration of RLV-TD is a new way beaming data down using similar to that of an aircraft and combines the multiple frequency beams. It is therefore complexity of both launch vehicles and called "a high through put satellite". aircraft. • For the first time, it would have indigenously 3.1.3. SATELLITE made Lithium ion batteries. • This spacecraft would have advanced There are various types of satellite in India technologies including miniaturized heat • Communication satellite - The Indian pipe, fibre optic gyro, Micro Electro- National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer. largest domestic communication satellite Satellite-Launch Vehicles Developed By ISRO. systems placed in Geo-stationary orbit. GSAT- PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle): It is designed 17 joins the constellation of INSAT System. mainly to deliver the “earth-observation” or “remote- The INSAT system provides services to sensing” satellites with lift-off mass of up to about telecommunications, television broadcasting, 1750 Kg to Sun-Synchronous circular polar orbits of satellite newsgathering, societal applications, 600-900 Km altitude. weather forecasting, disaster warning and • PSLV is a four-staged launch vehicle with first and Search and Rescue operations. third stage using solid rocket motors and second GSAT and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. • A GSAT is a series of geosynchronous satellite • PSLV is classified into its various versions like core- placed in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital alone version (PSLV-CA), PSLV-G or PSLV-XL period the same as the Earth's rotation period. variants depending on the number of these strap-

on boosters • Such a satellite returns to the same position in the sky after each day. • PSLV is also used to launch the satellites of lower • A special case of geosynchronous satellite is the lift-off mass of up to about 1400 Kg to the geostationary satellite, which has a geostationary elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). orbit – a circular orbit directly above the Earth's GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle): equator. GSLV is designed mainly to deliver the communication- o Geosynchronous satellites have the satellites to the highly elliptical (typically 250 x 36000 advantage of remaining permanently in the Km) Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). same area of the sky, as viewed from a • Two versions of the GSLV: particular location on Earth o Geostationary satellites have the special 1. GSLV Mk-II: is a three stage vehicle with four property of remaining permanently fixed in liquid strap-ons. First stage using solid rocket exactly the same position in the sky, motor, second stage using Liquid fuel and meaning that ground-based antennas do not Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) forms the third need to track them but can remain fixed in stage of GSLV Mk II. has the capability to

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one direction. Such satellites are often used imaging and science missions within a quick for communication purposes. This orbit is turn around time. present at an altitude of approx. 35,786 km in • Student satellite - ISRO has influenced the equatorial plane. educational institutions by its activities like o Sun Synchronous Orbits (or Low Earth Orbit): making satellites for communication, remote These orbits allows a satellite to pass over a section of the Earth at the same time of day. sensing and astronomy etc. These satellites orbit at an altitude between 3.1.3.1. HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING 700 to 800 km. SATELLITE o Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) is an elliptical orbit, with an apogee (high point) of Why in news? 35,784 kilometers and an inclination roughly equal to the latitude of the launch site, into ISRO plans to launch HySIS (Hyperspectral which a spacecraft is initially placed before Imaging Satellite) – an earth observation satellite, being transferred to a geosynchronous or using a critical chip it has developed called geostationary orbit. “optical imaging detector array”. GSAT-7 or Rukmini What is hyperspectral imaging? • Rukmini was the first military communication satellite launched by the ISRO in 2013, for the • Hyperspectral imaging, or imaging Indian Defence forces, with the being spectroscopy, combines the power of digital the primary user. imaging and spectroscopy. Hyperspex • It's a multi-band military communication satellite, imaging is enabled by an optical imaging placed into a geosynchronous orbit, to secure detector chip real-time communication • For each pixel in an image, a hyperspectral • Earth Observations satellite - ISRO has camera acquires the light intensity (radiance) launched many operational remote sensing for a large number of contiguous spectral satellites such as CARTOSAT 2, RESOURCSAT bands. 1, OCEANSAT 2 etc. in sun-synchronous orbit • Every pixel in the image thus contains a and INSAT-3D, Kalpana etc. in geo- continuous spectrum in the visible and near synchronous orbit. The data from these infra-red regions and can be used to satellites are used for several applications characterize the objects in the scene with covering agriculture, water resources, urban great precision and detail. planning, rural development, mineral • Significance: Hyperspectral images provide prospecting, environment, forestry, ocean much more detailed information about the resources and disaster management. scene than a normal color camera, which only • Navigation satellite - To meet the user acquires three different spectral channels requirements of the positioning, navigation corresponding to the visual primary colors and timing services. Example – IRNSS, GPS red, green and blue. Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) • Hyperspectral imaging leads to a vastly to meet civil aviation requirements. improved ability to classify the objects in the • Space Science satellite - research in areas like scene based on their spectral properties. astronomy, astrophysics, planetary and earth sciences, atmospheric sciences and 3.1.4. SPACE ACTIVITIES BILL, 2017 theoretical physics. For example – Astrosat, Why in news? Chandrayaan-1 2, MOM • Experimental satellite - ISRO has launched • The government of India has come up with many small satellites mainly for the Space Activities Bill 2017, a draft law meant experimental purposes such as Remote to regulate the space sector. Sensing, Atmospheric Studies, Payload Background Development, Orbit Controls, recovery technology etc. For example , • (DoS) is the nodal APPLE etc. agency for space activities in India which • Small Satellite – It is envisaged to provide include: platform for stand-alone payloads for earth

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o Space Infrastructure: spacecraft for 3.1.5. VILLAGE RESOURCE CENTRES various applications and associated ground infrastructure Why in news? o Space Transportation systems: various ISRO has established around 473 Village Resource class of launch vehicles and associated Centres (VRCs) on a pilot basis, in association ground infrastructure Space applications: with selected NGOs, Trusts and State for various national requirements Government Departments. through establishment of necessary What is Village Resource Centres (VRC)? ground infrastructure and coordination This is one of the unique initiatives that use mechanisms. Satellite Communication (SATCOM) network and • Space activities in India till now have been Earth Observation (EO) satellite data to reach out governed by Satellite Communication Policy, to the villages to address the needs of the local 2000 (which enacted a framework to provide people in villages itself. licenses to private sector players to operate communication satellites over India) and the Applications: VRCs provide wide varieties of Remote Sensing Data Policy, 2011. services in rural areas: • Internationally, the outer space activities are • Tele-medicine concept connects the sick governed by relevant chapters of people in villages, through VSAT network, to international law in general and by United the doctors, who located in cities/urban Nations’ (UN) Treaties and principles areas or the Super-speciality hospitals, for evolved under UN Committee on Peaceful providing health services. Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) in • The Tele-education uses SATCOM to provide particular a virtual classroom facility to far-flung villages About Space Activities Bill 2017 or remote areas in the country and helps in imparting education to the needy, career • It is needed to encourage the participation of guidance to rural students etc. private sector agencies in space activities in • Advisories related to agriculture like crop India. This will supplement the manpower pest and diseases, fertilizer/pesticides, requirement of ISRO. organic farming, crop insurance etc. • The draft law includes provisions such as • Skill development and vocational training to providing non-transferable licence to carry the rural population. out commercial space activity, supporting • Other areas of application include Panchayat such activities professionally ad technically, planning, Weather information, Marketing regulating their operations, penal provisions information, Watershed Development, for undertaking such activities without Drinking water etc. authorization etc. UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), 1958. 3.1.6. SARASWATI: A • It promotes international cooperation in peaceful SUPERCLUSTER OF GALAXIES uses of Outer Space. Why in News? • It serves as the secretariat for UNGA’s UN committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space A team of Indian scientists has reported the (COPUOS). discovery of a previously unknown ‘supercluster’ • It also establishes UN register for Objects of galaxies, some four billion light years away launched into Outer space. from Earth, and named it Saraswati. • It manages the UN Platform for Space based Information for Disaster Management and What are Superclusters? Emergency Response (UN -SPIDER). • Galaxies are like the building blocks of the Outer Space Treaty, 1967. universe, they contain a huge number of • Aim: To preserve space for peaceful uses by stars. Galaxy clusters have 3-100 galaxies, prohibiting the use of space weapons, the development of space-weapon technology, and and super clusters are the clusters of clusters. technology related to “missile defense.” • Within superclusters, clusters are connected • It would prevent any nation from gaining a by filaments and sheets of dark matter with military advantage in outer space. galaxies embedded in them

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• Sarawati has 42 clusters and it is 4000 million Mission Observations of the Limb and light years from earth. Disk (GOLD) and Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) 3.1.7. NASA-ISRO SYNTHETIC respectively APERTURE RADAR (NISAR) • Ionosphere region to understand more about What is NISAR mission? hurricanes & geomagnetic storms • It is the world's most expensive earth New Frontiers • Explore the solar system. Two imaging satellite till date ($1.5 billion), being program recently selected missions: jointly developed by India and USA and Comet Astrobiology expected to be launched around 2021. Exploration Sample Return • NISAR is a dual frequency L-band and S- (CAESAR) for visiting comet band radar mission, that will map Earth 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko every 12 days from two directions. Dragonfly: spacecraft to study • NASA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be Titan, Saturn’s largest moon responsible for the design & development of • Three older missions: L-band SAR, while ISRO will be responsible Juno Mission: Juno spacecraft to orbit Jupiter. Earlier, for the design & development of S-band SAR Galileo probe in its mission • It will make global integrated measurements had found evidence of of the causes and consequences of land subsurface saltwater on surface changes. Jupiter’s moons Europa, • NISAR will provide a means of resolving Ganymede and Callisto highly spatial and temporally complex OSIRIS-Rex: Origins, Spectral processes ranging from ecosystem Interpretation, Resource disturbances, to ice sheet collapse and Identification, Security- natural hazards including earthquakes, Regolith Explorer is NASA’s tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides. first unmanned asteroid sampling mission heading • Post completion, NISAR will be integrated towards a near-Earth asteroid with ISRO’s spacecraft and launched on board called Bennu. India’s GSLV. New Horizons Spacecraft: To NASA AND ISRO: study Pluto, its moons (such • The two space research organisations signed a as Nix and Hydra) and the framework agreement in 2008 that called for Kuiper belt cooperation in the exploration and use of outer SOFIA Mission • Stratospheric Observatory for space for peaceful purposes. (Flying Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is • Under the agreement, both ISRO and NASA have Observatory) world’s largest airborne executed an implementing arrangement for astronomical observatory cooperation in NISAR mission, which is valid until built as a joint project of NASA 2034. and the German Aerospace • The arrangement provides scope for joint Centre to observe celestial activities on science & applications of NISAR data magnetic fields, star forming after the launch. regions, comets and Saturn’s Earlier collaborations between NASA and ISRO: giant moon Titan • Chandrayaan-I mission, 2005: Moon Mineralogy Cassini Mission • launched through mapper from NASA accompanied the mission, collaboration between NASA, resulting in “joint-discovery” of water on moon. ESA and the Italian space • Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), 2014: where agency to study Saturn and its NASA’s navigational expertise in deep space system of rings and moons trajectory and maneuverability aided the mission. (Saturn’s largest moon is Titan) 3.2. NASA • first spacecraft to orbit Saturn NASA MISSIONS MATTER OF STUDY Exploration • It will be the first integrated Parker Solar • Solar corona, solar wind and Mission-1 test of NASA’s deep space Probe solar energetic particles exploration systems: the GOLD & ICON • Refer to Global-scale spacecraft and Space 17 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

Launch System (SLS) rocket binary system, classified as a (most powerful rocket in the potentially hazardous world asteroid. • Orion Spacecraft is designed • NASA has also designed a to take astronauts beyond spacecraft named Hammer low-Earth orbit and explore (Hypervelocity Asteroid the Moon, Mars and other Mitigation Mission for destinations Emergency Response), which could deflect a asteroids, if it Voyager 1 and 2 • Year 2017 marked 40th happens to hit Earth. anniversary of its journey SPARCS • Star-Planet Activity Research • They have explored all the CubeSat (SPARCS) is a space giant planets of our outer telescope to study the solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, habitability and high-energy Uranus and Neptune; 48 of environment around M-dwarf their moons; and the unique stars. system of rings and magnetic TESS • Transiting Exoplanet Survey fields Satellite (TESS) to study • Voyager 1 was the first exoplanets in orbit around the spacecraft to have entered brightest stars in the sky. TESS interstellar space will monitor more than Kepler Mission • Kepler is a space observatory 200,000 stars for temporary launched by NASA to discover drops in brightness caused by Earth-size planets orbiting planetary transits. other stars. InSight Mars • for Mars (Red Planet) which • The Kepler telescope detects lander will study the interior the presence of planets by of Mars and listen for registering minuscule drops in Marsquakes a star’s brightness that occurs ICESat-2 and • to continue the long-term when a planet crosses in front GRACE Follow- record of how Earth’s ice of it, a movement known as a On sheets, sea level, and transit. underground water reserves DAWN Mission • only mission to orbit two are changing extraterrestrial targets - giant asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres Roll-out Solar • It is a collaboration between • Ceres is the largest body in Array (ROSA) NASA and two private the asteroid belt between companies with an aim to Mars and Jupiter. It is a dwarf develop flexible solar array planet, the only one located in (adaptable to different sizes) the inner circle of the solar that could one day power system, rest all are located on satellites and spacecraft. the outer edges. • It is 20% lighter and four times AIDA (Asteroid • It is the first-ever mission that smaller in volume than Impact and will deflect a near-Earth traditional solar panels. Deflection asteroid to protect the planet Imaging X-ray • The proposal for this mission Assessment) • It is an international Polarimetry was accepted under NASA’s Mission collaboration among the Explorer Explorers Programme which European Space Agency (ESA), mission provides frequent, low-cost NASA and others access to space for • AIDA involves two investigations. independent spacecraft – • This mission is aimed at NASA’s Double Asteroid studying some of the most Redirection Test (DART), and extreme and exotic ESA’s Asteroid Impact Mission astronomical objects by (AIM). studying the polarisation of X- • Its target is the binary near- rays emitted from their Earth asteroid Didymos, a surrounding environments as

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direct image cannot be taken of Telescope and the Canadian Space such as objects like black holes, Agency. neutron stars etc. • It will be the successor of New Aviation • It aims to commercialise ultra- Hubble Space Telescope and Horizons efficient subsonic 100 times powerful than it. initiative transportation • One of its main goals is to use • Recently, NASA has completed spectroscopy to determine the preliminary design review of atmospheric components of the Quiet Supersonic Transport alien worlds. (QueSST) aircraft, initial design Kilopower • It's a small nuclear reactor that stage of planned Low Boom project can generate a reliable power Flight Demonstration (LBFD) supply which can be used to experimental airplane, provide safe and plentiful otherwise known as an X-plane energy for future robotic and human missions for Mars and Joint Polar • It is a partnership between beyond Satellite NOAA (National Oceanic and System-1 Atmospheric Administration) 3.3. OTHER SPACE RELATED (JPSS) and NASA spacecraft • It’s first in NOAA’s series of DEVELOPMENTS four, next-generation operational environmental 3.3.1. satellites designed to circle the Earth in a polar orbit. Why in news? Backyard • On January 31, 2018, a rare Blue Moon event • It is a citizen science project Worlds project was experienced on large parts of the globe. which lets anyone with a computer and an Internet About the news connection flip through images taken by NASA’s Wide Field • It was a rare moment as blue moon, a Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) supermoon and a total lunar eclipse fell on

spacecraft. same day after more than 150 years. • WISE is a space telescope • Blue Moon: When two full moons appear in launched in 2009 by NASA to the same calendar month, the second is map the entire sky in infrared termed a “blue moon". First full moon wavelengths. Its goal was to occurred on Jan 1, 2018. find objects that had not been • Super Moon: occurs when the full moon is at imaged before, including very the closest point of its orbit to the Earth, bright galaxies, very cold stars, which is also called the perigee. The moon and nearby asteroids and comets. appears 30% brighter and 14% bigger than the apogee full moon Hubble Space • It is a joint venture between • Blood Moon: The moon turns into red color Telescpe NASA and the European Space during the height of the eclipse as some light Agency (ESA) — was launched does reach it even though the moon is in the in its orbit 552 km above Earth • It has the ability to see in shadow of the Earth. Fine particles in the multiple wavelengths — near- atmosphere scatter (Rayleigh scattering) the infrared, visible light and near- blue component of solar spectrum, & what ultraviolet reaches us is the longer wavelength red light. • It has recently discovered seven • A lunar eclipse happens whenever the moon Earth-sized planets orbiting the passes through Earth’s shadow, also known ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST- as its umbra. 1 making it the planetary system with the largest number of Earth-sized planets discovered so far. James Webb • It is a joint project of the NASA, Space the European Space Agency

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• Geminid meteor shower fell on Earth on December 12. Asteroids, Meteoroid, Meteors and Meteorites Asteroids – Asteroids are small bodies of rocks which revolve around the sun. The Asteroid belt in our Solar System is found between the Mars and Jupiter. Meteoroids – When asteroids smash into each other, small fragments break off. These fragments are called Meteoroids. Meteors – When these meteoroids come closer to Earth and enter its atmosphere they vaporize with a streak of light in the sky. They are then called Meteors or shooting stars. Meteorites – When the meteors do not vaporise completely after entering the Earth’s atmosphere, they are called Meteorites. Comet – A chunk of ice and rock originating from the outer solar system, often accompanied by a coma and tail.

What is a Meteor Shower? • Earth in its yearly motion around the Sun passes through a debris trail left behind by a comet. The meteor shower is caused when debris heat up as they enter the atmosphere and burn up in a bright burst of light. • When the debris is in space, they are called “meteoroids,” but when they reach Earth’s atmosphere, they’re designated as “meteors.” What is Perseid Meteor Shower? • Perseid meteor Shower is the dust of Comet Swift Tuttle which passes through Earth every Solar eclipse year. • The meteor shower is caused when debris • A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets heat up as they enter the atmosphere and between Earth and the sun, and the moon burn up in a bright burst of light. casts a shadow over Earth. • When the debris is in space, they are called • It can only take place at the phase of new “meteoroids,” but when they reach Earth’s moon, when the moon passes directly atmosphere, they’re designated as between the sun and Earth and its shadows “meteors.” fall upon Earth’s surface. • However, eclipses do not happen at every Comet Swift-Tuttle new moon because the moon’s orbit is tilted • Comet Swift-Tuttle, having a nucleus of about just over 5 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit 16 miles (26 kilometres) wide, is the largest around the sun. Thus, the moon’s shadow object known to repeatedly pass by Earth. usually passes either above or below Earth. • The Comet last passed nearby Earth during its orbit around the sun in 1992. It will next pass 3.3.2. METEOR SHOWER by the Earth in 2026. Why in news? About Geminid Meteor Shower • Perseid Meteor Shower fell on Earth in • Usually meteor shower happens due to the August peaked on August 12. debris left behind by a Comet. However, it 20 8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD

can happen due to an asteroid as well such as HARPS: High precision spectrograph mounted on in the case of Geminid Shower. European Southern Observatory's 3.6m telescope at • Geminid Meteor shower is the dust particle La Silla Observatory in Chile. of constellation of Gemini. Earth passes 3.3.4. HALF OF THE UNIVERSE'S through the path of its parent asteroid 3200 'MISSING MATTER' IS FINALLY Phaethon every year. FOUND About 3200 Phaethon • It is an Apollo Asteroid and has characteristics Why in news? close to a comet. • In a world’s first, the elusive ‘missing’ half of • Sometime the orbits of an asteroid intersect with the universe’s observable matter has been the orbit of Mars and Earth. The earth orbiting found. asteroids are called Apollo Asteroids. Background 3.3.3. SOLAR FLARE • The universe is made up of regular 'visible' Why in news? matter, dark matter and dark energy- though • Proxima Centauri (the second closest star to experts are yet to detect the latter two. Earth) was found to be sending out massive • Measurements of radiation left over from the solar flare. The finding diminishes the chance Big Bang showed that about 5% of the mass of life expected in Proxima Centauri b, a in the universe comes in the form of ordinary planet revolving in the habitable Goldilocks matter, with the rest being accounted for by zone of this Red (Cool) Dwarf Star. dark matter (25%) and dark energy (70%). • The 3 space based observatories (Astro-sat, • Dark matter has never been directly observed Chandra (X-ray observatory managed by and the nature of dark energy is almost NASA), and Hubble Space Telescope) and a completely mysterious, but even tracking ground based Observatory HARPS (High down the 5% of ordinary matter has proved Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher) more complicated. Counting up of all the participated in the multi-wavelength observable objects in the sky – stars, planets, observational campaign and observed the galaxies and so on –only accounts for solar flare in Proxima Centauri. between a 10th and a fifth of what ought to be out there. The deficit is known as the What is Solar/Stellar Flare? “missing baryon problem”. • It is a dramatic increase in brightness of a • Now missing matter has been discovered. It is star thought to be due to the magnetic made of particles called baryons linking energy stored in the star's atmosphere. galaxies together through filaments of hot • When observed in Sun, they are often gas. accompanied by coronal mass ejection. Hot Gas Filaments • • Solar flare ejects clouds of electrons, ions and The distribution of ordinary matter in the universe is not homogeneous. atoms along with electromagnetic radiations. • Instead, under the action of gravity, matter is • Bombardment with such huge amount of concentrated into so-called filamentary energy (as observed in Proxima centauri) can structures, forming a network of knots and links strip water from the atmosphere or Oceans called the 'cosmic web'. and sterilise the ground. • Gas filaments between some galaxies contain subatomic particles called baryons. Impact of Solar Flare of Sun: What Is a Baryon? • They occur in active regions around sunspots. • Leptons and quarks are the basic building blocks

• When flare is ejected in the direction of the earth, of matter the particles hitting the upper earth's atmosphere • Baryons are subatomic particles made up of three may cause AURORA/Polar light (Aurora Borealis- even smaller particles called quarks Northern light and Aurora Australis- Southern • Quark-based particles, baryons take part in the Light). strong interaction between particles, whereas • X-rays and UV rays may affect ionosphere and leptons, which are not quark based, do not. disrupt long range radio communication. • The most familiar baryons are the proton and the • The radiation risks posed by solar flares are one of neutron, which make up the central body of the major hurdles in manned space missions. atoms. Baryons therefore comprise most of the 21 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

mass of the visible universe. 3.3.5. BOSONS • The best known lepton is the electron. Related information Why in news? • Anti-matter: Every matter has its corresponding Recently 125th birthday of famous physicist anti-matter. It shares the same mass as their matter counterparts, but qualities such as Satyendra Nath Bose was celebrated after whom electric charge are opposite. For example, Higgs Boson was named by CERN. positively charged positron is the antiparticle to Higgs Boson the negatively charged electron and proton has • It is popularly known as the God particle. the negatively charged anti-proton. • It was discovered by Large Hadron Collider (LHC), Dark Matter and Dark energy the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, at CERN NASA defines it in the form of what it is not than what • CERN is the world’s largest nuclear and particle it is. physics laboratory. At CERN, scientists and • First, it is dark, meaning that it is not in the form engineers are probing the fundamental structure of stars and planets that we see. of the Universe. • Second, it is not in the form of dark clouds of • Satyendra Nath Bose worked with Albert normal matter, matter made up of particles called Einstein to develop the Bose-Einstein baryons. statistics according to which bosons can • Third, dark matter is not antimatter, because we do not see the unique gamma rays that are overlap and coexist with other bosons. produced when antimatter annihilates with Fundamental of bosons matter. • Finally, it does not include large galaxy-sized black All fundamental particles in nature can be divided holes. into one of two categories, Fermions or Bosons It doesn't interact with baryonic matter and it's • Particles that make up matter called completely invisible to light and other forms of Fermions electromagnetic radiation, making dark matter o Examples: electrons, protons, leptons, impossible to detect with current instruments. But quarks, neutrinos. scientists are confident it exists because of the • Particle that carry force called Boson. They gravitational effects it appears to have on galaxies and obey Bose-Einstein statistics. galaxy clusters. o Bosons are sometimes called force Dark energy particles because they control the Dark energy, discovered in the 1990s, is even more interaction of physical forces mysterious. Scientists have no plausible explanation o Examples: photons, 4He atoms, gluons, for dark energy. According to one idea, dark energy is W Boson, Z Boson. a fifth and previously unknown type of fundamental force called quintessence, which fills the universe like 3.3.6. INDIA NEUTRINO a fluid. OBSERVATORY (INO) During 1990s, the scientists realized that instead of Why in news decelerating, the universe is expanding more rapidly. Scientists assume that the accelerated expansion of Recently, Ministry of Environment and Forests the universe is driven by a kind of repulsive force (MoEF) granted environmental clearance to generated by quantum fluctuations in otherwise India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project "empty" space. Also, the force seems to be growing to be setup in Bodi West hills, Tamil Nadu with stronger as the universe expands. For lack of a better certain conditions. name, scientists call this mysterious force dark energy. About Neutrino Difference: • Neutrinos are one of the fundamental particles • Dark matter attracts, dark energy repels. which make up the universe and second most • While dark matter pulls matter inward, dark abundant particle in the universe after photon. energy pushes it outward. • Neutrinos are similar to the electron, with one • While dark energy shows itself only on the largest crucial difference: they do not carry electric cosmic scale, dark matter exerts its influence on charge. individual galaxies as well as the universe at large. • Neutrinos are of 3 types - electron neutrino, muon neutrino and tau neutrino.

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• Neutrinos can be created in several ways, o Gravitational Lensing is a phenomenon including in certain types of radioactive decay, in in which the gravity of a massive object nuclear reactions such as those that take place in (like a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies) the Sun, in nuclear reactors. bends and amplifies the light from an • It’s Nicknamed as ‘blueprint of nature’ by object that lies beyond it. scientists. • The galaxy, known as A1689B11, existed just About Anti-neutrinos 2.6 billion years after the Big Bang, when the • They are antiparticles of neutrinos and are produced in the negative beta decay. universe was only one fifth of its present age. • Antineutrinos (as neutrinos) are very penetrating • In a spiral galaxy, the stars, gas and dust are subatomic particles, capable of passing through gathered in spiral arms that spread outward Earth without any interaction. from the galaxy's center. • Neutrinos and antineutrinos belong to the family • Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in the of leptons, which means they do not interact via early universe, and this discovery opens the strong nuclear force. door to investigating how galaxies transition India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) Project from highly chaotic, turbulent discs to tranquil, thin discs like those of our own • It is a multi-institutional effort aimed at Milky Way galaxy. building a world-class underground laboratory with a rock cover of approx. 3.3.8. SPACEX’S FALCON HEAVY 1200m for nonaccelerator based high energy LAUNCHED and nuclear physics research in India. Why in news? • It and will have a 50,000-tonne magnetic detector to study neutrinos that are Recently, Falcon heavy rocket lift off from Cape

significant in particle physics. Canaveral. • In the 1960s, India had a neutrino More about Falcon Heavy observatory located at the Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka. However, the laboratory was • Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket in shut in the 1990s because the mines were the world after NASA’s Saturn V. being closed. • It has been developed by private spaceflight • Significance: Determination of neutrino company SpaceX and is 230 feet tall and can masses is the most significant open problem lift nearly 64 metric ton pay load to low Earth in particle physics today and is the key goal of Orbit at a cost of 90 million USD. the INO project. • The engine can be started multiple times to • Benefits: understanding the particle, place payloads in various orbits such as low understanding the evolution of the universe, Earth, geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) role in nuclear non-proliferation through and geosynchronous orbit. remote monitoring, study of Geoneutrinos • Mongolia’s first satellite, Mazaalai is might help creating an earthquake warning accompanying SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket system. o It was launched through Joint Global Multi- Nation Birds Satellite Project funded by 3.3.7. MOST ANCIENT SPIRAL UNCESCO and JAPAN. GALAXY FOUND o Project is a cross-border interdisciplinary satellite project for non-space-faring nations, Why in news? aimed at supporting developing countries to Scientists have recently discovered the most build and launch their first satellite. o It is named after a Mongolia's endangered ancient spiral galaxy in the universe that existed gobi bear. 11 billion years ago. More about the news • The discovery was made by using a technique that combines gravitational lensing with the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS).

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3.3.10. WATER AS PROPELLANT IN CUBESAT Why in news? • Engineers at Purdue University in the US have designed and tested a micropropulsion system that uses liquid water as the propellant for orbital maneuvering of tiny satellites called CubeSats. • Pure water is chosen as the propellant since it is green, safe, easy to use and free from the risk of contaminating sensitive instruments by the backflow from plumes as in the case of thrusters using chemical propellants. 3.3.11. THE REMOVEDEBRIS MISSION Why in news? University of Surrey, UK has decided to launch Remove Debris mission this year to remove space debris. Significance • There is almost 7,000 tons of active space debris—from old satellites and spacecraft to 3.3.9. VENUS SATELLITE lost components and spent rocket parts- orbiting Earth at any given moment which Why in news? may take years to disintegrate. • More debris, could lead to more collisions - a • Israel has launched its first environmental cascade effect known as the Kessler research satellite, Venus satellite which is syndrome which may render space built jointly by Israel and France. eventually inoperable for important services More on satellite like navigation, communications, weather • It is placed in sun-synchronous orbit and its forecasting etc. goal is to obtain high-resolution photographs • The Remove Debris satellite platform of specific sites to track various will showcase four methods such as Net environmental issues capture, Capture, Vision-based • It will also monitor Earth's vegetation to navigation, De-orbiting process for release, distinguish plants planted at as little as five capture and deorbit two space debris targets, meters apart. This makes possible “precision called DebriSATs: agriculture,” in which farmers would be able International Space debris Committee to accurately plan for water, fertilizer, and It is an international governmental forum for the pesticide needs. worldwide coordination of activities related to • The mission will also test the operation of an the issues of man-made and natural debris in innovative electric propulsion system based space to facilitate opportunities for cooperation on the Israeli-designed Hall Effect Thrusters. in space debris research, to review the progress

of ongoing cooperative activities, and to identify

debris mitigation options.

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3.3.12. NATIONAL LARGE SOLAR Induced Currents (GICs) in the power grid TELESCOPE and pipelines. • Kuiper belt: It is flat ring of icy small bodies Why in News? that revolve around the Sun beyond the orbit Wildlife panel of the Union Environment of the planet Neptune. It is home to three Ministry had in 2017 cleared plan for diversion of officially recognized dwarf planets: Pluto, Ladakh forest area for national large solar Haumea, and Makemake. It is thought to be telescope (NLST). the source of most of the observed short- period comets, particularly those that orbit Why Ladhak Region for NLST the Sun in less than 20 years • High altitude region which will fundamentally • Exoplanets: Planets outside our solar system enhance the NLST capacity. are called exoplanets. Most of these are part • Prolong region of sunshine, clear sky (high of star systems. There are some “rogue” visibility) with low sessional variation. • Low concentration of aerosol and dust particles in exoplanets, which are not attached to any sky. star system. The first exoplanet, 51 Pegasi b, • Lower wind speed and presence of mild gusts and was discovered in 1995. direction; also the laminar blowing in • “Goldilocks” zone: The exoplanets must orbit favourable condition. within a distance of their stars in which liquid What is National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) water can exist on the planet’s surface, receiving about as much sunlight as Earth. • It will be a 2-m class, multipurpose and state- This distance is called the “Goldilocks” zone of-the-art solar telescope (NLST). because it is neither too far or too close to • NLST will be the largest solar telescope in the the star that life becomes impossible. world. • Dwarf Star: A relatively small, low mass star • The project of NLST would be implemented that emits an average or below average by Bangalore based, Indian Institute of amount of light, when compared with Giant Astrophysics (IIAP). or Super-Giant Stars. o Features of National Large Solar Telescope The colour of dwarf stars can range from blue to red, the corresponding • It is capable of doing both day and night temperature varying from high (above astronomy because of unprecedented high 10,000 K) to low (a few thousand K) spatial resolution. o Red Dwarfs are the most common star in • It will fill the longitude gap between Japan milky way. and Europe. Currently, there is no telescope o Our Sun is a Yellow Dwarf Star. between these regions. o A white Dwarf star is a remnant of Red • It will help in understanding the formation Giant Star which has exhausted all its and decay of sunspots by using fuel. The maximum mass of a stable Helioseismology, which is a powerful white dwarf star can be 1.44 times the technique for probing the solar interior using mass of the sun also known as acoustic Oscillations. Chandrasekhar limit o A mass greater than the limit will turn the 3.4. IMPORTANT TERMS star into a neutron star or black hole at RELATED TO SPACE the end of its life. • Brown dwarfs, sometimes called “failed • Geo Magnetic Storm: A geomagnetic storm is stars”, are spread throughout the Milky Way. a major disturbance of Earth's They are strikingly similar to Jupiter. magnetosphere that occurs due to exchange Scientists study their atmospheres in order to of energy from the solar wind into the space look at what weather on other worlds might environment surrounding Earth. They create look like beautiful auroras or the Polar Lights, but • Tidal Locking – It is the name given to the they also can disrupt navigation systems such situation when an object's orbital period as the Global Navigation Satellite System matches its rotational period. A great (GNSS) and create harmful Geomagnetic example of this is our own Moon. The moon

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takes 28 days to go around the Earth and 28 USA, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan. It is a days to rotate once around it's axis. This habitable artificial satellite in low earth orbit results in the same face of the Moon always and is the largest single structure humans facing the Earth. Recently, discovered hottest ever put into space. Astronaut time and known planet, designated KELT-9b is also research time on the space station is tidally locked to its star. allocated to space agencies according to how • International space station: It is a multi- much money or resources that they nation project with contributions from 15 contribute. nations. However, 5 major partners include:

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4. DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY 4.1. INTEGRATED GUIDED rocket motors • It’s an Intercontinental Ballistic Misille MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PLAN • Coverage: 5000 km (IGDMP) • Maximim speed: 24 times speed of sound Why in news? • Canister-lauch for quick-response, Recently several missiles, such as Agni II, higher reliability, longer shelf-life, less maintenance and enhanced road , Prithvi-II and Nag, being developed mobility under IGDMP were successfully test fired at various locations. 4.1.2. PRITHVI Integrated Guided Missile Development Plan • Both Prithvi-I and Prithvi-II is surface-to- • It was envisioned in 1983 by former President Dr. surface A P J Abdul Kalam to help India attain self- • Prithvi-II is indigenously developed and sufficiency in the field of missile technology. • Five missile systems have been developed under nuclear-capable surface-to-surface missile. It this programme namely Agni, Akash, Trishul, is a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) Prithvi and Nag. developed by DRDO. • In 2008 DRDO announced the successful • It is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of completion of the program warheads. • It uses advanced inertial guidance system 4.1.1. AGNI with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target. • It is an intercontinental surface-to-surface, • Dhanush (also known as Prithvi III), a naval nuclear capable ballistic missile developed variant of this Prithvi missile, has also been by DRDO tested recently. • At present, US, China, Russia, UK, France and Prithvi-I Prithvi-II Israel are known to have ICBMs. Short-range, road- Short-range, road-mobile, • It has been equipped with very high accuracy mobile, liquid liquid-propellant ballistic Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation propellant ballistic missile System (RINS) and Micro Navigation System missile (MINS). It uses a single-stage, It uses a single-stage, liquid • India has reportedly also been working on liquid propellant propellant twin engine. engine multiple independently targetable reentry It has a minimum It has a maximum range of vehicles (MIRV) for the Agni-V in order to range of 40 km and a 350 km ensure a credible second strike capability or maximum of 150 km. credible minimum deterrence. MIRV means one missile can carry several warheads, each 4.1.3. NAG for different targets. • Missile It is a third generation “fire and forget” Agni-I • Single-stage engine powered by solid ATGM (anti-tank guided missile) developed fuel by the DRDO. • Short-range ballistic missile. • The missile is equipped with highly advanced • Coverage: 700 km Imaging Infrared Radar (IRR) seeker and has Agni-II • Two stage solid propellant engine. integrated avionics technology in its arsenal. • Medium-range ballistic missile • Nag can be launched from land and air-based • Coverage: 2000 km platforms. The land version is currently Agni-III • Two-stage solid propellant engine available for integration on the Nag missile • Intermediate range ballistic missile carrier (NAMICA), which is derived from a • Coverage: 3000 km BMP-2 tracked infantry combat vehicle. Agni-IV • Two-stage solid propellant engine • The helicopter-launched configuration, • Intermediate range ballistic missile designated as helicopter-launched NAG • Coverage: 4000 km (HELINA), can be fired from Dhruv advanced Agni-V • Powered by 3 stage solid, all composite

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light helicopter (ALH) and HAL Rudra attack 4.2. OTHER MISSILE TESTS helicopter. • The land based version has maximum range 4.2.1. BRAHMOS TESTED FROM of 4 km while air based version has a ANDAMAN ISLANDS maximum range of 7 km. Why in news? 4.1.4. AKASH MISSILE The land-to-land configuration of BRAHMOS • Developed by the Defence Research and Block III, missile was launched from a Mobile Development Organisation (DRDO), its a Autonomous Launcher (MAL) for its full-range supersonic surface-to-air missile. testing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. • Akash has a strike range of about 25 km and can carry a 55- kg fragmentation warhead • It's designed to neutralise multiple aerial targets attacking from several directions simultaneously. • The system is autonomous and its operation is fully automated. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) • It works under Department of Defence Research and Development of Ministry of Defence. • DRDO was formed in 1958 through the amalgamation Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO) • Mission: DRDO dedicatedly working towards enhancing self-reliance in Defence Systems and undertakes design & development leading to production of world class weapon systems and equipment in accordance with the expressed needs and the qualitative requirements laid down About the Missile by the three services. • It is a joint venture between India and Russia 4.1.5. TRISHUL MISSILE and is named after the Brahmaputra and Moscowa rivers. • Developed by DRDO, It's a Quick Reaction • The first stage of the system takes the missile Surface to Air Missile. to supersonic speed and the second stage • It can be used as an anti-sea skimmer from a with liquid ramjet accelerates it to 2.8 mach. ship against low flying attacking missiles. • Brahmos ALCM (Air Launched ), • It employs dual thrust propulsion stage using is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on high-energy solid propellant. India’s Su-30. • Trishul, with its quickest reaction time, high Significance frequency operation, high manoeuverability, high lethal capability and multi-roles for three • With this test launch, India becomes the first services, is state-of-the-art system providing country to have the capability to have a multi- considerable advantage to the Armed forces. platform weapon. • It can be used for multi-mission roles,

including precision strikes on terror camps across the border as well as against high value naval targets in the Indian Ocean.

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develop a new generation of Brahmos Organization (DRDO) together with Indian Air missiles with 600 km-plus range. Earlier range Force (IAF). was restricted to sub-300 kms. • It is an all-weather weapon’s system capable of destroying an enemy target 60 to 70 km • Ramjet: A ramjet engine does not have any far away. In a typical Astra engagement both turbines unlike the turbojet engines. It achieves the launcher and the target move at a speed compression of intake air just by the forward speed of the air vehicle. in excess of 1000 kmph. • Scramjet engine The first experiment towards the • Built indigenously, development of ASTRA realisation of an Air Breathing Propulsion System missiles will provide major business in Scramjet Engine was conducted in 2016. It uses opportunities for Indian players. Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the Types of missile atmospheric air as the oxidiser. • Cruise Missile: A cruise missile is an unmanned • Fire and Forget: It means the missile guidance self-propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight does not require further guidance after the launch through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight and still hit the target without the launcher being path. They fly within the Earth’s atmosphere and in line-of-sight of the target. use jet engine technology. Classification on the 4.2.2. NIRBHAY SUBSONIC CRUISE basis of speed o Subsonic cruise missile flies at a speed lesser MISSILE than that of sound. It travels at a speed of Why in news? around 0.8 Mach. o Supersonic cruise missile travels at a speed Recently, DRDO successfully test fired NIRBHAY of around 2-3 Mach. The combination of missile. supersonic speed and warhead mass provides high kinetic energy ensuring tremendous About the Missile lethal effect. • NIRBHAY is India’s first indigenous Long o Hypersonic cruise missile travels at a speed Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile, developed of more than 5 Mach. Many countries are and designed by Defence Research and working to develop hypersonic cruise Development Organisation (DRDO). missiles. • Ballistic Missile: A ballistic missile is a missile that • It can carry a warhead of 200 kg to 300 kg at has a ballistic trajectory over most of its flight a speed of 0.6 to 0.7 Mach with a launch path, regardless of whether or not it is a weapon- weight of about 1500 kg. delivery vehicle. • It can avoid detection as it has ability to cruise at heights as low as 100 m. 4.3. AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS • It is powered by solid rocket motor booster and has a range of 1000km. 4.3.1. ADVANCED MRSAM • The successful development would provide a Why in news? definite boost to armed forces, indigenous defence industry and India’s capability to • The Indian Army has signed a MoU with the design and develop lethal weapons of Defence Research and Development strategic importance. Organisation (DRDO) to raise one regiment of • With the successful launch of NIRBHAY, India the advanced Medium Range Surface to Air joins the select league of nations that possess Missiles (MRSAM),

the ability to make sub-sonic cruise missile. Recently tested Missiles: • : This is also a QRSAM being developed by 4.2.3. ASTRA MISSILE DRDO with the help of France. • The final Development Flight Trials of Astra - • SPYDER (Surface to Air and Derby) missile Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile system is a Low level QRSAM (15km range) developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced defence (BVRAAM) were successfully conducted over system and is to be deployed on Pakistan border. the Bay of Bengal, off the Coast of Chandipur, Odisha recently. About MRSAM • The missile has been developed by the • It is an advanced, all weather, mobile, land- Defence Research and Development based air defence system.

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• It is capable of engaging multiple aerial 4.3.3. QUICK REACTION SURFACE- targets at ranges of more than 50 km. TO-AIR MISSILE (QRSAM) • The system will be jointly developed by Israel and DRDO with the involvement of private Why in news? sectors and DPSUs. The system will have The DRDO has successfully test fired indigenously majority indigenous content, giving boost to developed QRSAM recently. the Make-in-India initiative. • The MRSAM is a land-based variant of the Details long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) or • It is a canister-based high-speed and short- Barak-8 naval air defence system, which is range weapon system designed to operate from naval vessels and • It is a highly mobile air defence system has range upto 100 km. which can destroy multiple targets at a • Barak-8 was also jointly developed with Israel distance of 25 km in less than one minute. • It can also deceive enemy radars making it 4.3.2. ENDO-ATMOSPHERIC difficult to be detected INTERCEPTOR MISSILE • Considered to be a unique system in its Why in news class, the missile is expected to supplement medium range surface-to-air missile Akash. Recently, India successfully test-fired it’s • It is an all-weather and all-terrain missile indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence having electronic counter measures against (AAD) supersonic interceptor missile. all known aircraft jammers. Advanced Area Defence (AAD) Interceptor • The missile uses high-energy solid Missile propellant. • It is an indigenously developed single stage 4.4. SURVEILLANCE missile powered by solid propellant. • The interceptor missile has a navigation TECHNOLOGIES system, mobile launcher, secure data link for interception, independent tracking and 4.4.1. NETRA sophisticated radars. Why in news? • The missile is capable of destroying incoming ballistic missile at low altitude within 30 km • Recently, for the first time mid air-to-air of the earth’s atmosphere. refuelling of the Embraer transport aircraft was carried which is mounted with NETRA. Ballistic Missile Defence System • It is being developed by DRDO in order to develop Significance multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to • Air-to-air refuelling allows the aircraft to stay protect the country against rouge attacks. airborne much beyond their limits, allowing • India has developed a functional ‘iron dome’ better exploitation of capabilities and Ballistic missile which comprise of Endo and Exo Atmospheric Missiles. boosting the force’s capabilities. • It consists of two interceptor missiles namely: About NETRA o Prithvi Defence vehicle (PDV) missile for exo- atmospheric ranges - capable of destroying • It is a first indigenously developed airborne targets at a high altitude of more than 120 early warning and control system (AEW&C), km mounted on a Brazilian Embraer-145, o Advanced Area Defence (Ashwin) missile for developed by Defense Research and endo-atmosphere - capable of intercepting Development Organization (DRDO). incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 • AEW&C is also called eye-in-the-sky which is kms capable of long-range surveillance and a • India is the fifth nation in the world to have a force multiplier. robust Ballistic Missile Defence system. Other countries are US, Russia, Israel and China. • India is only 4th such nation after United States, Russia and Israel that have such technology on their own.

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• Currently using 3 Israeli Background Phalcon AWACS (Airborne Warning and • DGCA in October 2014 restricted the use of Control System) which are mounted on drones and unmanned aircraft system by Russian IL-76 heavy-lift planes. These Phalcon civilians. AWACS has a range of 400 kms and 360- • Current aircraft rules also do not cover use of degre coverage. drones for civilian purposes as well as their Important features of NETRA are: sale and purchase. • Range of 200 kms (Capability to detect aerial • Unregulated usage poses Security Threat and threats from incoming aircraft and missiles). chances for air collisions and accidents. • 240 degrees coverage (simultaneously scan the area on both sides of aircraft) Directorate General of Civil Aviation

• State of the art active electronically scanned radar • DGCA is the civil aviation regulatory body and Secondary surveillance radar. responsible for regulating of air transport services to/from and within India. • Electronic and communication counter measures. Key Functions • Line of sight and beyond line of sight data link. • Registration of civil aircraft and licensing of pilots • Voice communication system and self-protection and aircraft maintenance engineers. suit. • Coordination with ICAO (International Civil 4.4.2. RUSTOM-2 DRONE Aviation Organization). • Safety oversight and surveillance. Why in news? • Advising government in matters of air transport including those related to bilateral air services Recently DRDO successfully carried out test flight agreements. of Rustom-2 drone. Various Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in India More about Rustom-2 • Nishant: It was designed for battlefield • Rustom-2 is medium-altitude long-endurance surveillance and reconnaissance and has been drone (MALE) designed and developed by designed and developed by ADE. Aeronautical Development Establishment • Panchi: It wheeled version of UAV Nishant and (ADE) of the DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics has been designed and developed by ADE. • Lakshya: It is a reusable aerial target system. Ltd and Bharat Electronics. • Daksh: It is a land based drone used for bomb • It can fly up to an altitude of 22,000 feet and disposal developed by DRDO. has endurance of over 20 hours. • It can carry variety of payloads like Electronic Provision under Regulation Intelligence (ELINT), Synthetic Aperture Radar • Definition: A remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) (SAR), Communication Intelligence (COMINT) is defined as an unmanned aircraft which is and Situational Awareness Payloads (SAP) for piloted from a remote station. performing missions even during the night. • The DCGA has divided the drones into five • It will be used by all three services of Indian categories based on their Maximum Take-Off armed forces, primarily for intelligence, Weight (MTOW) surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) o Nano: Less than or equal to 250 grams. operations. o Micro: Greater than 250 grams and less • Rustom 2 can fly missions on manual as well than or equal to 2 kg. as autonomous modes. o Mini: Greater than 2 kg and less than or More about Drones equal to 25 kg. o Small: Greater than 25 kg and less than Recently, Director General of Civil Aviation or equal to 150 kg. (DGCA) released the Civil Aviation Requirements o Large: Greater than 150 kg. (CAR) for the operation of civil Remotely Piloted • A Unique Identification Number and radio Aircraft System (RPAS) or Drones in India. frequency tags would be a mandatory UAVs: It operates without a human pilot. UAVs are requirement for operating drones. commonly used in both the military and police forces • Exemption: Drones in nano category- in situations where the risk of sending a human piloted weighing up to 250 grams- and those aircraft is unacceptable, or the situation makes using a operated by government agencies would not manned aircraft impractical. require any permit. 31 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

• Pilot: The remote pilot for any drone must be Types of Muntra tanks: at least 18 years old and has to go through a • Muntra S: For surveillance mission prescribed training process. • Muntra M: For detecting mines • No Drone Zones: • Muntra N: For operation in areas where there is o Drones are barred from being operated nuclear or bio-weapon risks. within 5km of an airport, within 50km Tanks used by India: T-72M, T-90S, Mark 1, from international border and beyond Arjun Mark-2 etc. 500 metre (horizontal) into sea along the coastline. 4.5. TECHNOLOGICAL o Drones would not be allowed within 5 km DEVELOPMENTS IN NAVY radius from Vijay Chowk (in national capital), over eco-sensitive zones like 4.5.1. SCORPENE CLASS SUBMARINE national parks and wildlife sanctuaries Why in news? and from a mobile platform such as a moving vehicle, ship or aircraft. Indian Navy recently launched Scorpene-class o Due permissions would also be needed (conventional diesel electric attack submarines) when drones are being used over densely submarine INS Karanj. populated areas or near an area affecting More about INS Karanj public safety or where emergency operations are underway. • INS Karanj is the third of the six Scorpene- • Penalties: Any violation of rules shall attract class submarines under the Project 75 penal actions including penalties under the programme of Indian navy Indian Penal Code • The first one, INS Kalvari (named after the tiger shark) was commissioned on December Advantage of UAVs 2017.The second one, INS Khandari is • Damage assessment of property after undergoing sea trials. Remaining three natural calamities, use by Armed Forces for submarines Vela, Vagir and Vagsheer are in tactical purposes at border, Surveillance and various stages of outfitting. Crowd Management, Monitoring of • The Scorpene submarines can undertake wildlife, SENSAGRI (SENsor based Smart various missions such as anti-surface warfare, AGRIculture), many e-mmorce use it for anti-submarine warfare, intelligence delivering products. gathering, mine laying and area surveillance. 4.4.3. MUNTRA, INDIA'S FIRST 4.5.2. ARIHANT CLASS SUBMARINE UNMANNED TANK Why in news? Why in news? Aridhaman the second Arihant-class nuclear- • Muntra, the first unmanned, remotely powered ballistic missile submarine was slated to operated tank of India has been made by be launched and inducted into services. DRDO (the Defence Research and INS Arihant Development Organisation) for surveillance • It is India’s first indigenously built nuclear missions, mine detection and reconnaissance powered submarine which was built under the in areas with nuclear and biological threat. It Advanced Technology Vessel project can be used in Naxal-hit areas as well. • It is based on the design of the Russian Project • Features: The tank has radar, an integrated 971 Akula I-class nuclear powered attack submarine. camera along with laser range finder which can spy on a ground target 15km away. The More about INS Aridhaman tank is tested at Mahajan field firing range in • It is nuclear-power ballistic missile Rajasthan under dusty desert condition. submarine indigenously built under the • Other details: Indian defence Ministry has Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project relaunched an ambitious Future Combat at Visakhapatnam. Ready Vehicles (FCRV) program to find a • It is powered by a pressurized water reactor cutting edge tank for the mid-2020s and beyond. 32 8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD

• After the induction of INS Arihant and INS • These ships are part of 5 ship project being Aridhaman India has become 6th country in built by Reliance Defence and Engineering the world to have nuclear powered Limited. submarine after UNSC permanent members - • The NOPVs would increase the ocean USA, UK, China, Russia and France. surveillance and patrolling capabilities of the Indian Navy. 4.5.3. PROJECT 28 Why in news? 4.6. DEFENCE RELATED NEWS Recently INS Kiltan, Anti-Submarine Warfare 4.6.1. COMPREHENSIVE (ASW) stealth corvette was commissioned into INTEGRATED BORDER the Indian Navy. MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CIBMS) Details Why in News? • INS Kiltan is third of the four kamorta class • Recently Border Security Force (BSF) anti-submarine warfare corvettes being built personnel detected a fifth (since 2012) under naval modernisation project P-28. cross-border tunnel in the forest area of • INS Kamorta and INS Kadmatt which were Jammu which has intensified the demand two ships constructed earlier under the same for CIBMS. project. The fourth ship INS kavaratti is still under construction. Background • It is India’s first major warship to have a • The trigger for implementing the CIBMS was superstructure of carbon fibre composite the Pathankot terrorist attack followed by material resulting in improved stealth warning by the Punjab and Haryana High features, lower top weight and maintenance Court. Following this the MHA sanctioned the costs. implementation of CIBMS through two pilot • It was designed by Directorate of Naval projects (stretches in Jammu sector of India-

Design and constructed by Garden Reach Pakistan Border). Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited, Kolkata. • Further a committee under Madhukar Gupta (2016), was explicitly tasked to recommend 4.5.4. FIRST INDIGENOUSLY BUILT technological solutions to secure the FLOATING DOCK international border. Why in news? What is CIBMS? • It is a robust and integrated system that is The Indian Navy’s first indigenously built Floating capable of addressing the gaps in the present Dock (FDN-2) was launched at shipyard in system of border security by seamlessly Kattupalli, Near Ennore port, Chennai. integrating human resources, weapons, and high-tech surveillance equipment. About the dock • It has three main components: • The floating dock is 185 metres long and 40 o New high-tech surveillance devices such metres wide. It will enable docking of all as sensors, detectors, cameras, etc. as well kinds of vessels. as existing equipment for round-the-clock • This will include naval ships and submarines surveillance of the international border. o An efficient and dedicated communication of up to 8,000 tonnes displacement. network including fiber optic cables and • It would include draughts of up to seven satellite communication for transmitting data metres, during both day and night. gathered; and • FDN-2 will be based in the Andaman and o A command and control centre to which the Nicobar Islands. data will be transmitted providing a composite picture of the international 4.5.5. NAVAL OFFSHORE PATROL border. VEHICLE (NOPV) • This would improve prevention of infiltration and smuggling attempts, cover gaps at rivers and • Two diesel engine driven NOPVs named nullahs, providing all-round security in even Shachi and Shruti were launched at Pipavav, adverse climatic conditions & give relief to BSF Gujarat. troops. 33 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

4.6.2. ‘SAMADHAN’ DOCTRINE FOR • For better safety of Aadhar Data, all NAXAL VIOLENCE Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) will be divided into two categories: Why in news? o Global AUAs – Agencies whose services, • Recently, 25 jawans lost their lives in the by law, require them to store the Sukma attack, the deadliest Naxal strike on Aadhaar number will be qualified as the CRPF in years. In answer to Naxal Global AUAs and will enjoy access to full problem, Ministry of Home Affairs launched demographic details of an individual Operation 'SAMADHAN' along with the ability to store Aadhaar • Operation Samadhan involves Smart numbers within their system. o leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation Local AUAs – They will neither get access and Training, Actionable intelligence, to full KYC, nor can they store the Dashbord based key performance indicators, Aadhaar number on their systems. Harnessing technology and No access to Instead, they will get a tokenised number funds to LWE groups. issued by UIDAI to identify their customers. UID token will be a unique 4.6.3. AADDHAR SECURITY 72-character alphanumeric string for each Aadhaar number for each particular Why in News? AUA entity. Recently, Unique Identification Authority of India What are AUAs? (UIDAI), announced introduction of a two-tier • It is an entity that provides Aadhaar Enabled security system in the wake of alleged data Services to Aadhaar number holders, uses the breaches of Aadhaar. authentication as facilitated by the Authentication Service Agency (ASA). Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) • An AUA may be a government, public, or private • It is a statutory authority established under the legal agency registered in India that uses UIDAI’s provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Aadhaar authentication services and sends • It works under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics authentication requests to enable its services or and Information technology. business functions. • It is responsible for Aadhaar enrolment, • ASAs are entities that have secure leased line authentication, developing the policy, procedure connectivity with the CIDR and transmit and system for issuing Aadhaar numbers etc. authentication requests to CIDR on behalf of one • It consists of a Chairperson appointed on part- or more AUAs time basis, two part-time Members and a Chief Executive Officer who shall be the Member- Secretary of the Authority. Proposed two tier security system • Virtual IDs o It is a 16-digit temporary number (like an OTP) which can only generated by Aadhaar holders in place of Aadhaar numbers to validate their identity. o It can be generated through UIDAI’s portal, enrolment centres, Aadhaar’s mobile app, etc. o There will be only one active and valid VID for an Aadhaar number at any given time. • Limited KYC: It involves giving an agency- • Security features in physical Aadhaar card – specific UID ‘token’ for e-KYC authentication. There is no hologram or digital signature but It eliminates the need of many agencies rather a QR code, which is just an image storing Aadhaar numbers while still enabling representation of a text. Thus, in its physical their own paperless KYC. form, its coloured photocopy may look as good as the original.

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4.6.4. NTRO UNDER INTELLIGENCE domestic intelligence gathering. After the ACT 1962 war with China, the external intelligence function was taken away from it. Why in News? • It also executes counter intelligence and counter terrorism tasks. • Recently, the Home Ministry issued a 3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence notification listing National Technical • It is the apex anti-smuggling agency of India, Research Organization (NTRO) under the working under the Central Board of Excise Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Customs, Ministry of Finance. Rights) Act, 1985. • It is tasked with detecting and curbing smuggling of contraband, including drug Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Rights) Act trafficking and illicit international trade in 1985 wildlife and environmentally sensitive items. • The aim of this act is to prevent leakage of • It also combats commercial frauds related to information by intelligence agencies. international trade and Custom duty evasion. • It prevents employees of a notified agency - 4. Narcotics Control Bureau – It was formed in 1986 o From forming unions/associations. as per a provision of The Narcotic Drugs and o Puts restrictions on the employee’s freedom Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. It is an of speech intelligence agency and coordinates actions of o Bars any communication with the press or concerned authorities over trade of illicit narcotics publishing a book or other document without from the country. the permission of the head of the intelligence organization. 4.6.5. MERGER OF NCRB WITH BPRD About NTRO Government has recently notified the merger of • The NTRO was created after the 1999 Kargil National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) with conflict as a dedicated technical intelligence Bureau of Police Research and Development agency. It was finally constituted in 2004. (BPRD). • NTRO reports to the Prime Minister’s Office • NCRB is an attached office to the Ministry of (PMO) and the National Security Advisor Home Affairs which was established in 1986 (NSA). to empower Indian Police with the power of • It functions under the National Security information Technology solutions and Adviser. criminal intelligence to enforce the law • It also includes National Institute of effectively. Cryptology Research and Development. • BPRD was established in 1970 as a national Various Intelligence Agencies in India police organisation to study, research and 1. Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – develop on subjects and issues related to • It was founded in 1968 to counter Chinese policing. influence but over time its focus has shifted • Reason for merger to Pakistan. o boost crime data collection and research • It is India’s premier external intelligence efforts agency. o improve administrative efficiency • It reports directly to the Prime Minister and o optimum utilisation of resources not to the Department of Defence. o Better outcome to crime data collected • It’s primary objectives include o Monitoring the political and military by NCRB and research work done by developments in adjoining countries, which BPRD. have direct bearing on India’s national security and in the formulation of its 4.6.6. CREATION OF SPACE, CYBER foreign policy. AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS o Seeking the control and limitation of the COMMANDS supply of military hardware to Pakistan, mostly from European countries, the Why in news? United States, and China. • Recently, three new formations under 2. Intelligence Bureau Defence Ministry namely Defence Cyber • It was founded by the Britishers as an Agency, and a Special intelligence agency for both external and Operations Division have been proposed. 35 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

• Joint military Doctrine of the Indian armed • Each State Party is obliged to designate or forces, 2017 and Naresh Chandra Task Force establish a representative called National 2012 had also underscored the need to Authority to ensure that the Convention is prepare the defence forces for the “emerging implemented effectively. triad” of space, cyberspace and special • The main responsibilities of the National Authority operations. are: o Escorting OPCW inspections of relevant Details industrial or military sites; o Submitting initial and annual declarations; • The three organisations will be developed as o Assisting and protecting those States Parties Tri-service organisations to promote which are threatened by, or have suffered integration and jointness among military, air- chemical attack; and, force and navy in respective domains. o Fostering the peaceful uses of chemistry. • Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) will work in close co-ordination with the National Cyber About NACWC Security Advisor. It will focus on non-civilian • NACWC was set up as an office of Cabinet cyber issues, including safeguarding critical Secretariat to fulfil obligations under infrastructure. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). • Defence Space Agency (DSA) will work • It was established under Chemical Weapons closely with ISRO and DRDO for better Convention Act, 2000. It acts as national focal utilisation and integration of space resources point for effective bond with Organisation including information from surveillance for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons satellites. (OPCW) and other State Parties. • Special Operations Division (SOD) will have What is a chemical weapon? central pool of personnel from the Special Forces of the Army (Para commandoes), Navy • A chemical weapon is any toxic chemical that (Marcos) and IAF (Garud’s). They will be can cause death, injury, incapacitation, and equipped and trained together for sensory irritation, deployed via a delivery unconventional warfare capabilities. system, such as an artillery shell, rocket, or ballistic missile. 4.6.7. NATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR • Chemical weapons are considered weapons CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION of mass destruction and their use in armed (NACWC) conflict is a violation of international law. Why in news? • Primary forms of chemical weapons include nerve agents, blister agents, choking agents, • The National Authority for Chemical and blood agents. Weapons Convention (NACWC) has been o Choking Agents: chlorine and phosgene, awarded ISO 9001:2008, Certificate which is a o Blister Agents (Or Vesicants): mustard recognition of successful performance of the and lewisite, authority with enhanced administrative o Blood Agents: hydrogen cyanide, efficiency and accountability. o Nerve Agents: sarin, soman, VX. • The ISO 9001 Certificate makes the NACWC About VX nerve agent the first among all 188 members nations of OPCW to attain this distinction. It is also the • It acts on the nervous system (hence the first Government of India department to have name nerve agents), typically the nerves that qualified for ISO 9001:2008 certification. control breathing. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) • It is a clear, tasteless and colourless liquid • It is an arms control treaty that outlaws the with a consistency something like engine oil. production, stockpiling, and use of chemical • Just one drop containing 10 milligrams of VX, weapons and their precursors. absorbed through the skin, is enough to • The Convention opened for signature in Paris on cause “fatal disruption of the nervous system 13 January 1993. It is administered by the • It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical which breaks down the neurotransmitter Weapons (OPCW), an intergovernmental acetylcholine which overstimulates the organization based in The Hague, Netherlands.

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tissues, resulting in respiratory paralysis and • Salient Features of Hydrogen Bomb: death. o The energy released in a Hydrogen bomb • The VX nerve agent is banned under is several magnitudes higher than an international law because it’s a chemical Atom bomb. weapon as defined in the Chemical Weapons o A fusion bomb is more sophisticated and Conventions. difficult to make, since it requires a much higher temperature -- in the order of 4.6.8. THERMOBARIC BOMB millions of degrees centigrade. So a Why in news? fission is carried out first to produce more energy, which is then used to • US recently dropped GBU-43 Massive initiate fusion. Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb on o It is easier to make Hydrogen bombs in Afghanistan. small size, so it is easier to place them in More on news missiles. o Hiroshima and Nagasaki both were • GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), atomic bombs and till date Hydrogen popularly called the Mother of All Bombs has bombs have never been used in war. been developed by United States military. It is a thermobaric bomb Atomic Bombs • Thermobaric bomb uses oxygen from the • Atomic bombs differ from hydrogen bombs surrounding air to generate an intense, high- primarily due to the fact they are fission temperature blast wave that packs an bombs. It develops its energy from the fission incredible amount of energy into a small, of heavy, unstable nuclei. localised area. • Radioactive forms of elements such as • It differs from conventional bombs in terms plutonium and uranium are especially of weight of explosives packed in it. For susceptible to fission example: GBU-43 packs in 8,000 kg of • In fission reactions, heavy nucleus breaks up explosives. In comparison, the average when it is bombarded with neutrons. The weight of most deployed conventional bombs reaction that follows also releases neutrons which is roughly 250 kg. along with two lighter nuclei. These 2 nuclei • Russia also possesses thermobaric bomb, are then bombarded with the neutrons popularly known as Father of All Bombs generate making it a chain reaction. which is four times more powerful than the U.S. weapon. 4.6.9. LASER WEAPONS SYSTEM (LAWS) Other types of bombs Hydrogen Bombs • Laws is world’s first laser weapon, launched by US • Hydrogen bombs are thermonuclear • It releases photons at the speed of light weapons which employs fusion of isotopes of silently hitting their target and burning it to a hydrogen. temperature of thousands of degrees. • The result is greatly increased explosive • It is completely invisible power when compared to single-stage fission weapons.

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5. IT AND COMPUTER 5.1. BIG DATA Justice B.N. Srikrishna which came out with a white paper on Data Protection Framework for Why in news? India. Earlier in 2016, CAG finalized a Big Data Management Policy to make itself future ready. • Big data is being increasingly used by the government in policy formation. 5.2. MAHARASHTRA’S PUBLIC What is Big Data? CLOUD POLICY

• Big data is a term that describes the large Why in News? volume of data – both structured and unstructured beyond the ability of commonly Maharashtra became the first state to mandate used software tools to capture, curate, its departments to shift their data storage onto manage, and process data within a tolerable the cloud unlike currently where government elapsed time. departments have their own data storage • Big data can be analyzed for insights that lead facilities. to better decisions and strategic business Details moves. • Cloud Storage- Cloud storage is a service • Big data is characterized by 4Vs – Variety, model in which data is maintained, managed, Volume Velocity and Value. Additionally, two backed up remotely and made available to more concepts have been added – Variability users over a network or cloud services and Complexity platform (typically the Internet). • Interesting insights from big data can be got • Apart from storage, cloud computing also using data mining. involves on-demand delivery of compute Data mining power, applications, and other IT resources • It’s defined as a process used to extract usable data from a larger set of any raw data by Similar Government initiatives analysing data patterns in large batches of data • Digilocker Service- It is a part of goverment’s using one or more software Digital India Initiative, to enable Indian • It involves effective data collection and citizens to store certain official documents on warehousing as well as computer processing. the cloud. • It uses sophisticated mathematical algorithms for segmenting the data and evaluating the • GI Cloud Initiative (Meghraj): To accelerate probability of future events. delivery of e-services in the country while • Data mining is also known as Knowledge optimizing ICT spending of the Government. Discovery in Data (KDD). The National Informatics Centre (NIC) is providing National Cloud services under this. Applications of Big Data • Better understanding and targeting of 5.3. BLOCK-CHAIN customers. TECHNOLOGY • Optimization of Businesses processes • optimizing treatment and even predicting Why in news? diseases The Finance Ministry recently issued a statement • Analyze and improve the performance of warning against investing in bitcoin and other individuals cryptocurrencies (CCs). These currencies use a • Prevent cyber-attacks, detect credit card technology called blockchain. fraud, foil terrorism and even predict criminal What are cryptocurrencies? activity. • A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency • optimizing the heating or lighting in our that uses cryptography for security. Hence it is homes, the traffic flow in our cities, or the difficult to counterfeit. It is not issued by any energy grid across the country. central authority, rendering it theoretically immune to government interference or In the wake of challenges for Big data in India, manipulation. government had constituted a committee under 38 8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD

• The first cryptocurrency to capture the public • Crypto currency (CC) is just one use of imagination was Bitcoin, which was launched in Blockchain technology. The other possible 2009 by an individual or group known under the uses are – streamlining payment mechanism, pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin's success eliminated the need for trust. Programmable has spawned a number of competing money to not allow using products of cryptocurrencies, such as Litecoin, Ethereum, company flouting norms, promoting artificial Namecoin, PPCoin etc. • Advantages: easier to transfer funds with minimal intelligence and internet of things etc. processing fees, safety from hackers due to block- Challenges: chain technology and difficult to counterfaeit The main challenges today are the missing • Disadvantages: well-suited for illegal activities standards, the unclear legal and regulatory such as money laundering, tax evasion due to framework, lacking confidence and technical anonymous nature of transactions, rate of issues. Current blockchains have trouble with exchange of cryptocurrencies fluctuate widely and scalability and latency (i.e. verification speed). a digital cryptocurrency balance can be wiped out by a computer crash. Recently concerns are being 5.4. INDIA JOINS QUANTUM raised on its immunity to hacks as well. COMPUTING RACE • Various countries have adopted use of bitcoins with regulations such as China, South Korea, Why in news? Japan etc. • Some countries are also coming up with their Department of Science and Technology is virtual currencies such as PETRO by Venezuela, planning to fund a project to develop quantum SOV (Sovereign) by Marshall Islands etc. computers. • India does not consider crypto-currencies as legal tender or coin. What is quantum computing? What is it? • In a classical computer, information is stored using binary units, or bits. A bit is either a 0 or • Blockchains are basically digital ledgers or 1. A quantum computer instead takes decentralized database of financial advantage of quantum mechanical properties transactions that are immutable and instantly to process information using quantum bits, updated across the world. or qubits. • Distributed database: The blockchain • They function according to two key principles database isn’t stored in any single location, of quantum physics: superposition and meaning the records it keeps are truly public entanglement. and easily verifiable. • Superposition means that each qubit can • Whenever a financial transaction happens, it represent both a 1 and a 0 at the same time. is grouped in a cryptographically protected • Entanglement means that qubits in a block with other transactions and sent out to superposition can be correlated with each the entire network. other; that is, the state of one (whether it is a • The members in the network then validate 1 or a 0) can depend on the state of another. the transactions by solving complex coded • Using these two principles, qubits can act as problems. more sophisticated switches, enabling • The new validated block is then added to the quantum computers to function in ways that chain in a linear, chronological order and allow them to solve difficult problems that linked to older blocks making it a chain of are intractable using today’s computers. blocks that show every transaction made in • The computing power of a quantum the history of that blockchain computer increases exponentially as the • Thus, the blockchain cannot be controlled by qubits are increased. a single entity and has no single point of • It can be used in research in new medicine failure and organic materials as quantum computers Importance would require 3.5 million fewer steps as compared to a traditional machine. • The World Economic Forum in 2015, predicts • Other uses – efficient logistics and delivery that 10% of global GDP will be stored on the mechanism, more secure platforms for blockchain by 2027. banking transactions, revolutionize artificial

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intelligence by faster processing of More on news complicated data, faster communication etc. • MoES has acquired a high performance Quantum mechanics (QM): QM deals with sub-atomic computing (HPC) system which is an array of particles viz electrons and photons. It is used in computers jointly hosted by IITM, Pune and making products such as integrated circuit chips and National Centre for Medium Range fibre-optic lines for global, instantaneous Weather Forecasting, Noida. communication. • The HPC at Pune is named Pratyush with a Quantum cryptography: It is a recent technique that capacity of 4 petaflops (a measure of a can be used to ensure the confidentiality of computer's processing speed expressed as a information transmitted between two parties by quadrillion floating point operations per exploiting the counterintuitive behavior of elementary second) and HPC at Noida named Mihir with particles such as photons. Quantum cryptography is capacity of 2.8 petaflops giving a total different from traditional cryptographic systems in that it relies more on physics, rather than capacity of 6.8 petaflops. mathematics, as a key aspect of its security model. • It is India’s first multi-petaflop supercomputer and is the fourth fastest QUESS super-computer in the world which is • China launched the world's first satellite under dedicated to weather and climate research the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale after Japan, U.S.A. and United Kingdom. (QUESS) mission, to test the fundamentals of • It will also take India up from the present quantum communication in space. th • It is known as Micius, after an ancient Chinese 365 position to top 30 in the philosopher. infrastructural ranking of Top 500 HPC facilities in the world. 5.5. SUPERCOMPUTERS • Other top five super computers of India are PRATYUSH AND MIHIR SahasraT (Cray XC40), Aaditya (IBM/Lenovo system), TIFR Colour Boson (Cray XC-30), IIT Why in news? Delhi HPC and Param Yuva 2. Recently, the Minister for Earth Sciences (MoES) • Sunway TaihuLight is the World’s fastest unveiled India’s fastest supercomputer named computer, belonging to China Pratyush and high performance computer system 5.6. PANEL FOR AI ROADMAP ‘Mihir’. National Supercomputing Mission Why in news? • It’s implemented and steered jointly by the • The government has formed a high-level Department of Science and Technology (DST) and panel under the chairmanship of Rajiv Kumar Department of Electronics and Information to lay out a roadmap for India’s research and Technology (DeitY) • Mission envisages empowering our national development on AI and its applications. academic and R&D institutions spread over the country by installing a vast supercomputing grid • It is branch of computer science dealing with comprising of more than 70 high-performance simulation of intelligent behavior in computers vis- computing facilities. a-vis visual perception, speech recognition, • These supercomputers will also be networked on decision making and translation between the National Supercomputing grid over the languages. National Knowledge Network (NKN) under • It enables computer system to carry out task on Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. their own that otherwise requires human • The NKN is another programme of the intelligence. government which connects academic institutions • Robotics is also a major field related to AI. and R&D labs over a high speed network • The Mission also includes development of highly Other Developments professional High Performance Computing (HPC) • Recently, Department of Defence Production aware human resource for meeting challenges of constituted a task force headed by N development of these applications. Chandrasekaran, to study use of artificial intelligence in military.

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• Commerce and Industry Minister Sets up Task European university), Poppy (france), Lexy & Force chaired by V. Kamakoti on Artificial Tess (Germany), -Sit (Japan) etc. Intelligence for Economic Transformation. About Sophia • Sophia is a social developed by 5.6.1. PROJECT BRAINWAVE Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics under David Hanson. • Microsoft has launched “Project Brainwave”, • Sophia is conceptually similar to the computer a deep learning acceleration platform for program ELIZA, which was one of the first real-time artificial intelligence (AI). attempts at simulating a human conversation. • It uses the massive field-programmable gate • The software has been programmed to give pre- array (FPGA) infrastructure. written responses to specific questions .The • The system architecture allows very high information is shared in a cloud network which throughput, with the FPGA processing allows input and responses to be analysed with requests as fast as the network can stream blockchain technology. them. • She also made surprise appearance at UN and also joined meeting on artificial intelligence and • Significance: Real-time AI is becoming sustainable development. increasingly important as cloud In Artificial intelligence, turing test is a method of infrastructures process live data streams, inquiry for determining whether or not a whether they be search queries, videos, computer is capable of thinking like a human sensor streams, or interactions with users. being. About deep learning 5.7. TELECOM SECTOR • It is a subset of machine learning which utilizes hierarchical level of artificial neural 5.7.1. BHARAT NET PROJECT networks to process unstructured data. • Neural networks are a set of algorithms, Why in news? modeled loosely after the human brain, that As of now, over 1.04 lakh gram panchayats have are designed to recognize patterns been made “service ready” for providing • A hierarchical neural network is an broadband connectivity as on March 11 under artificial neural network(ANN) with multiple Bharat Net project hidden layers between the input and output layers About International Telecommunications Union • ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for 5.6.2. HUMANOID information and communication technologies – ICTs. • A humanoid robot is a robot with its overall • It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite appearance based on that of the human orbits, develop the technical standards that body. ensure networks and technologies seamlessly • Features of Humanoid Robots interconnect, and strive to improve access to ICTs o Self-maintenance to underserved communities worldwide. • Members: It includes both public and private o Autonomous learning sector membership i.e 193 UN Member States o Avoiding harmful situations to people, and ICT regulators, many leading academic property, and itself institutions and some 700 tech companies. o Safe interacting with human beings and the environment Bharat Net Project • Androids are humanoid robots built to • In 2011, National Optical Fibre Network resemble a male human, and are (now called Bharat Net Project) was humanoid robots built to resemble a human launched to provide broadband connectivity female. to 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats with an • Recently, Humanoid Robot Sophia became affordable broadband connectivity of 2 Mbps world's first robot citizen as Saudi Arabia to 20 Mbps. granted citizenship to her in a bid to promote • It is being implemented by a special purpose artificial intelligence. vehicle (SPV) named Bharat Broadband • Other Example: Unplugged (USA), Asimo Network Ltd (BBNL) set up under Companies (Japan), Icub (Cognitive Universal Body by Act. 41 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

• It is funded through Universal Service What is 5G? Obligation Fund (USOF) • 5G is a wireless communication technology. It • Bharat Net Project is also significant for is the next generation mobile networks generation of as much as 5 lakh jobs during technology after 4G LTE networks. the installation of Wi-Fi hot spots. • The final standard for 5G will be set up by the • Some issues involved are high usage of International Telecommunications Union internet through mobile phone, cyber (ITU). security, high cost of services, low internet education. What is spectrum and how does it work? Universal Service Obligation Fund: • Spectrum refers to the radiowaves that are • It aims to provide non-discriminatory access to used by mobile phones to transmit data. quality ICT services at affordable prices to people • The spectrum has been divided into bands by in rural and remote areas through subsidy support the government for uninterrupted to incentivizing telecom service providers to transmission of data. venture forth and provide services to such target • Carriers in India use airwaves in the 800 Mhz, beneficiaries. 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz • It was envisaged in National Telecom Policy, 1999 and 2500 Mhz bands. and was given statutory status through Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003. Generation Year • The resources are raised through a 'Universal 1 generation • First wireless communication. Access Levy (UAL)', which would be a percentage (1G) • Voice Calls. of the revenue earned by the operators under • Limited capacity, not secure, various licenses. background interference Optical Fibre Technology • 2 Kbps • Fibre optics, is the science of transmitting data, 2 Generation • Digital version of 1G technology voice, and images by the passage of light through (2G) • Voice calls, Short messages, thin, transparent fibres. browsing (partial) • Optical fibre is made up of semiconducting • Low network range, slow data materials and usually has a cylindrical structure. In rates inner core there is material of higher refractive • 64 Kbps index than in outer core resulting in Total Internal 3 Generation Reflection (TIR) • Digital broadband, speed (3G) increments • When light passes from a medium with one index

of refraction (m1) to another medium with a • Video conferencing, mobile TV, lower index of refraction (m2), it bends or GPS refracts away from an imaginary line • High power consumption, Low perpendicular to the surface (normal line) network coverage, High cost of • However at critical angle, the refracted light spectrum licence. travel along the surface between the two media • 2 Mbps and at angle greater than critical angle, the 4 Generation • Very high speeds, All IP refracted beam will be reflected entirely back into (4G) • High speed applications, mobile m1. This phenomenon is known as total internal TV, Wearable devices reflection. • Hard to implement, complicated • Optical fibers allow data signals to propagate hardware required through them by ensuring that the light signal • 1 Gbps enters the fiber at an angle greater than the 5 Generation • Cell densification, software critical angle of the interface between two types (5G) defined network, low signal of glass. traffic • Hologram TV, Augemented 5.7.2. 5G reality, Ultra large and high data transfer, energy saving. Why in news? • More than 1 Gbps • The government has set up a high level forum Low-frequency transmissions can travel greater to evaluate roadmaps and formulate a distances before losing their integrity, and they strategy to adopt 5G in the country by 2020. can pass through dense objects more easily. Less data can be transmitted over these radio waves.

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Higher-frequency transmissions carry more data, accessible on a nondiscriminatory basis, to but are poorer at penetrating obstacles. The provide on demand, affordable and end-to- higher the frequency, the lower the wavelength, end broadband connectivity for all and thus the more energy that's required to households, institutions & Offices. It is being cover the same distance. implemented by State Fibernet Limited Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing,

under Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is X is a research and development facility founded by responsible for spectrum management at the national Google in January 2010. level. It has been working on several projects including driver-less car, product delivery through flying About The internet of things (IoT) vehicles, Project Loon, Google glass among other • The internet of things (IoT) is the network of technologies. physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items-embedded with electronics, software, What is Free Space Optical Communication? sensors, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data. • It is an optical communication technology in • Thus IoT creates opportunities for more direct which data is transmitted by propagation of integration of the physical world into computer- light in free space allowing optical based systems, and resulting in improved connectivity. efficiency, accuracy and economic benefits • Working of FSO is similar to OFC (optical fiber • IoT is one of the platforms of today's Smart City, and Smart Energy Management Systems. It can cable) networks but the only difference is also be used to improve crop yield to help feed that the optical beams are sent through free the world’s growing population. air or vaccum instead of glass fiber. About Array of Things (AoT): • It is a Line of Sight (LOS) technology. It • It’s an urban sensing project, a network of consists of an optical transceiver at both ends interactive, modular sensor boxes that will be to provide full duplex (bidirectional) installed around city to collect real-time data on capability. the city’s environment, infrastructure, and activity • It is capable of sending up to 1.25 Gbps of for research and public use. data, voice, and video communications • It is expected to provide localised information to simultaneously through the air. the authorities enabling them to act quickly in emergencies and warn citizens of environmental • Advantages: low initial investment, flexible threats. network that delivers better speed than VoLTE (Voice over Long Term Evolution) broadband, security due to line of sight • It is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem operation etc. (IMS) specification which enables a variety of • Challenges: misalignment errors, geometric services to operate seamlessly on the network losses, background noise, weather rather than having to switch to different attenuation losses and atmospheric applications for voice or video. turbulence. • Volte offer high definition (HD) quality voice calls, lesser call drops and calls get connected Light-fidelity (LiFi) significantly faster, in comparison with standard • It is a high speed wireless communications voice calls over 3G and 2G networks. through light emitting diodes (LEDs). • It uses both visible and near-visible light for free- 5.7.3. FREE SPACE OPTICAL space communication. COMMUNICATION • LiFi is not strictly a line-of-sight technology i.e. data rate is not dependent on the line of sight but Why in news? on the signal quality at the device. • X Development LLC, a subsidiary of Google’s Parameters Light Fidelity Wireless Fidelity parent company Alphabet will supply and Speed for >1 Gbps Upto 15 Mbps data deploy two thousand cutting-edge Free transfer Space Optical Communication (FSOC) links Carrier Light as a carrier Use Radio for Andhra Pradesh (AP) fiber-grid. spectrum • AP Fibre Grid project is aimed to establish a Cost Cheaper than WiFi Expensive due to highly scalable network infrastructure, radio spectrum

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Operating Hundred to Tera Hz 2.4 GHz network devices over short distance Frequency without wires. Coverage About 10 metre About 32 metre o Wireless signals transmitted with Bluetooth cover short distances, typically 5.7.4. RFID up to 30 feet (10 meters). Why in news? o Bluetooth sends and receives radio waves in a band (frequency band of 2.45GHz ) of Recently National Highways Authority of India 79 different frequencies and can connect launched two mobile apps MyFASTag and up to “eight devices” simultaneously FASTag Partner to facilitate Electronic Toll o It overcomes the constraints of line of Collection. FASTag is a device which uses RFID sight and one to one communication as in technology for making toll-payment directly from other mode of wireless communications the prepaid account. like infrared. About RFID o It guarantees security at bit level. When a group of two or more Bluetooth devices • Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is the are sharing information together, they use of radio waves to read and capture form a kind of ad-hoc, mini computer information stored on a tag attached to an network called a piconet. object. A tag can be read from up to several o It removes the problem of radio feet away and does not need to be within interference by using a technique called direct line-of-sight of the reader to be Speed Frequency Hopping. This ensures tracked. It is applied for tracking items or as a that the interference won’t take place as pass. each transmitter will be on different Other related technologies frequencies. • Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short- range high frequency wireless 5.7.5. TARANG SANCHAR PORTAL communication technology that enables the Why in News? exchange of data between devices over • The Telecom Department launched a portal – about a 10 cm distance. It is used in credit Tarang Sanchar Portal that will allow people card related payments, e-booking etc. to track radiation emitted from mobile • Barcode scanner detects the light reflected towers within a locality. from the barcode. This needs to be kept in • The portal will empower consumers to know range of several inches to several feet to read about the towers working in a particular area the code. and whether they are compliant to the • QR code (Quick Response code) Electromagnetic field (EMF) emission norms o It’s a two-dimensional (matrix) machine- defined by the government. readable bar code made up of black and • In general, mobile tower emissions rules in white square. This code can be read by India are ten times more stringent than the the camera of a smartphone. global norms o It carries information both horizontally and vertically. It has error correction About radiation capability and data stored in it can be Energy emitted from a source is generally restored even if it is partially damaged or referred to as radiation. There are two types of dirty. radiation: o It is capable of 360 degrees (omni- • Ionizing radiation is radiation with enough directional), high speed reading. energy to cause chemical changes by o QR Code can store up to 7089 digits as breaking chemical bonds. This ionization compared to conventional bar codes process results in the formation of two which can store max 20 digits. charged particles or ions: the molecule with a • Bluetooth technology net positive charge, and the free electron o It is a high speed low powered wireless with a negative charge. This effect can cause technology which uses radio waves to damage to living tissue. link phones, computers and other

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o Examples include heat or light from the • These were opposed by IT industry body sun, microwaves from an oven, X rays Nasscom as it violated net neutrality from an X-ray tube, and gamma rays from principles by differentiating internet access radioactive elements for certain types of services. • Non-ionizing radiation is the term given to Recommendation radiation in the part of the electromagnetic spectrum where there is insufficient energy • Non-Discriminatory treatment: irrespective to cause ionization but may have enough of sender, receiver protocols used etc. energy to excite molecules and atoms causing • Specialised Service: are exempted from then to vibrate faster. neutrality framework such as tele-surgery, o Example: It includes electric and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and IPTV magnetic fields, radio waves, services etc. microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, and • Content delivery Network (CDN) platform: visible radiation. should not be included within the scope of any restrictions on non-discriminatory Application of Radiation treatment • Medical Application: X-Ray, CT, and PET • Reasonable traffic Management practices: machines use X-ray (X-ray and CT) and by framing appropriate regulations time to Gamma radiation (PET) to produce detailed time. images of the human body, • Regulatory Body: TRAI suggested DoT may • Industrial Application: to examine welds for establish a multi-stakeholder body with defects or irregularities, or examining other framework for collaborative mechanism materials to locate structural anomalies or among the stakeholders for monitoring the internal components. net-neutrality. • Food irradiation is the process of using VoIP radioactive sources to sterilize foodstuffs. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology • As a disinfectant: Ultraviolet light is used to that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband disinfect drinking water in some homes. Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) • Pollution Abatement: Radiation is used to phone line. help remove toxic pollutants, such as exhaust CDN platform gases from coal-fired power stations and CDN is a system of servers, deployed at the edge of (or industry. For example, electron beam within) the terminating network of an access provider, radiation. that content provider can use to distribute their content. 5.7.6. TRAI FAVOURS NET NEUTRALITY 5.8. NATION-WIDE Why in news? HACKATHON • Recently, Telecom Regulatory Authority of #OPENGOVDATAHACK India (TRAI) has favoured net neutrality. LAUNCHED • Also, Washington has become first state recently to enact its own net-neutrality rules Why in news? Net Neutrality Recently, Ministry for Electronics & Information • Net Neutrality or Network neutrality is the idea Technology launched nation-wide hackathon that Internet service providers (ISPs) should treat #OpenGovDataHack with an aim to support and all data that travels over their networks fairly, showcase great ideas or talent and enable them without improper discrimination in favour of to develop apps or infographics by use of Open particular apps, sites or services. Government Data. Background Background • The debate on net neutrality in India started • #OpenGovDataHack is an on-site 24Hrs from Facebook launching Free Basics and Challenge which will be held at 7 centres. The Airtel launching Airtel Zero. participating teams will be required to submit the App prototype and info-graphics, out of 45 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

these selected apps will be taken up for About National Information Centre further development and the winner will be • It comes under Ministry of Electronics and IT awarded. The theme of the Hackathon was (MeitY) and has a key role in e-governance at the “Drinking Water & Sanitation, Transport, national, state and district levels. Almost all Education, Crime and Health”. Indian-government websites are developed and managed by NIC Open Government Data (OGD) Platform Background • OGD has been set up by the National • In May 2017, a ransomware called Informatics Centre (NIC) in accordance with Wannacry, infected more than 100,000 National Data Sharing and Accessibility computers all over the world. Policy (NDSAP) 2012. • Indian Computer Emergency Response Team National Data Sharing and Access Policy, 2012 (CERT-In) in June, 2017 issued an advisory • The Policy aims to provide an enabling provision about Petya or Petrwrap, in the series of and platform for providing proactive and open ransomware attacks affecting computer access to the data generated through public funds systems across the world whose spreading available with various departments of mechanism were similar to attack such as Government. EternalBlue, Psexec, Windows Management • The policy also facilitates the access to Instrumentation. Government shareable data readable and machine readable form though an all India Effect on India network within the framework of various policies, acts and rules. Government steps to tackle cybercrime • The principle of data sharing and accessibility is Setting up NIC-CERT based on openness, flexibility, transparency, quality, security and machine-readability. • NIC-CERT is a dedicated body to detect, • It is a platform which provides prevent and mitigate the impact of cyber- o single point access to open data sets, it attacks, by monitoring data across the NIC also provides web based workflows to platform, including communication between departments so that they can publish all the levels of government and between their datasets through a predefined governments to citizens. metadata. • It will help in real time data monitoring and o better visualization tools, better user operate in close coordination and experience and efficient discoverability of collaboration with sectoral CERTs and CERT- resources. IN. o Community participation through blogs, • Securing Digital India Initiative: NIC-CERT will info-graphics, visualizations, mobile and help in securing digital initiative of web apps etc. government by preventing the threats and • OGD platform is currently being vulnerabilities arising due to cyberspace. supplemented by various sectors such as • Malware: Malware is short for malicious health and family welfare, home affairs, software, meaning software that can be used to agriculture, rajya sabha, statistics and compromise computer functions, steal data, programme etc. bypass access controls, or otherwise cause harm to the host computer. Malware is a broad term 5.9. CYBER ISSUES that refers to a variety of malicious programs. • Bot: Bots are software programs created to 5.9.1. NIC-CERT automatically perform specific operations. While some bots are created for relatively harmless Why in news? purposes (video gaming, internet auctions, online Government inaugurated the new body National contests, etc), it is becoming increasingly common Information Centre-Computer Emergency to see bots being used maliciously. • Ransomware: It is a form of malware that Response Team (NIC-CERT) to prevent and essentially holds a computer system captive while predict cyber-attacks on government utilities. demanding a ransom. The malware restricts user access to the computer either by encrypting files on the hard drive or locking down the system and

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displaying messages that are intended to force enforcement agencies to collaborate on the user to pay the malware creator to remove cybersecurity challenges and work towards an the restrictions and regain access to their appropriate and agile regulatory framework on computer. cybersecurity. • Spyware: Spyware is a type of malware that Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) functions by spying on user activity without their • Theme: “Cyber4All: A Secure and Inclusive knowledge. Spyware spreads by exploiting Cyberspace for Sustainable Development”. software vulnerabilities, bundling itself with • Aim: to establish internationally agreed ‘rules of legitimate software, or in Trojans. the road’ for behavior in cyberspace, and create a • Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse, is a type of malware more focused and inclusive dialogue between all that disguises itself as a normal file or program to those with a stake in the internet on how to trick users into downloading and installing implement them. malware. A Trojan can give a malicious party • It has set up an institutional mechanism – Global remote access to an infected computer. Forum on Cyber Expertise – to enhance capacity • Virus: A virus is a form of malware that is capable building, share best practices and expertise on of copying itself and spreading to other cyber capacity. computers. Viruses can be used to steal information, harm host computers and networks, Section 69B of IT Act, 2000, talks about the power to create botnets, steal money, render authorize to monitor and collect traffic data or advertisements, and more. information through any computer resource for Cyber • Worm: Computer worms are among the most Security. common types of malware. They spread over 5.9.2. BUDAPEST CONVENTION computer networks by exploiting operating system vulnerabilities. Worms typically cause Why in news? harm to their host networks by consuming bandwidth and overloading web servers. Worms Ministry of home affairs recently called for often spread by sending mass emails with infected signing of the Budapest Convention on attachments to users’ contacts. cybercrime owing to the surge in cyber-crime.

Two recent initiatives About Budapest convention on cybercrime Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative • This convention of the council of Europe is the • It has been launched by Ministry of Electronics only binding international instrument on this and Information Technology (MeitY), in issue. association with National e-Governance Division • It is the first international treaty on crimes (NeGD) and industry partners, to strengthen committed via the Internet and other computer Cybersecurity ecosystem in India. networks and deals with issues such as • It is first public-private partnership of its kind and infringements of copyright, computer-related will leverage the expertise of the IT industry in fraud, child pornography and violations of cybersecurity. network security. • The founding partners include leading IT • It aims to pursue a common criminal policy, companies such as Microsoft, Intel, WIPRO. Its especially by adopting appropriate legislation and knowledge partners include Cert-In, NIC, fostering international police as well as judicial co- NASSCOM and consultancy firms Deloitte and EY. operation. • It will be operated on three principles of • It provides for procedural law tools to make Awareness, Education and Enablement. investigation of cybercrime and securing of e- • It aims to spread awareness about cybercrime and evidence in relation to any crime more effective build capacity of Chief Information Security • The Convention has 56 members, including the US Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all and the UK. government departments. Steps taken by Government Global Centre For Cybersecurity • It has been launched by the World Economic • Information Technology Act, 2000(amended Forum (WEF) with headquarter in Geneva. in 2008) provides a legal framework for • It will function as an autonomous organization transactions carried out by means of under WEF. It will serve as laboratory and early- electronic data interchange and other means warning think tank for future cybersecurity of electronic communication. scenarios and help to build a safe and secure • Indian Computer Emergency Response Team global cyberspace. • Its aim is to establish first global platform for (CERT-in): established to enhance the governments, businesses, experts and law security of India’s Communications and

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Information Infrastructure through proactive • The access has been restricted only to action and effective collaboration. CERT-fin authorized officials to protect Privacy of has also been launched exclusively for individual and concerns of National security. financial sector. • The portal also generates various thematic • National Cyber Security Policy 2013: reports of trends of incidence of crime proposes to set up different bodies to tackle across the country to facilitate policy analysis various levels of threats, along with a and undertaking targeted interventions. national nodal agency, to coordinate all Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems matters related to cyber security. (CCTNS) • National Critical Information Infrastructure It is a project of MHA launched in 2009 which aims to: Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to battle cyber security threats in strategic areas such as air • Provide Citizen Centric Police Services via a web control, nuclear and space. It will function portal. • Pan India search on National database of Crime & under the National Technical Research Criminal records. Organisation (NTRO) • Crime and Criminal reports at State and Centre. • National cyber coordination centre (NCCC) is • Computerization of Police Processes. being set up to scan internet traffic coming Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) into the country and provide real time • It is a component of CCTNS situational awareness and alert various • ICJS aims to integrate the CCTNS project with the security agencies. e-courts and e-prisons databases initially and • Indian cyber-crime coordination centre (I4C) later to all components of criminal justice system. and Cyber Warrior Police force has been established under newly created Cyber and 5.9.4. CYBER-SECURITY INDEX Information Security (CIS) Division (under Why in news? Ministry of Home Affairs) to tackle internet crimes such as cyber threats, child • India is ranked a high 23rd out of 165 nations pornography and online stalking. in The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI). • Digital Army Programme: a dedicated cloud Background to digitize and automate processes, procedures and services for the Indian Army, • The second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), launched as a part of Digital India. This is released by the International similar to Meghraj, the national cloud Telecommunication Union (ITU), said only initiative. about half of all countries have a cybersecurity strategy or are in the process of 5.9.3. DIGITAL POLICE PORTAL developing one UNDER CCTNS • The top 3 most committed countries to cybersecurity are Singapore United States Why in news? and Malaysia. Recently Home Minister launched a digital police • India has been listed in the "maturing" portal under the CCTNS project. category, which refers to 77 countries that More on news have developed complex commitments to cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity • CCTNS has originally aimed at maintenance of programmes and initiatives. crime and criminal records of individuals About ITU through a national database, and delivery of • ITU, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is the leading web based police related services to all UN agency for ICT. citizens. • As the global focal point for governments and the • Digital Police portal is a SMART policing private sector, ITU's role in helping the world initiative of government with aim to provide communicate spans 3 core sectors: radio Services to Citizens at a National level communication, standardization and o Report a Crime development. o Request for person verification ITU also organizes TELECOM events and was the lead o Links to State Citizen Portal organizing agency of the World Summit on the Information Society.

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5.10. WORLD CONGRESS ON • WCIT is a biennial event and considered as the biggest event of its kind. It aims to INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY provide single platform to IT experts, policy (WCIT) and decision makers and Government officials from all over the world together to Why in news? discuss various challenges and and possible Recently World Congress on Information solutions to them. Technology (WCIT) 2018 or the ‘Olympics of IT’ • It is unique in its global perspective on ICT was held in Hyderabad for the first time in India. issues and its ability to draw users, providers, More about the news media and academia from around the world. • It was first held in 1978 since then held after • The theme of this edition of conference was every two years. The 2014 WITC 2016 edition ‘Future Enterprises.’ was held in Brasilia, Brazil.

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6. HEALTH 6.1. VECTOR BORNE DISEASES About zika virus • Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted Define: Vector-borne diseases are human primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti is illnesses caused by parasites, viruses and bacteria a known vector of several other viruses including yellow fever virus, dengue virus and that are transmitted by mosquitoes, sandflies, chikungunya virus. blackflies, ticks, tsetse flies, mites, snails and lice • Zika can be passed through sex from a person etc. with Zika to his or her partners. Example: Diseases such as malaria, dengue, • People with Zika virus disease can have symptoms Visceral leishmaniasis, kala-azar/ Dumdum including mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These Fever), yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, symptoms normally last for 2-7 days. Chikungunya, Zika etc. • There is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré (NVBDCP) syndrome. • It is an umbrella programme for prevention and • An additional area of concern is the difference control of vector borne diseases and is subsumed between Zika on the one hand and dengue or under National Health Mission. chikungunya on the other. While the latter • Directorate of NVBDCP is the central nodal agency conditions occur soon after a mosquito bite, the for the prevention and control of vector borne presence of the Zika virus will be known six diseases months later, after the birth of microcephalic • Vector borne diseases that are being targeted: infants.

Malaria, Dengue, Lymphatic Filariasis, Kala Azar, • US scientists have developed a plant-based Zika Japanese Encephalitis, chikungunya vaccine that could be more potent, safer and Directorate of National Vector Borne Diseases cheaper to produce than other medicines being Control Programme developed for the disease. • It’is the central nodal agency for the prevention • It is developed using tobacco plant and targets a and control of vector borne diseases i.e. Malaria, key protein called DIII, which envelopes the Dengue, Lymphatic Filariasis, Kala-azar, Japanese outside of the Zika virus and plays a key role for Encephalitis and Chikungunya in India the virus to infect people. • It is under the aegis of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 6.1.2. MONKEY FEVER • Function: National level Technical Nodal office for framing technical guidelines & policies as to guide Why in news? the states for implementation of Programme strategies. Scientists have traced the source of a re- emerging disease, Kyasanur Forest Disease 6.1.1. INDIA AND ZIKA VIRUS (KFD) or “monkey fever”, to cashew plantations in Goa. Why in news? Monkey Fever Symptoms Recently the United States sent out an advisory • High fever with headache, followed by informing its citizens in India about the number haemorrhagic symptoms such as bleeding from of confirmed Zika infections in India. the nose, throat and gums Background • Gastrointestinal bleeding, • Muscle stiffness, tremors, absent reflexes and • The WHO has placed India as a ‘Category-2’ • Mental disturbances. country for Zika risk. What is monkey fever? • A Category-2, the second highest on a four- point scale and that also includes 2015 Zika- • It is caused by Kyasanur forest disease virus hotspot Brazil, indicates that the virus is (KFDV), a member of the virus family being actively transmitted within the country. Flaviviridae, which also causes yellow fever • Until April, India was a Category-4 country. and dengue. • It was first detected in 1957 in Shimoga, Karnataka and is endemic to South Asia.

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• Monkey fever is so named because it 6.1.4. KALA AZAR primarily affects black-faced langurs and red- faced bonnet monkeys and result in death. Why in news? Even when the monkey dies still the KFD virus India has missed the deadline (December 2017) gets transmitted through ticks thriving on of eliminating Kala Azar (Visceral leishmaniasis monkeys. or Black fever or Dum Dum fever). • The Hard ticks (Hemaphysalis spinigera) are the reservoir of KFDV. These ticks are known Background

to thrive in the Western Ghats and transmit • In 2017 budget speech, the Finance Minister the disease to humans. had announced for elimination (reducing to less than one case in 10,000) of Kala Azar by 6.1.3. ELEPHANTIASIS 2017. It was also reiterated by the National Why in news? health policy 2017. • In 2014, the government launched the Kala Recently, it was speculated that Government will Azar Elimination Programme with support miss out the set deadline to eliminate from various international agencies. Elephantiasis. • However, endemic blocks have increased Elephantiasis or Lymphatic Filariasis from 61 to 68 in 17 districts of Bihar and • It is a parasitic disease caused by the Jharkhand. parasitic worms called filial worms which is Ancient remedy for Kala Azar spread by the bite of the infected black flies • Scientists from Indian Institute of Chemical and mosquitoes. Biology in Kolkata tested ancient remedy • The disease parasite is usually acquired described in Charaka Samhita to fight drug- during childhood. The larvae in the human resistant kala-azar. can live in human beings for up-to 5-8 years • The compound called mahanine was isolated without showing any symptoms; however the from leaves of curry plant commonly used in lymphatic system is damaged. Indian kitchens has been found to inhibit the • Elephantiasis leads to severe swelling in growth of kala-azar parasite. arms, legs, knees and genitals causes disfigurement and disability. Burden of Disease • India alone accounts for 40% of world’s disease burden with over 31 million microfilaraemics, 23 million cases of symptomatic filariasis, and about 500 million individuals at risk of contracting the disease. • India had set the ambitious target to eradicate the disease by 2020 which was earlier set at 2015 under the National Health Policy 2002. Efforts to eradicate the Disease in India • In 1995, government launched National Filaria Control Program • In India, since 2004, Mass Drug Administration (MDA) is being carried on as a part of the Hathipaon Mukt Bharat (Filaria Free India) programme for preventive medication.

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6.1.5. JAPANESE ENCEPHALI TIS (JE) visceral leishmaniasis, dengue, rabies, cysticercosis, Japanese encephalitis and Why in news intestinal worm infections (hookworms, In August 2017, around 30 children affected by JE whipworms and Ascaris worms). admitted at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College National Programmes in relation to tropical had died over shortage of oxygen supply. diseases are being implemented: Encephalitis: It is a non-communicable disease that • National Vector Borne Disease Control results in inflammation of the brain. The patient's Programme (NVBDCP): For control of Dengue central nervous system is affected. It can be caused and elimination of Kala-azar and Lymphatic due to bacterial or viral infections of the brain, Filariasis. injection of toxic substances or increased complications of an infectious disease. • National Leprosy Eradication Programme: • It’s transmitted by the infective bite of the Culex India has achieved the elimination of leprosy species of mosquitoes at national level in December 2005. Focus is • It belong to the same genus as dengue, yellow now to achieve elimination of leprosy at and West Nile viruses district level. • Japanese Encephalitis is covered under Universal • National Programme for Control of Immunisation Programme (UIP). Blindness: Services are provided for the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) including Japanese control of Trachoma. Encephalitis (JE) is a group of clinically similar • School Health Programme: services are neurologic manifestation caused by several different provided for the prevention of Soil- viruses, bacteria, fungus, parasites, spirochetes, chemical/ toxins etc transmitted Helminthiases. o It is characterized by an acute onset of fever • National Deworming Day (February 10): and clinical neurological manifestation that Children between ages 1 to 19 through includes mental confusion, disorientation, schools and anganwadi centres were delirium, or coma. dewormed in order to improve their JENVAC: It’s first indigenous vaccine to protect nutritional status and well-being children from Japanese encephalitis. It’s also the • WASH strategy: It’s a critical component of first vaccine to be manufactured in the public- prevention and care for all NTDs. Provision of private partnership mode between the Indian safe water, sanitation and hygiene is one of Council of Medical Research and Bharat Biotech. the five key interventions in the global NTD road map.

6.2. NEGLECTED TROPICAL • WHO NTD roadmap: It outlined bold targets for DISEASES the control, elimination or eradication of 17 NTDs by 2020 Why in news • Uniting to Combat NTDs: Leaders of several prominent global health and development WHO (World Health Organisation) in it's report organizations, together with industry partners, on neglected tropical disease (NTD) applauded met in London in 2012 and pledged to unite in the progress made on elimination of NTD. their efforts to support the achievement of the What are Neglected Tropical Diseases WHO 2020 goals in respect to 10 NTDs. o Pledge is known as London Declaration on • WHO defines NTDs as a diverse group of NTDs communicable diseases that prevail in o 10 NTDs are: Guinea worm disease, lymphatic tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 filariasis, blinding trachoma, sleeping countries. sickness, leprosy, helminthes, • Vulnerability: Populations living in poverty, schistosomiasis, river blindness, Chagas disease and visceral leishmaniasis (Kala Azar). without adequate sanitation and in close contact with infectious vectors and domestic 6.2.1. NATIONAL DEWORMING animals and livestock are those worst MISSION affected. • Situation in India: Diseases that are most Why in news? prevalent in India include lymphatic filariasis, Recently government celebrated the National soil transmitted helminthiases, trachoma, Deworming Day. 52 8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD

About National Deworming Day in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis. • It was started in 2015 as a part of the • There is no cure and it can only be prevented National Health Mission, implemented in 11 through immunisation. States/UTs across all Government and • Government-aided schools and Anganwadi Types: Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type centres. 1, type 2, and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999 and no case of wild • It entails single fixed day approach to treat poliovirus type 3 has been found since 2012. intestinal worms in all the children from 1 to • 19 years on February 10 and August 10 each Difference between Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) year. and IPV: OPV is made up of attenuated or weakened poliovirus and there is a risk of • Along with administering Albendazole vaccine derived polio. IPV is made up of tablets, some other activities are also inactivated (killed) polio virus and will performed such as behaviour change provide immunity from all three strains of practices, cleanliness and hygiene guide, use polio. of toilets, wearing shoes or slipper, washing • hands before eating food and after using India status: India was officially decalred toilet, etc. in order to reduce the incidents of Polio free by WHO in 2014. re-infection. • However, samples from some states showed the presence of Type 2 vaccine derived polio Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infection virus (VDVP), which had undergone ten • It is caused by different species of parasitic worms nucleotide changes. which can live and replicate in the gastrointestinal • If six or more nucleotide changes happen system. then it is called vaccine-derived poliovirus • The STHs (hookworms, roundworms, whipworms) are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces, (VDVP). which contaminate the soil in areas where • VDVP is extremely rare and found in children sanitation is poor. with immune-deficiency and among • Infected children are nutritionally and physically populations with low immunity levels. impaired. While deworming has been shown to reduce absenteeism in schools; improve health, 6.4. MOTHER-TO-CHILD nutritional, and learning outcomes; and increase TRANSMISSION OF HIV the likelihood of higher-wage jobs later in life. What is it: HIV transmitted from a HIV positive 6.3. POLIO VACCINE mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or breast feeding is called mother-to-child Why in news? transmission (MTCT). • The World Health Organization has declared National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) Gabon a "polio-free country", given the lack It is an organisation which was set up under Ministry of new reported or suspected cases in the of Health and Family Welfare for formulation of central African country. policies and implementation of programs for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. • Now the disease is endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the WHO Child Friendly HIV Drug recorded four cases this year—two in each • Recently, Central Drugs Standard Control country. Organisation (CDSCO) has registered the child- friendly and heat-stable oral pellet formulation of Polio: A fact sheet the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r). • Polio (or Poliomyelitis) is a highly-infectious • Significance: The lack of child-friendly HIV viral disease which mainly affects young formulations is a major reason for a large children and can result in permanent treatment gap between adults and children. Due paralysis. to this gap paediatric HIV is considered neglected disease. The registration of the pellets is a • The virus is transmitted by person-to-person positive sign as the needs of children are being spread mainly through the faecal-oral route addressed. or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. About CDSCO contaminated water or food) and multiplies • It is the national regulatory body for Indian

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pharmaceuticals and medical devices under 6.5. NOROVIRUS AT WINTER Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. • Major functions include: Regulatory control over OLYMPICS the import of drugs, approval of new drugs and clinical trials, meetings of Drugs Consultative Why in news? Committee (DCC) and Drugs Technical Advisory At the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Board (DTAB), approval of certain licences as Korea, there have been many cases of infection Central Licence with Norovirus. Mother-to-child-transmission Details • Intervention in MTCT cases usually involves – • Norovirus is a very contagious virus. It’s a o Antiretroviral treatment for the mother common cause of gastroenteritis, or and a short course of antiretroviral drug inflammation of the intestine. for the baby. • It spreads from an infected person mainly by o Counselling and psychological support to direct contact (such as shaking hands), by help mothers safeguard their children touching an infected surface or though against the infections. contaminated water and food. • Steps being taken in India: o Earlier in India, ‘Single dose therapy’ was 6.6. BIRD FLU being practised wherein the ART was administered 72 hrs before birth. Why in news? However, in 2014 WHO recommended ‘multidrug therapy’ was adopted. • India has declared itself free from Bird o Multidrug Therapy is a combination of Flu (highly pathogenic Avian Influenza - H5N1 three drugs — Tenofovir, Lamivudine And and H5N8) and notified it to the World Efavirenz (TLE) which the infected mother Organisation for Animal Health. is required to take throughout their lives • The move will help it resume export of except nevirapine which is supposed to poultry products to the countries which had be taken by new born only for six weeks. banned trade in such items early this year. o In 2002, Prevention of Parent to Child Avian Influenza Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PPTCT) • program was launched. There are 3 types of influenza viruses: types A, B, and C. Influenza A viruses infect humans About HIV and many different animals • The Human Immunodeficiency Virus targets the • Influenza type A viruses are classified into immune system and weakens people's defence subtypes according to the combinations of systems against infections and some types of different virus surface proteins cancer making infected individuals Haemagglutinin (H) and Neuraminidase (N). immunodeficient gradually. • The most advanced stage of HIV infection is • Influenza A viruses can be classified as avian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), influenza, swine influenza, or other types of which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop animal influenza viruses depending on the individual. AIDS is defined by • Examples include avian influenza "bird flu" the development of certain cancers, infections, or virus subtypes such as A (H5N1) and A(H9N2). other severe clinical manifestations. • It can be transmitted via the exchange of a variety World organization for Animal Health of body fluids from infected individuals, such as • It is recognised as a reference organisation by the blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions. World Trade Organization (WTO) and in 2017 has • Individuals cannot become infected through a total of 181 Member Countries. ordinary day-to-day contact such as hugging, • It maintains permanent relations with 71 shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food other international and regional organisations. or water. • Ban is lifted after 90 days of the surveillance is done by the organization.

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6.7. H1N1 VIRUS (SWINE FLU) • Government had issued a specific guideline for paediatric TB under Revised National TB Why in news? Control Program (RNTCP). • RNTCP aims at diagnosing and treating TB • Government removed antiviral drugs- throughout the country. It uses DOTS oseltamivir and zanavir - from schedule X (Directly Observed Treatment Short course) category allowing all pharmacies to sell and and DOTS-plus strategy (where there are stock these drugs. significant cases of MDR-TB) • These drugs were earlier restricted as their misuse and overuse can lead to drug Recently, Moscow Declaration was also adopted resistance. in WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Tuberculosis with an aim towards achieving SDG • Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945: Any sale of medicine in the country is regulated under this Goal 3.3.2 to end epidemic of TB incidence per act. 1000 population. • Drugs specified in Schedules H, H1 and X cannot Drug Resistant TB be sold except on, and in accordance with the MDR-TB prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner • It is TB that does not to at least isoniazid from a licensed premises. and rifampicin (2 of the most powerful first line About H1N1 Virus drugs) • It is developed due to • It is a contagious respiratory disease caused o Inappropriate or incorrect use of by Type A strains of the Swine Influenza virus. antimicrobial drugs, • It enters body through inhalation of droplets o Use of ineffective formulations of drugs (such or is transferred from a contaminated surface as use of single drugs, poor quality medicines to eyes, nose or mouth and can spread from or bad storage conditions) o human to human. Premature treatment interruption. • Recently, Ministry of Health has approved • It is called swine flu because in the past, the Delamanid drug in order to combat the increasing people who caught it had direct contact with burden of MDR-TB. pigs. • Delamanid will be inducted parallel to Bedaquiline under Revised National Tuberculosis Control 6.8. TUBERCULOSIS Program (RNTCP) and not replace it XDR-TB Why in News? • It is resistant to at least four of the core anti-TB • A joint study conducted by Foundation for drugs such as levofloxacin or moxifloxacin, amikacin, capreomycin or kanamycin.) Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and • Developed due to same mechanism as MDR-TB. Revised National TB Control Programme TDR-TB or XXDR-TB (RNTCP), has found that the Multi-Drug • TB which is resistant to all the first and second Resistant (MDR) TB is higher among children line TB drugs. than expected. • This makes it almost but not totally impossible to treat. Paediatric TB GeneXpert MTB/RIF Test • Paediatric MDR-TB cases had not been • It detects the presence of TB bacteria documented so far. (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), as well as tests for resistance and genetic mutation to the drug • Children are more prone to primary MDR –TB Rifampicin. infection as they are in close contact with

infected person. • TB diagnosis in children is complicated due to challenges associated with sample collection and poor sensitivity of tests like the Acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear. • Thus, the foundation FIND started rolling out GeneXpert to diagnose TB

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6.9. HOME GROWN VACCINE • Apart from oral medicine Health ministry FOR LEPROSY: introduced Rotavirus vaccine under UIP will also help in reducing diarrhoea mortality. MYCOBACTERIUM INDICUS What is Diarrhea? PRANII • Can be causes by virus, bacteria and parasite. Why in News? • Diarrhea is having frequent, loose stools which causes dehydration • National Institute of Immunology has • Can be spread from affected person, developed Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii contaminated food or drinking contaminated (MIP), an indigenous vaccine for leprosy. water. • Can be prevented with safe drinking water, What is Leprosy? sanitation, breastfeeding/appropriate nutrition • Bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium and hand-washing. leprae, What is ORS (Oral Rehydration Salt Solution)? • Affects the skin and peripheral nerves. • ORS is a glucose-electrolyte solution containing • Long incubation period generally 5-7 years. salt and sugar water. • Timely diagnosis and treatment of cases, before • It can be simple, cheap and effective for all age nerve damage has occurred, is the most effective groups. way of preventing disability. • Supplemented with Zinc tablet, the duo is called ORS Jodi. Highlights National Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) Program in • India has been declared Leprosy free country 1985-86 in 2005 because of less than one case per • Improving maternal knowledge related to the use 10,000 population. of home available fluids. • Ensuring availability of ORS packets at health • MIP is now being introduced into the facilities. National Leprosy Elimination Programme • Integrated part of Child Survival and Safe (NLEP). It will boost the immune system Motherhood (CSSM) Program. against the bacterial disease. 6.11. FIRST INDIA-DESIGNED 6.10. INTENSIFIED DIARRHOEA VACCINE PASSED WHO TEST CONTROL FORTNIGHT Why in news? Why in news? Recently, India made ROTAVAC vaccine and • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Typbar Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine received has launched the Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight (IDCF) in order to reduce WHO pre-qualification. child deaths due to diarrhea. ROTAVAC Vacccine Background • It is a low cost vaccine developed by Bharat • WHO estimated diarrhea is second leading Biotech Limited under an innovative PPP cause of death under five year age of children model involving Ministry of Science and worldwide. Technology, institutions of the US • Despite of consistent decline in Infant Government and various NGOs. Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under-Five • Mortality Rate (U5MR) there has been 1 lakh It has been included in India’s Universal deaths due to diarrhoea in India. Immunization Program in 2016. Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight (IDCF) Typbar Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine • ASHA worker would undertake distribution of • It is the world’s first typhoid vaccine, ORS packets to households with under-five developed by Bharat Biotech limited that can children in her village. be given to infants older than six months. It • ORS-Zinc Corners will be set-up at health care and confers long-term protection against facilities and non-health facilities such as typhoid fever. Schools and Anganwadi centres. 56 8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD

Significance of Pre-Qualification • This initiative will strengthen the cardiovascular disease component of the • Accelerate availability of the vaccine to the Health Ministry’s National Program for developing countries with highest burden of Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) and is aligned • Increases the scope for credible industrial, with WHO’s Global HEARTS Initiative and scientific and regulatory processes to National Guidelines. develop more vaccines in the country. 6.12.2. JEEVAN BINDI • Necessary for United Nation agencies like Why in news? UNICEF, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and GAVI (a vaccine A Singapore based marketing agency and alliance) to purchase the vaccine in Maharashtra based NGO developed a Vermillion (Bindi) named Jeevan-Bindi which contains partnership with developing countries. iodine. Rotavirus Iodine • It is the most common cause of diarrhoea among • It is a trace mineral and a nutrient found naturally infants and young children. in the body and can be easily fortified with salt. • It usually transmitted by the faecal-oral route and • Humans need iodine for the production of thyroid infects and damages the cells in the small hormones. intestines and causes gastroenteritis. • It needed for the cells to convert food into energy. Typhoid • Deficiency leads to goiter, hyperthyroidism, • It is caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. stunted growth or intellectual disabilities. • The infection is often passed on through • Source: seafood, daily products, and other protein contaminated food and drinking water, and it is food. more prevalent in places where hand washing is National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control less frequent. Programme 1992 • It aims at bring the prevalence of IDD( to below 6.12. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN 5% in the country NON-COMMUNICABLE • It ensures 100% consumption of adequately DISEASES iodated salt (15ppm) at the household level. • Iodate the entire edible salt in the country. According to India State Level Disease Burden Jeevan Bindi Report, over the past 26 years the pattern of diseases has shifted from communicable, • It is medically enhanced version of regular maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases bindi, embedded with iodine along with the (CMNNDs) to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) adhesive base. and injuries. • Bindi delivers the daily requirement of iodine 100-150 adsorption through the skin. 6.12.1. INDIA HYPERTENSION • It needs to be worn every day for up to eight MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE (IHMI) hour to be effective. • This initiative is supplemented with iodine Why in news? pills available at community health centre. Ministry of Heath and Family Welfare (MoHFW) • The initiative focus pregnant women because and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) the effects of iodine deficiency are most launched IHMI. severe in them and reflected in new-born. More about IHMI 6.12.3. THALASSEMIA • Aim: To reduce disability and death related to Why in News? cardiovascular disease (CVD), by improving the control of high blood pressure • On World Thalassemia day (May 8) various (hypertension), reducing salt consumption researchers and health experts called for and eliminating artificial trans-fats, leading National Policy on Thalassemia. risk factors for CVD.

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What is Thalassemia? Other International Initiatives • It is a genetic blood disorder with no cure except • ‘One Health’ approach: to designing and bone marrow transplant (BMT). implementing programmes, policies, legislation • Characterised by abnormal production of and research in which multiple sectors haemoglobin in the body. The abnormality results communicate and work together to achieve in improper oxygen transport and destruction of better public health outcomes against the food red blood cells. safety, the control of zoonoses (diseases that can • Lead to iron overload, bone deformities and in spread between animals and humans, such as flu, severe cases can cause heart diseases. rabies), antimicrobial resistance etc. • It requires regular blood transfusions as an • World Antibiotic Awareness Week. effective measure to prolong life. • The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance • Thalassaemia is now considered as a disability System. under Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, • Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial rather than a health issue. Resistance. 6.13. ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: Details WHO REVISES ANTIBIOTICS WHO has divided the drugs into three categories: PROTOCOL access, watch and reserve. • The ‘access’ category includes commonly Why in news? used antibiotics. They will be available at all WHO has revised antibiotics protocol to curb times as treatment for a wide range of antibiotic resistance. This is the biggest revision common infections. of the antibiotics section in the essential • The ‘watch’ group covers antibiotics that are medicines list (EML) recommended as first or second choice treatment for a small number of infections. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Prescription of these drugs should be • It occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that reduced to avoid further development of render the medications used to cure the resistance. infections and causing them ineffective. • The ‘reserve’ category includes antibiotics • It is the broader term for resistance in different that are considered last-resort options and types of microorganisms and encompasses used only in the most severe circumstances resistance to antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic such as for life-threatening infections due to and antifungal drugs. multidrug-resistant bacteria. • It occurs naturally but is also facilitated by the inappropriate use of medicines. Recently, Ministry of Science and Technology • Microorganisms that become resistant to most have released the Scoping Report on antimicrobials are often referred to as Antimicrobial Resistance in India. “superbugs”. Highlights of the report • It affects the, medical procedures such as organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, major • In 2014, India was the highest consumer of surgeries etc. making them very risky. antibiotics, followed by China and the United WHO (World Health Organization) States. However, the per capita consumption • It is a specialised agency of UN concerned with of antibiotics in India is much lower than in international public health. several other high income countries. • It was established on 7 April 1948, headquartered • India has some of the highest antibiotic in Geneva, Switzerland. resistance rates among bacteria that • The WHO publishes World Health Report. commonly cause infections in the community WHO “Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance” 2015: it has 5 strategic objectives: and healthcare facilities. • To improve awareness and understanding of • It has also pointed that the resistance to antimicrobial resistance. carbapenem class of antibiotics (one of the • To strengthen surveillance and research. last-resort antibiotics to treat serious • To reduce the incidence of infection. bacterial infections in humans) among • To optimize the use of antimicrobial medicines. various bacteria was extremely high. • To ensure sustainable investment in countering • Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are antimicrobial resistance. also increasingly reported among neonates.

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• Essential medicines are the medicines that Policy/Initiatives of Government "satisfy the priority health care needs of the population". • National Policy for Containment of AMR • These are the medications to which people should 2011 provided regulations for use of antibiotics have access at all times in sufficient amounts. The for humans as also for veterinary use along with a prices should be at generally affordable levels. hospital based surveillance system for monitoring • The WHO publishes Model List of Essential antibiotic resistance. Medicines (EML) every two years since 1977. It is • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) used by countries to develop their own local lists has set up a National Anti-Microbial of essential medicine. Resistance Research and Surveillance Network (AMRRSN) to enable compilation of Factors responsible for antibiotic resistance in National Data of AMR at different levels of India Health Care. • Self-medication (to avoid financial burden) • FSSAI has set certain guidelines limiting the • Access to antibiotics without prescription antibiotics in food products such as fish and • Use of pharmacies and informal healthcare honey. providers as sources of healthcare. • Recently, Ministry Of Health has notified an • Inadequate public sector diagnostic amendment to the Food Safety & Standards laboratory and Unaffordability of private labs (Contaminants, Toxins & Residues) • Mass bathing as part of religious occasions Regulations, 2011, to set maximum • Antibiotics as growth promoters in food permissible limits for the presence of animals and poultry antibiotics and other drugs in meat and meat • Effluents from the antibiotic manufacturing products, including chicken. units leading to contamination of rivers and • Red Line Campaign on Antibiotics 2016, was lakes launched to create awareness regarding • Disposal of untreated sewage into water rational usage and limiting the practice of bodies self-medication of antibiotics among the • Prevalence of various Healthcare Associated general public. Infections (HAI). • National Health Policy 2017 envisions a holistic framework against AMR. Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI) • The National Action Plan on Antimicrobial • Also called nosocomial infections, HAI are passed onto the patients after being admitted at the Resistance (NAP-AMR) 2017 has assigned hospital facility. coordinated tasks to multiple government • International Nosocomial Infection Control agencies involving health, education, Consortium is an international scientific environment, and livestock to change organisation that works to fight against healthcare prescription practices and consumer associated infections. behaviour and to scale up infection control Implications and antimicrobial surveillance. • Creates additional suffering for patients and o The strategic objectives of NAP-AMR are comes at a high cost for their families. aligned with the WHO’s Global Action • It increases hospital stays and creates long-term Plan on AMR (GAP-AMR). disability • Increases resistance to antimicrobials 6.14. PLANT DISEASES • Increases cost burden for healthcare systems and causes unnecessary deaths. Plant disease is an impairment of the normal Causes of HAI state of a plant that interrupts or modifies its vital • Lack of proper Equipment, Understaffing and functions. Types of Plant diseases. Overcrowding, Lack of knowledge of injection and blood transfusion safety, Prolonged and • Rust: Fungal disease that attacks roses, inappropriate use of invasive devices and hollyhocks, snapdragons, daylilies, beans, antibiotics etc. tomatoes and lawns. Recently, a Bengaluru firm received the international • Wheat blast: Fungal disease that attacks the CARB-X grant to develop antibiotics to treat HAI. standing crop. Fungus responsible for the CARB-X a public-private international partnership to wheat blast disease is known as address the gap in antibiotic R&D and to improve diagnosis & treatment of drug-resistant infections. Magnaporthe oryzae

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• Pink Bollworm: It is a type of insects attack through agronomic practices, conventional plant on cotton which has severely impacted cotton breeding, or modern biotechnology. It aims to plantations in various parts of the country. increase nutrient levels in crops during plant • Blight: Blight is easily recognizeable by the growth rather than through manual means during suddent death of all plant tissue including processing of the crops. • The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India leaves, stems and flowers. Blight is typically (FSSAI) released a set of standards and a logo (+F casued by wet and humid conditions. logo) last year for all fortified packaged food. • Cotton Whitefly: Whiteflies are sucking insects and their feeding removes nutrients 6.16. MILK ADULTERATION from the plant • Chlorosis (discoloration): Chlorosis is when a Why in news? green tissue turns yellow. It has many causes A recent study on milk samples in Delhi found including pathogens, lack of nutrients, and wide adulteration. lack of water. • Leaf Spot: Leaf spots are yellow or brown Adulteration: Most common harmful adulterants lesions (often look like burn marks) that takes include starch, chlorine, hydrated lime, sodium place on leaves. These are caused by carbonate, formalin and ammonium sulphate. pathogens, fungi, pesticide damage and Milk producers use these to scrimp on milk insect feeding. portions and prepare “synthetic milk” by mixing urea, caustic soda, refined oil and common 6.15. FORTIFIED FOODS TO detergents. TACKLE MALNUTRITION Common Adulterant Used for Calcium Carbide and Copper For ripening of Why in news? Sulphate Fruit • Targeting children, Rajasthan, MP, Haryana Colours (Metallic- not permitted) To enhance the and Himachal Pradesh governments have appearance of Fruits & vegetable begun using fortified oil for their mid-day Oxytocin (triggers early puberty Induce growth in meal schemes. among girls, male breast etc.) Vegetable and • West Bengal and A&N Islands are distributing animals fortified wheat flour through the public Saccharin Induce sweetness distribution system. in fruits

• Enrichment of food is a process by which Parrafin Wax For Shiny nutrients are added. Typically, the added appearance of nutrients were present in the food in its original fruits form, but were removed at some point during Metanil yelllow For colouring processing. yellow dal • Fortification of food is the practice of deliberately Related facts increasing the content of an essential • Neutralizers are substances added to prevent micronutrient, i.e. vitamins and minerals (such as curdling and increase the shelf life of milk. They iron, iodine, zinc) in a food, so as to improve the could be added in the form of caustic soda, sodium nutritional quality of the food supply bicarbonate and sodium carbonate. • Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved

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7. PHARMACEUTICALS 7.1. ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL 7.2. PRICE CAP ON KNEE INGREDIENTS IMPLANTS

Why in News? Why in News? Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has • Recently, NPPA capped the prices of knee sought support from other government implants, in a move to reduce product prices departments to reduce India’s import by as much as 69%. dependence on Active Pharmaceutical More on news Ingredients (APIs). • The central drug regulator has requested the More on news Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare • Bulk drugs or APIs are the active raw to set up a committee to work out ways to materials used in a drug that give it the bring heart valves, orthopaedic implants and therapeutic effect. intra ocular (eye) lenses under the National • V.M. Katoch committee was formed to List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). formulate a long-term policy and strategy for • In response, US firms have approached the promoting domestic manufacture of United States Trade Representative (USTR) APIs/bulk drugs in India. against the price capping with a request to • Recently, Heavy Water Board has signed an either suspend or withdraw India’s benefits agreement with an Indian firm for supply of under Generalised System of Preferences Heavy Water for development of deuterium (GSP). labeled compounds, NMR Solvents, d-labeled o GSP is a preferential tariff system Active Pharma Ingredients (APIs). extended by developed countries to developing countries involving reduced Heavy Water Board (HWB), • It’s a constituent unit of Industries and Minerals MFN tariffs or duty free entry of exported Sector under Department of Atomic Energy. products of beneficiary country into the • It is primarily responsible for production of Heavy donor country. Water (Deuterium Oxide-D2O) which is used as a o MFN status is given by one country to 'moderator' and 'Coolant' in the nuclear power as another country with which it is well as research reactors. interested in increasing trade. This status What is Heavy Water? gives specific trade advantages such as • It is a form of water in which the hydrogen in the reduced tariffs. However according to molecules is partly or wholly replaced by the WTO MFN principle, if one country is isotope deuterium. granted a special favour, the same has to • Heavy water may be deuterium oxide, D2O or it be done for all other WTO members. may be deuterium protium oxide, DHO. • Heavy water occurs naturally, although it is much National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) less common than regular water. • NLEM 2015 contains 376 medicines. • Non-nuclear uses: Preservation of Oral Polio • Criteria for inclusion into this list includes public Vaccines, for enhancement of biological efficacy, health emergency, cost effective medicine etc. for enhancing life of lubricants, • Core Committee formed by the Ministry of improving mechanical and chemical properties of Health, reviews and revises the medicines in the polymer etc. NLEM Difference with normal water: • Once a drug or medical device is included in • High boiling and freezing point NLEM, its price can be capped by NPPA • More density National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority [NPPA] • High temperature to achieve maximum density • It is an independent body under Department of • High pH i.e. more basic in nature Pharmaceuticals under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. • Its functions are: o To fix/revise the controlled bulk drugs prices and formulations. o To enforce prices and availability of the 61 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

medicines under the Drugs (Prices Control) photographic film and magnetic recording Order, 1995/2013. tape. o To recover amounts overcharged by • Also made into fibre filling for insulated manufacturers for the controlled drugs from clothing and for furniture and pillows. the consumers. • Industrial applications of PET are automobile o To monitor the prices of decontrolled drugs in order to keep them at reasonable levels. tire yarns, conveyor belts and drive belts, reinforcement for fire and garden hoses, seat 7.3. DIGITAL THERAPEUTICS belts, nonwoven fabrics for stabilizing OR DIGICEUTICALS drainage ditches, culverts, and railroad beds, and disposable medical garments. Why in news? National Institute of Nutrition America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) • The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), has given its approval to some digital established in 1918 and presently located in therapeutics. Hyderabad, is India’s premier nutrition research institute. It is one of the oldest research centers in More about Digital therapeutics India under the Indian Council of Medical Research. • It can broadly be defined as a treatment or • Mission: To enable food and nutrition security therapy that utilizes digital and often conducive to good health, growth & development Internet-based health technologies to spur and increase productivity, so as to achieve the changes in patient behavior to treat a national nutrition goals as per the national medical or psychological condition. It uses nutrition policy. methods rooted in cognitive behavioral • 2018 marks NIN Centenary (1918-2018) therapy to spur patients to make lifestyle Celebrations. It is organising Conference on changes. “Nutrition Before, Beyond and During First 1000 • It is often used as a preventive measure for Days of Life – Evidence to Action” patients who are at risk of developing more serious conditions. For instance, a patient 7.5. BIOSIMILAR FOR CANCER with prediabetes may be prescribed digital Why in news? therapeutics as a method to change their diet and behavior. Recently, Biocon became the first Indian • It can also be used to treat patients with company to get a US Food and Drug psychological and neurological disorders. Administration (USFDA) nod for a biosimilar drug Ogivri. 7.4. USE OF PET BOTTLES FOR More from news MEDICINES • Ogivri is a biosimilar to Herceptin, used for Why in news? treatment of breast cancer or stomach cancer and second for cancer. National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) will assess the health impact of the use of polyethylene What are biosimilars? terephthalate (PET) or plastic bottles to package • A biosimilar medicine is a biological medicine medicines. that is developed to be highly similar and About Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) clinically equivalent to an existing biological medicine. • PET is a strong, stiff synthetic fibre and resin, • A biosimilar contains a version of an active and a member of the polyester family of substance of an already approved biological polymers. medicine, which is referred to as the • It is produced by the polymerization of ‘reference medicine’ or ‘originator medicine’. ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. • They are different from generic medicines, Applications because they contain simpler chemical structures and are identical, in terms of • It is a major industrial polymer and is used for molecular structure, to their reference drugs. making disposable beverage bottles,

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• Development of Biosimilars is challenging as 7.6. NATIONAL BIOPHARMA it requires high investment and much longer time as compared to generic drug MISSION manufacturing. Recently, Innovate in India (i3) i.e. the National Biological Medicines Biopharma Mission was launched by the • Biological medicines are derived from living cells government to make India a hub for design and or organisms. development of novel, affordable and effective • These medicines are proteins, such as hormones biopharmaceutical products and solutions. or antibodies that the human body produces but in certain diseases, their production shuts down About Biopharma mission or weakens. • Currently India has only 2.8% share in the global • The most important biological medicines are used biopharmaceutical market, the program would to treat elevate this to 5% resulting in an additional o Diabetes by substituting for the body’s own business opportunity of 16 Billion USD. insulin production • The Mission to be implemented by Biotechnology o Various cancers, difficult skin and joint Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a diseases, asthma etc. Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology, will bring together expertise from national and international corridors to provide strategic guidance and direction to move promising solutions through the product development value chain.

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8. IPR

8.1. INTERNATIONAL Highlights of the IIPI 2018 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY • USA topped the list followed by UK and INDEX 2018 Sweden. • India has been ranked 44 out of 50 countries Why in news? up from 43 out of 45 in 5th edition. Recently, Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC) Steps taken by Government to improve the of US Chambers of Commerce had released the Intellectual Property Rights ecosystem International Intellectual Property Index (IIPI). • A comprehensive National IPR policy has What is Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)? been put in place. (please refer to the box) • Intellectual Property refers to creation of mind such as inventions, literary and artistic works and • Integrated approach and synergy had been symbols, names and images used in commerce. adopted through transferring various IP • IPR are the rights which allow creators of patents, offices and Acts under DIPP and also merging trademarks or copyrighted work to benefit them Copyrights Board with Intellectual Property for their own work or investment. These rights Appellate Board. have been outlined in Article 27 of Universal • Cell for IPR Promotion and Management has Declaration of Human Rights. also been established for assisting in • The importance of IPR was first recognized in the simplifying and streamlining of IP processes Paris Convention for the protection of Industrial as well as creating IPR awareness, Property (1883) and Berne Convention for the commercialization and enforcement. Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886) (both administered by WIPO). • A Scheme for facilitating Start-up Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) has been National Intellectual Rights Policy launched for encouraging innovation and It is a vision document which aims to create and creativity of Start-Ups. exploit synergies between all form of intellectual • India has also become the 90th member of property, concerned statuses and agencies. Madrid Protocol. Main objectives of the policy are – • IPR Awareness and outreach Madrid Protocol • Stimulate the generation of IPR • It is an international treaty that allows a • Strong legal and legislative framework trademark owner to seek registration in any of the • Modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR countries that have joined Madrid Protocol by Administration filing a single application. • Commercialisation of IPR • International Bureau of the World Intellectual • Enforcement and Adjustment for combating IPR Property Organisation administers the adjustment international registration system. • Human Capital Development for teaching, • The Department of Industrial Policy and training, research and skill building in IPRs. CIPAM, a professional body created under DIPP has Promotion (DIPP) has inked agreement with been entrusted with the implementation of the Punjab State Council of Science and National IPR Policy 2016. Technology to establish India’s first TISC (Technology and Innovation Support About the Index Center). • It is an annual Index which examines a o TISC is WIPO’s (World Intellectual country’s Intellectual Property (IP) framework Property Organisations) program that across eight categories of indicators – provides innovators in developing patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade countries with access to locally based, secrets and market access, enforcement, high quality technology information and commercialisation of IP assets, systemic related services. efficiencies and ratification of international o The program will help innovators to fully treaties. exploit their creative potential and also protect their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).

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o CIPAM (Cell for IPR Promotion and • About the Nilambur Teak Management) has been designated as o It is also known as Malabar teak and the the national focal point for the TISC Mecca of Teak. network. o It is the first forest produce to get GI tag. • Scheme for IPR Awareness –Creative India; o It is known for its durability, earthy Innovative India has been launched by colour and larger size. CIPAM to raise IPR awareness across India o It exhibits high resistance to fungal decay • CIPAM has also launched IPrism, an and shows antioxidant properties Intellectual Property Competition for college making it ideal for usage in construction and university students to foster a culture of purposes like Buckingham Palace, the innovation and creativity. Kabba building in Mecca, the Titanic etc. o It is also known for hydrophobicity and its WIPO oily nature. • WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property o services, policy, information and cooperation. Teak also has the highest capacity for • It a specialized a self-funding agency of the United carbon sequestration among trees in Nations, with 189 member states. India. • It was established in 1967 and is headquartered in About the Gobindobhog rice Geneva, Switzerland. • A speciality from Burdwan district of West 8.2. GEOGRAPHICAL Bengal. INDICATION • It is cultivated late and therefore not much affected by rains.

Why in news? • It is less prone to pests as well. Recently, Geographical Indication (GI) registry • The productivity per area is high and farmers granted GI tag to: get better prices for of this variety. • Stone sculptures of Mamallapuram GI Tag for other Rice variety in India: • Kalanamak Rice: Uttar Pradesh • Etikoppaka toys. • Basmati rice: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh • Banglar rosogulla (West Bengal). and Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh and • Gobindobhog rice, a speciality from Burdwan Jammu & Kashmir district of West Bengal. • Ambemohar Rice: Maharashtra • Nilambur Teak: grown in Nilambur region • Palakkadan Matta Rice, Navara rice, Pokkali Rice, Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice, Wayanad Gandhakasala Rice, Kaipad Rice: Kerala Other GI product from WEST Bengal Darjeeling Tea, Santiniketan Leather Goods, Laxman Bhog Mango, Fazli Mango, Himsagar (Khirsapati Mango), Santipore Saree, Baluchari Saree, Dhaniakhali Saree, Joynagarer Moa, Bardhman Sitabhog and Bardhman Mihidana. Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 • As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), India enacted the Act to comply with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). • GI is covered as element of intellectual property rights (IPRs) under Paris Convention for Protection of Industrial Property. • The Act is administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is also the Registrar of Geographical Indications. How are GI protected • Sui Generis Systems (i.e. special regimes of protection) • Using Collective Or Certification; and 65 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

• Methods focusing on business practices, including • Copyrights in India are governed by “The administrative product approval schemes. Copyright Act, 1957”. What is GI tag? • It is an indication that is definite to a specific Trademark geographical territory. It is used for agricultural, • It refers to graphical representation of goods natural and manufactured goods having special or services to make it distinguishable from quality and established reputation. the others • For a product to get the tag, it needs to be produced or processed or prepared in that region. • It can be words, symbols, sound, colours, • The registration of a GI is valid for 10 years after shape of goods, graphics representation or which it needs to be renewed. packaging etc. • GIs support local production and are an • They are governed under Trademarks Act, important economic tool for the uplift of rural and 1999 (amended in 2010) under aegis of DIPP tribal communities. • The ‘fair usage’ of certain trademarks for the • GI is a collective right. Producers can use the purpose of education, research etc. is not collective GI mark to commercially exploit the available under the Trademarks Act. products. Therefore the third party is required to seek • Geographical Indicators in India are governed by permission from the owner every time. “The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999”. Design Types of IPR (apart from Geographical • An industrial design consists of the creation Indications) of a shape, configuration or composition of Patent pattern or color, or combination of pattern and color in three-dimensional form • A patent is granted for an invention which is containing aesthetic value. a new product or process that meets • An industrial design can be a two- or three- conditions of novelty, non-obviousness and dimensional pattern used to produce a industrial use. product, industrial commodity or handicraft. • Novelty means inventive step is the feature(s) • Designs in India are governed by “The of the invention that involves technical Designs Act 2000”. advance as compared to existing knowledge. Plant Variety Protection • Non-obviousness means the invention is not obvious to a person skilled in the art. • It refers to the protection granted for plant • Industrial use means that the invention is varieties. These rights are given to the capable of being made or used in an industry. farmers and plant breeders to encourage the • Patents in India are governed by “The patent development of new varieties of plants. Act 1970” which was amended in 2005 to • Plant variety protection in India is governed make it compliant with TRIPS. by “The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001”. Copyright NOTE: Stone sculptures of Mamallapuram, and • Copyright is a right given by the law to creators of literary, dramatic, musical and pur Etikoppaka toys are covered in culture artistic works and producers of booklet

cinematograph films and sound recordings. • This right allows its creator the rights of reproduction, communication to the public, adaptation and translation of the work.

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9. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY 9.1. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY • How it works: When sunlight strikes the PV module, made of a semiconductor material, Why in news? electrons are stripped from their atomic bonds. This flow of electrons produces an Recently, world's largest solar park of 2,000 MW, electric current. Types of solar cell named as 'Shakti Sthala' set up at Pavagada in o First Generation solar cells are made Tumakuru district, Karnataka. from silicon, are usually flat-plate. Solar Park scheme o Second-generation solar cells are called thin-film solar cells because they are • Launched by Ministry of New and renewable made from amorphous silicon or Energy (MNRE) and implemented by Solar nonsilicon materials such as cadmium Energy Corporation (SECI). telluride. • Objective: To create at least 50 solar parts o Third-generation solar cells: They are with a capacity of 500 MW and above by made from a variety of new materials 2019-20. besides silicon, including solar inks using • Solar Park: It’s a concentrated zone of conventional printing press technologies, development of solar power generation solar dyes, and conductive plastics. projects and provides developers an area that is well constructed, with proper Perovskite Solar Cells infrastructure, access to amenities and by • What is Perovskite: A perovskite is a material minimizing paper works for project that has the same crystal structure as the implementation. mineral calcium titanium oxide (also known Solar Energy Corporation of India ltd" (SECI) as Perovskite). • It’s a CPSU under the administrative control of the • Perovskite Solar Cell is one that includes a MNRE, perovskite-structured compound, most • Objective: It’s responsible for implementation of commonly a hybrid organic-inorganic lead or a number of schemes of MNRE, major ones being tin halide-based material, as the light- the VGF schemes for large-scale grid-connected harvesting active layer. projects under JNNSM, solar park scheme and • grid-connected solar rooftop scheme etc Perovskite captures energy from a different • It is the only CPSU dedicated to the solar energy part of sunlight’s wavelength than silicon. sector. • Perovskite solar cells in last few years have Sunrush: It’s a 25-year period (1992-2017) in which outpaced all other third-generation solar solar power has grown exponentially, transforming the technologies in terms of efficiency and cost. technology from rarefied oddity to the world’s fastest- growing energy source. 9.2. INDIA'S THREE-STAGE Solar technology NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME • Solar energy is the cleanest, most abundant It was formulated by Dr. Homi Bhabha in the renewable energy source available. 1950s to secure the country’s long term energy • Three primary technologies by which solar independence, through the use of uranium and energy is commonly harnessed by: thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of o Photovoltaics (PV): It directly convert coastal regions of South India. sunlight to electricity. Objective: To utilize the known resources of o Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): It uses thorium reserve found in India (India has 25% of heat from the sun (thermal energy) to world thorium reserves but only 1-2% global drive utility-scale, electric turbines. uranium reserve), to provide safe and reliable About Solar Cells/Photovoltaic (PV) Cells: PV electric power for the country’s social and gets its name from the process of converting light economic progress and to be self-reliant in all (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called aspects of nuclear technology. the PV effect.

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STAGE 1: PRESSURISED HEAVY WATER REACTOR Moderat Water water Heavy Not or water required • In this natural uranium (0.7 % fissile U-235 (D2O) and the rest is U-238) fuelled pressurised Fuel Uraniu Uranium UO2 or Plutonium heavy water reactors (PHWR) which produce m dioxide metal dioxide and dioxide (UO2) UO2 in electricity while generating plutonium-239 as different by-product. combinatio ns STAGE II – FAST BREEDER REACTOR Enrichme Low- Low- Not- Various • In the second stage, fast breeder reactors nt level enriche enriched enriched mixtures of (FBRs) would use a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel d P-239 and U-235 made from plutonium-239, recovered by reprocessing spent fuel from the first stage, BWR – boiling water reactor // PWR – pressurized and natural uranium. water reactor. • In FBRs, plutonium-239 undergoes fission to produce energy, while the uranium-238 9.3. COLD FUSION present in the mixed oxide fuel transmutes to Cold Fusion additional plutonium-239. • Thus, the Stage II FBRs are designed to • Cold fusion describes a form of energy "breed" more fuel than they consume. generated when hydrogen interacts with various metals like nickel and palladium. STAGE III – THORIUM BASED REACTORS Excess heat is generated by the interaction • A Stage III reactor or an advanced nuclear that can be used to turn the turbine. power system involves a self-sustaining • Cold fusion seeks to produce nuclear energy series of thorium-232- uranium-233 fuelled without harmful radiation, complex reactors. equipment and the application of very high • This would be a thermal breeder reactor, temperatures and pressures. which in principle can be refueled after its • The major challenge is to control the initial fuel charge using only naturally reaction. occurring thorium. • According to the three-stage programme, 9.4. GRAPHENE BASED Indian nuclear energy could grow to about 10 BATTERY GW through PHWRs fueled by domestic uranium, and the growth above that would Why in news have to come from FBRs till about 50GW. Recently, Scientists have developed a new About Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) graphene-based battery material with charging speed five times faster than lithium-ion batteries. • Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is a statutory body created by the President About Graphene under Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out • Graphene form of carbon consists of planar the regulatory and safety functions under the sheets (2D structure) which are one atom Act. thick, with the atoms arranged in a • It derives its regulatory powers from the rules hexagonal lattice (honeycomb-shaped and notifications promulgated under the lattice). Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the • Very good conductor of electricity and heat Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. • About 200 times stronger than steel and BWR PWR PHWR FBR nearly transparent. Purpose Electrici Electricit Electricit Electricity, • Impermeable to gases ty y, y, plutonium nuclear plutoniu production • Applications: It can be used as/in Paints and powered m coatings, lubricants, oils and functional fluids, ships producti capacitors and batteries, thermal on management applications, display materials Coolant Water water Heavy Molten, and packaging, solar cells, inks and 3D- water liquid (D2O) sodium printers’ materials and films etc.

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Types of Batteries • Cost: Despite the higher upfront cost of Alkaline batteries lithium-ion batteries, the true cost of • They are non-rechargeable, high energy density, ownership is far less than lead acid when batteries that have a long life span. considering life span and performance. • Electrolyte used in it is alkaline (non-acidic). • Environmental Impact: Lithium-ion batteries • Generally, it has zinc as anode and a carbon are a much cleaner technology and are safer rod/manganese dioxide as cathode with potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte. This is for the environment. similar to dry cell where only electrolyte is Common usage of Li-ion battery: Pacemakers, different, i.e., ammonium chloride. digital cameras, Smartphones, Solar Power Non-alkaline batteries: They are similar to alkaline Storage, battery backup systems, Rocket launcher batteries except the electrolyte used is acidic in etc. nature, generally a mixture of ammonium chloride and zinc chloride. 9.6. ARTIFICIAL LEAF • In lead acid battery, the reaction of lead and lead oxide with the sulfuric acid electrolyte produces a Why in news? voltage Scientists at CSIR have developed an artificial leaf Fuel cell that absorbs sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel • A fuel cell uses the chemical energy of hydrogen or another fuel to cleanly and efficiently produce from water. electricity. If hydrogen is the fuel, electricity, CSIR water, and heat are the only products. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is India’s • Fuel cells work like batteries, but they do not run premier national R&D organisation established in down or need recharging. They produce electricity 1942. and heat as long as fuel is supplied. • It operates as an autonomous body under • Fuel-cell vehicles use a completely different Societies Registration Act 1860 and comes broadly propulsion system from conventional vehicles under purview of Ministry of Science and that can be two or three times more efficient Technology. • Hydrogen as a pure gas is not easily available. • Prime Minister of India is the chairman of CSIR. Thus, making it very costly source of energy. Bionic Leaf uses solar energy to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, and hydrogen-eating 9.5. LITHIUM-ION BATTERY bacteria to produce liquid fuels from CO2. Why in news? Mechanism • Recently, ISRO has approved commercial use • Artificial leaf is an ultra-thin wireless device of lithium-ion battery technology. that consists of semi-conductors stacked in such a manner as to simulate the natural leaf Advantages of lithium-ion batteries over lead system. acid batteries • When visible light strikes the semi- • Weight: Lithium-ion batteries are one-third conductors electrons move in single direction the weight of lead acid batteries. thus producing electric current which almost • Efficiency: Lithium-ion batteries are nearly instantaneously splits water into hydrogen. 100% efficient in both charge and discharge • A palm size artificial leaf can produce six litres while the lead batteries have the 70% of hydrogen fuel per hour thus making it efficiency. extremely environment friendly. • Discharge: Lithium-ion batteries are discharged 100% versus less than 80% for 9.7. SUPERCRITICAL CO2- lead acid. BRAYTON CYCLE • Cycle Life: Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries cycle 5000 times or more compared to just Why in news? 400-500 cycles in lead acid. Indian scientists have developed a super critical • Voltage: Lithium-ion batteries maintain their carbon dioxide Brayton test loop facility that voltage throughout the entire discharge would help generate clean energy from future cycle. Lead acid voltage drops consistently power plants. throughout the discharge cycle.

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Brayton cycle - A thermodynamic cycle using constant • The term “supercritical” describes the state pressure, heat addition and rejection to spin the of carbon dioxide above its critical blades of a turbine, which can be used to generate temperature of 31°C and critical pressure of electricity. 73 atmospheres making it twice as dense as Key facts steam. • Today’s thermal power plants use steam to • This is India’s first test-bed for next carry heat away from the source and turn a generation, efficient, compact, waterless turbine to generate power. However, it could super critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle generate more power if, instead of steam, test loop for power generation. supercritical CO2 (SCO2) is used.

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10. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

10.1. INDIA'S SPENDING ON Details R&D • While India spent 0.69 per cent of its GDP on Background R&D in 2014-15, other major countries spent much more. As per a study of the National Science and • India topped the list with regard to the Technology Management Information System government’s participation in R&D but hit the (NSTMIS), India's gross research spending on R&D bottom in terms of participation of has consistently been increasing over the years. institutions of higher education. Recently Ministry of Science & Technology announced • The central government accounted for 45.1 four new schemes to promote young scientists and per cent of total expenditure, followed by researchers in the country. private sector industries (38.1 per cent), state Teacher Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE) governments (7.4 per cent), higher education Scheme sector (3.9 per cent) and the public sector • It aims to tap the latent potential of faculty industries (5.5 per cent). working in state universities, colleges and private • Women’s participation in extra mural R&D academic institutions who are well trained but projects has increased significantly from a have difficulty in pursuing their research due to reasons like lack of facilities, funding and mere 13% in 2000-01 to 29 % in 2014-15. guidance. • The country's share in global research • The scheme facilitates mobility of such faculty publications increased from 2.2 per cent in members to carryout research in well-established 2000 to 3.7 per cent in 2013 while the public funded institution such as IITs, IISc, NITs, number of researchers per million population CSIR, ICAR, etc. Up to 500 TAs (Teacher increased from 110 in 2000 to 218 in 2015. Associates) will be supported under this scheme. Overseas Visiting Doctoral Fellowship (OVDF) Other scheme launched • This has been instituted for enhancing the NIDHI (National Initiative for Development and international mobility of Indian research Harnessing Innovations), students with potential to create a talented pool • It’s an umbrella program by the Department of of globally trained manpower. Science & Technology (DST) for nurturing ideas • It offers opportunities for up to 100 PhD students and innovations (knowledge-based and admitted in the Indian institutions for gaining technology-driven) into successful startups. exposure and training in overseas universities for • Aim: to provide technological solutions not only period up to 12 months during their doctoral to the pressing needs of the society but also research. targets to create new avenues for wealth and job Distinguished Investigator Award (DIA) creation. • This has been initiated to recognize and reward KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Principal Investigators (PIs) of Science and Advancement through Nurturing) Engineering Research Board/Department of • Implemeted by Department of Science & Science and Technology projects who have technology performed remarkably well. • Aim: To bring gender equality to the field of • It is a one-time career award devised to science and technology and build leadership specifically cater to the younger scientists who positions for women have not received any other prestigious awards or • Objective: To increase the number of lady fellowships. researchers in the country, and to provide Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research research grants, especially to those who are (AWSAR) scheme female researchers and technologists taking a • This has been initiated to encourage, empower break in their career due to household or and endow popular science writing through domestic compulsions. newspapers, magazines, blogs, social media, etc. by young PhD Scholars. • The scheme aims to tap the tremendous potential in the country to popularize & communicate science and also to inculcate scientific temperament in the masses.

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10.2. PRIME MINISTER’S businesses and other self-employment activities, particularly in technology areas. RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP Two core functions of AIM: SCHEME • Entrepreneurship promotion through Self- Employment and Talent Utilization (SETU) where Why in news? innovators will be supported and mentored. • Innovation promotion – to provide a platform Cabinet recently decided to implement “Prime where innovative ideas will be generated. Minister’s Fellowship Scheme”. Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) Community Day About the Scheme • It is an initiative under which 25 young • It is a public-private partnership (PPP) mentors will interact with over 200 children between Science & Engineering Research not enrolled in formal education system by Board (SERB), which is an autonomous body conducting brief sessions. under the Department of Science and • It is aimed at maximising the impact of Atal Technology (DST), Government of India, and Tinkering Lab by extending innovation to Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). children with a purpose to provide them with • It aims to improve the quality of research by same educational tools as the students in attracting the best talents across the country ATL to enable them to become problem and reduce brain drain. solvers and inspire the spirit of innovation. • Under the scheme around 1000 students who have completed B.Tech or integrated M.Tech Atal Tinkering Labs or M.sc in Science and technology streams • They are dedicated innovation play will be offered direct admission in PhD workspaces for students between class 6-12 programme in the IITs/IISc with a fixed to learn innovation skills and develop ideas amount of fellowship. for stimulating innovations. • Apart from this, a research grant of Rs.2 lakhs • Atal Innovation Mission supports will be provided to each of the Fellows for a establishment of ATLs for realising the need period of 5 years to enable them to to create scientific temper and cultivate the participate in international research spirit of curiosity, entrepreneurship and conferences and present research papers. innovation among young minds and achieve Science & Engineering Research Board the vision of “Cultivate one Million children in • It is a statutory body established through an Act India as Neoteric Innovators.” of Parliament. • Under ATLs children will get a chance to work • Supporting basic research in emerging areas of with tools and equipment to understand Science & Engineering are the primary mandate of what, how and why aspects of STEM the Board. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) • The Board is vested with both financial and • These labs are equipped with state of the art administrative powers to enable quicker technology like 3D printers, robotics, sensory decisions on research issues, greatly improving thereby our responsiveness to the genuine needs technology kits, Internet of Things etc. and of the research scientists and the S&T system. are designed to spur the spark of creativity and go beyond regular curriculum and text 10.3. ATL COMMUNITY DAY book learning.

Why in news? Other Initiatives under ATLs Recently Atal Innovation Mission celebrated • Unbox Tinkering – It is a training workshop Community Drive Initiative as a part of ATL for ATL In-charge to make them understand Community Day under aegis of NITI Aayog. the philosophy of the Labs and technically equip them to guide the students. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) • ATL School of the Month Challenge– These • It is government’s endeavour (including Self- were conducted to engage the ATLs. employment and Talent Utilization) to promote a • Atal Tinkering Marathon – They are a 2 culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. • Its objective is to serve as a platform of world- month long events that align with national class Innovation Hubs, Grand Challenges, Start-up mission and focus on clean energy, health,

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smart mobility, smart agriculture, waste contractual research positions to Indian management and water resources. The top citizens and people of Indian origin including performer in the event gets to participate at NRI/PIO status with PhD (in science, multiple external events such as World engineering, pharmacy, medicine, and Robotics Olympiad and Maker Faire. agriculture related subjects) from any • Mentor India programme: It’s a strategic recognized university in the world. nation building initiative to engage leaders Department of Biotechnology (DBT) who can guide and mentor schools students in over 900 Atal Tinkering Labs established by • Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship for Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in schools Indian Nationals who are working overseas across India. in various fields of biotechnology and life sciences and are interested in taking up 10.4. SCHEMES FOR BRAIN scientific research positions in India. GAIN o It allows fellows to work in any of the scientific institutions/ universities in the Department of Science and Technology (DST)- country and would also be eligible for • VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research) regular research grant through faculty scheme extramural and other research schemes o It is being implemented by Science and of various S&T agencies of the Engineering Research Board to enable Government of India. NRI and overseas scientists community to • DBT also runs Welcome Trust Fellowship participate and carry out R&D in the Program (Indian scientists, physicians country. researchers and bio-engineers), and Energy o International Faculty/ scientists/ Biosciences Overseas Fellowship (scientists technologists including Non-resident of Indian origin working outside India to Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin pursue R&D in an Indian scientific institute (PIO) / Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) are /university in fields of energy related offered adjunct / visiting faculty biological sciences and bio-energy). positions in Indian Institutions/ Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) Universities for a period of 1-3 months BIO is the world's largest trade association under this scheme. representing biotechnology companies, academic o The faculty can also undertake the role of institutions, state biotechnology centers and related teaching /mentoring apart from R&D. organizations across the United States and in more o Public funded institutions and national than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in laboratories are allowed to host the the research and development of innovative VAJRA faculty. healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. • Ramanujan Fellowship Program: o for Indian scientists and engineers from The BIO International Convention, hosted by BIO all over the world, especially those who since 1993, is the largest global event for the biotechnology industry and attracts the biggest names wish to return to India, to take up in biotech, offers key networking and partnering scientific research positions at any of the opportunities, and provides insights and inspiration on scientific institutions and universities the major trends affecting the industry. The BIO in India. International Convention helps BIO fulfill its mission to o All areas of science are covered under help grow the global biotech industry. this Fellowship and the Fellowship is given for 5 years duration with financial 10.5. PT. DEEN DAYAL support. UPADHAYAY VIGYAN GRAM o This along with other schemes were referred by Indian delegation to the SANKUL PARIYOJANA Biotechnology Innovation Organization Why in news? (BIO) 2017 held in San Diego • Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Recently, Ministry of Science and technology has Research (INSPIRE) Faculty Scheme: offers a launched Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana in Uttarakhand. 73 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022

About Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram • Areas of intervention would include – Sankul Pariyojana. o Processing and value addition in milk, honey, mushrooms, herbal tea • Under the scheme Department of Science horticulture, forest produce etc. and Technology will adopt and develop a o Traditional handicraft of Uttarakhand cluster of villages into self-sustainable in time o Post-harvest processing of Kiwi, bound manner. strawberry, cherry, tulsi etc. through • In this the local resources and manpower will solar drying be utilised which will be further imparted o Extraction of apricot through cold press value addition in local produce and services. technology • At present four clusters have been identified o Stringent intervention in product and namely - Gaindikhata, Bazeera, Bhigun (in process control will also be maintained Garhwal) and Kausani (in Kumaon) which will for energy and water conservation. be expanded further after validation of these clusters.

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11. AWARDS 11.1. INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE • Neutron stars are created when giant stars die in supernovas and their cores collapse, with the FOR PEACE, DISARMAMENT protons and electrons essentially melting into AND DEVELOPMENT, 2014 each other to form neutrons. • Black holes: It is a place in space where gravity • The Indian Space Research Organization pulls so much that even light can not get out. The (ISRO). gravity is so strong because matter has been • Amul and ISRO have signed a MoU for fodder squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when assessment through satellite technology. a star is dying. • The main objective is What are Gravitational Waves and LIGOs? identification/discrimination between food • crops and fodder crops and identifying Gravitational waves are distortions or suitable areas of current fallows and ‘ripples’ in the fabric of space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic cultivable wastelands at the village level. processes in the Universe (star explodes 11.2. NOBEL IN CHEMISTRY asymmetrically (called a supernova), when two big stars orbit each other, when two Why in News? black holes orbit each other and merge). • These ripples travel at the speed of light • Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded through the Universe, carrying with them to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and information about their cataclysmic origins, Richard Henderson for the development of as well as invaluable clues to the nature of high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy. gravity itself. More on News • Albert Einstein predicted the existence of • Cryo-electron microscopy is a method for gravitational waves in 1916 in his general imaging frozen-hydrated specimens at theory of relativity cryogenic temperatures by electron • To detect these waves scientists developed microscopy. the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave • Specimens that are to be analysed would Observatory or LIGO. remain in their native state without the need Significance for dyes or fixatives, which would allow the study of fine cellular structures, viruses and • It offers a new way to observe the cosmos, protein complexes at molecular resolution. helping scientists explore the nature of mysterious objects including black holes and • Contrary to earlier electron micro-scoping, neutron star. cryo-electron miscroscopy can view solutions (as water would not evaporate under • It helps in solving some big mysteries in microscope’s vacuum). astrophysics – including the cause of bright flashes of light known as “gamma ray bursts” • It helps researchers to freeze biomolecules and even the origins of heavy elements such mid-movement and visualise the processes as gold. they have never previously seen. • Indian contribution played a major role, • It has been used to image the elusive Zika especially in extracting signal from noise, in virus and its medicine associated research. detecting the gravitational waves with the 11.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS engagement of 40 scientists from 13 Indian institutions.

Why in News? Gravitational wave detector in India: INDIGO • Nobel Prize for Physics has been awarded to • India-LIGO project will be a replica of the two Scientists Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip LIGO detectors and would be stationed at a Thorne for contributions to the LIGO perpendicular direction to the detectors in detector and the observation of USA. gravitational waves.

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• It is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy More on News (DAE) & Department of Science and • The discoveries explain how plants, animals Technology (DST). and humans adapt their biological rhythm so • It will be jointly coordinated and executed by that it is synchronised with the Earth’s three Indian research institutions: the Inter- revolutions. University Centre for Astronomy and • The scientist used fruit flies to isolate a gene Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and Department that controls the normal daily biological of Atomic Energy organisations: Institute for rhythm and showed how this gene encoded a Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and the protein that accumulates in the cell during Centre for Advanced the night and degrades during the day. Technology (RRCAT), Indore. • The LIGO lab in India will be built in Circadian rhythm Maharashtra’s Hingoli District. • It is a pattern that guides our bodies when to sleep, rise, eat and regulating many physiological 11.4. NOBEL PRIZE IN processes. • Biological clocks produce circadian rhythms and MEDICINE regulate their timing. Why in News? • It is affected by environmental cues, like sunlight and temperature. • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2017 • It regulates the periods of tiredness and was awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael wakefulness during the 24-hour cycle. Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their • The biological clock is generated by a structure of discoveries of molecular mechanisms neurons, which is found in the hypothalamus in controlling the circadian rhythm. the brain. • Biological clock associated factors include High alertness, Fastest increase in blood pressure. Deep Sleep, Fastest reaction times etc.

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12. RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN S&T 12.1. XFEL GENERATES FIRST • If detected at early age, other problems such as impaired communication skills and even X-RAY LASER LIGHT possible mental illness can be prevented. Why in news School of International Biodesign • • European XFEL, the world's biggest X-ray SIB is a flagship Program of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) aimed to develop innovative laser has generated its first beam of light. and affordable medical devices as per India's About XFEL unmet clinical needs and to train the next generation of medical technology innovators in • The European XFEL is the largest and most India. powerful of the five X-ray lasers worldwide, • It is implemented jointly at AIIMS and IIT Delhi in with the ability to generate the short pulses collaboration with International partners. of hard X-ray light. • Under this programme, Department has • It is 3.4-kilometre-long and most of it is authorized Biotech Consortium India Limited for located in underground tunnels in Germany management of its Intellectual Property and other and kept at a temperature of just 2 degrees techno-legal activities. above absolute zero. Noxeno (Developed under SIB) • The X-ray light has a wavelength of 0.8 • It is the first dedicated tool for anterior nasal nanometre – about 500 times shorter than foreign body (NFB) removal that allows doctors in that of visible light. any setting to quickly and safely remove objects LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of that people (mostly children aged 2-10) put into Radiation their noses. • It is device that generates an intense beam of • Noxeno has been 100% invented, designed, coherent monochromatic light (or other engineered and manufactured in India. electromagnetic radiation). • It means unlike the conventional light, LASER has 12.3. NEW MATTER radiation of only one wavelength ‘EXCITONIUM’ DISCOVERED (Monochromatic) and they are always in same phase in space and time (Coherent). Why in news? Free-electron lasers They create coherent light by constantly accelerating a Researchers have proven the existence of the beam of electrons. Free-electron lasers can produce new form of matter ‘excitonium’ which exhibits radiation with a very short-wavelength, down to just a microscopic quantum phenomenon like a super few tenths of a nanometre i.e. to the level of an atom. conductor and is formed of excitons 12.2. SOHUM-HEARING Excitons • When an electron which is seated at the edge of SCREENING DEVICE LAUNCHED the crowded electron valence band gets excited Why in News? and jumps over the energy gap into an empty conduction band, its leaves behind a hole in the SOHUM, an indigenously developed newborn valence band. hearing screening device has been launched by • The hole in the valence band acts as a positively the Union Ministry of Science and Technology. charged particle and attracts the escaped electron. More about Sohum • When the escaped electron with negative charge • It has been developed by School of pairs with the hole, a composite bosonic particle – International Biodesign (SIB). exciton is formed.

• It measures auditory brain waves via three electrodes placed on the baby's head. When

stimulated, electrodes detect electrical responses generated by the brain's auditory system. If there is no response, it indicates child cannot hear.

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12.4. WORLD’S THINNEST • When light is scattered by matter, almost all of the scattering is an elastic process. Only a HOLOGRAM very small percentage of scattering is an Why in news? inelastic process • Raman Effect tendency is shown strongest in • Australian scientists have created the world’s solid material and weakest in gaseos thinnest hologram that can be seen without molecule. 3D goggles. Application of Raman Effect: As it helps in Applications of Holographic Technology understanding molecular properties better it has • In medicine – Holographic imaging is used in applications in: the field of medicine to create a 3D image of • Studying catalysts, monitoring chemical a certain interior part of a patient’s body purity etc. in chemical industry (such as the heart) and project it in real time. • Studying nanoparticle and developing • Tradeshows – It is highly useful in microelectronic devices tradeshows as a holographic display can help • Conducting Invivo studies of the skin, launch and present a product without identification of cancer, bone studies etc. in bearing transporting costs. medical field • Holographic Telepresence – Prominent • detecting narcotics and explosives such as personalities have used it to address people TNT, RDX at different places simultaneously keeping • It can be used to create a database of every the personal connect intact through substance for easy identification. telepresence. Achievements of Indians in the Field of Modern S&T • Engineering and Architecture – Displaying 3D Physics holographic models of buildings and • S Chandrashekhar: He was awarded the 1983 engineering designs gives a real time Nobel Prize for Physics for his mathematical experience. theory of black holes and on the basis of this Chandrashekhar Limit was defined. 12.5. RAMAN EFFECT • : She is also called the missile woman of India who spearheaded the programme Why in News? on the Agni IV missile. • Recently, National Science Day was celebrated on Jagdish Chandra Bose: He is a noted scientist who invented microwave components like waveguides, February 28, to commemorate the invention of horn antennas etc. the Raman Effect by the Indian physicist Sir CHEMISTRY Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on February 28, • Praffula Chandra Ray - He was a noted chemist 1928. He has been honored with Bharat Ratna who set up the first chemical factory of India - and the Lenin Peace Prize. Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd.in 1901 What is Raman Effect • Har Gobind Khurana - He was an Indian American • For molecules, two types of scattering can who shared the Nobel Prize of Medicine of 1968 occur for the research on cell’s synthesis of proteins. o Rayleigh scattering, an elastic scattering MATHS process in which a photon emerges with • S. Ramanujam: He was the second Indian to the same energy as it entered. become Fellow of Royal Society of London. December 22 is celebrated as National o Raman scattering, an inelastic scattering Mathematics Day after him. process in which the light scattered by a molecule emerges having an energy that 12.6. TRIBOELECTRIC is slightly different (more or less) than the NANOGENERATOR incident light. This energy difference is generally dependent on the chemical Why in news? structure of the molecules involved in the scattering process. For the first time, wireless transmission of electrical energy has been achieved using triboelectric nanogenrator

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About Triboelectric nanogenerator mechanical stimuli, physical touching, and biological movement. • It is based on organic material to convert • It can be applied to harvest all kinds of mechanical energy into electricity. It is a mechanical energy available in our daily life, sensor that directly converts a mechanical like motion, walking, rotation, wind, triggering into a self-generated electric signal automobile, flowing water, etc. for detection of motion, vibration,

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13. MISCELLANEOUS 13.1. JIGYASA INITIATIVE transportation system. Electric vehicle • “JIGYASA” (means curiosity) is one of the • Recently, Nagpur becomes first city with electric major initiatives taken up by CSIR at national mass mobility system. • With this, Maharashtra also has become the first level, during its Platinum Jubilee Celebration state to provide various incentives to e-taxis. Year. • CSIR is widening and deepening its Scientific 13.3. PRIVATE PARTICIPATION Social Responsibility (SSR) further with the IN DEFENCE programme. • It is a student- scientist connect programme Why in news? which will be implemented by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in • Recently, the Defence Acquisition Council collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya (DAC) has simplified ‘Make II’ procedure. Sangathan (KVS). More on news 13.2. PROPOSALS FOR HIGH- • Make II procedure will amend the existing TECH PUBLIC TRANSPORT ‘Make Procedure’ in Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2016. Why in News? • This will allow Ministry of Defence to accept suo-motu proposals from the industry and • NITI Ayog cleared six new proposals for public also allows start-ups to develop equipment transportation system of India. for . • These technologies include metrino, stadler • The minimum qualification criteria to buses, hyper loop, pod taxis, hybrid buses participate in ‘Make II’ projects have been and freight rail road. relaxed and projects involving cost of less About new technology than three crores will be reserved for MSME. • Metrino: It is fully automatic small pods Other Steps taken by Government in indigenous travel independently suspended over an defence manufacturing overhead network • Under Defence Procurement Procedure • Pod Taxis: Small automated vehicles cable (DPP)-2016, preference to' Buy (Indian- cars or pod cars equipped to carry a small IDDM)' ‘Buy (Indian)’, ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ group of passengers. & ‘Make’ categories of acquisition over ‘Buy • Hyperloop: Pod-like vehicle is propelled (Global)’ category. IDDM stands for through a near-vacuum tube connecting Indigenously Designed Developed and cities at speeds matching that of an aircraft. Manufactured with a minimum of 40% local • Stadler Bus: Tram like high frequency bus content. service for end to end connectivity. • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) • Hybrid Bus: Transport system uses hybrid approved the broad contours of the Strategic propulsion systems, consisting diesel and Partnership Model (SPM). The policy is electric ones. intended to engage the Indian private sector • Freight Rail System: Under this, Elevated in the manufacture of hi-tech defence corridors would be built with rail lines where equipment in India. freight trucks can be placed. It would move • Foreign Investment upto 49% is allowed on rails at high speed, reducing freight time through automatic route and above 49% and increasing freight quantity. under Government route on case-to-case Hyperloop basis. Moreover, Government is thinking of • Recently, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies 100 percent FDI in defence through (HTT) has signed an agreement with the Andhra automatic route. Pradesh government to connect the city centres of Amravati and Vijayawada. • It’s the first agreement in India for the new

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13.4. INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE to severe internal damage, destroying tissue in the mouth and intestinal tract. MISSILE PRODUCTION • Liquid nitrogen also has an expansion ratio of FACILITY UNVEILED 1:694 at 20 degree Celsius, meaning one litre of liquid nitrogen at 20 degree Celsius can Why in news? expand to 694 litres of nitrogen gas. If it is Recently, India’s first private missile production swallowed and gets into a person’s stomach, facility was unveiled near Hyderabad. it could explode India's first private sector small arms manufacturing • According to experts, food and drinks that plant are prepared with liquid nitrogen should be • It is a Joint Venture (JV) between Punj Lloyd and consumed only after all the smokes have Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) at Malanpur in evaporated. Madhya Pradesh. • It’s the first JV under the Make in India initiative. 13.6. NOVEL MOLECULE TO Details TREAT CANCER - DISARIB • The missile sub-section manufacturing • Disarib is a novel small molecule, designed facility has been established as a joint and synthesised by Indian researchers which venture (51:49) between Kalyani Group and has shown promise in targeted killing of Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence System Ltd. cancer cells. • The Kalyani Rafael Advanced System Facility • The molecule (Disarib) works by binding itself will initially manufacture Anti-Tank Guided to a protein called BCL2, which suppresses Missile (ATGM) Spike. the death of cancerous cells while sparing • The facility has been established in line with normal cells. ‘Make in India’ initiative and Defence • However, the Disarib molecule would be Procurement Policy, 2016 to ‘Make (Indian)’ ineffective in cases where expression of BCL2 and ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’. is low in cancer cell lines such as breast cancer, cervical cancer etc. 13.5. LIQUID NITROGEN IN 13.7. BACTERIA NAMED AFTER FOOD AND DRINKS A P J ABDUL KALAM Why in news? Why in news? • The Haryana government recently banned the use of liquid nitrogen in drinks and food, • Scientists at NASA have named a new reacting to a cocktail accident at a Gurgaon organism – a bacteria as Solibacillus kalamii pub that burnt a hole in a man's stomach. in honour of Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam. • The Haryana food and drugs administration • This form of bacteria has only been found on department issued an order that any eatery the International Space Station and not on found using liquid nitrogen with any drink or earth as of yet. food will be booked under Food Safety and 13.8. KALAMSAT Standards Act, 2006. About Liquid Nitrogen • NASA launched the world's smallest satellite (weigh= 64 grams), built by 18-year old Tamil • Liquid nitrogen (nitrogen in a liquid state at Nadu student Rifath Sharook and his team. an extremely low temperature) is colourless • Named as Kalamsat, after former President and has a boiling point of -195.79 °C. It is APJ Abdul Kalam, it’s a 3-D printed satellite used in bars to quickly chill glasses, freeze and equipped with nano Geiger Muller ingredients, provide a smoky effect to drinks. counter for measuring the radiation in space • Due to its low temperature, liquid nitrogen • Objective: To demonstrate the performance can be extremely damaging to body tissue, of 3D-printed carbon fibre as it's for the first causing frostbite and cryogenic burning on time that 3-D printing technology is being contact. Moreover, if ingested, it could lead used in space.

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13.9. CHESS Hyderabad by H-BOTS, a Hyderabad-based start-up • NASA launched a sounding rocket CHESS • ‘Robocop’ can assist police in handling law (Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar and order, and traffic management. Spectrograph) to study vast interstellar • It can move, recognizes people, takes clouds and know about the earliest stages of complaints, detects bombs, identified star formation. suspects, interacted with people, and • It studied Beta Scorpii — a hot, brightly answers peoples queries. shining star in the Scorpius constellation to probe the material between the star and our 13.15. GOOGLE LUNAR XPRIZE own solar system. • Recently, $30-million Google Lunar XPRIZE 13.10. HWASONG-15 (GLXP) organizer has called off its 10-year-old challenge, as no team competing will make a • It is a two-staged, liquid-fuelled launch attempt to reach the moon by March intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), 31. developed by North Korea. • Competing Team: SPACEIL from Israel, from USA, , an 13.11. ATAGS international team, from Japan and Team Indus from India. • Recently, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun • Team Indus is India’s first privately funded System (ATAGS), has set a new world record start-up and if its moon mission is successful, in range by hitting targets at a distance of 48 then it would have become the first private km. Indian startup to land a craft on the moon. It • It is being jointly developed by the Defence had planned to send a lander-rover to the Research and Development Organisation moon on an ISRO launcher. (DRDO) and the private sector. • ATAGS is a 155mm, 52 calibre towed artillery 13.16. CHANG’E 4 gun being developed in mission mode by DRDO as a part of the Army’s artillery • It is China’s lunar probe on the dark side of modernisation programme. the moon. • It incorporates a orbiter, lander and rover. 13.12. KUNLONG 13.17. GAIA MISSION • It's the world’s largest amphibious aircraft capable of carrying 50 people and can stay • It is a mission of European Space Agency airborne for 12 hours. which aims to chart a three-dimensional map • It's also known as AG600 and makes China of about 1 billion stars throughout our among the world’s few countries capable of Galaxy, the Milky Way and beyond. developing a large amphibious aircraft. 13.18. TABBY'S STAR • Application: Millitary, firefighting and marine rescue. • It is also known as Boyajian’s star • It is a part of the Cygnus constellation which 13.13. STRATOLAUNCH PLANE shows anomalously large fluctuations of light • It's an airplane with the world's largest intensity i.e its light intensity drops by more wingspan, has successfully completed its than 20% at times, with regular smaller initial engine tests. fluctuations which are also in excess of that • It's designed to serve as a launching platform seen in many other stars. for sending rockets into low-Earth orbit.

13.14. SMART ROBO COP

• A life-sized robot, claimed to be the world's first smart policing robot was launched in

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13.19. KIMBERLY PROCESS creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamond. It also finds CERTIFICATION SCHEME mention in the United Nations Security Why in news? Council resolutions. • India is one of the founding member of KPCS. Recently, Kimberly Process Certification Scheme At present, KPCS has 54 members Plenary was held at Brisbane which resolved to representing 81 countries including the EU create an Ad hoc Committee on Review and with 28 members. Reform with India as the chair. • KPCS enables the participating countries to About Kimberly Process Certification Scheme certify the shipment in rough diamonds as (KPCS) ‘conflict-free’ and prevent entrance of conflict diamonds in legitimate trade. • It is a joint Government, International • According to the KPCS terms, member states Diamond Industry and Civil Society initiative have to meet the ‘minimum requirements’ to stem the flow of Conflict Diamonds (rough and also put in place national legislations and diamonds used to finance the conflicts and institutions, export, import and internal topple the established government). controls, commit to transparency and • It was started in 2003 after the United exchange of statistical data. Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution in 2000 supporting the

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