Recently, the Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with the Hyderabad-based public-sector Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for supply of the Astra Mark-1. Contract was signed at a cost of Rs 2,971 crore, for deployment on fighter jets of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. Astra Missile and its Variants The Astra …

India will be soon releasing cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia into the wild at KunoPalpur in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. It will initiate India’s ambitious plan of transcontinental relocation of cheetahs. The country’s last spotted cheetah died in Chhattisgarh in 1947 and it was declared extinct in the country in 1952. …

Recently, India’s biggest Drone Festival – Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 was inaugurated in New Delhi by the Prime Minister. A virtual award of drone pilot certificates, panel discussions, product launches, display of a ‘Made in India’ Drone Taxi prototype, flying demonstrations, among others were the key events. Drone is a layman terminology for Unmanned Aircraft (UA). Originally …

Recently, National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC Ltd.) has issued a renewed Biodiversity Policy 2022 to establish a comprehensive vision and guiding principle for conservation, restoration, and enhancement of biodiversity. It is an integral part of NTPC’s Environmental Policy and its objectives are aligned with environmental and sustainability policies. Objectives of the Policy The policy is designed to …

Recently, the UN-Habitat has identified issues associated with Jaipur city like multi hazard vulnerabilities, weak mobility and Green-Blue economy and has laid out a plan to increase sustainability in the city. The urban problems which persist in Jaipur are the same for other cities. UN-Habitat has based its findings on sustainable cities integrated approach pilot project and a …

According to a new study, world needs to target both non-CO2 pollutants and CO2 pollutants to achieve climate targets. Global temperatures are likely to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels by 2035 and 2°C by 2050 if the focus is merely on decarbonisation efforts. The Non-CO2 Pollutants include methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), …

At the QUAD Summit held at Tokyo, Indian PM carried with him gifts for leaders of the US, Australia and Japan showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage and art forms. The intricate sanjhi panel is based on the theme of Thakurani Ghat, which is one of the most famous ghats on the banks of …

Recently, the second-year anniversary of National AI Portalwas celebrated on 30th May, 2022. Launched in 2020, it is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies). Objectives: The portal focuses on creating and nurturing a unified AI ecosystem in …

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has approved the extension of the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for five years till FY26. The PMEGP has now been approved for continuation over the 15th Finance Commission Cycle for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs 13,554.42 crore. PMEGP Scheme …

Recently, India’s Finance Minister announced the execution of several rail, road and air connectivity projects worth Rs. 1,34,200 crore in the northeast. These projects will help in bringing the rest of India closer to the North-East and vice-versa. Connectivity with Southeast Asian countries will also remain an area of focus. Major Infrastructure Projects In …