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Recently, the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries virtually inaugurated the Indus Best Mega Food Park at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. It is built under the Mega Food Park Scheme. By this food park, about 5000 people will get employment and about 25000 farmers will be benefited. Important points: It was launched in 2008-09 to give a major boost …

Recently, China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) achieved a peak temperature of 288 million degrees Fahrenheit, which is over ten times hotter than the sun. China is not the only country that has achieved high plasma temperatures. In 2020, South Korea’s KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) reactor set a new record by maintaining a plasma temperature of over 100 …

According to an estimate, 1,250 satellites will be launched annually this decade, with 70% of them for commercial purposes. Various private companies are aiming to deliver broadband satellite Internet around the world through their fleet of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. The idea of a space internet system is not new. It is being used through Geostationary Satellite for selective …

Recently, India and the UK have launched a new workstream to promote industrial energy efficiency under Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI) coordinated by UNIDO (United Nations Development Industrial organisation). It was launched in the ongoing 12th CEM (CEM12) Meeting, which is virtually hosted by Chile.  Important points: The objective is to …

Recently, the third edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index and Dashboard 2020–21 was released by NITI Aayog. The SDG India Index 2020–21 is developed in collaboration with the United Nations in India. Important points: The NITI Aayog launched its index in 2018 to monitor the country’s progress on the goals through data-driven assessment, and foster a competitive spirit among the …

Recently, China has reported the first case of human infection with the H10N3 strain of bird flu in Jiangsu province. Important points: H10N3 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus which is commonly known as the bird flu virus. It is a low pathogenic, or relatively less severe, strain of the virus in poultry and the risk of it …

Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced two new robotic missions to Venus. Earlier, scientists obtained new data about Venus by bouncing radio waves off the planet. Important points: The two sister missions aim to understand how Venus became an inferno-like world capable of melting lead at the surface. DaVinci Plus: It will …

The Union Government approved the signing and ratification of an Agreement on ‘Cooperation in the field of Mass Media’ between all the Member States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The Agreement was signed in June 2019. It will provide an opportunity for the Member States to share new innovations and best practices in the field of Mass …

Recently, the former Chief Secretary of West Bengal was served a show cause notice by the Home Ministry under Section 51 of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005. Important points: The notice was issued for failing to comply with the Centre’s directions to attend the review meeting on Cyclone Yaas chaired by the Prime Minister in Bengal’s Kalaikunda. The Act …

The Union Cabinet has approved the Model Tenancy Act to be sent to the States and Union Territories to enact legislation or amend laws on rental properties. The draft Act had been published by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2019. Important points: Mandatory for there to be a written agreement between the property owner and the …

Recently, the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sajag got commissioned into the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). It is third out of five OPV indigenously designed and built by the Goa Shipyard Limited. It is built under the Make in India policy. Other four OPVs are Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Saksham, ICGS Sachet, ICGS Sujeet, and ICGS Sarthak. It is fitted with advanced technology …

Recently, the Research Design & Standards Organization (RDSO) of Indian Railways has become the first Institution to be declared a Standard Developing Organization (SDO) under One Nation One Standard mission of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). RDSO took the initiative to seek recognition as a Standard Developing Organization (SDO) under the BIS SDO Recognition Scheme. Research Designs & Standards Organization …

Every year, the first day of June is observed as World Milk Day. On the occasion, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying announced the launch of the Gopal Ratna Awards and integration of e-Gopala App with UMANG platform. UMANG Platform Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) Mobile App is a unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multi-lingual, …

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has notified the second negative import list, now renamed as the ‘positive indigenisation list’ of 108 items. The ‘First Negative Indigenisation’ List comprising 101 items was notified in August 2020. Important points: Procurement: All the 108 items will now be procured from indigenous sources as per provisions given in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 …

The UN report, titled State of Finance for Nature, analyzes the investment flow in nature-based solutions (NbS) and identifies the future investment needed to meet the climate change, biodiversity and land degradation targets (set in three Rio Conventions). The report was jointly produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Economic Forum and the Economics of Land Degradation. Important …

Recently, the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) introduced the world’s first Nano Urea Liquid for farmers across the world. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited It is one of India’s biggest cooperative societies which is wholly owned by Indian Cooperatives Founded in 1967 with just 57 cooperatives, today it is an amalgamation of over 36,000 Indian Cooperatives with diversified business …

Recently, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar, Punjab has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT (Internet of Things) device – AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines and even body organs and blood. The device has been developed under Technology Innovation Hub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub) and it’s Startup ScratchNest. Agriculture and Water Technology …

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme (CDP) in order to promote the export of horticultural produce. Horticulture is the branch of plant agriculture dealing with garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Important points: It is a central sector programme aimed at growing and developing identified horticulture clusters to …

Recently, a new species of Cricket named ‘Indimimus jayanti’ was found in the Kurra caves of Chhattisgarh. The new species was named after Professor Jayant Biswas, one of the leading cave explorers in the country. Important points: The new species of cricket has been identified under the genus Arachnomimus Saussure, 1897. Jayanti has led to the new subgenus …

Recently, a census carried out by the Odisha State Forest Department revealed that Odisha’s blackbuck population has doubled in the last six years. Important points The Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), or the Indian Antelope, is a species of antelope native to India and Nepal. It is widespread in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other areas …