GS3

The country’s biggest floating solar power plant till date, by generation capacity, which is being developed by the NTPC in the reservoir of its thermal plant at Ramagundam in Peddapalli district, Telangana, is set to be commissioned by May-June next. About: Work on this 100 megawatt floating solar power plant …

Recently, the second edition of India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise “Dustlik-2” started in Chaubatia, Uttarakhand. Aim : Counter Insurgency (CI) and Counter Terrorism (CT) operations in mountainous, rural and urban scenarios under the United Nations (UN) mandate. First Edition: Took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in November 2019. Uzbekistan is important to India for security and connectivity to the Central Asian region and also …

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted the final development test of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System, crucial for diesel electric submarines. Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System: Submarines are essentially of two types: conventional and nuclear. The conventional submarines use diesel-electric engines, which require them to surface almost daily to get atmospheric …

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways has suggested rationalisation of both freight and passenger fares. Social Service Obligations: The losses incurred by the railways in passenger services purportedly due to the social service obligations which include pricing tickets at fares lower than costs and passenger concessions. The railways incur losses to the tune of Rs. 35,000-38,000 …

Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) asked the government to explain the reasons for not setting up an “Independent Environment Regulator” to oversee green clearances. SC’s Order: SC had ordered the setting up of a national environment regulatory body under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to ensure independent oversight of green clearances way back in Lafarge Umiam Mining …

GS-3 NEW UMBRELLA ENTITY FOR PAYMENT SYSTEMS The private companies have shown interest in setting up New Umbrella Entities (NUEs) for payment systems – an idea floated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The aim is to create an alternate mechanism to the existing National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).     New Umbrella Entities (NUEs): About: NUEs will …

GS-3 PLI SCHEME FOR TELECOM SECTOR The Union Cabinet has approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI)scheme for the telecom sector with an outlay of Rs. 12,195 crores over five years. About the PLI Scheme: In order to boost domestic manufacturing and cut down on import bills, the central government in March 2020 introduced a scheme that aims to give companies …

GS-3 SUB-MISSION ON AGROFORESTRY SCHEME The Central Silk Board (CSB) under the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a “convergence model” in order to implement the “Agro-forestry in silk sector” under the “Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) Scheme”. …

GS-3 SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TOWARDS AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION (SATAT) SCHEME Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas informed Lok Sabha about SATAT scheme.  Important points: SATAT scheme was launched on October 01, 2018 wherein Oil and Gas Marketing Companies (OGMCs) are inviting Expression of Interest (EoI) from potential entrepreneur to procure Compressed …

GS-3 DRINKING WATER According to information provided to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources, Only half of government schools and anganwadis have tap water supply, despite a 100-day campaign for 100% coverage being launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in October 2020. Important points: Less than 8% of schools …

GS-3 WHALE SHARK Recently, fishers in Odisha rescued a whale shark. Important points: Whale sharks are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today and they travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce. The whale shark is a ‘filter feeder shark’ which means it does not eat …

GS-3 MSME CREDIT HEALTH INDEX The latest MSME Credit Health Index indicates that MSME credit growth has accelerated in the quarter ending September 2020 as compared to the quarter ending in June 2020. The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECGLS) has helped in the credit growth for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) …

GS-3 AGROFORESTRY IN THE SILK SECTOR The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare signed a MoU with the Central Silk Board on a convergence model for the implementation of Agroforestry in the silk sector under the ongoing Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) Scheme. About: This initiative in sericulture sector is especially …

GS-3  ‘MAITRI SETU’ The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, will inaugurate the ‘Maitri Setu’ between India and Bangladesh via video conferencing on March 9, 2021. He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several infrastructure projects in Tripura on the occasion. About ‘Maitri Setu’ The ‘Maitri Setu’ …

GS-3 BIJU PATNAIK The birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik was celebrated (5 March). He is remembered as a freedom fighter, an Indian politician, an aviator and a businessman. Brief Profile: Bijayananda Patnaik was born on 5 March 1916, he is popularly known as Biju Patnaik. He was an ace pilot …

GS-3 PENCH TIGER RESERVE Recently, a female cub of ‘man-eater’ tigress Avni has been released into the wild in the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) of Maharashtra.  Important points: It is located in Nagpur District of Maharashtra and named after the pristine Pench River. The Penchriver flows right through the middle …

GS-3 DUMPING INERT WASTE IN ASOLA BHATTI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY The Supreme Court-mandated Ridge Management Board has decided to constitute an expert committee to look into the proposal of dumping inert (non-reactive) waste in the mines of Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary (Delhi). Inert Waste: Inert was te is waste which is …

GS-3 SOLID FUEL DUCTED RAMJET TECHNOLOGY The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the test of the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology, which is crucial for the indigenous development of long range air-to-air missiles. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Technology: SFDR technology is a missile propulsion …

GS-3 FALLING RUPEE RESERVES OF IRAN Recently, Indian merchants have almost entirely stopped signing new export contracts with Iranian buyers due to caution about Iran’s falling rupee reserves with Indian banks. Earlier in 2020, the Ministry of External Affairs informed that India is no longer involved in the Farzad-B gas …

GS-3 SIMLIPAL FOREST FIRE The Simlipal Tiger Reserves in Odisha underwent the massive fires recently. The wildfires broke in the biosphere reserve situated in the Mayurbhanj district of Assam. Similipal Tiger Reserve It is a tiger reserve situated in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha in the northern part. The reserve …