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The Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, has said that CSIR-AMPRI has been successfully adopting ‘Waste to Wealth’ strategy as the institute has developed radiation shielding materials utilizing industrial wastes as raw materials. Significantly , a novel process for making lead free and …

HAVING EMBARKED on an ambitious asset monetisation drive to raise additional resources, and hoping to raise Rs 20,000 crore through sale of assets under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2021-22, the Government is looking to divest the remaining equity stake held by Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and …

Ahead of the hearing of a petition by Haryana government seeking permission for mining in Aravalis in Gurugram and Faridabad in the Supreme Court, environmentalists and the residents are strongly opposed to mining being legalised and demand that forest cover be increased in the State. In an email campaign to the Chief Justice of …

Important points The Centre will allow residents to fill the National Population Register (NPR) form on their own, through the online mode, a month before the door-to-door enumeration by Census officials starts. After filling the form online, residents will get a reference code that they can mention to the field enumerator at …

The Indian Army is in the process of procuring Mobile Integrated Network Terminal (MINT) systems under Make II Category of DAP 2020.  Important points: The system is envisaged as a lightweight, portable, state of art integrated communication solution with satellite backhaul and wireless access system to support voice, video and …

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the sounding rocket called RH-560 on March 12, 2021. The rocket was launched in order to study “attitudinal variations” in the neutral winds and plasma dynamics. Important points: The RH-560 rocket was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) Sriharikota Range (SHAR). …

The study by a group of researchers in Italy published recently in the journal Nature Food draws on a new global database that provides estimates of food system greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2015. Important points: One third of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are linked to …

The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru now has India’s first dedicated Express Cargo Terminal exclusively for export and import of international couriers. It has a dedicated space for customs offices with direct access to both Landside and Airside wing of the airport. The exclusive Terminal for express couriers at south …

According to the Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, exceedingly high concentration of air emissions with respect to particulate matter, and other harmful gases have been measured in regions around the crematoria. To address the high localized toxic emissions from crematoria, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering …

On 21 March 2021, the largest asteroid predicted to pass by Earth will be at its closest. It won’t come closer than 2 million km to Earth, but it will present a valuable scientific opportunity for astronomers who can get a good look at a rocky relic that formed at …

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has stepped up its vigil of cyberattacks on Indian companies in the vaccine, logistics, pharmaceutical and power sector, and has asked these to report “any and all major cybersecurity” incidents to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) team every week. Cyberattacks: The frequency of such attacks …

About: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison will meet, through virtual mode, for the first ever Quadrilateral grouping’s leaders’ summit. This will be Modi’s first meeting with Biden, after the new US administration assumed office in January this …

Amid the growing competition among the world powers in the field of space, France has begun its first space military exercises to test its ability to defend its satellites. About the Exercise: The exercise drills are codenamed “AsterX” to commemorate the first French satellite Asterix from 1965. The exercises are part of France’s strategy to become …

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has amended licensing conditions for telecom companies. The new norms will be implemented from 15th June 2021. In March 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the telecom sector to reduce imports and move towards self-reliance. New Licensing Conditions: To include defence and national security as parameters when purchasing ‘trusted telecom products’ and sourcing equipment from ‘trusted …

An environmental regulator can work only if governments see the value of nature. The Supreme Court’s notice to the Centre government on a public interest litigation (PIL) plea to set up a national environmental regulator under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. To Oversee And Give Directions Related Environmental Clearances For Projects and …

About: IN LESS than six weeks since Finance Minister announced major financial sector reforms in the Budget for 2021-22, the Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to amend the Insurance Act, 1938, paving the way for increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the sector to 74% from 49%. A Bill …

Indian Navy’s third stealth Scorpene class Submarine INS Karanj has been commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai through a formal commissioning ceremony. About: Six Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France. INS Karanj would …

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 …