WITH FALLING ALLOCATION, NAVY LOOKS AT FLEET OPTIMISATION
Why in news? Facing increasing budgetary constraints and with several bigticket acquisitions lined up, the Navy is looking at adopting unmanned platforms, both aerial and underwater, in a big way. It is firm on a third aircraft carrier and the next line of six advanced submarines under Project-75I. Details As part of the fleet rationalisation […]
LIONESS GAVE FOSTER CARE TO LEOPARD CUB IN GIR NATIONAL PARK
Why is news? A lioness in Gujarat’s Gir National Park gave foster care to a leopard cub for more than a month. A study has noted their short-lived bonding as a rare case of foster care between two competing feline species. Elephant seals and sea lions are known to adopt orphans of their own kind. […]
WATER CRISIS LOOMS LARGE IN HIMALAYAN REGIONS
Why in news? Eight towns in the Himalayan region of Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan were nearly 20%-70% deficient in their water supply, says a survey. Unplanned urbanisation and climate change are the key factors responsible for the state of affairs. Dependence on Springs The places surveyed are extremely dependent on springs (ranging between 50% […]
NDIA IS HOST TO 457 MIGRATORY FAUNA, SHOWS LATEST CMS LIST
Why in news? With new additions to the wildlife list put out by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), scientists say that the total number of migratory fauna from India comes to 457 species. Birds comprise 83% (380 species) of these 457 species. Details The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) had for […]
SHANGHAI LAB THAT FIRST SEQUENCED CORONAVIRUS GENOME SHUT DOWN
Why in news? A Shanghai-based lab — Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center & School of Public Health — at Fudan University which was the first to sequence the whole genome of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and publicly share the data on January 11 was shut down on January 12 for “rectification”. Details In the first […]
NCBS METHOD TO DETECT VIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH A RARE SKIN CANCER
Why in news? A team from National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, has developed a diagnostic system to detect the presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinoma tumours. The researchers have developed a test using the CRISPR-CAS12 technology. This is an important development, both, from the point of view of diagnostics and giving […]
ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL ONLINE EDUCATION PLATFORM SWAYAM
Why in news? The Ministry of HRD through its Online/Digital Education Initiatives is trying to ensure that students can continue their learning sitting at their home, during this lockdown period. The Education portals of NCERT like Diksha, e-pathasala, NROER and NIOS and the other ICT initiatives like Robotics education (e-Yantra), Open Source Software for Education […]
PRIME MINISTER’S CITIZEN ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS FUND (PM CARES FUND)
Why in news? The pandemic of COVID-19 has engulfed the entire world and has posed serious challenges for the health and economic security of millions of people worldwide. PM asked for donation to help the country in this crisis. What is PM CARES? The Fund is a public charitable trust with the Prime Minister as its Chairman. Other Members include Defence […]
Recapitalization of Regional Rural Banks to improve CRAR
Why in news: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for continuation of the process of recapitalization of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) by providing minimum regulatory capital to RRBs for another year beyond 2019-20, that is, up to 2020-21. This is for those RRBs which are unable to maintain minimum Capital to Risk weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) […]
Cabinet approves construction of Aligarh-Harduaganj flyover
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the construction of Aligarh-Harduaganj flyover. The construction of the flyover will be taken up by the Ministry of Railways. Aligarh-Harduaganj flyover: The total length of the Aligarh-Harduaganj railway flyover will be 22 Km. The construction of teh flyover is expected to be completed by 2024-25. The total cost estimated for […]