GOVT. TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE TB BY 2025
Details and Context: Presenting the Budget for 2020-21,The finance minister has proposed to expand Jan Aushadhi Kendras to all districts of the country to provide medicines at affordable rates Proceeds from taxes on medical devices would be used to support setting up of hospitals Viability gap funding will be provided for setting up hospitals in […]
PRIVATE PLAYERS ALLOWED TO SET UP DATA PARKS
Why in news? Union Budget for 2020-21 has made a provision for private players to get into data center market Details All ‘public institutions’ at the gram panchayat level, such as anganwadis, health and wellness centres, government schools, PDS (public distribution system) outlets, post offices and police stations will be provided with digital connectivity Fiber […]
NASA DECOMMISSIONS SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE AFTER 16 YEARS OF OPERATION
Focus: GS-3, Prelims Why in news? Spitzer, which was launched in 2003, studied some of the most distant galaxies ever detected with the light from some of the cosmic bodies travelling for billions of years to reach the telescope, NASA said. Details: Spitzer showed the importance of infrared light in understanding our universe, both in […]
MORE MEN THAN WOMEN IN STEM
Focus: GS-3 Why in news? Masculine culture, insufficient early exposure to science play a role Details: Across the world, there are more men who are active in science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) than women In the labour market, or in places where high level qualifications are demanded, men candidates engage in self-promotion, and are […]
CHEER FOR SCIENCE AS KEY DEPARTMENTS GET A RAISE
Focus: GS-3 Why in news? Key departments get 13% more than what was spent last year. Details: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) posted the largest increase, with an outlay of ₹2,786 crore, a 17% increase from the ₹2,381 crore it spent last year The Department of Science and Technology got a 14% hike, at ₹6,301 […]
BATS HARBOR MANY VIRUSES
Focus: Prelims, GS-3 Why in news? Bats are being considered as a vector for Novel Coronavirus Details: Bats serves as natural hosts for numerous viruses including Ebola virus, Nipah virus, coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the 2019 novel coronavirus that has infected nearly 10,000 people […]
WHO DECLARES CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK A GLOBAL EMERGENCY
The last time WHO declared a global health emergency was in 2019 for the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo that killed more than 2,000 people. The WHO declares a Public Health Emergency of International Concern when there is “an extraordinary event which is determined… to constitute a public health risk to other states through the […]
NOD FOR 83 LCA TEJAS MK-1A
Focus: GS-III Internal Security, Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister on 18th March 2020, accorded approval for the procurement of 83 indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by “finalising the contractual and other issues”. The proposal will now […]
CALL DATA BEING USED TO IMPROVE QUALITY’: SURVEILLANCE CONCERNS
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? Amid questions over possible surveillance and violation of privacy following bulk call data records being sought by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the government on 18th March 2020, asserted that the data was only being collected to analyse and improve the quality of telecom services and […]
PANDEMIC COULD MAKE ANOTHER 25 MILLION JOBLESS
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy, Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? The COVID-19 pandemic will significantly increase global unemployment, leaving up to 25 million more people out of work, and will dramatically slash workers’ incomes, the United Nations said on 18th March 2020. Views of The International Labour Organization The economic and labour crisis sparked […]