MADE EASY

WEEKLY
CURRENT AFFAIRS

WEEK-4
22nd July - 31st July, 2021

TARGETED EXAMINATIONS

CSE, ESE, PSUs, State Exams,

SSC and Banking Exams
2 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July

Akash Missile (Akash-NG) and the Man Portable Anti

   22nd JULY 2021
Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Key Highlights:

Children) Amendment Bill • The missile system has been developed by Defence
• Lok Sabha passed the Juvenile Justice (Care and Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL),
Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021 that Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO
seeks to strengthen and streamline the provisions for laboratories.
protection and adoption of children. • It is a New Generation surface-to-air Missile.
• The missile has high manoeuvrability to neutralise
Key Points aerial threats.
• The amendments include authorizing District
• The missile is objected to to boost the Air Defence
Magistrate including Additional District Magistrate
capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
to issue adoption orders under Section 61 of the JJ
Act, in order to ensure speedy disposal of cases and • To capture flight data, ITR deployed several Range
enhance accountability. stations like Electro-Optical Tracking System, Radar
• The District Magistrates have been further and Telemetry.
empowered to ensure its smooth implementation, as
well as garner synergized efforts in favour of children   NOTE:
in distress conditions. The Integrated Guided-Missile Development
• As per the amended provisions of the Act, any Child Programme was conceived by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul
Care Institution shall be registered after considering Kalam to enable India attain self-sufficiency in the
the recommendations of the District Magistrate. field of missile technology. The 5 missiles (P-A-T-
• The DM shall independently evaluate the functioning N-A) developed under this program are: Prithvi,
of District Child Protection Units, Child Welfare Agni, Trishul, Nag and Akash.
Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, Specialized
Juvenile Police Units, Child Care Institutions, etc.
Historic Urban Landscape Project
• The eligibility parameters for appointment of Child
• UNESCO has selected Gwalior and Orchha cities of
Welfare Committee (CWC) members have been
Madhya Pradesh under its “Historic Urban Landscape
redefined. Disqualification criteria for the same have
also been introduced. Project”.

  NOTE: Key Highlights

All Child Care Institutions, whether run by State • UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape project for the
Government or by voluntary or non-governmental cities of Orchha and Gwalior was launched through
organisations are to be mandatorily registered
video conferencing by Chief Minister of Madhya
under the Act within 6 months from the date of
Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
commencement of the Act.
• Six cities of South Asia, including Indian cities of
Varanasi and Ajmer are already involved in this
Akash Missile (Akash-NG)
project. Gwalior and Orchha have been included as
• The Defence Research & Development Organisation
the 7th and 8th cities of South Asia.
(DRDO) successfully flight-tested the New Generation
 22nd July - 31st July Week-4 3

• UNESCO will prepare the management and and food and also touching contaminated surfaces
development of these cities. with one’s hands and then putting them in the mouth
• This project will help in boosting the tourism of the
unwashed.
state of Madhya Pradesh. Along with this additional
• Symptoms of norovirus are vomiting, diarrhoea,
employment opportunities will be created.
stomach pain and nausea. This virus can cause
inflammation of intestines or the stomach and it is
About the ‘Historic Urban Landscape’
termed as acute gastroenteritis. Other symptoms
Approach:
of this virus are headache, fever and body aches.
• It was adopted in 2011 at UNESCO’s General
People generally develop the symptoms within 12 to
Conference.
48 hours and they can last up to 1 to 3 days.
• UNESCO defines HUL approach as an integrated
approach towards managing heritage resources   NOTE:
found within dynamic and evolving environments. There is no specific medicine for this virus. Experts
• HUL acknowledges the interconnections within have suggested drinking plenty of liquids to replace
a city, which occur between the built and natural the fluids lost from diarrhoea and vomiting so as to
environments, the tangible and intangible values, as prevent dehydration.
well as within the cultural and social practices of a
community. Essential Defence Services Bill
• The Minister of State for Defence recently
   23rd JULY 2021
introduced the Essential Defence Services Bill in
the Lok Sabha.
‘Norovirus’ infection
• The United Kingdom is reporting an outbreak of Key Points regarding the bill
norovirus. Public Health England (PHE) recently
• Essentially, the Essential Defence Services Bill is
issued a warning after finding a jump in norovirus
aimed at preventing the staff of the government-
cases during a routine surveillance. Since the end of
owned ordnance factories from going on a strike.
the month of May, England has recorded 154 cases
Around 70,000 people work with the 41 ordnance
of norovirus in the country.
factories around the country.
• The Bill introduced on Thursday mentioned that it is
About Norovirus
meant to “provide for the maintenance of essential
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and defence services so as to secure the security of
Prevention (CDC), norovirus is very contagious that nation and the life and property of public at large
and for matters connected therewith or incidental
causes diarrhoea and vomiting. People suffering
thereto”.
from norovirus disease can shed billions of virus
• This will allow the government to declare the services
particles. And to make people sick only a few of them mentioned in the bill as essential defence services.
are required. It also prohibits strike and lockouts in any essential
defence services of the country.
• A person can contract this virus by coming in direct
• This bill will directly affect around 70,000 employees
contact with an infected person. This virus can also
who are currently employed in the 41 ordnance
be contracted by consuming contaminated water factories across the nation.
4 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July

• The Bill will pave the way for non-NBFC factors and
   24th JULY 2021
other entities to undertake factoring activities.

National Institutes of Food Technology Key Highlights

Bill • The Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• Recently, the National Institutes of Food Technology, – aimed at helping MSMEs tide over problems
Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021 was of delayed payments as it seeks to broaden the
passed in the Lok Sabha. participation of entities undertaking factoring.
• The bill will also enhance traction on the TReDS
Key Highlights platform which was introduced by the Reserve Bank
• The Bill declares certain institutes of food technology, of India in the year 2014 for the entrepreneurs so that
entrepreneurship, and management as institutions of they can unlock working capital which is tied to their
national importance. These institutes are: unpaid invoices.
 National Institute of Food Technology • TReDS platform is an electronic platform for facilitating
Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli
financing of trade receivables of Micro, Small and
 Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology,
Medium Enterprises.
Thanjavur.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Factoring Regulation
• These above institutes will be provided Greater
Act, 2011 to widen the scope of entities which can
Autonomy so that they can start new and innovative
engage in factoring business.
courses as well as help them to attract excellent
• The amendments to the factoring law are based on
faculty and students.
the recommendations of the U K Sinha Committee.
• These institutes will also have curricular provisions
• In India, factoring credit contributes to only 2.6 % of
related to food processing areas e.g. cold chain
the total MSME credit whereas in China it is 11.2 %.
technology, food bio nanotechnology which can help
in filling the technological gap.
About TReDS
• They can also now open new centers anywhere in the
• TReDS is an electronic platform introduced by RBI for
country and abroad.
facilitating the financing and discounting of the trade
receivables of MSMEs via various financiers.
About Institute of National Importance:
• The Central Government grants the status of ‘Institute
of National Importance’ to premier higher educational ‘MyGov-Meri Sarkar’ portal
institutions in India through an act of the Parliament. • The Uttar Pradesh Government launched the
• According to the Ministry of Education, an institute of 'MyGov-Meri Sarkar' portal. Through this portal, the
national importance is an institute that “serves as a government will receive feedback from the people
pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel and also inform them about the various schemes of
within the specified region of the country/state”.
the government.
• Such institutes get special funding and recognition
from the Government of India. Key Points
• Through this portal, the people of the state can give
Factoring Amendment Bill various feedbacks to the government and the UP
• The Lok Sabha passed the Factoring Regulation
government can also inform them about the various
(Amendment) Bill 2020 that seeks to widen the scope
schemes of the state.
of entities that can engage in factoring business.
 22nd July - 31st July Week-4 5

• The portal will be used efficiently to further enhance Genetically Modified ‘Golden Rice’
the engagement of the common citizens of the state • The Philippines became the world’s first country to
with the Uttar Pradesh state government. approve the commercial production of genetically
• The 'Meri Sarkar' portal would help the people of modified ‘golden rice’.
the state to communicate their views, suggestions • The government issued a biosafety permit which
and feedback. This portal would become an paves way for this rice which is enriched with beta-
innovative platform for public participation and good carotene the vitamin A-precursor and makes this rice
governance. more nutritional.

   25th JULY 2021 About Golden Rice

• Golden rice is a genetically modified variety of rice. It
Rudreswara (Ramappa) Temple in is developed by the Philippines-based International
Telangana Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
• Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa • This variety of rice is claimed to be able to fight
Temple) at Mulugu district, Telangana has been vitamin A deficiency.
inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. • Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness
• On 25th July, 2021 this decision was taken at the 44th among children and can also lead to death due to
session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee. infectious diseases such as measles.
Ramappa temple was proposed by the government • This rice variety will not be more expensive than the
of India as its sole nomination for UNESCO World conventional variety.
Heritage site tag, 2019. • The presence of beta-carotene pigment is the reason
for its golden colour.
About Rudreswara temple:  The conventional rice is naturally low in the pigment
• The Rudreshwar temple was constructed in beta-carotene.
1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire  The beta-carotene is used by the human body to
by Recharla Rudra, a general of Kakatiya king make vitamin A.
Ganapati Deva.
• It is also known as the Ramappa temple, after the Tokyo Olympics 2020 : Mirabai Chanu
sculptor who executed the work in the temple for won silver medal
40 years. • Mirabai Chanu of India has clinched a silver medal
• The temple complexes built during the reign of in weightlifting. This is the 1st medal in the 49kg
Kakatiyas have a distinct style, decoration and category in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
technology.
• The Ramappa Temple is an exhibition of this unique Key Highlights
style and hence, it stands as a testimonial to the • She has lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to win
creative genius of the Kakatiyans. the silver medal
• On a 6 feet high star-shaped platform stands the • She has breaked the record of Karnam Malleswari
Ramappa Temple with pillars, ceilings and walls
who had won a bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney
decorated with complex carvings that attest to the
Olympics.
unique skill of the Kakatiya sculptors.
6 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July

• China’s Hou Zhihui who lifted a total of 210kg won • Paseo is a wide tree-lined avenue that's home to
the gold medal and also Indonesia’s Aisah Windy prominent buildings such as the Prado Museum.
Cantika won the bronze medal with a total of 194kg. Buen Retiro Park is a 125-hectare green space.
• This is the 1st attempt of Mirabai Chanu, who • The addition of Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro
attempted the 84kg category. Park to the list of World Heritage Sites is recognition
• Gold medal winner Zhihui created a new Olympic of the key role they played in Madrid's history.
record with an effort of 94kg. The Chinese lifter also
• Madrid is Spain’s capital and most populous city.
holds the world record with 96kg in this category.
Buen Retiro Park is one of the largest parks in
Madrid.
   26th JULY 2021
Other sites newly inscribed on UNESCO World
World Cadet Wrestling Championships
Heritage List
• Indian junior wrestler Priya Malik won a gold medal in
• Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan
the 73-kg category Cadet World Championship held
China (China)
in Budapest, Hungary.
• Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple,
Telangana (India)
Key Points:
• Trans-Iranian Railway (Iran)
• The Cadet World Championship is a tournament
where the best Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women    27th JULY 2021
wrestlers worldwide below the age of 17 compete.
• Priya had won gold at the Khelo India youth games in Dholavira
Pune in 2019.
• She defeated Kseniya Patapovich with a score of 5-0.
• Priya Malik’s coach believes that she will be able to
represent India in the next Olympics that is to be held
in Paris in the year 2024.

Madrid’s Paseo del Prado and Buen

Retiro Park
• Buen Retiro Park and Paseo del Prado of Madrid,
Spain have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage
• Recently, Dholavira the Harappan city which is
List.
located in the Kutch district of Gujarat has been
named as the 40th Indian site inscribed in UNESCO’s
Key Highlights:
World Heritage list.
• Madrid's iconic Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro
• Dholavira is the first Indus Valley Civilisation site in
Park have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage
India that has been included in the list.
List.
 22nd July - 31st July Week-4 7

Key Highlights in Jaisalmer to Prevent Desertification and Support

Rural Economy. Under this, they have planted 1000
• The decision to induct this site in the covet list was
bamboo saplings.
taken at the 44th UNESCO World Heritage Committee
session in Fuzhou, China.
About Project BOLD:
• Recently, the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa)
• BOLD stands for Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought.
Temple in Telangana, was added to the list.
It was launched by Khadi and Village Industries
• After Rani ki Vav, the walled city area of Ahmedabad
Commission (KVIC).
and Champaner, Dholavira becomes the fourth site
from Gujarat to be added to this list by UNESCO. • The initiative has been launched as part of KVIC’s
• Dholavira is one of South Asia’s most well-preserved “Khadi Bamboo Festival” to celebrate 75 years of
urban settlements. independence “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
• The project has objectives to create bamboo-based
About Dholavira
green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones and
• Dholavira is located on the Khadir Island in Kutch
to reduce desertification and provide livelihood and
district of Gujarat. It was discovered in the year 1968
multi-disciplinary rural industry support.
and is spread over 22 hectares. It is Indus Valley
Civilisation’s fifth largest archaeological site. About Khadi and Village Industries Commission
• Dholavira dates back to approximately 3000 BC and (KVIC):
it is believed that the city was occupied till 1500 BC.
• KVIC is a statutory body established under the Khadi
• Its name is taken from the Dholavira village located
and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
on the Indo-Pakistan border. Locally this site is known
• The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion,
as Kotda Timba (the fort mound).
organisation and implementation of programmes for
• This site is divided into three parts. They are the
middle town, the citadel and the lower town. The the development of Khadi and other village industries
citadel has detailed structures of fortification. in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies
engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
Unique features • It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and
• Excavations has revealed that the city houses were Medium Enterprises.
constructed using lime stones and all of them were
connected to a sewage network. Earth System Science Data Portal
• Tanks to store fresh or rainwater have also been (ESSDP)
found.
• The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) recently
• Copper smelter remains have been found but no
launched Earth System Science Data Portal (ESSDP),
mortal human remains recovered from this site.
which will make the data regarding the various
•
During excavation ornamental beads, red
themes of earth system science available for public
earthenware and microlithic tools were also found.
usage.
• On this event, a report on ‘WMO, Disasters, Climate
Project Bold
and COP-26’ was discussed along with the issues
• The Project Bold was recently launched by Khadi
relating to climate change.
and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and BSF
8 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July

About ESSDP (c) In the past 3 years these incubators should have
• It is an integrated digital web portal of the MoES successfully graduated at least 5 start-ups.
institutes. (d) The incubators should have experience of
• The portal is available at https://incois.gov.in/essdp partnering with research and academia.
and it has been developed by using the latest
technological tools. About Support for Prototype and Research
• This portal has been aligned with Digital India which
Kickstart (SPARK)
aims to transform India into a digitally empowered • To avail the grants of Support for Prototype and
economy and society. Research Kickstart (SPARK) under the mechanism of
iDEX, some eligibility criteria will have to be followed.
• This portal will facilitate in the retrieval and search
of science data on earth system such as ocean, • Any Indian company which has been incorporated
atmosphere, geosciences, poles, and seismology for under the Companies Act, Micro, Small and Medium
benefit of the society. Enterprises (MSMEs) which have been defined in the
MSME Act, 2006, will be incorporated.

   28th JULY 2021 • Individual innovators (research and academic

institutions) are also encouraged to apply.

Innovations for Defence Excellence

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
(iDEX)
• The Department of Defence Production has recently
(Amendment) Bill 2021
given its approval for ‘Innovations for Defence • Recently, Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and
Excellence (iDEX)’, a central sector scheme, which Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill 2021, which
has been allotted budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 replaces the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
crore for the next 5 years starting from 2021-22 to the (Amendment) Ordinance 2021.
year 2025-26. • In April 2021, the Government amended the
• The primary aim of this scheme is to provide Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 by putting
financial support to around 300 MSMEs, Start-ups, forward an ordinance that provides for pre-packaged
and individual innovators as well as around 20 resolution process for the micro, small and medium
partner incubators through the Defence Innovation enterprises (MSMEs) when the Parliament is not in
Organisation (DIO). session.
• Insolvency is a situation where a company or an
Criteria individual are unable to pay their debt.
• To avail grants as an iDEX Partner Incubator, certain
eligibility criteria have to be followed. Key Highlights
(a) The applicant must be registered in India as a • Under this ordinance, a pre-packaged insolvency
legal entity in private, public or PPP mode. They resolution process (PIRP) was established that
should have received grant or establishment provides an alternate MSME insolvency resolution
support from the Ministry of the Government of process.
India.
• The government has notified that the threshold
(b) The incubator must have been in operation for of a default which does not exceed Rs 1 crore for
at least 3 years and should have experience of the initiation of a pre-packaged resolution process
supporting minimum 25 start-ups. remains unchanged.
 22nd July - 31st July Week-4 9

• The pre pack is merely an informal way of providing Key Highlights

a corporate rescue plan for which approval from the • The deposit insurance premium has been raised by
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) will be sought. 20% effective immediately and maximum premium
• Besides, an MSME not having met its Rs 10 lakh limit by 50%.
payment obligation, could either initiate a pre- • The current Rs 5-lakh deposit insurance cover has
pack bankruptcy resolution scheme on its own with been raised from Rs 1 lakh in the year 2020.
the approval of the lenders or the lenders who are • Depositors normally have to wait for 8 to 10 years
representing the 66% debt of the business could for the liquidation of a distressed bank before they
themselves initiate the process. receive their fund deposits. With the change in rule,
depositors within 90 days will get insurance money
About Pre-packed Insolvency Resolution without having to wait for the distressed banks to get
Mechanism liquidated.
• Pre-packed insolvency resolution mechanism is
• With the bank being put under moratorium, in the first
a procedure in which a resolution arrangement is
45 days, Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
decided upon between the lender and the debtor
before approaching the National Company Law Corporation (DICGC) will collect all deposit accounts
Tribunal (NCLT) for receiving an approval. related information. Then in the next 45 days, the
• Under this pre-pack framework, a debtor will initiate information will be reviewed and depositors will be
and participate in the resolution proceedings in repaid within 90 days.
tandem with the lender. • Currently, as premium for insurance cover, banks
• This is done through an informal process that helps in pay 10 paisa on every Rs 100 worth of deposits to
avoiding costly and lengthy court procedures.
the DICGC. This is being raised to 12 paisa on every
Rs 100.
About Corporate Insolvency Resolution
• DICGC insures deposits in private and public banks,
Process (CIRP)
small finance banks, local area banks, cooperative
• As stated in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC),
banks, regional rural banks, payment banks as well
under the existing corporate insolvency resolution
as Indian branches of foreign banks.
process (CIRP), a maximum number of 270 days is
provided for the resolution process to be completed.
About DICGC
• Under the new pre-pack scheme, the time limit for the
• DICGC is a fully owned subsidiary of the Reserve
resolution will be reduced and the participants will
Bank of India (RBI) and was established in 1978. It
get 90 days to submit resolution plans and NCLT will
insures functioning of all the banks in India.
approve them in another 30 days.

   29th JULY 2021

Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee
Corporation Bill, 2021
Earth Overshoot Day 2021
• Recently, the Union Cabinet clears changes to the
• Earth Overshoot Day 2021 was observed on July 29,
deposit insurance laws, under this, up to Rs 5 lakh
of funds will be provided to an account holder within almost a month earlier than the year before. It was
90 days in the event of a bank being put under pushed forward because emissions are on the rise
moratorium by the RBI. and biodiversity loss is speeding up.
10 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July

• The date is announced annually by the Global • It is among the top five hottest chillies in the world
Footprint Network, the global organisation calling for based on Scoville Heat Units.
urgent climate action and sustainable consumption. • It has a distinct flavour as well as aroma.

About Earth Overshoot Day About Scoville Heat Units

• Each year, Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when • Scoville Heat Units is the measurement that is done
we have used all the biological resources that the to measure the hotness of a pepper or a hot sauce.
Earth can renew during the entire year. • It is generally done by checking the number of times
• This means humanity has again used up all biological capsaicin needs to be dissolved in water filled with
resources that our planet regenerates during the sugar.
entire year by 29th July, 2021. • The number of Scoville Heat Units (SHU) in hot
• The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was first sauce or a pepper indicates the amount of capsaicin
conceived by Andrew Simms of the UK think tank present in the pepper or the hot sauce. The higher
New Economics Foundation, which partnered with the rating the hotter the pepper.
Global Footprint Network in 2006 to launch the first
global Earth Overshoot Day campaign. Global Education Summit
• Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the • The United Kingdom and Kenya have co-hosted a
planet’s bio capacity (the amount of ecological Global Education Summit in London with the objective
resources Earth is able to generate that year), by to raise 5 billion USD for the Global Partnership for
humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand Education (GPE) which funds public education in up
for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of to 90 territories and countries.
days in a year.
Key Highlights
  DO YOU KNOW: • The summit was held as the governments are facing
Ecological Footprint is a metric that comprehensively huge challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic
compares human demand on nature against which has caused disruptions. Due to the pandemic
nature’s capacity to regenerate. schools have closed abruptly in most countries.
• Many closures happened without any response
plan and this has led to serious gaps in the various
Raja Mircha governments’ delivery of learning via online platforms
• Raja Mircha, also known as Naga King Chilli, was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
exported to London for the first time from the state of • The disruption towards the education of children has
Nagaland. highlighted the need for the governments of various
countries to devote more resources and attention to
About Raja Mircha
address this longstanding inequality in the education
•
In the year 2008
system of the countries which have been exacerbated
Raja Mircha received
by the pandemic.
Geographical Indication
certification. • To tackle these challenges which are being faced,
education ministries of the countries should deliver
 22nd July - 31st July Week-4 11

funding that will help in achieving the international About SLDE platform
targets and protect their respective education • SLDE platform for the digital exchange of logistics
budgets from possible cuts. related documents and a Calculator for GHG
• These countries which require public education funds emissions have been developed.
are home to more than 80% of the world’s children • The SLDE platform will look to replace the present
who are out of school. manual process of exchange, generation and
compliance of the related logistics documents
   30th JULY 2021 with a secure, digitized and a seamless document
exchange system.
• This will enable the storage, generation, and
Secured Logistics Documents Exchange
interchange of logistics-related documents digitally
• The Union Government has launched the Secured
using Blockchain and Aadhaar based security
Logistics Document Exchange (SLDE) which aims protocols for data authentication and security.
to digital transformation which can be done in the • It will also help in lowering shipping cost and reducing
logistics sector of the country to achieve the targets carbon footprint.
of improving the country’s ranking in Logistics
Performance Index. INDRA NAVY Exercise
• The 12th edition of INDRA NAVY exercise was
Key Highlights recently held in the Baltic Sea. It is a biennial bilateral
• The initiative has been launched to reduce logistics maritime exercise that is conducted between the
cost, improve logistics efficiency and sustainability Indian Navy and Russian Navy.
and promote multi-modality in a big way. • It was initiated in the year 2003.

• These digital initiatives have been launched by the • This exercise further strengthens the long-term
strategic relationship between the navies of the two
government to fill the gaps where no action has been
countries.
taken either by the government or the private players
of the country. Key Highlights
• More than 75 participants from the Banks, • This exercise was undertaken as INS Tabar’s visit to
Central Ministries, IT companies, industry bodies, St Petersburg in Russia to participate in the Russian
international organizations and the logistics sector Navy’s 325th Navy Day celebrations.
stakeholders were present during the launch event. • The primary aim of this year’s exercise was to further
• Besides, a Green House Gases (GHG) emissions strengthen the inter-operability which has been built
calculator has also be launched. up by the Navies of both the countries and also to
enhance procedures and understandings of various
About GHG emissions Calculator maritime operations.
• It is a user-friendly tool that provides for comparing • This edition of the exercise includes diverse and
and calculating GHG emissions across different wide-ranging activities which have been stretched
modes. across the broad spectrum of maritime operations.

• This calculator allows for a comparison which will be • INS Tabar represented the India Navy whilst the
made commodity wise of GHG emissions, total cost Russian Federation Navy was represented by
of transportation, including the environmental cost, Corvettes RFS Odintsovo and RFS Zelyony Dol of the
between movement by rail and road. Baltic Fleet.
12 Week-4 22nd July - 31st July

‘AI For All’ Initiative • AI Appreciation: The AI Appreciation segment will

• Intel has collaborated with the Central Board of help the learners understand the domains of AI as

Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Ministry of well as the impact it has across the various industries.

Education to announce the launch of the ‘AI For All’ • This program is available in 11 vernacular languages.
initiative. This initiative has been launched with the The content has also been made compatible with
aim of creating a basic understanding of Artificial various talkback applications so that it can also be
Intelligence (AI) for everyone in the country accessed by visually impaired people.

Key Points    31st JULY 2021

• NITI Aayog’s ‘National Strategy for AI’ focuses on
leveraging AI for inclusive growth and also to develop NISAR Satellite
AI solutions for the various societal needs. • The ISRO-NASA Joint Mission NISAR (NASA-ISRO
Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite, which aims to
• The National Education Policy 2020 of India also
measure changes in the earth’s surface globally
emphasizes in preparing the students of the country
using advanced radar images, is scheduled to be
for an AI driven economy.
launched in early 2023.
• India is striving to build a digital-ready foundation
• NISAR is a joint Earth observation mission between
so that it can be used by a broader section of the
ISRO and NASA, used for global observation of the
population and will also help them to understand
entire earth, including the polar cryosphere and the
about how AI can impact their lives in a positive
Indian Ocean region.
manner.
• This is a dual-band (L-band and S-band) radar imaging
mission with full polarimetric and interferometric
About AI For All
modes of operation for observing small changes in
• Intel’s AI For All is a 4-hour, learning programme. It
land, vegetation, and cryosphere.
can be accessed by all and is as much applicable
• NASA is developing L-band SAR and related systems,
to a student as to a stay-at-home parent or a
while ISRO is developing S-band SAR, spacecraft
professional in any field and even a senior citizen
bus, launch vehicle, and related launch services.
of the country.
• The programme aims to introduce Artificial
Objectives of NISAR:
Intelligence, its usage and function, to 1 million
• The main scientific goal of this mission is to improve
citizens in the first year of the program.
understanding of the effects of climate change on the
• This 4-hour program is divided into two sections:
planet’s changing ecosystems, terrestrial and coastal
AI Appreciation (2.5 hours) and AI Awareness (1.5
processes, land deformation, and the cryosphere.
hours).
• Earlier, India and the United States agreed to this
• AI Awareness: The segment on AI Awareness provides
mission during then US President Barack Obama’s
an elementary understanding of AI, misconceptions
visit to India in the year 2015.
about AI and the potential of application of AI.
 22nd July - 31st July Week-4 13

Global Conservation Assured/ Tiger Samajik Adhikarita Shivir

Standards • The ‘Samajik Adhikarita Shivir’ for the distribution of
assistive devices and aids to ‘Divyangjan’, held in
• Recently, India’s 14 Tiger Reserves have received
Madhya Pradesh.
the Global Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards
(CA|TS) accreditation.
Key Highlights
• The 14 tiger reserves are: Orang, Manas and • The Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Kaziranga in Assam; Kanha, Panna and Satpura in Disabilities (DEPwD) along with District Administration
Madhya Pradesh; Pench in Maharashtra; Valmiki Chhindwara and Artificial Limbs Manufacturing
Tiger Reserve in Bihar; Dudhwa in Uttar Pradesh; Corporation of India (ALIMCO) organized this
Sunderbans in West Bengal; Parambikulam in Kerala; ‘shivir’ under the Assistance to Disabled Persons
for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP
Bandipur Tiger Reserve of Karnataka; and Annamalai
Scheme) of the Ministry of Social Justice and
and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
Empowerment.
• This ‘shivir’ was organized in Chhindwara which is
About Global Conservation Assured | Tiger
located in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Standards (CA|TS) accreditation
• In view of the COVID 19 pandemic, a total of 8,291
• CA|TS is a conservation tool which is accepted assistive devices and assistive devices worth Rs
globally. This tool sets best standards and practices 4.32 crore to be distributed to 4146 Divyangjan at the
to manage the tiger population of the world and Block/Panchayat level for free.
encourages their assessments for benchmarking of
About Ministry of Social Justice and
progress.
Empowerment (MoSJE)
• It is being implemented in around 125 sites in seven
• MoSJE is responsible for the well-being, social
tiger range countries. India has the highest number of
justice and empowerment of socially disadvantaged
94 sites, out of which assessment of 20 tiger reserves and marginalized groups, including Other Backward
were completed this year. Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), transgender
• Currently, India has 51 tiger reserves which are and LGBTQ people, the disabled, the elderly and
spread across 18 states. drug abuse victims.
• Dr. Virendra Kumar is the current minister of MoSJE.