Cabinet approves distribution of fortified rice across Government Schemes

• These schemes of Government of India are the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN [erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) of Government of India.
• The entire cost of rice fortification (around Rs. 2,700 crore per annum) would be borne by the Govt. of India as part of food subsidy till its full implementation upto June, 2024.

The following three phases are envisaged for full implementation of the initiative:

• Phase-I: Covering ICDS and PM POSHAN in India all over by March, 2022 which is under implementation.
• Phase-II: Phase I above plus TPDS and OWS in all Aspirational and High Burden Districts on stunting (total 291 districts) by March 2023.
• Phase-Ill: Phase II above plus covering the remaining districts of the country by March 2024.
• Prime Minister of India in his address on the 75th Independence Day (15th August, 2021) made an announcement on Fortification of Rice so as to provide nutrition to every poor person.
• Earlier, the Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on "Fortification of Rice and its Distribution under Public Distribution System" was implemented for a period of 3 years beginning from 2019-20.

First batch of aircrew of Indian Navy completes training for induction of MH-60 helicopters

• India had signed a $2.2 billion deal for MH-60R helicopters built by Lockheed Martin during the visit of then U.S. President Donald Trump in February 2020.
• Three helicopters were handed over to the Indian Navy last July in the U.S. and are being used for training Indian pilots at Pensacola, Florida and San Diego. Deliveries are expected to be completed by 2025.
• The MH-60Rs are a replacement of the Sea King 42/42A helicopters already decommissioned in the 1990s, and are envisaged to operate from the frontline ships and aircraft carriers.
• The MH-60R helicopters will provide the Navy enhanced offensive role including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship strike, specialised maritime operations as well as search and rescue operations.
• This will be the first major induction of helicopters by the Navy in decades for deployment on ships.

India studying U.S. sanctions on Russian diamond major Alrosa

• Alrosa is a Russian group of diamond mining companies that specialize in exploration, mining, manufacture, and sale of diamonds. The company leads the world in diamond mining by volume.
• The company''s headquarters are located in Mirny (Sakha Republic) and Moscow.
• Diamond has been a major component of India-Russia trade in recent years and the sector also received attention at the top political level.

Cabinet approves extension of Atal Innovation Mission till March 2023

• The AIM shall work on its intended target of creating an innovation culture and entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country. This will be done by AIM via its various programs.
• The intended targets that will be achieved by AIM are:
  • Establishing 10000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs),
  • Establishing 101 Atal Incubation Centers (AICs),
  • Establishing 50 Atal Community Innovation Centers (ACICs) and
  • Supporting 200 startups via the Atal New India Challenges.
• The total budgeted expenditure of 2000+ crore shall be incurred in the process of the establishment and supporting the beneficiaries.
• The Mission has been set up under the NITI Aayog, in accordance with the Finance Minister''s declaration in the 2015 Budget Speech.
• The objectives of the AIM are to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country via interventions at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels.

DRDO successfully flight-tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology

• The test successfully demonstrated the reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system and met all the mission objectives.
• The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds.
• The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories such as Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune.

‘AAI launches ''AVSAR'' Scheme to provide platform to SHGs

• Under “AVSAR” (Airport as Venue for Skilled Artisans Of The Region), which is an initiative of AAI, an opportunity to help the indigent to mobilize their households into functionally effective self-earned groups for self-reliance and self-dependence, has been provided.
• Under this scheme, an area of 100-200 square feet has been earmarked at each AAI operated airport.
• The space is being allotted to the self- help groups, turn on turn basis, for a duration of 15 days.
• Few outlets have already been commissioned at Chennai, Agartala, Dehradun, Kushinagar, Udaipur & Amritsar Airport wherein SHGs operated by local women, are showcasing and marketing their homemade local products like Puffed Rice, Packaged Papad, Pickles, traditional craft with contemporary design to the air travellers.

UIDAI collaborates with ISRO for developing Bhuvan-Aadhar portal

• NRSC will be developing Bhuvan-Aadhar portal providing information and locations of the aadhaar centres across India.
• The portal also provides a facility to search the relevant Aadhaar centres by location based on residents requirements.
• Bhuvan will facilitate complete geographic information storage, retrieval, analysis and reporting for Aadhaar centres, with a high resolution backdrop of natural color satellite images.
• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

Centre sets up AVGC promotion task force for animation, visual effects, gaming and comic sector

• The AVGC Promotion Task Force shall be headed by Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
• It will have Secretaries of –
  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship;
  • Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education;
  • Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and
  • Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
• The AVGC Promotion Task Force also includes State Governments of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana;
• The Terms of Reference of the Task Force include the following:
  • Framing of a national AVGC policy,
  • Recommend national curriculum framework for Graduation, Post-Graduation and Doctoral courses in AVGC related sectors,

From the Himalayan highlands of Leh-Ladakh to the banks of River Ganges in Varanasi – the heritage handicraft of Pashmina has got a brand new identity.

• The premium Pashmina products prepared by the highly skilled Khadi weavers of Varanasi was launched by Chairman KVIC, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena in Varanasi.
• This is for the first time that Pashmina products are being produced outside the region of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
• Pashmina is famed as an essential Kashmiri art form but rediscovery of Pashmina in Varanasi, the spiritual and cultural Capital of India, is unique in many ways.
• The production of Pashmina prepared in Varanasi liberates this heritage art from the regional confines and creates a fusion of diverse artistry from Leh-Ladakh, Delhi and Varanasi.