DAC nod to VSHORAD missile systems being designed by DRDO

• It is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS).
• These are short-range, lightweight and portable surface-to-air missiles that can be fired by individuals or small groups to destroy aircraft or helicopters.
• They are having a maximum range of 8 kilometres and can engage targets at altitudes of 4.5 km.
• The missile incorporates many novel technologies including a miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics, which have been successfully proven during the tests.
• The RCS is responsible for attitude control and steering by the use of thrusters and is also capable of providing small amounts of thrust in any desired direction or combination of directions.
• Designed and developed: DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners.

Govt. actively supporting research projects for enhancing energy storage tech: Dr. Jitendra Singh

• A new method of deposition of Nickel alloy coatings on high-performance materials in engineering applications can replace environmentally toxic chrome coatings. The coatings obtained are also highly corrosion-resistant and useful for the plastic ware industry.
• The process used pulsed current electroplating, which is environmentally benign with high production capacity.
• They have used electric current in the form of pulses of a duration of a few milliseconds for electroplating purposes.
• The process consists of an environment-friendly electrolyte consisting of nickel and tungsten ions that is the source of strengthening elemental tungsten (W) and nickel (Ni).
• The pulsed current is applied between the components to be coated, acting as a cathode and a non-consumable anode.

Advantages**:**

• The pulsed current effect was used for nano-crystalline coatings wherein high instantaneous current density for a very small duration resulted in a high rate of nucleation.
• The coatings were virtually porosity free, crack free with minimal hydrogen uptake.
• The use of pulsed current resulted in the nano-crystallization of nickel tungsten alloy coatings with high hardness (700-1200 HV) and wear resistance.
• The coatings were extremely corrosion-resistant and could withstand up to 700 hrs of salt spray.
• The coatings can withstand temperatures up to 500°C without thermal softening and can improve the life of die components by at least two times than conventional chrome plating.

Nickel

• It does not occur freely in nature.
• It is found in association with copper, uranium and other metals.
• It is an important alloying material.

IISc study sheds light on how blackbuck survive challenges

• Researchers found that an ancestral blackbuck population first split into two groups: the northern and the southern cluster. The eastern cluster even though geographically close to the northern cluster seems to have emerged from the southern cluster.
• The study shows that despite all odds, male blackbuck appears to disperse more than expected, thus contributing to gene flow in this species.
• Females, on the other hand, appear to stay largely within their native population ranges, which the researchers inferred from unique mitochondrial signatures in each population.
• The data also showed an increasing trend in blackbuck population numbers as compared to the recent past.

Blackbuck

• It is a species of antelope native to India and Nepal.
• While males have corkscrew-shaped horns and black-to-dark brown coats, the females are fawn-coloured.
• The animals are mainly seen in three broad clusters across India the northern, southern, and eastern regions.
• It is widespread in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other areas throughout peninsular India.
• Protection status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least concerned.
  • Wildlife Protection Act of 1972: Schedule I
  • CITES: Appendix III
• Protected areas in India:
  • Gir National Park, Gujarat
  • Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary, Bihar
  • Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
  • Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan
  • Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary, Karnataka
  • Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu

14th Edition of the World Spice Congress (WSC) to be held in Mumbai from 16-18 February 2023

• It was planned and conceived in 1990 as a forum for discussion and interaction between the importers and exporters of spices.
• Since its inception it has been Organized under the leadership of the Spices Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

World Spice Congress (WSC) 2023

• What is the Theme?: VISION 2030: S-P-I-C-E-S (Sustainability, Productivity, Innovation, Collaboration, Excellence and Safety).
• Policymakers, regulatory authorities, spice trade associations, government officials as well as technical experts from key G20 countries will participate in the event.
• Maharashtra has been chosen as a venue because
• It is one of the leading states producing spices. It is the largest producer of turmeric in India. Maharashtra produces two GI-tagged turmeric varieties and one GI-tagged chilli variety. Coastal areas of Maharashtra are also known for the production of GI-tagged Kokum.

Spices Board of India

• Spices Board was constituted on 26th February 1987 under the Spices Board Act 1986 with the merger of the erstwhile Cardamom Board (1968) and Spices Export Promotion Council (1960).
• It is functioning under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• It is responsible for the export promotion of the 52 scheduled spices and the development of Cardamom (Small & Large).
• Main Functions
  • Research, Development and Regulation of domestic marketing of Small & Large Cardamom
  • Post-harvest improvement of all spices
  • Promotion of organic production, processing and certification of spices
  • Development of spices in the North East
  • Provision of quality evaluation services

Short-Range Ballistic Missile Prithvi II Successfully Tested Off Odisha Coast

• It is a surface-to-surface, nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missile.
• It has a carrying 500-1,000 kilograms of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
• Range: It has a strike range of 350 km.
• The missile is a proven system and is capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision.
• The state-of-the-art missile uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory to hit its target.
• It was inducted into the Indian armed forces in
• It was one of the first missiles developed under the Government of India''s IGMDP.

Constitution Bench to take up Section 6A of Citizenship Act for preliminary determination

• Section 6A was a special provision inserted into the 1955 Act in furtherance of a Memorandum of Settlement called the ‘Assam Accord’ signed on August 15, 1985.
• The accord was a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the Assam government and the All Assam Students Union, and came after years of protest against perceived demographic change and outsiders in the state.

Section 6A

• It created a special provision for Assam by which persons who entered between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, and who are residing in the state, upon being detected as foreigners, will be allowed to register
• Upon registration, such a person will have the same rights and obligations as a citizen of India, but will not be entitled to be included in any electoral roll for a period of 10 years.
• Foreigners who had entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and been “ordinarily resident” in the State, would have all the rights and obligations of Indian citizens including the right to vote.

Centre’s stand sought on sale of coronary stents after clinical studies

• What is a Stent? A stent is a tiny, expandable metal mesh coil. It is put into the newly opened area of the artery to help keep the artery from narrowing or closing again.
• This revascularization procedure is termed as a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angioplasty with stent placement.
• Coronary stents are now used in nearly all angioplasty procedures.
• Most stents are coated with medicine to prevent scar tissue from forming inside the stent. These stents are called drug-eluting stents (DES).
• Compared to coronary artery bypass surgery, which is much more invasive, people who get stents have less discomfort and a shorter recovery time.

Angioplasty:

• It is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries caused by coronary artery disease.
• It restores blood flow to the heart muscle without open-heart surgery.
• Angioplasty can be done in an emergency setting such as a heart attack. Or it can be done as elective surgery if your healthcare provider strongly suspects you have heart disease.
• Performed with local anesthesia and mild sedation, angioplasty involves no major incisions and usually takes about an hour.

Governor gave nod to 30% reservation in government jobs for Uttarakhand women

• The Uttarakhand Public Services (Horizontal Reservation for Women) Bill,2022, provides women with 30 per cent horizontal reservation in public services and posts, in addition to the existing quotas applicable in the state.
• The beneficiaries need to be women with a domicile certificate of Uttarakhand.
• If enough women are not available to fill the reserved seats, they will be filled with qualified male candidates in the order of proficiency.

Horizontal Reservation

• Horizontal reservation refers to the equal opportunity provided to other categories of beneficiaries such as women, veterans, the transgender community, and individuals with disabilities, cutting through the vertical categories.
  • For example, if women have 50 per cent horizontal quota, then half of the selected candidates will have to necessarily be women in each vertical quota category — i.e., half of all selected SC candidates will have to be women, half of the unreserved or general category will have to be women, and so on.
• While a vertical reservation applies separately for each of the groups specified under the law, the horizontal quota is always applied separately to each vertical category, and not across the board.
  • Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes is referred to as vertical reservation.

DAC gives nod to purchase indigenous defence systems

• What is it? The DAC is the highest decision-making body of the defence Ministry on procurement.
• Chairman: The defence minister is the chairman of DAC. Its members include Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force.
• Objective: The main objective of the DAC is to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the armed forces.
• Formation: It was formed, after the Group of Ministers recommendations on ''Reforming the National Security System'', in 2001, post Kargil War (1999).

DAC

• Give in principle approval of a 15 years Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) for defence forces.
• Accord of acceptance of necessity to acquisition proposals.
• Categorisation of the acquisition proposals relating to ‘Buy’, ‘Buy & Make’ and ‘Make’.
• Look into issues relating to single vendor clearance.
• Take decisions regarding ‘offset’ provisions in respect of acquisition proposals above Rs 300 crore.
• Take decisions regarding Transfer of Technology under the ‘Buy & Make’ category of acquisition proposals.
• Field trial evaluatio

CRPF to provide arms training to village defence guards in J&K

• The aim of VDGs is to organize a small group of volunteer armed civilians in the identified villages along the borders as well as in-depth areas of the Jammu division, with a view to instill a sense of self-protection and ensure safety and security of such villages.
• VDGs shall be charged with the responsibility of protecting community installations and infrastructural facilities within the defined areas of their village.

VDGs:

• The Village Defence Committees (VDCs) were set up in the 1990s to arm villagers for self-defense purposes in the J&K region.
• In 2020, the policy of Village Defence Committees was revamped and Village Defence Groups were introduced, members of whom are called Village Defence Guards (VDGs).
• Based on assessment by law enforcement agencies, a group of armed civilians belonging to the ‘more vulnerable areas’ not more than 15 in number in each group, who shall be designated as VDGs shall be formed.
• Each group will be called the ‘Village Defence Group’ and shall be headed by a retired officer of the Army/Central Para Military Force (CPMF)/J&K Police.
• All VDGs are eligible for a monthly remuneration.
• The VDGs also function under the supervision of district superintendent of police(SP)/Senior superintendent of police(SSP).