Chandrayaan-2 launch called off after technical snag in rocket:
- ISRO Scientists a few days to assess the seriousness of the problem.
- The launch in the current window of opportunity is available only till Tuesday (July 16).
- The next launch date could be months later.
- A technical snag detected in the GSLV-MkIII rocket, less than an hour ahead of the scheduled launch aborted the planned flight of Chandrayaan-2, India’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon.
- They indicated that it could take up to a few days to assess the seriousness of the problem.
- Reason for Call off
- The countdown to the launch stopped at 56 minutes ahead of the scheduled time after scientists detected a problem in the rocket.
- ISRO did not specify it but there were indications that the problem was detected in the upper stage of the rocket having the cryogenic engine where liquid hydrogen fuel had been filled less than half an hour earlier.
About GSLV MK - III
GSLV-MkIII is the most powerful rocket built by ISRO
It is designed to carry heavier payloads, weighing up to 4000 kg, into the geosynchronous transfer orbit,
At least 35,000 km from the earth.
It is supposed to be the rocket for the future.
Two successful flights of GSLV Mk-III D1 in June 2017 that carried the GSAT-19, a communication satellite weighing more than 3000 kg.
GSLV Mk-III D2 launched the 3423-kg GSAT-29 communication satellite.
The proposed human mission to space, to be launched by 2022,
It is also planned to be carried on GSLV Mk-III rocket.
About Chandrayaan - I
Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan, India’s first mission to Mars, launched in 2013, PSLV has a capacity to deliver payloads only up to 1500 kg in the sub-GTO orbits.
PSLV has 48 successful launches.
It is not suitable for launching heavier payloads, like Chandrayaan-2 which weighed close to 4,000 kg.
The mission initially slated to be launched last year but was postponed at least twice due to unavailability of a suitable window of opportunity to land on the moon.
IFFI Has Been Scheduled To Be Held From 20-28 November 2019 In Panaji, Goa:
- The Golden Jubilee Edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has been scheduled to be held from 20-28 November 2019 in Panaji, Goa.
- The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar announced the schedule regarding IFFI 2019.
- IFFI 2019 is to be organised jointly by the Directorate of Film Festivals and state-run Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) in Panaji.
- The celebrations in the year 2019 will mark the 50th edition of IFFI. Russia is to partner with IFFI.
International Film Festival of India (IFFI):
- IFFI was founded in 1952. The film festival is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia.
- IFFI is being organised in Goa since 2004 under the leadership of Chief Minister of Goa.
- The International Film Festival of India became globally competitive after its 35th edition.
World Bank Planned To Offer $250 Million To Kerala:
- World Bank would offer a loan of $250 million to the Kerala Government for the Resilient Kerala project.
- The main aim is at enhancing the state’s resilience against the impacts of natural disasters and climate change in the wake of last year’s floods.
- The World Bank recently signed a $250 million loan agreement to help Kerala enhance its resilience against natural disasters and climate change.
Govt Plans To Set Up 4,200 Ayush Wellness Centres In Ongoing Fiscal:
- Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik informed the Rajya Sabha that 2,500 new centres are planned to be opened within the first four months of the present government.
- The government also provided financial assistance to set up integrated Ayush hospitals in 85 districts across various states, and has plans to add more.
- The government is trying to modernise Ayush hospitals across the country and is increasing the number of doctors. It is also modernising postgraduate AYUSH medical colleges.
- The government provided around Rs 53,000 crore for Ministry of Health and Rs 1,686 crore for Ministry of Ayush for the last fiscal. Standing Committee asked to increase the budget for the Ministry of Ayush.
- Yadav asked the government to introduce NET like all-India entrance exam for tradition medical education.
Over 1.28 Lakhs Gram Panchayats Linked With Optical Fibre Under Bharat Net:
- Union Panchayat Raj Minister Narendra Singha Tomar informed Lok Sabha that over one lakh 28 thousand Gram Panchayats linked with optical fibre under Bharat Net programme is uploading photographic evidence of the works taken up by them and assistance given to beneficiaries.
- Two lakh 19 thousand Gram Panchayats have uploaded their Development plan and the details of 16 lakh works taken up by them are on the website ensuring transparency.
- On empowering Panchayats further, states which do not conduct local body elections are not funded under the Finance Commission.
More Than 3 Crores Beneficiaries Receive 2nd Instalment Under PM KISAN:
- Three crores ten lakh 77 thousand 444 beneficiaries have received the second instalment under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM-KISAN scheme till 5th of this month with a cost of over 6,215 crore rupees.
- Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said around 7,121 crore rupees is already credited into the bank accounts of 3 crores 56 lakh three thousand 344 beneficiaries as the first instalment.
- The government has also approved a pension scheme for all Small and Marginal Farmers in the country.
- The scheme provides for payment of a minimum fixed pension of three thousand rupees per month to the eligible farmers on attaining the age of 60 years with minimal or no savings.
KSUM to host Women Startup Summit 2019 on August 1 in Kochi:
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) in association with the Indian Women Network floated by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) host a one day event ‘Women Startup Summit 2019’
The event will take place at the Integrated Startup Complex, Kochi, Kerala on August 1, 2019
Theme:
The theme of the event is “Developing an Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem”.
Aim:
The main aim is to encourage aspiring women professionals to take up their entrepreneurial journey and develop an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Nearly 20 women startups are shortlisted for the summit from the “She Loves Tech 2019 Global Startup Competition”
The meet will be open for all women professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and startup founders.
It is a global platform for women entrepreneurs as well as startups dedicated to improve the lives of women.
About Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM)
It is the nodal agency of Government of Kerala for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in Kerala, India. Wikipedia
Founded: 2006
Headquarters: Thiruvananthapuram
Key people: Dr. Saji Gopinath (Chief Executive Officer)
Eleventh edition of Mekong Ganga Cooperation meet 2019 held in New Delhi:
The 11th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Senior Officials` Meeting (11th MGC SOM) held in New Delhi.
The meeting was attended by Senior Officials from all 6 MGC Member States.
Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs and H.E. Ms. Doan Phuong Lan, Deputy Director General, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Highlights of the Meeting
The meeting reviewed the progress of the 9th MGC ministerial meeting held in Singapore on August 2, 2018 .
It includes all seven areas of cooperation tourism and culture, education, science and technology, traditional medicine and health, agriculture and allied sectors, water resources management, transportation and communication, and small and medium enterprises.
Discussed about the draft MGC Plan of Action (2019-22) to be adopted at the 10th MGC ministerial meeting in Bangkok on August 1, 2019.
India`s assistance to Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) under the MGC Quick Impact Project Scheme (QIPS) since its inception in 2014.
A total of 24 projects completed under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation
It includes 15 projects in Cambodia and 9 in Vietnam at a cost of USD 1.2 million, generating significant positive impact among beneficiary communities.
Currently one project in Cambodia and three projects in Lao PDR are under implementation.
Other notable initiatives under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation initiative include the MGC Asian Traditional Textile Museum (MGC ATTM) in Siem Reap, Cambodia and the Common Archival Resource Centre (CERC) at Nalanda University, Rajgir.
India offers a large number of scholarships for MGC countries.
About India - Scholarships
There are 50 annual scholarships under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) MGC Scholarship Scheme, 6 CLMV scholarships for Master’s Programmes at Nalanda University, 10 scholarships for courses in Museology and Conservation Techniques at National Museum Institute, New Delhi.
Around 700 scholarships for short-duration training programs administered by the Ministry of External Affairs.
###Cabinet approved the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019:
The Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on 17 July 2019. The approval will place a greater emphasis on more time-bound resolution and lays down voting rules of the financial creditors.
Amendments:
The amendments include mandating a deadline for the completion of the resolution process within 330 days, including all litigation and judicial processes. Votes of all financial creditors covered under Section 21(6A) shall be cast in accordance with the decision approved by the highest voting share of financial creditors on present and voting basis. The voting should be more than 50%.
Another amendment allows for creditors who voted against the majority to receive a minimum liquidation value. This decision would have retrospective effect in cases where the resolution plan has not yet been finalised or has been appealed against. According to the amendment Bill, the resolution plan will be binding on all the stakeholders, including governments, to whom a debt is owed.
High-Level Steering Committee set up by the Govt proposes to establish a National Digital Health Mission:
- On July 15, 2019, A high-level committee set up by the Union ministry of health and Family Welfare, Government of India has produced their report called ‘National Digital Health Blueprint’ was released by Health Minister Dr. Harshavardhan in New Delhi.
- The committee proposed to form a National Digital Health Mission & both the centre and state Governments will be the owners and stakeholders in the new organization.
Key points:
- i. Combined GST-N(Goods and Service Tax Network) and UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) models of the institutional structure has also been proposed by the committee. It has been put in the public domain for suggestions from all stakeholders, including common people.
- ii. The central Government also proposes to implement the blueprint as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘New India’.
- iii. The creation of health locker has also been proposed to the health ministry by a committee & suggested the government to provide a unique Personal Health Identity (PHI) number and password to each user for operating the digital health locker. With the availability of the digital health locker, patients won’t need to carry their medical records in any corner of the world.
- iv. It also suggested the government to take stringent measures to save the data in the health locker. Currently, there is no strong law that could protect health data of people.
AIIMS along with Ministry of Health will lead the largest pan-India Oral Health Survey 2019
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Centre for Dental Education and Research (CDER) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health will undertake the largest nationwide Oral Health Survey 2019. It will collect data which will act as a baseline for planning preventive and treatment strategies.
Key Points:
i.Objective: To record specific, representative data on the most prevalent dental diseases in India like dental decay, gum diseases, dentofacial deformities, cancerous lesions, dental fluorosis and dental trauma among others.
ii.Committee: An expert committee consists of dentists representing various oral health specialities and health ministry officials. They met at the AIIMS to discuss sampling strategies, planning and timelines of the survey.
iii. Background: The last national-level survey was conducted in 2002.
iv. Functions: Collection of oral health data of the children in early years of life, assessment of prosthetic treatment needs in the geriatric groups considering the increasing life expectancy, the impact of traditional oral hygiene practices and high sugars diet on oral health.
v. Current status: Activities to enhance oral health outcomes of the population through education and awareness generation are underway as a part of the National Oral Health Programme.
###Biswa Bhusan Harichandan is appointed as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on july 15:
Biswa Bhusan Harichandan is appointed as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on july 15. Bhusan will take over from ESL Narasimhan, who has served as Governor for Andhra Pradesh since December 2009.
BB Harichandran:
He is one of the leaders of the BJP in Odisha. A practising lawyer before coming into politics. Bhusan joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangha in 1971 and became its National Executive Member and its State General Secretary till the formation of Janata Party in 1977. He joined the BJP and was its President for Odisha from 1980 to 1988.
Cabinet approved the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019:
The Union Cabinet approved the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019 on 17 July. The Bill aims to set up a medical commission in place of Medical Council of India (MCI). This Bill will repeal of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The NMC Bill is to be introduced in the current session of parliament.
Provisions of the Bill:
Transparency in fee: The Commission will regulate fee and all other charges for 50% seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities. The commission is expected to bri9ng down the admission fee. The will ensure a transparent admission process.
NEXT: The Bill also has proposed a Common Final year MBBS exams to be known as National Exit Test (NEXT). It would serve as a license to practice medicine and for entrance to PG medical courses. It will also be a screening test for foreign medical graduates. It also proposes that the National Entrance Test, that is NEET and NEXT, will be applicable to Institutes of National Importance (INIs) like AIIMS to have common standards in the country.
Autonomous boards: By implementing the Bill, the National Medical Commission (NMC) will have four Autonomous Boards, namely:
Under-Graduate Medical Education Board
Post-Graduate Medical Education Board
Medical Assessment and Rating Board
Ethics and Medical Registration Board
The Bill has increased the members of the Autonomous Boards from 3 to 5 which includes 2 part-time members and 3 permanent members.
New Medical colleges and courses: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board is to set up new medical colleges, PG course and increase of seats based on the standards set by the UG and PG boards.
History:
On July 2014, the Centre constituted a Group of Experts (GOE) under the chairmanship of Dr Ranjit Rai Choudhary. The panel aimed to study the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, and make suggestions to make the MCI modern.