INCOIS launched 3 technological support and alert systems:

The Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) launched three new technological support and alert systems on 25 February. The technology aims to significantly reduce damage and losses to fishermen, offshore oil exploration industries and coastal population during extreme weather and oceanic events.

Highlights:

1) Swell Surge Forecast System:

One of the products was the `Swell Surge Forecast System`. It will provide forewarnings for the coastal population of India`s vast shoreline that experiences a slew of damages caused by the swell waves. These waves originate from the distant southern Indian Ocean. This Swell Surge system can predict `Kallakkadal` (meaning swell surge) that occurs along the Indian coast. Now, these Swell Surge can be detected 2-3 days ahead.

Swell surge is the flash-flood events that take place without any apparent signature in the coastal environment or any noticeable advance change in local winds.

2) Small Vessel Advisory and Forecast Services System (SVAS):

The second product which was launched is the Small Vessel Advisory and Forecast Services System (SVAS). It is an innovative impact-based advisory and forecast service system for small vessels operating in Indian coastal waters. The warning system is developed on the basis of the `Boat Safety Index` (BSI). It was derived from wave models forecast outputs including wave height, steepness of the wave, directional spread and the rapid development of wind at sea.

The SVAS can detect the potential zones where vessel overturning can take place. It provides warning 10 days in advance. It is valid for small vessels of beam width up to 7 m. This system can cover an entire range of beam widths of the fishing vessels used in all the nine coastal states and union territories (UT) of India.

3) Algal Bloom Information Service (ABIS):

The third product released by INCOI is the Algal Bloom Information Service (ABIS). The system will provide timely information on harmful algal blooms. The developed system will provide service for "Detection and Monitoring of Bloom in the Indian Seas". It can be used by fishermen, marine fishery, researchers, ecologists, resource managers, and environmentalists. 

Algal bloom: 

An algal bloom is detrimental to coastal fisheries. It can cause respiratory problems within the coastal population from time to time. It also causes ill effects on the fishery, marine life, and water quality. Four regions that have been identified as bloom hotspots are the North Eastern Arabian Sea, coastal waters of Kerala, Gulf of Mannar and coastal waters of Gopalpur.

INCOIS:

Established on: 1999

Located in: Pragathi Nagar, Hyderabad

The INCOIS is an autonomous organization that functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). The organizations aim to provide a number of free services to users in the marine realm.

Xiaomi to use ISRO`s NavIC technology:

Xiaomi has collaborated with ISRO to bring the space agency`s Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System "NavIC technology" to its smartphones. The announcement was made by Xiaomi Global VP and MD Manu Jain. Xiaomi is the only smartphone brand to have worked with ISRO to bring tech that has been developed in the country to the fore, so far. 

NavIC technology in Xiaomi:

♦ Many of the smartphones Xiaomi that are to be launched across multiple price points will support Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) technology. Navic was initially supported only on some Snapdragon chipsets.

♦ The capability has been currently enabled by Qualcomm Technologies on several of its Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms.

♦ This facility will be made available across multiple Xiaomi smartphones in India in 2020.

♦ The move by Xiaomi is a step further towards the Make in India initiative. Xiaomi India has enabled the usage of NavIC technology across several of its devices in 2020. 

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC):

NacIC technology is a regional geo-positioning system designed by ISRO to provide accurate positioning in India and 1,500km around the Indian mainland. The system comprises of 7 satellites, three of which are in a geostationary orbit over the Indian Ocean and four that are in a geosynchronous orbit. The NavIC will be accurate up to 5m, which much more efficient than GPS, which is said to be accurate up to 20 to 30 meters.

Exercise Indradhanush commenced at Airbase in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh:

The fifth edition of Exercise Indradhanush was jointly commenced at Air Force Station Hindan, Airbase in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh on 24 February 2020. The exercise is held between the Indian Air Force (IAF), India and Royal Air Force (RAF), the UK. The exercise will formally conclude on 29 February 2020.

Exercise Indradhanush-V:

♦ The focus of the exercise is `Base Defence and Force Protection`. 

♦ The exercise considers the recent threats to military establishments from terror elements. 

♦ The exercise provides a platform to share and jointly validate strategies and tactics to counter terror threats to their installations.

♦ The RAF team comprises of 36 specialized combatants of the RAF Regiment while the IAF will comprise of 42 combatants of the GARUD Force. 

♦ The teams will execute missions based on jointly worked out plans and scenarios.

♦ The will exercise using specialized weapons, equipment, and vehicles and validate joint employability. 

♦ Special missions will encompass Airfield Seizure, Base Defence and anti-terror operations in Urban built-up zones. 

♦ These exercises will include para drops from C-130J aircraft, tactical insertions by Mi-17 V5 helicopters and use of various airborne sensors.

♦ The participants will share operational experience, training philosophies, contemporary technologies, and best practices followed. 

♦ Sports and cultural events will be held during the exercise to enhance bonhomie and mutual understanding.

India, US signs 2 MoUs and 1 Letter of Cooperation during Trumps State visit to India:

US President Donald J. Trump along with the First Lady Melania Trump visited India on 24-25 February. During his visit, 3 MoUs and 1 Letter of Cooperation were signed.

Agreements:

♦ A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Mental Health between Department of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of the Republic of India and Department of Health and Human Services of the Government of the US.

♦ An MoU was signed on the Safety of Medical Products between Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) within the Directorate General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Republic of India and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States of America.

♦ An agreement to purchase more than $3 billion of American military equipment

♦ A Letter of Cooperation was signed between India`s Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and ExxonMobil India LNG Limited and America`s Chart Industries Inc.

Ms. Jiya felicitated for creating world record in open water swimming:

Ms. Jiya was awarded a Certificate and Trophy for her record-breaking achievement by creating a world record. She was felicitated by Mr. Abhay Dadhe, Associate Vice President of Swimming Federation of India at an award ceremony held at K R Kama hall, Mumbai on 23 February. 

Adline Castelino was crowned 2020 LIVA Miss Diva Universe:

•Adline Castelino won the LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2020 title. She was crowned by Vartika Singh, Miss Diva Universe 2019, at an event held on Mumbai. The event was held on 22nd February. Castelino was followed by Aavriti Choudhary of Jabalpur. Choudhary was bestowed with the title of Miss Diva Supranational by her predecessor ShefaliSood.

Kamal, Sathiyan won silver at World Tour Hungarian Open

Securities market regulator SEBI redefines ‘pledge’ to protect client securities:

NITI Aayog organizing Sustainable Development Goals Conclave 2020:

•NITI Aayog is organizing Sustainable Development Goals Conclave 2020: Partnerships, Cooperation and Development of North Eastern states- in Guwahati, Assam

GSI denies discovery of 3000-tonne gold deposits in UP`s Sonbhadra:

Kuchipudi to host national classical dance festival from March 5:

US President Donald Trump visits India: Signs Defence Deals:

The US President Donald Trump visited India. He was accompanied by his wife, the first lady, Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Along side his visit, India and US signed defence deals worth 3 billion USD.

The President was welcomed by PM Modi in a traditional way at Ahmedabad airport. Mr Trump later visited Sabarmati Ashram and Taj Mahal. The leaders then addressed a large gathering at Motera stadium. India celebrated the visit of the US President by naming the event as “Namaste Trump”.

NITI Aayog Report: 28% of Aadhaar based payment are going to wrong accounts:

The NITI Aayog has released a progress report on National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan). According to the report, one in three Aadhaar based payments was credited to a wrong bank account, especially in Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.

This is the second report prepared by the think tank. The report was prepared and released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. According to the report, 28% of Aadhaar based payments were going to wrong bank accounts. The report also says that 66% of direct benefit transfers were based on Aadhaar. Only 60% of the beneficiaries were aware of the receipt of benefits.

Out of the 19 large states, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh scored the top three ranks. They had implementation scores of 70% and above. 

The least performing larges states were Karnataka, Assam and Kerala. Among the small states Mizoram and Sikkim scored above 75%. 

Among Union Territories Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh and Daman and Diu were the best performers scoring above 75%.

Pakistan continues at grey list of FATF for another 4 months:

•The Paris based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an organization that monitors the financing of international terrorism, gave a 4-month extension to Pakistan & warned of action for its failure to combat money laundering and terror financing.

•Islamabad (Pakistan) continues to remain on grey list & If it does not curb the financing of terrorism by June 2020, it will be put on the blacklist.

•The decision has been taken by FATF after the completion of its 6-day plenary session in Paris, France.

Bangladesh records sharp decline in Child malnutrition: UNICEF Survey:

•The child malnutrition rate in Bangladesh has declined sharply over the last six years. The finding was reported in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, jointly conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF. The survey has also recorded an improvement in many other areas related to health and nutrition, Child protection, hygiene and sanitation.

•The rate of chronic malnutrition among children measured by the stunting level among them has come down from 42 percent in 2013 to 28 percent in 2019. The percentage of underweight children below 5 also declined from about 32 percent to 22.6 percent over the same period. The infant mortality rate has also declined from 46 to 34 per thousand live births between 2012-13 and 2019.

•The survey reports that the percentage of children of school entry age who enter the first grade of primary school marked a sharp upward trend from 33 percent in 2012-13 to 61.4 in 2019.

•The survey also records improvement in access to and use of toilets, birth registration, ante-natal care coverage, institutional deliveries and similar other parameters indicating an overall improvement in child and mother health in the country.

•However, the availability of Children’s books declined from 8.8 percent to 6.1 percent during this period. The incidence of violent disciplining of children has shown an upward trend during this period.

•The data for the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019 was collected between January and June of 2019. 

•The Global MICS Programme was developed by UNICEF in the 1990s. It collects internationally comparable data on a wide range of indicators on the situation of children and women for use in policies, programmes, and national development plans.

Soil health card Scheme completes 5 years as on 19 February:

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare reported that so far 6954 villages have been identified by the States/UTs in which against the target of 26.83 lakh samples, 20.18 lakh samples have been collected, 14.65 lakh samples have been analyzed and 13.54 lakh cards have been distributed to farmers. The Soil health card scheme completes 5 years on 19 February 2019. 

Soil health card scheme:

♦ Soil health card scheme was launched by PM Modi on 19 February 2015. 

♦ The scheme aims to assess the nutrient status of every farm holding in the country.

♦ So far, a total of Rs.751.42 crore has been released under the scheme. 

♦ The scheme aims to issue soil health cards to farmers every 2 years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in fertilization practices.

♦ Soil testing is developed to promote soil test based on nutrient management.

♦ The scheme will assist State Governments to issue soil health cards to all farmers in the country. 

♦ Soil health will lead to Sustainable Farming.

♦ Soil health card provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

GoI, World Bank signs loan agreement to improve groundwater management:

Government of India and the World Bank signed a $450 million loan agreement on 17 February. The agreement aims to support the national programme to arrest the depleting groundwater levels and strengthen groundwater institutions in India. The loan agreement was signed by Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, and Mr. Junaid Ahmad, India Director, India on behalf of the World Bank.

Agreement Provision:

♦ The Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY)-National Groundwater Management Improvement Programme is supported by the World Bank.

♦ The agreement will allow the implementation of the ABHY scheme in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh and cover 78 districts. 

♦ The programme will enhance the recharge of aquifers and introduce water conservation practices.

♦ It will promote activities related to water harvesting, water management, and crop alignment and equip communities and stakeholders to sustainably manage groundwater.

♦ It will support on-ground actions that are based on community ownership and judicious management of water resources.

ISRO to launch 10 EO satellites to boost surveillance:

As per the annual report of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the space agency is planning to launch 10 earth observation (EO) satellites with space surveillance features during 2020-21. 

The space agency aims to boost space surveillance in order to keep an eye on terror launchpads along the borders, check infiltration and keep an eye on China`s naval activities in the Indian Ocean Region.

ISRO upcoming projects:

♦ Of the planned 10 EO satellites, only three communication satellites and 2 navigation satellites have been scheduled to be launched, starting from April 2020 to 2021 (FY 2020-21). The 10 EO satellites include the high-tech Geo Imaging Satellite GISAT-1, highly advanced radar imaging satellites RISAT-2BR2, RISAT-1A, and 2A. 

♦ The report stated that ISRO has planned 36 missions, including satellites and launchers, in 2020-21. These missions include the launch of 1 unmanned flight of Gaganyaan in 2020-21, 3 space science satellites, 1 technology demonstrator test, 2 small satellite launch vehicle demonstration tests, 10 Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV), 3 Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-MkII and one GSLV-MkIII. 

Note:

For the FY 2019-20, of the 17 missions, six are yet to be completed and are expected to be launched by 31 March 2020.

Exercise SAMPRITI-IX concluded at Umroi:

The joint military exercise SAMPRITI-IX concluded at Umroi, Meghalaya. The exercise was held between the armies of India and Bangladesh. The 9th edition of the military exercise was held from 3-16 February 2020. 

Highlights:

? The exercise was aimed to strengthen the military ties between the two countries.

? It allowed the two armies to understand each other`s tactical drills and operating techniques. 

? The exercise provided an ideal platform for the personnel of the two countries to share their experiences on counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism operations.

? It provides aid to civil authorities for disaster management especially in the jungle and semi-urban terrain. 

? The exercise also deepens the trust and friendship between Indian and Bangladesh Officers and soldiers of contingents participating in each edition.

? Both the contingents participated in a number of activities including friendly volleyball and basketball matches.

SAMPRITI-IX:

SAMPRITI-IX exercise is held between India and Bangladesh. The exercise is hosted alternately by both countries. The exercise aims to strengthen and promote bilateral ties between the Armies of India and Bangladesh.

No. 47 Squadron of IAF celebrated Diamond Jubilee:

No. 47 Squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated 60 years of its glorious service to the nation. It is currently stationed at AF Station, Adampur. To mark the occasion, Diamond Jubilee celebrations were organized at Air Force Station Adampur on 14-15 February. 

Events:

? Aerial display by the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team, IAF vintage Flight, Air Devils was held during the event.

? Performance by the Air Warriors Drill Team enthralled the audience on the day. 

? Serving officers, dignitaries, and veterans participated in the celebrations. 

No. 47 Squadron of IAF:

Established on: 18 December 1959 

Located at: Air Force Station Halwara

Motto: Karmani Vyapurutham Dhanuhu (My bow is always stretched for its task)

It has operated MiG-21 FL, MiG-29 and Toofani fighter aircraft. The crest of the unit is a figure of a kneeling `BLACK ARCHER` with a drawn bow, depicting poised readiness. The Squadron took part in both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. It has won numerous accolades. The Squadron continues to maintain its operational edge and has actively participated in Op Safed Sagar, Op Parakram and the operations post Balakot Strike in the Northern sector. No. 47 Squadron of IAFNo. 47 Squadron of IAF received President`s Standards in 2009. They have provided their support to face any challenge and to achieve greater heights in service to the nation. 

Joshua Cheptegei sets 5km road world record in Monaco:

Uganda`s world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei created history by setting a 5km road world record in Monaco. He ran 12 minutes 51 seconds and smashed the previous record, set by Kenya`s Rhonex Kipruto by clocking 13:22.

Jimmy Gressier of France finished second in Monaco with a European record. He clocked 13:18. Also, Britain`s Nick Goolab finished third in a new British record of 13:27.

Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei:

Ugandan long-distance runner Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei won silver in the 10000 m run at the 2017 World championship in London. In 2018, he also set a world record for the 15 km road race. In 2019, he became the World Cross Country champion.

Mondo Duplantis breaks own pole vault world record, Clears 6.18m:

Mondo Duplantis smashed his own world pole vault record for the second time in a week at the 2020 World Indoor Tour, Glasgow Grand Prix. He cleared 6.18m. He easily beat his own mark of 6.17m which he set in Poland 2020. He was awarded a $30,000 bonus from World Athletics.

Mondo Duplantis:

In 2019 he broke the NCAA indoor and outdoor records and won the NCAA indoor championship. In October 2019, Duplantis won a silver medal in the pole vault at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated India Pavilion at GulFood 2020 in Dubai:

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries (FPI) Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the India Pavilion at 25th Edition of the GulFood 2020 in Dubai on 16 February. The event was held from 16-20 February.  

Highlights:

? The platform GulFood 2020 facilitated tie-ups between foreign investors. 

? It also aimed at accelerating the pace of export of food products from India to the western market. 

? Harsimrat Kaur Badal interacted with the exhibitors and discussed the potential of business opportunities available to them in India, UAE, and other countries.

? The FPI Minister proposed to explore the possibility of setting up a fund for providing marketing support to launch Indian products in the UAE supermarkets.

India-UAE:

India and UAE have been each other`s largest trading partners for the past years. Currently, the UAE is the third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching US$ 59.909 in 2018-19. Food items are one of the major Indian exports to UAE. The ties between the two countries aim to ensure Food Security for the Gulf nation in the times to come.

Sri Lanka objects to US restriction on Lt Gen Shavendra Silva:

•Current Affairs Sri lankan government formally conveyed to the US Ambassador its strong objections on the imposition of travel restrictions by the US on Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army, as well as his immediate family.

•This was conveyed to US ambassador Alaina Teplitz by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena when the former was called for a meeting this morning.

•This action unnecessarily complicates the US-Sri Lanka relationship and asked that the US Government review its decision.

•The development came after the US Department of State on 14th February, 2020 designated General Shavendra making him and his family members ineligible for entry into the United States.

Fifteenth Finance Commission to form a High-Level Expert Group on Agriculture Exports:

The Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FV) is to constitute a High-Level Expert Group on Agriculture Exports in pursuance of its Terms of Reference (ToR). The group will recommend measurable performance incentives for States to encourage Agri exports and to promote crops to enable high import substitution. The Committee has been asked to submit recommendations within three months.

Committee Members:

The group is headed by Shri Sanjiv Puri, Chairman and Managing Director, ITC.

The member of the group are: 

♦ Ms. Radha Singh, Former Agriculture Secretary

♦ Representative of Ministry of Food Processing Industries

♦ Chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry

♦ Shri Suresh Narayanan, CMD, NESTLE India

♦ Mr. Jay Shroff, CEO-UPL Limited

♦ Shri Sanjay Sacheti, Country Head India-Olam Agro India Ltd.

♦ Dr. Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS

Roles of the commission:

♦ The group will assess export & import substitution opportunities for Indian agricultural products and suggest ways to step up exports sustainably and reduce import dependence.

♦ It will recommend methods to increase farm productivity, enable higher value addition, ensures waste reduction, etc. to improve the sector`s global competitiveness.

♦ The group will identify impediments for private sector investments and suggest policy measures and reforms that will attract the required investments.

India, Norway joins to mitigate marine plastic litter and microplastics:

Union Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar met a delegation led by Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment, H.E. Mr. Sveinung Rotevan on the side-lines of the 13th Conference of Parties of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). 

Highlights:

? India and Norway agreed to jointly tackle concerns related to oceans, environment and climate matters.

? The two countries ensured that the 2020s will be a decade of rapid action on climate and environment.

? Both the countries shared their interest to continue and strengthen the mutually beneficial cooperation on environment and climate between the two countries, including on ocean affairs.

? The Ministers also recognized phasing down the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), as per the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which will prevent up to 0.40 deg C of warming by end of the century.

? They discussed the conservation of migratory species of wild animals and noted the importance of integrating ecological connectivity into the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

? Norway and India agreed to explore areas of cooperation in forestry and linking the same with climate change.

COP-13:

The 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is hosted by India. COP-13 will be held from 17-22 February 2020 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The theme of COP-13 CMS is Migratory species connect the planet and we welcome them home.

DefExpo 2020 attracts more than 1,000 companies for defence by Rajnath Singh:

Proceeding with the act of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defense minister moving the biennial DefExpo resistance hardware presentation to their home state, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will commence DefExpo 2020 in Lucknow on 5th February 2020. In 2016, at that point, resistance serves Manohar Parrikar moved DefExpo from New Delhi to Goa during enormous restriction from natural activists. After two years, Nirmala Sitharaman moved DefExpo 2018 to Chennai. 

DefExpo 2020 Like Parrikar and Sitharaman, Singh guaranteed on 4th February that the present form of DefExpo had broken every single record. Tending to the media in Lucknow, alongside his co-have, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the resistance serve expressed that more than 1,000 safeguard firms — including 856 Indian and 172 remote organizations — would take part in Defexpo.  "In the DefExpo 2018, held in Chennai, 702 organizations had taken an interest. Along these lines, this has become by a wide margin the greatest ever DefExpo to held in India," expressed the resistance service in an official discharge on 4th February 2020.

The service likewise asserted that exhibitors had booked 42,800 square meters of display space this year, 60 percent higher than the 26,774 square meters booked in Chennai. Guard priests and military head of 40 nations will go to the occasion this year, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said. 200 memoranda of undertaking (MoUs) are required to be inked, producing new business coordinated efforts.  Just because, the nearness of the nearby boss priest recognizably overshadowed that of the barrier serve. Adityanath`s appearance embellished all the publications on equivalent terms with that of Singh. The safeguard pastor`s pre-occasion question and answer session were not gone to by a solitary formally dressed military official.

Instead, with Adityanath sharing the stage, UP cops and civil servants were all over.  They guaranteed a world record in that 56 percent of the state`s populace of 220 million was of working age. The country has 53 colleges, 345 schools, and 168 polytechnics, they expressed. Adityanath talked up the UP Defense Industrial Corridor, which would give a foundation spine to the guard business, which would come up around nine hubs: Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, and Meerut.  UP has set a land securing objective of 25,000 sections of land for guard industry.

The first period of this was at that point well in progress, with near 3,000 sections of land previously recognized. Singh said the DefExpo would give a chance to the military to get acquainted with changing worldwide innovation.    After a casual beginning to DefExpo 2020 on 5th February 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to initiate the show toward the evening officially and expected to run till Sunday, with the most recent two days being available to open.

AP govt signed MoUs with Agri institutions to provide technical assistance to farmers:

The Andhra Pradesh State government signed memoranda of understanding (MoU) with 11 premier agricultural institutions in the country on 10 February 2020. MoUs were exchanged between the state Agriculture Department and institutions, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Institute of Plant Health Management, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Central Fertiliser Quality, and Training Institute, and National Seed Research and Training Institute, Amaravati. 

Aim:

The aim is to usher in revolutionary changes in the agriculture sector through technology and knowledge transfer to farmers in the state.

MoU Provisions:

Under the MoU, the institutions will provide technical assistance which will lead to a sustainable increase in farmers` income using organic and natural farming processes.

Rythu Bharosa Kendras:

♦ Also, the AP government is to set up 11,158 Rythu Bharosa Kendras across the state by June.

♦ It would be manned by agriculture, horticulture, veterinary and aquaculture assistants to guide farmers in best practices.

♦ These centres will have fertilizer, quality seed, and pesticides guaranteed by the state government.

♦ It aims to enhance farm management practices and train farmers in organic and natural farming.

National Womens Day is observed on 13 February:

National Women`s Day is observed on 13 February every year. The day marks the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu. The day was first celebrated on 13 February 2014 marks the 135th birth anniversary of late Sarojini Naidu. The day was designated to honour the work and contribution of Sarojini Naidu.

Sarojini Naidu:

♦ Sarojini Naidu was born on 13 February 1879. She was nicknamed as the `Nightingale of India` because of her poems. In 1928, the British government awarded Kaiser-i-Hind for her work during the plague epidemic in India. 

♦ She was the first female governor of India. She served in the United provinces (present Uttar Pradesh) from 1947-1949. She participated actively in the Indian National Movement for the independence of India. 

♦ Golden Threshold, The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death, and the Spring, Feast of Youth, The Magic Tree, The Wizard Mask, Muhammad Jinnah: An Ambassador of Unity, The Sceptred Flute: Songs of India, Allahabad: Kitabistan, The Indian Weavers are the literary works of Sarojini Naidu. She died on 2 March 1949 due to a heart attack.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed on 11 February:

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed on 11 February. The day aims to achieve the empowerment of women and girls and promote the participation of women and girls in science. According to the UN, less than 30% of researchers worldwide are women. Only around 30% of all female students select Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related fields in higher education. The day aims to achieve international development goals including 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). 

Theme:

The theme for the year 2020 is `Investment in Women and Girls in Science for Inclusive Green Growth`. The theme aims to encourage and motivate girls and women to opt for science.

History:

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The day was implemented by UNESCO and UN Women. UNESCO`s global priority is gender equality. It provides support to young girls in their education and provides them an opportunity. UNGA aimed to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. It also aims to achieve gender equality and promote science.

World Pulses Day is observed on 10 February:

World Pulses Day is observed on 10 February. The day aims to create public awareness of the nutritional benefits of eating pulses.

Pulses:

Pulses (legumes) are the edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for food. Lentils, peas and dried beans are the most commonly known and consumed types of pulses. Pulses has the nitrogen-fixing properties which will improve the soil fertility. It increases and extends the productivity of the farmland. farmers can promote farm biodiversity and soil biodiversity by using pulses for intercropping and cover crops.

Pulses also play a role in climate change mitigation by reducing dependence on the synthetic fertilizers used to introduce nitrogen artificially into the soil. Greenhouse gases (GHG) are released during the manufacturing and application of these fertilizers, and their overuse can be detrimental to the environment.

History:

On 20 December 2013, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution to proclaim the year 2016 as the "International Year of Pulses (IYP)". The day aimed to recognize the value of pulses. In 2019, the UNGA proclaimed 10 February as the World Pulses Day. The day aims to increase the public awareness of the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production.

Mondo Duplantis set world record at the World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting:

American-born Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis set a world record by soaring 6.17 meters on his second attempt at the World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting held in Torun, Poland on 8 February. He achieved this feat in his second attempt at the height and sixth jump of the competition.

He broke Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie`s record of 6.16m which was set in February 2014 in Donetsk, Ukraine. He represented his mother`s native country of Sweden.

Mondo Duplantis:

In 2019 he broke the NCAA indoor and outdoor records and won the NCAA indoor championship. In October 2019, Duplantis won a silver medal in the pole vault at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

FIH named Lalremsiami as the 2019 FIH Womens Rising Star of the Year: 

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has named India forward Lalremsiami as the 2019 FIH Women`s Rising Star of the Year. She won 40% of all the votes cast. She got 47.7% of her votes from among national associations and the media, fans/players contributed 28.4% and 36.4% respectively.

She came ahead of Argentina`s Julieta Jankunas and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands, who finished second and third, respectively.

Lalremsiami:

Lalremsiami is from Kolasib in Mizoram. She gained popularity at the 2018 Vitality Hockey Women`s World Cup. She also scored top score when the team played a test series against Korea in 2017 and against Spain in 2019. Despite her father`s death, in 2019, she played at the FIH Series Finals in Hiroshima to qualify for the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020.

UP to introduce Internship scheme for students:

Uttar Pradesh state government is to introduce an internship scheme for students of class 10th and 12th and those pursuing graduation. The announcement was made by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 9 February at a job fair organized by the Department of Labour and Employment Exchange at Gorakhpur University

Internship scheme:

♦ Under the scheme, the students will be linked to various technical institutes and industries.

♦ The students who do an internship for 6 months and 1 year will be given Rs.2,500 as honorarium every month, out of which Rs.1,500 will be given by the central government and Rs.1,000 by the state government.

♦ After the completion of the internship, the government will help the youth in getting jobs. 

♦ An HR cell will be created for this purpose.

♦ The state government announced that 20% of girls will be compulsorily recruited in the police department in the state so that they can contribute towards the state`s security.

♦ Also, the UP government is taking various measures to open an ITI and skill development centre in each tehsil. The centre will give a platform to the youth for their skills.

NASA sends a Solar Orbiter probe to map poles of the sun:

The US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are sent a new probe toward the Sun to map its poles. The aim is to help researchers grasp how the sun`s vast bubble of energy affects Earth and humans in space.

Solar Orbiter:

♦ The Solar Orbiter was launched atop an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida on February 9.

♦ The satellite deployed an array of solar panels and antennas before setting off on its 10-year voyage to the Sun.

♦ It has been designed to use the gravitational influence from Earth and Venus to whip itself as close as 26 million miles from the Sun or 95% of the distance between the sun and Earth. The probe will map the sun`s poles, which could allow scientists for the first time to observe the concentrated source of solar wind that permeates our solar system.

New Zealand unveils first AI police officer called Ella:

New Zealand Police has recruited an Artificial Intelligence (AI) cop called Ella to the force. New Zealand`s Intela AI and Soul Machines led the AI and digital human development of the AI cop.

AI cop Ella:

♦ Ella is a life-like virtual assistant. It uses real-time animation to emulate face-to-face interaction in an empathetic way.

♦ It will be stationed in the lobby of the force`s national headquarters in Wellington from 17 February.

♦ It will welcome visitors to the building, telling the staff that they`ve arrived, and directing them to collect their passes. 

♦ It can talk to visitors about certain issues, such as the force`s non-emergency number and police vetting procedures.

♦ After reviewing its current roles, a range of new responsibilities will be added in the future.

Scientists registered the hottest temperature ever in Antarctica:

Scientists from Argentina meteorological agency said that Antarctica recorded the hottest temperature ever on 6 February at a remote station on the continent`s northern tip. The temperature was recorded at nearly 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 Celsius) at Argentina`s Esperanza research station. The temperature surpassed the previous record of 63.5 degrees Fahrenheit (17.5 Celsius) set on 24 March 2015 at the same location. The current temperature records from Esperanza date back to 1961. 

Reason for Climate change in Antarctica:

The rapid heating up of the Antarctic region is due to heat-trapping gas pollution from humans. The observed warming rate has serious global consequences, especially for the millions of people living on the world`s coasts who are vulnerable to sea-level rise. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the temperatures rising in the Antarctic peninsula is nearly 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) in just the last 50 years.

Many other studies have shown that Antarctica`s massive glaciers are melting rapidly due to global warming. Also, warm ocean waters are melting the gigantic Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. It should be noted only these glaciers have the potential to raise global sea levels more than 10 feet.

India, Sri Lanka to strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism:

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa on 8 January during his state visit to India. The leaders discussed covering a range of key bilateral issues, including trade, defence and security, and the island nation`s Tamil population.

India-Sri Lanka ties:

♦ The two countries agree to deepen cooperation to combat terrorism.

♦ They discussed the joint projects in Sri Lanka apart from deepening trade, investment, and people-to-people ties.

♦ PM Modi reaffirmed that the new lines of credit (LoC) announced in 2019 will strengthen development cooperation between the two countries.

Astronaut Christina Koch returned to Earth after spending 328 days on space:

NASA astronaut Christina Koch returned to Earth on 6 February after spending 328 days on the International Space Station (ISS). She completed the longest ever single spaceflight by a woman. On 28 December 2019, she beat the previous record for a single spaceflight by a woman of 289 days which was set by NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2016-17.

Koch`s Mission:

Koch is a 41-year-old Michigan-born engineer. She began her journey to space on 14 March 2019. She joined along with the European astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov. She stayed on an 11-month mission. 

Koch has performed various experiments including studying the effects of microgravity on combustion, Mizuna mustard greens, bioprinting, and kidney diseases. Also, Koch herself was a research subject to determine the long-term effects of spaceflight on the human body. Koch`s medical data will be used by NASA scientists as it is planning for a long-duration manned mission to Mars.

Note:

Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman to conduct a solo mission. Her spaceflight happened in 1963.

African Union Summit (Addis Ababa):

African Union Summit held in Ethiopia. Heads of state and government officials from across Africa gathered in the summit.

Theme:

The theme of the summit is "Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive conditions for Africa`s development".The focus of the summit was to end regional violence, including the conflicts in South Sudan and Libya.

The summit highlighted three challenges namely eradicating poverty, tackling the climate crisis and silencing guns in Africa.AU announced that it is to host two summits in May on conflict resolution and on implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Britain appoints Philip Barton as the High Commissioner to India:

Career diplomat Philip Barton has been appointed as the High Commissioner to India by the British government. He will succeed Dominic Asquith. The appointment will be effective from Spring 2020. 

Philip Barton:

Philip Barton is a career diplomat. He studied economics and politics at Warwick University. He holds a Masters degree in economics from the London School of Economics.

He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1986. He served as the British High Commissioner to Pakistan from 2014 to 2016. Recently, he has served as the Acting Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. He was the Director-General, Consular and Security at FCO from April 2017 to January 2020.

Researchers found Pangolin as the host of CoronaVirus in China:

Chinese researchers who conducted the investigation on the animal origin of the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China found that the endangered pangolin may be the reason for the outbreak. Scientists at the South China Agricultural University found the genome sequences of viruses in pangolins to be 99% identical to those on coronavirus patients. The scientists conducted tests on more than 1,000 samples from wild animals.

Pangolin:

Pangolins look more like reptiles. But these animals are mammals with a unique feature. Pangolins have large, protective keratin scales that cover their skin. Pangolins are the only known mammals with this feature. They use these scales for protection. If an enemy comes near it, the pangolin immediately curls into a tight ball shape. Only the scales will be visible to the enemy. It feeds on ants and termites. It is hunted and traded for their scales, meat, and other body parts. It is used as traditional medicines

Jammu govt to announce new horticulture policy:

The Jammu and Kashmir government is to announce a horticulture policy with an aim to tackle upcoming marketing challenges and increase the production manifold. The announcement was made by Secretary, J&K Agriculture Production and Horticulture Department, Manzoor Ahmad Lone.

New Policy for Horticulture:

♦ The new policy will focus on increasing production and tackle climate change, given the unique temperature of the place. 

♦ The new Horticulture Policy is expected to increase horticulture revenue in Jammu and Kashmir from current Rs.8,000 crore to Rs.50,000 crore per annum.

♦ Horticulture sectors contribute immensely to strengthen the financial condition of J&K and in employment generation. Over 33 lakh population livelihood depend on Horticulture in the Union Territory of J&K. Around seven lakh families are directly or indirectly involved and depend on the Horticulture sector in J&K.

President Kovind paid homage to martyrs of Pulwama:

President Ram Nath Kovind paid homage to martyrs of Pulwama. In Jammu, a memorial to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was inaugurated at Lethpora camp on 14 February. On the memorial, the names of all the 40 martyrs along with their pictures are engraved as a part of the memorial along with the motto of CRPF `Seva and Nishtha` (Service and Loyalty).

Pulwama attack:

On 14 February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying CRPF personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Darat in the Pulwama district, J&K. 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and the attacker died. Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed the attack. 

Maharashtra Cabinet approved Rs.2 crore annual fund for juvenile homes in the state:

The Maharashtra state cabinet approved a Juvenile Justice Fund for the welfare and rehabilitation of children in juvenile homes across the state on 12 February 2020. The cabinet also approved a proposal to make an Rs.2 crore annual budgetary provision for the fund. The fund will be used for the welfare of more than 21,178 children in over 560 juvenile homes across the state.

Juvenile Justice Fund:

♦ As per the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, the setting up of Juvenile Justice Fund for children in institutional care is mandatory. 

♦ A similar provision in the Maharashtra State Juvenile Justice Rules, 2018 states that a fund must be set up under the Women and Child Welfare Commissionerate, which accepts funds from individuals, trusts and corporate social responsibility (CSR). 

♦ The new fund will enable the government to provide finances for the children in juvenile homes. 

♦ The fund will be used to implement programmes that are not covered under any state or central government scheme.

Supreme Court Upholds Changes to Sc/St Atrocities Law:

Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2018.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, upheld the amended Act, which said neither is a preliminary inquiry required before lodging an FIR under the Act nor is approval needed from higher authorities for arrests.

The amendment also restores the unconditional ban on the grant of anticipatory bail put in place by the March 2018 judgement of the apex court. The bench had reserved the order on 3rd October.

India-Central Asia Business council was launched:

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) launched the India-Central Asia Business Council in partnership with five of the epic industry bodies of Central Asian countries namely Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The council was formally declared to collaborate and provide an industry view to the governments of the six countries.

India-Central Asia Business council:

♦ The council will share its recommendations to promote business in the region and with each other.

♦ It will examine the viability of establishing air corridors between and Central Asia to boost trade in perishable goods, agricultural and food products.

♦ The Council has prioritized sectors on civil aviation, energy, pharmaceuticals, automotive, agro-processing, education, and urban infrastructure and transport, IT and tourism.

Manoj Das received the Mystic Kalinga Literary Award:

Odia and English writer Manoj Das received the Mystic Kalinga Literary Award (Indian and Global Languages) at the Mystic Kalinga Festival (MKF). He received the award at the literary-cultural festival in Bhubneswar on 8 February. The award carried a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh along with a khadi shawl and certificate for the laureate.

Manoj Das:

Manoj Das is currently teaching English literature and Philosophy at the Sri Aurobindo International University in Puducherry. He was recently conferred Padma Bhushan, the country`s third-highest civilian award for his contribution in the field of literature and education.

Mystic Kalinga Festival:

♦ Mystic Kalinga Festival is being held from 8-9 February in Bhubneswar, Odisha.

♦ The festival included the amalgamation of poetry readings, lectures, music concerts, panel discussions, and dance performances.

♦ The two-day festival aimed to give deep insight into literature, both in India and the world, also promises to give a peek into the many nuances of the strange and fascinating condition called "bhakti".

♦ Poets, translators, and scholars discussed some of the greatest mystic poets of the subcontinent like Appar, Sambandar, Tulsidas, Ravidas, Adi Shankara, and several others.

♦ Mystic Mic, a platform for standup performers, designed to celebrate the innocence and beauty of rural India and its Mystic connection with nature, life, music, dance, and songs is one of the major attractions of the festival this time.

DefExpo 2020 concluded on 8 February:

The 11th edition of the biennial event "Defence Expo 2020" concluded on 8 February in Lucknow. It was organized by the Ministry of Defence. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the valedictory session of the event. 

Highlights:

♦ Defence Expo 2020 witnessed the participation of three aerospace giants including, Airbus SE and US-based Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co.

♦ The growth of indigenous enterprise was the most encouraging facet of DefExpo2020.

♦ Over 200 partnerships involving the signing of Transfer of Technology and Product and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) took place at a ceremony titled Bandhan.

♦ The agreements were aimed at forging and renewing partnerships for innovative collaboration and transformation of defence manufacturing in the country.

♦ During the event, the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) certificate for Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) was issued to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). 

♦ The event has emerged as one of the largest gatherings of defence exhibitors in the aerospace sector.

Bimstec disaster management exercise-2020 organized in Odisha:

Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai inaugurated the Field Training Exercise of 2nd BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise on flood rescue at the Ramachandi Beach, Puri, Odisha on 12 February. 

Highlights:

♦ The exercise highlighted the historicity and diversity of cultural heritage sites in the BIMSTEC region.

♦ It will provide a platform for member states to evaluate existing capabilities and share the best emergency response practices.

♦ The exercise will improve existing emergency preparedness and strengthen regional response mechanism between the BIMSTEC countries during disasters. 

♦ It will conduct a risk assessment in the context of cultural heritage sites at the time of disaster.

♦ It included a real disaster scenario to depict flooded localities and houses due to the flood disaster.

♦ A Heli-born rescue operation was also carried out to demonstrate the coordination among various stakeholders to deal with an emergency situation.

♦ Sessions of After Action Review (AAR) and Priority Setting Meeting were also organized in the exercise.

Participants:

Delegates and rescue teams of five-member nations namely Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal of BIMSTEC group participated in the exercise with great zeal and enthusiasm.

Government authorized companies to export military equipment to 42 countries:

The government has authorized companies to export military equipment to 42 countries across the world, including Azerbaijan, Estonia, Indonesia, Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Seychelles, and the UAE. The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik. 

Defence exports:

♦ India`s defence exports have increased seven-fold in the last two years from Rs.1,521 crore in 2016-17 to Rs.10,745 crore in 2018-19. 

♦ After 2014, 79 companies have invested over Rs.1,834 crore through the foreign direct investment (FDI) route in defence and aerospace sector.

Other exports:

♦ India also authorized the export of Dornier Do 228 aircraft and coastal surveillance systems to Seychelles.

♦ The Indian government has authorized Indian authorities to export helmets, bomb suppression blankets, soft armour panels and cartridges to Germany. 

♦ Also, the export of mine-protected vehicles, over-vests, helmets, soft armour panels, and civil helicopter protection equipment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been approved. 

♦ Power supply, bulk memory control cards, are among the equipments that are to be exported to Sri Lanka from India. 

♦ Radar distribution cards, amplifiers and spare parts for radar systems are among the devices that have been authorized for export to Singapore.

HAL received approval to produce light utility helicopter:

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) received initial clearance from DRDO`s department of defence research and development for its light utility helicopter (LUH). The clearance will pave way for its production. LUH will replace the aging fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.

Light Utility Helicopter (LUH):

♦ LUH is a single-engine, 3-ton utility helicopter.

♦ It is indigenously designed and developed to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army.

♦ Three prototypes have been built and cumulatively completed over 550 flights under various terrains and climatic conditions.

♦ The performance of the basic configuration of LUH in all terrains and under all weather conditions has been tested and gave satisfactory output.

♦ HAL is expected to proceed to the next phase of integrating and flight testing of mission role equipment on LUH.

President awarded the International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy:

HAL signed MoU with Elbit Systems for Digital HUD for fighter planes:

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed an MOU with Israel-based defense electronics company Elbit Systems on 6 February 2020 during the DefExpo 2020. The MoU aims to promote and market the Digital Head-Up Displays (HUD) units. 

MoU Highlights:

♦ The MOU will extend cooperation for new HUD technologies in the country.

♦ It will also promote Digital HUD to the Indian Defence Services and other potential customers. 

♦ The digital HUD will incorporate new features like Large Eye Motion Box and Digital Image Source to increase the pilot`s situational awareness, Wide Instantaneous and Total Field of View with Minimal Binocular Disparity. 

♦ The HUD system, under the MoU, will be compatible with Night Vision Imaging Systems having improved maintenance features.

Digital Head-Up Displays (HUD):

HUD is a transparent display that provides a seamless view of critical information to the pilot. This information will be projected directly in the pilot`s line of sight on a screen just inside the windshield. It will allow them to keep their visual attention focused outside the aircraft.

India, Russia signed 14 MoUs at the Fifth round of IRMIC:

The fifth round of India-Russia Military Industrial Conference (IRMIC) was conducted on the sidelines of Defexpo-2020 at Lucknow on 6 February 2020. The conference was co-chaired by Indian Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar, and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russian Federation Mr. Oleg Ryazantsev. 14 MoUs were exchanged between the Russian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and the Indian companies during the conference.

Conference Highlights:

♦ The Ministers discussed the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on the Joint manufacturing of spares in India which was signed at Vladivostok, Russia on 4 September 2019. 

♦ The IGA provides a framework for the partnership of Russian OEMs with the Indian industry for the manufacturing of spare parts of Russian origin equipment in use by the Indian Defence Forces. 

♦ India`s efforts to expedite the collaboration between the Indian and Russian Companies were highlighted. 

♦ Russia reaffirmed its active participation in the collaborations under the ambit of the IGA. It also said that it will take all necessary steps to facilitate the manufacturing of parts in India.

♦ The also discussed the way forward to achieve the objectives of IGA under the Make in India initiative.

Participants:

A large number of delegates from the defence sector companies of India and Russia participated in the conference.

India bans exports of all kinds of personal protection equipment:

India bans the exports of all kinds of personal protection equipment, including clothing and masks used to protect people from airborne particles. The significance as there could be a spurt in demand for such products due to the outbreak of novel Coronavirus claimed more than 200 lives in China while the number of confirmed cases reached near 10 thousand. Directorate General of Foreign Trade, DGFT export all varieties of personal protection equipment including clothing and masks used to protect the wearer from airborne particles or any other respiratory masks or any other own protective clothing including coveralls and N95 masks prohibited with immediate effect.

Prince Charles unveils children`s protection fund for India:

Britain`s Prince Charles unveils a new children`s protection fund for India as part of British Asian Trust, the charity founded by him in 2007 to fight poverty in South Asia. Katy Perry as the ambassador of the new fund, which will be focussed on reducing the exploitation of children by 50 percent. Natasha Poonawalla made a multimillion-pound pledge in support of the fund, which she will chair, and the Children`s Investment Fund Foundation (CIIF) set to match fund everything raised to GBP 25 million.

The main areas of focus for the British Asian Trust`s Children`s Protection Fund will cover child sexual abuse, child labor, and trafficking, and it would aim to develop school safety nets through child-friendly village models.

Around 5.8 million children working in forced labor in India with tens of thousands thought to be working in hazardous workshops in Jaipur alone, producing goods including bangles, embroidery, and other products, with many, forced to work for up to 15 hours a day. The union government and civil society, to remove child labor from supply chains and encourage child labor free products in markets as part of the Child Labour Free Jaipur Initiative.

As a result of a partnership with the Freedom Fund and the Children`s Investment Fund Foundation, the first conviction resulting in a life sentence for a child trafficker in Jaipur achieved in 2019.

The British Asian Trust, chaired by Indian-origin businessman Manoj Badale, was founded 13 years ago by Prince Charles and a group of British Asian business leaders with a vision to transform lives across South Asia.

IAF AN-32 Lands at LEH with Indigenous Bio-Jet Fuel:

IAF achieved a milestone, when an AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, powered with a 10% blend of Indian bio-jet fuel, took-off from Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh. It is the first time that the bio-jet indigenous fuel-powered both engines of the aircraft. The aircraft was flight tested, and its performance was validated at Chandigarh Air Base before undertaking the operational flight to Leh.

IAF

This successful test flight demonstrates IAF’s capabilities to absorb newer technology while sponsoring indigenization. The technology to produce this fuel was developed by CSIR-IIP in 2013 but could not be tested and certified for commercial use due to a lack of concurrent aviation test facilities in the country. In 2018, the IAF sponsored this project and channelized its human and material resources for the complete range of fuel testing. Bio-jet fuel is produced from non-edible ‘Tree Borne Oils,’ grown and procured from the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh state. IAF’s efforts would assist in reducing carbon footprint and India’s dependence on crude imports.

Rakhi Halder won gold at Senior Womens National Weightlifting Championships:

Rakhi Halder of Bengal claimed gold in the 64kg category of the 35th edition of the Senior Women`s National Weightlifting Championships at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata. She lifted 93 kg in snatch and 117 kg in clean and jerk on 5 January 2020. She lifted 10kg ahead of Harjinder Kaur of Chandigarh, her rival.

Rakhi Halder:

Halder is ranked 19th in the Olympic qualifiers list. She has personal best of 218 kg (95kg in snatch and 123 kg in clean and jerk) at the Qatar International Cup in 2019 and won the bronze medal. At the Commonwealth Championship in June 2019, she bagged gold with a total lift of 214-kg. 

Union Government plans to electrify all railway tracks in next three years:

The union government set a target of union next three years to electrify the tracks of Indian Railways completely. Union Ministry of Finance announced this after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her second budget on 1 February. Indian Railways aim to achieve the full electrification of its tracks in the next three years. Indian railways about 18 billion units of electricity and 3,069.30 tonne kilolitres of diesel for its traction need.

Rail Traffic Consumption

The 100 percent electrification and the rail traffic projected to grow Indian Railways will be consuming around 28-30 billion units of electricity for its traction requirement. Indian Railways will become the world`s first net-zero carbon emitter by 2030. Carbon dioxide emission from the Indian Railways was around 6.84 million tons in 2014. The global concerns over climate change, Indian Railways is also working to reduce the carbon emission. Indian railways took several steps to expedite electrification of railway lines in the country and they include, the award of Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts better project monitoring mechanism, delegating more power to field units for the award of contracts/sanction of estimates and close monitoring at the highest level.

India and China Trade Deficit:

India’s trade in China decreased from USD 89.71 billion in 2017-18 to USD 87.07 billion in 2018-19. India’s imports from China declined from USD 76.38 billion in 2017-18 to USD 70.32 billion in 2018-19, and our exports grew from USD 13.33 billion in 2017-18 to USD 16.75 billion in 2018-19. India’s trade deficit with China reduced from USD 63.05 billion to USD 53.57 billion. The Government of India consistently making efforts achieving a more balanced trade with China in all our official engagements with the Chinese Government, requesting them to lower trade barriers for Indian exports to China. 

The various protocols signed to facilitate the export of Indian rice, rapeseed meal, tobacco and fishmeal/fish oil, and chili meal from India to China. National Medical Products Administration China jointly conducted a workshop, and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation India to train Indian Pharma exporters on the updated regulatory practices of China, on 21st June 2019, at Shanghai, China. The Government of India taken various measures to extend support to exporters by facilitating Buyers Seller meets between potential Chinese importers and Indian exporters to increase exports. Indian exporters are encouraged to participate in major trade fairs in China to showcase Indian products.

PM Narendra Modi in Assam to celebrate Bodo pact:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kokrajhar in Assam to participate in an event to celebrate the signing of the Bodo agreement. This will be the prime minister’s first visit to the Northeast since protests erupted against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act last December.

Bodo agreement 

The Bodo agreement signed on January 27 by the Central government with four factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), All Bodo Students Union, and a civil society group for bringing lasting peace in Bodo-dominated areas in Assam. A cultural program of ethnic groups of Assam organized to showcase the diversity of the state. Over 1,615 cadres of different factions of the NDFB surrendered their arms and joined the mainstream within two days of the signing of the agreement.

USD Five billion defence export target to be achieved by 2024:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the country will achieve the target of five billion dollar worth of defense exports by 2024. The MoUs signed by us will strengthen the defense industrial base and will prove beneficial for the country. Around 200 agreements have been concluded in this Defexpo and described it as historic. The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPIEDA), 23 MoUs were signed, and Rs 50,000 crore investment. This Defexpo, initially a target of signing 100 MoUs and business agreements was fixed, but till now, over 200 MoUs have been approved, which is the beginning of a new chapter in this sector.

Defence manufacturing firms from across the world are participating in the five-day mega event inaugurated.

Uttar Pradesh should emerge as Defence Manufacturing Hub:

Over 200 partnerships involving Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs), Transfer of Technology (ToTs) Product launches concluded on the third day of DefExpo 2020. The agreement aimed at forging and renewing partnerships for innovative collaboration and transformation of the Defence manufacturing in the country inked by representatives of various DPSUs. The signing of MoUs to achieve Prime Minister’s $5 billion defence exports target in the next five years. The liberalized licensing regime brought out by the government would surely attract significant investments by both Indian and global companies. Shri Rajnath Singh thanked all the stakeholders who signed MoUs and expressed hope that Uttar Pradesh would emerge as a Defence Manufacturing hub.

Around 23 of them were by Uttar Pradesh Government. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath. This MoU envisages Rs 50,000 crores investment in the defense corridor set up in the state and generate 3 lakh job opportunities. DRDO signed a Technological partnership agreement with the state government, imparting skill training, hand-holding, and guiding all aspects related to technology. A collaboration cell was already set up in the state to facilitate the process. The Technology transfer was made available at no cost to companies to further the defence ecosystem in the country. The patents held by DRDO were given free to Indian companies to develop further technologies that would benefit Indian companies.

During the ceremony, a significant announcement in the form of issuing the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) certificate of Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) issued to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). LUH is designed and developed as a replacement for Cheetah & Chetak helicopters, which are currently being operated by Indian Armed forces.

LUH:

LUH is a new generation helicopter in the 3-Ton class incorporating the state-of-the-art technology features which will meet the emerging needs in this class of helicopters in the coming decades. OFB launched Sharang the 155mm artillery gun with a 36 km range and handed over a model to Chief of Army Staff Gen M M Naravane. OFB started JVPC Alpha gun with 100 mt range, Light Machine Gun of 800 mt range, and UBGL – Under barrel Grenade launcher.BDL launched Amogha-3, the anti-Tank Guided Missile.  BDL launched Varunastra – the anti-submarine torpedo, manufactured under the technological guidance of DRDO. Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik, Shri Satish Mahana, Minister for Industrial Development, UP government, and Shri Awanish Kumar Awasthi, CEO UPEIDA were also present during the ceremony.

Telangana govt to soon begin testing of Novel CoronaVirus in Hyderabad:

Telangana State Government will begin testing of Novel CoronaVirusi n Hyderabad with the help of testing kits. The authorities at Gandhi Medical Hospital begun test trails of the packages following the approval given by the Central Health Ministry for testing the Virus in Hyderabad. The medical authorities sent a total of 15 samples of suspect cases to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, and the reports of nine have come negative while the remaining are awaited. Most of the suspected cases recently traveled through the affected routes or those who are studying in China, especially in the affected areas and their family members. State Nodal Officer is a sufficient number of kits to test any number of samples. He also informed that quarantine units with total 100-bed capacity had been set up at three hospitals in Hyderabad as part of preparedness, and 20 more bed capacity is created. The state government has set up around the clock call center with the number 040-24651119 for calling and clearing doubts about to-2019. 

First Banana Container Train sent to JNPT for Exports:

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA) along with State Government of Andhra Pradesh one of the largest member exporter of banana, dispatched the first shipment of 890 MTs of high-quality bananas loaded in 43 refrigerated containers, from Tadipatri, Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai for export to international markets.

Agri Export Policy

The government of India under the Agri Export Policy notified the banana cluster in Anantpur and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh. The exporting company to change the package of practices by providing expertise and technology to help banana growers in Andhra Pradesh for enhancing the quality of banana production. Andhra Pradesh farms to the export port in Mumbai affects the viability of export shipments due to high transport cost and quality losses during the long transit. Around three thousand farmers with an annual production of over 1 lakh MTare being handheld for exports directly. The efforts of APEDA with the support of the State Government and exporters are likely to provide a good opportunity for India to increase its share in world trade of banana.

Central Government Proposes Single Exam For All Government Jobs:

The union government proposes a single exam for all government jobs. In the budget 2020, presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the union government intends to introduce major reforms in recruitment to non-gazetted posts in governments and public sector banks. At present, candidates appear for various exams held under the discretion of the recruiting organization or exam agencies like UPSC and SSC.the government proposes to form a National Recruitment Agency which would also be referred to as NRA.

The NRA will be an independent, professional, specialist organization and will conduct an exam, which would be known as the Common Eligibility Test, for selection to government jobs. Another major reform proposed by the government is to implement a computer-based test for selection to government jobs. As of now, most government recruitment test is held in computer-based mode, though not all. The old pattern of exam where candidates mark their responses in OMR sheets will be stopped. Candidates and to make them acquainted with the exam pattern, the government also proposes to establish a test-center in every district, particularly in the aspirational districts.

PM greeted Indian Coast Guard on its Foundation Day:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Indian Coast Guard on their Foundation Day.  The Indian Coast Guard has made a mark due to its remarkable efforts to keep the coast safe.

Indian Coast Guard

Indian Coast Guard is an armed force that protects India`s maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India.

Headquarters: New Delhi

Founded: 18 August 1978.

DRDO signed Technology Development Contract with Rosoboronexport Russia:

DRDO`s High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) signed a Technology Development Contract with Rosoboronexport Russia. It was signed during the DefExpo 2020 in Lucknow. The contract aims for the development of a spectrum of high energy materials required for missiles, rockets, and guns.

Technology Development Contract:

♦ The contract has been signed for the development of Advanced Pyrotechnic Ignition Systems.

♦ The contract will enable advancement in the field of energetic materials and pyrotechnic technology which will lead to the development of advanced ignition systems. 

♦ The technology is expected to meet the futuristic requirements of high-performance propulsion systems. 

♦ This technology development will facilitate the design and development of state of art solid rocket motors for upcoming products as the propulsion systems are the power behind the rockets and missiles.

♦ These products will be based on compact and energy-efficient propulsion systems.

India to develop 200-km range tactical ballistic missile

India on a new tactical ballistic missile capable of striking targets at a range of 200km, two top government officials.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

The surface-to-surface missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)named Prakash, the first official cited at a military systems exhibition organized by the Department of Defence Production that seeks to project India as a hub for global defence manufacturing. The new weapon traces its origin to the Prahaar missile developed by the DRDO. The Prahaar has a range of 150km. The configuration of Pranash frozen and development trials will begin by 2021-end. The non-nuclear Pranash missile will be propelled by a single-stage solid-propellant engine. DRDO’s short-range Prithvi series of missiles with ranges of 150 to 350 km are nuclear-capable and powered by a liquid propellant engine that has its limitations. India’s Agni series of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles can hit targets at different ranges between 700km and 5,500km. The missile is outside the purview of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) places export restrictions on missiles with ranges of more than 300km.India as one of the top five countries in the aerospace and defence sectors in the coming years. India exported military hardware worth Rs 17,000 crore during the last two years compared to Rs 2,000 crore in 2014.