🔆 Minimising loss during glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF)
✅An IIT Kanpur strategy put forth a strategy to reduce loss of lives during glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF).
▪️Details:
✅ According to the study, satellite-based real-time monitoring of Himalayan glacial catchments would improve understanding of flood risk in the region and help inform an early flood warning system that could help curb disaster and save human lives.
✅ The study has been carried out by scientists from IIT Kanpur with support from the Department of Science & Technology.
✅ The IIT Kanpur team suggests that efforts to help mitigate GLOF events in the future should include the creation of a network of satellite-based monitoring stations that could provide in situ and real-time data on GLOF risk.
▪️ Background:
✅Temperature and the numbers of extreme rainfall events are rising at an increased rate because of climate change.
✅ Suitably called Earth’s “Third Pole”, the Himalayan region is home to the largest ice mass outside of the planet’s Polar Regions.
✅ The glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at a faster rate creating new lakes and expanding the existing ones.
✅ Besides, the rising temperatures and extreme precipitation events make the region increasingly prone to a variety of natural hazards, including devastating glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
✅ GLOFs occur when either a natural dam containing a glacial lake bursts or when the lake’s level suddenly increases and overflows its banks, leading to catastrophic downstream destruction.
✅With climate change, these events are likely to increase in frequency and magnitude throughout the Himalayas.
#GS3
✅An IIT Kanpur strategy put forth a strategy to reduce loss of lives during glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF).
▪️Details:
✅ According to the study, satellite-based real-time monitoring of Himalayan glacial catchments would improve understanding of flood risk in the region and help inform an early flood warning system that could help curb disaster and save human lives.
✅ The study has been carried out by scientists from IIT Kanpur with support from the Department of Science & Technology.
✅ The IIT Kanpur team suggests that efforts to help mitigate GLOF events in the future should include the creation of a network of satellite-based monitoring stations that could provide in situ and real-time data on GLOF risk.
▪️ Background:
✅Temperature and the numbers of extreme rainfall events are rising at an increased rate because of climate change.
✅ Suitably called Earth’s “Third Pole”, the Himalayan region is home to the largest ice mass outside of the planet’s Polar Regions.
✅ The glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at a faster rate creating new lakes and expanding the existing ones.
✅ Besides, the rising temperatures and extreme precipitation events make the region increasingly prone to a variety of natural hazards, including devastating glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
✅ GLOFs occur when either a natural dam containing a glacial lake bursts or when the lake’s level suddenly increases and overflows its banks, leading to catastrophic downstream destruction.
✅With climate change, these events are likely to increase in frequency and magnitude throughout the Himalayas.
#GS3
🔆3rd Arctic Science Ministerial
✅ India participates in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial.
✅ India is participating in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) – the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region.
✅ The first two meetings—ASM1 and ASM2—were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively.
✅ ASM3, jointly organised by Iceland and Japan, is the first ministerial meeting being held in Asia.
✅ The meeting is designed to provide opportunities to various stakeholders, including academia, indigenous communities, governments and policymakers, to enhance collective understanding of the Arctic region, emphasize and engage in constant monitoring, and strengthen observations.
✅ The theme for this year is ‘Knowledge for a Sustainable Arctic’.
✅ Arctic warming and its ice melt are global concerns as they play a pivotal role in regulating climate, sea levels, and maintaining biodiversity.
✅ Moreover, there is growing evidence of connection between the Arctic and the Indian Ocean (which modulates the Indian monsoon).
✅ Hence, improving the understanding of physical processes and quantifying the impact of Arctic ice melt on the Indian summer monsoon is very important.
✅ Since 2013, India has enjoyed ‘Observer’ status in the Arctic Council.
#science_and_technology
#gs3
#prelims
PIB
✅ India participates in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial.
✅ India is participating in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) – the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region.
✅ The first two meetings—ASM1 and ASM2—were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively.
✅ ASM3, jointly organised by Iceland and Japan, is the first ministerial meeting being held in Asia.
✅ The meeting is designed to provide opportunities to various stakeholders, including academia, indigenous communities, governments and policymakers, to enhance collective understanding of the Arctic region, emphasize and engage in constant monitoring, and strengthen observations.
✅ The theme for this year is ‘Knowledge for a Sustainable Arctic’.
✅ Arctic warming and its ice melt are global concerns as they play a pivotal role in regulating climate, sea levels, and maintaining biodiversity.
✅ Moreover, there is growing evidence of connection between the Arctic and the Indian Ocean (which modulates the Indian monsoon).
✅ Hence, improving the understanding of physical processes and quantifying the impact of Arctic ice melt on the Indian summer monsoon is very important.
✅ Since 2013, India has enjoyed ‘Observer’ status in the Arctic Council.
#science_and_technology
#gs3
#prelims
PIB
Zeolite
• Atmospheric air contains 78 % nitrogen and about 20 % oxygen and zeolites adsorb or traps nitrogen onto its surface.
• Zeolite or molecular sieve are microporous crystalline solid of aluminium silicate.
• Zeolite is used in the Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology, developed by DRDO for on‐board oxygen generation on aircraft like Tejas.
• The technology will now be used to generate oxygen for medical purposes to battle the current oxygen shortage brought on by the Covid second wave.
• The technology will be especially useful in urban, remote and rural settings with on-site generation of medical oxygen in a cost-effective manner.
• Hospitals will be able to generate on site medical oxygen, in a cost-effective manner with this oxygen plant rather than depending upon sourcing it from other places.
#GS3 #Sci&Tech #Prelim2021
• Atmospheric air contains 78 % nitrogen and about 20 % oxygen and zeolites adsorb or traps nitrogen onto its surface.
• Zeolite or molecular sieve are microporous crystalline solid of aluminium silicate.
• Zeolite is used in the Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology, developed by DRDO for on‐board oxygen generation on aircraft like Tejas.
• The technology will now be used to generate oxygen for medical purposes to battle the current oxygen shortage brought on by the Covid second wave.
• The technology will be especially useful in urban, remote and rural settings with on-site generation of medical oxygen in a cost-effective manner.
• Hospitals will be able to generate on site medical oxygen, in a cost-effective manner with this oxygen plant rather than depending upon sourcing it from other places.
#GS3 #Sci&Tech #Prelim2021
🔆 UDHAMPUR- SRINAGAR- BARAMULLA RAIL LINK PROJECT (USBRL)
✅Why news- Minister for Railways reviewed the progress of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL).
▪️Project background:
✅Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL) having length of 272 Km long Railway Line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with rest of the country and has been declared as National Project in 2002.
✅Out of 272 Km of USBRL Project, work has been completed on 161 Km and commissioned.
✅Completion date of the project is April-2023.
▪️Status of work sub-divided under it is as under:
✅Udhampur - Katra -25km (commissioned in July 2014)
✅Quazigund - Baramulla – 118km (commissioned in Oct., 2009)
✅Banihal - Quazigund – 18km (commissioned in June 2013)
✅Katra to Banihal- 111km in progress (Target 2022-23)
▪️Katra- Banihal Section of USBRL Project
✅The work on intervening stretch of Katra-Banihal section (111 km) is in progress and this section predominantly involves tunnelling i.e. 97 Km out of 111 Km (i.e. 87%) of length of Katra-Banihal section is in tunnels and maximum length of tunnel T-49 is 12.75 Km.
✅There are 27 Main tunnel and 37 Bridges.
✅These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge which will be the highest railway bridge in the world. Arch Launching of Chenab bridge was completed on 05.04. 2021.
✅Indian railway’s first cable-stayed bridge is also being constructed on Anji Khad. Ancillary viaduct portion of Anji khad Bridge has been completed.
#economy
#gs3
#prelims
PIB
✅Why news- Minister for Railways reviewed the progress of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL).
▪️Project background:
✅Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL) having length of 272 Km long Railway Line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with rest of the country and has been declared as National Project in 2002.
✅Out of 272 Km of USBRL Project, work has been completed on 161 Km and commissioned.
✅Completion date of the project is April-2023.
▪️Status of work sub-divided under it is as under:
✅Udhampur - Katra -25km (commissioned in July 2014)
✅Quazigund - Baramulla – 118km (commissioned in Oct., 2009)
✅Banihal - Quazigund – 18km (commissioned in June 2013)
✅Katra to Banihal- 111km in progress (Target 2022-23)
▪️Katra- Banihal Section of USBRL Project
✅The work on intervening stretch of Katra-Banihal section (111 km) is in progress and this section predominantly involves tunnelling i.e. 97 Km out of 111 Km (i.e. 87%) of length of Katra-Banihal section is in tunnels and maximum length of tunnel T-49 is 12.75 Km.
✅There are 27 Main tunnel and 37 Bridges.
✅These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge which will be the highest railway bridge in the world. Arch Launching of Chenab bridge was completed on 05.04. 2021.
✅Indian railway’s first cable-stayed bridge is also being constructed on Anji Khad. Ancillary viaduct portion of Anji khad Bridge has been completed.
#economy
#gs3
#prelims
PIB
■ EFFECTS OF INFLATION. [PART - 1]
#Economy #Inflation #GS3
There are multi-dimensional effects of Inflation on an economy both at micro and macro levels.
□ ON CREDITORS and DEBTORS.
Lenders suffers and borrowers benefit out of Inflation.
□ ON LENDING.
With the rise in inflation, lending institutions feel the pressure of higher lending. Institutions don’t revise the nominal rate of interest as the ‘real cost of borrowing’ falls by the same percentage with which inflation rises.
□ ON AGGREGATE DEMAND
Rising inflation indicates rising aggregate demand and indicates comparatively lower supply and higher purchasing capacity among the consumers.
□ ON INVESTMENT
(i) Higher inflation indicates higher demand and suggests entrepreneurs to expand their production level, and
(ii) Higher the inflation, lower the cost of loan
□ ON SAVINGS
Money loses value with every increase in inflation.
#Economy #Inflation #GS3
There are multi-dimensional effects of Inflation on an economy both at micro and macro levels.
□ ON CREDITORS and DEBTORS.
Lenders suffers and borrowers benefit out of Inflation.
□ ON LENDING.
With the rise in inflation, lending institutions feel the pressure of higher lending. Institutions don’t revise the nominal rate of interest as the ‘real cost of borrowing’ falls by the same percentage with which inflation rises.
□ ON AGGREGATE DEMAND
Rising inflation indicates rising aggregate demand and indicates comparatively lower supply and higher purchasing capacity among the consumers.
□ ON INVESTMENT
(i) Higher inflation indicates higher demand and suggests entrepreneurs to expand their production level, and
(ii) Higher the inflation, lower the cost of loan
□ ON SAVINGS
Money loses value with every increase in inflation.
■ EFFECTS OF INFLATION. [ PART - 2 ]
#Economy #Inflation #GS3
□ ON EXPENDITURE.
◇ Inflation affects both the forms of expenditures —consumption as well as investment.
◇ Increased prices make our consumption levels fall as goods and services we buy get costlier.
□ ON TAXATION.
◇ inflation increases the nominal value of the gross tax revenue, while real value of the tax collection does not compare with the current pace of inflation as there is a lag (delay) in the tax collection in all economies.
□ ON EXCHANGE RATE.
◇ With every inflation the currency of the economy depreciates provided it follows the flexible currency regime.
□ ON EXPORT.
◇ On Export With inflation, exportable items of an economy gain competitive prices in the world market. Due to this, the volume of export increases and thus export income increases.
▪︎PART 3 will be posted tomorrow.
▪︎SOURCE - INDIAN ECONOMY by RAMESH SINGH. ( CHAPTER - 7 )📕
#Economy #Inflation #GS3
□ ON EXPENDITURE.
◇ Inflation affects both the forms of expenditures —consumption as well as investment.
◇ Increased prices make our consumption levels fall as goods and services we buy get costlier.
□ ON TAXATION.
◇ inflation increases the nominal value of the gross tax revenue, while real value of the tax collection does not compare with the current pace of inflation as there is a lag (delay) in the tax collection in all economies.
□ ON EXCHANGE RATE.
◇ With every inflation the currency of the economy depreciates provided it follows the flexible currency regime.
□ ON EXPORT.
◇ On Export With inflation, exportable items of an economy gain competitive prices in the world market. Due to this, the volume of export increases and thus export income increases.
▪︎PART 3 will be posted tomorrow.
▪︎SOURCE - INDIAN ECONOMY by RAMESH SINGH. ( CHAPTER - 7 )📕
■ EFFECTS OF INFLATION. [ PART - 3 ]
#Economy #Inflation #GS3
□ ON IMPORT
Inflation gives an economy the advantage of lower imports and import-substitution as foreign goods become costlier.
□ ON TRADE BALANCE
On Trade Balance In the case of a developed economy, inflation makes trade balance favourable, while for the developing economies inflation is unfavourable for balance of trade.
□ ON EMPLOYMENT
Inflation increases employment in the short-run, but becomes neutral or even negative in the long run.
□ ON WAGES
On Wages Inflation increases the nominal value of wages, while their real value falls.
□ ON THE SELF EMPLOYED
On the Self-employed Inflation has a neutralising impact on the self-employed people in the long-run.
▪︎SOURCE - INDIAN ECONOMY by RAMESH SINGH. (CHAPTER - 7)📕
#Economy #Inflation #GS3
□ ON IMPORT
Inflation gives an economy the advantage of lower imports and import-substitution as foreign goods become costlier.
□ ON TRADE BALANCE
On Trade Balance In the case of a developed economy, inflation makes trade balance favourable, while for the developing economies inflation is unfavourable for balance of trade.
□ ON EMPLOYMENT
Inflation increases employment in the short-run, but becomes neutral or even negative in the long run.
□ ON WAGES
On Wages Inflation increases the nominal value of wages, while their real value falls.
□ ON THE SELF EMPLOYED
On the Self-employed Inflation has a neutralising impact on the self-employed people in the long-run.
▪︎SOURCE - INDIAN ECONOMY by RAMESH SINGH. (CHAPTER - 7)📕
▪︎GOVERNMENT SCHEME - 2
■ SHAPHARI SCHEME.
#Economicsofanimalrearing #GS3
Commerce Ministry wants to build confidence in quality, antibiotic-free shrimp products from India for the global market.
□ PRELIMS POINTERS :-
◇ The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has developed a certification scheme for aquaculture products called ‘Shaphari’.
◇ Shaphari - a Sanksrit word that means the superior quality of fishery products.
◇ The Shaphari scheme is based on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s technical guidelines.
◇ Have two components — certifying hatcheries for the quality of their seeds and, approving shrimp farms that adopt the requisite good practices.
◇ Certification of hatcheries will help farmers identify good quality seed producers.
◇ Those who clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted certificate for a period of two years.
◇ The entire certification process will be online to minimize human errors.
▪︎SOURCE - THE HINDU.📰
■ SHAPHARI SCHEME.
#Economicsofanimalrearing #GS3
Commerce Ministry wants to build confidence in quality, antibiotic-free shrimp products from India for the global market.
□ PRELIMS POINTERS :-
◇ The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has developed a certification scheme for aquaculture products called ‘Shaphari’.
◇ Shaphari - a Sanksrit word that means the superior quality of fishery products.
◇ The Shaphari scheme is based on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s technical guidelines.
◇ Have two components — certifying hatcheries for the quality of their seeds and, approving shrimp farms that adopt the requisite good practices.
◇ Certification of hatcheries will help farmers identify good quality seed producers.
◇ Those who clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted certificate for a period of two years.
◇ The entire certification process will be online to minimize human errors.
▪︎SOURCE - THE HINDU.📰
▪︎GOVERNMENT SCHEME - 5
■ PLI SCHEME FOR TELECOM.
#Economy #Infrastructure #GS3
The Union Cabinet has approved the production-linked incentive scheme for the telecom sector with an outlay of ₹12,195 crores over five years.
□ WHY SUCH A SCHEME ?
◇ The scheme aims to make India a global hub for manufacturing telecom equipment.
◇ The sector is expected to lead to an incremental production of about ₹2.4 lakh crore, with exports of about ₹2 lakh crore over five years.
□ PLI SCHEME
◇ Aims to boost domestic manufacturing and cut down on imports by providing cash incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in the country.
◇ Besides inviting foreign companies to set shop in India, the scheme aims to encourage local companies to set up or expand, existing manufacturing units.
□ BENEFITS OF MSMEs
◇ For inclusion of MSMEs in the scheme, the minimum investment threshold has been kept at ₹10 crores, while for others it is ₹100 crore.
◇ For MSMEs, a 1% higher incentive is also proposed in the first three years.
□ EMPLOYMENT GENERATION.
◇ The scheme was also likely to generate 40,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities and generate tax revenue of ₹17,000 crores from telecom equipment manufacturing.
□ WHICH EQUIPMENTS ?
◇ It would include core transmission equipment, 4G/5G Radio Access Network and wireless equipment, access and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), IoT access devices, other wireless equipment.
▪︎SOURCE - THE HINDU.📰
■ PLI SCHEME FOR TELECOM.
#Economy #Infrastructure #GS3
The Union Cabinet has approved the production-linked incentive scheme for the telecom sector with an outlay of ₹12,195 crores over five years.
□ WHY SUCH A SCHEME ?
◇ The scheme aims to make India a global hub for manufacturing telecom equipment.
◇ The sector is expected to lead to an incremental production of about ₹2.4 lakh crore, with exports of about ₹2 lakh crore over five years.
□ PLI SCHEME
◇ Aims to boost domestic manufacturing and cut down on imports by providing cash incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in the country.
◇ Besides inviting foreign companies to set shop in India, the scheme aims to encourage local companies to set up or expand, existing manufacturing units.
□ BENEFITS OF MSMEs
◇ For inclusion of MSMEs in the scheme, the minimum investment threshold has been kept at ₹10 crores, while for others it is ₹100 crore.
◇ For MSMEs, a 1% higher incentive is also proposed in the first three years.
□ EMPLOYMENT GENERATION.
◇ The scheme was also likely to generate 40,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities and generate tax revenue of ₹17,000 crores from telecom equipment manufacturing.
□ WHICH EQUIPMENTS ?
◇ It would include core transmission equipment, 4G/5G Radio Access Network and wireless equipment, access and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), IoT access devices, other wireless equipment.
▪︎SOURCE - THE HINDU.📰
▪︎GOVERNMENT SCHEME - 8
■ SEED FUND SCHEME.
#Economy #Mobilisationofresources #GS3
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has been approved for the period of next four years starting from 2021-22.
□ ABOUT :-
◇ Aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization.
◇ The scheme is expected to support about 3600 startups.
□ WHAT IS SEED FUNDING ?
◇ Seed funding is a very early investment which aims at helping a business grow and generating its own capital.
□ IMPORTANCE OF SEED FUNDING.
◇ Starting new business and lifting it up the ground is a huge task for most entrepreneurs and it only gets tougher with capital constraints.
◇ It helps in start before the business earns any revenue.
□ SOURCE OF SEED FUNDING.
• Crowdfunding.
• Corporate seed funds.
• Incubators Accelerators.
• Angel investors.
• Personal Savings
• VC Funding
• Angel Funds or Angel Networks.
▪︎SOURCE - PIB
■ SEED FUND SCHEME.
#Economy #Mobilisationofresources #GS3
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has been approved for the period of next four years starting from 2021-22.
□ ABOUT :-
◇ Aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization.
◇ The scheme is expected to support about 3600 startups.
□ WHAT IS SEED FUNDING ?
◇ Seed funding is a very early investment which aims at helping a business grow and generating its own capital.
□ IMPORTANCE OF SEED FUNDING.
◇ Starting new business and lifting it up the ground is a huge task for most entrepreneurs and it only gets tougher with capital constraints.
◇ It helps in start before the business earns any revenue.
□ SOURCE OF SEED FUNDING.
• Crowdfunding.
• Corporate seed funds.
• Incubators Accelerators.
• Angel investors.
• Personal Savings
• VC Funding
• Angel Funds or Angel Networks.
▪︎SOURCE - PIB