Daily current affairs – June 1/2020

GS – 2

Government polices and Schemes

13 lakh functional tap connection:

Why it is in News?

• Assam State government presented the Annual Action Plan for consideration and approval of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Government of India (GoI) approved Rs.1,407 crore for 2020-21 under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
• Assam plans to provide tap connections to 13 lakh households out of a total of 63 lakhs in 2020-21. 

About scheme:

• The target of Jal Jeevan Mission in Assam is not difficult because of the abundant water resources in the State, which is both groundwater and surface water.
• Assam is giving emphasis on capitalizing on ‘low-hanging fruits’ in the villages/ habitations where piped water supply schemes already exist in order to yield the desired results. 
•  The state plans to immediately provide household tap connections to all remaining households belonging to weaker and marginalized sections on priority. 
• The state government has also defined roadmap for the effective implementation of the Village Action Plan (VAP) with the active participation of the rural community. 
• The aim is to strengthen the existing drinking water sources for the long-term sustainability of drinking water supply systems through the convergence of various programmes like MGNREGS, SBM (G), 15th Finance Commission Grants to PRIs, District Mineral Development Fund, CAMPA, Local Area Development Fund, etc. at village level is planned for judicious use of all available resources.   
•  With the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, people in rural areas now aspire to get tap connections in their household premises.

GS – 3

Science and Technology

Active Asteroids near Jupiter:

Why it is in news?

• Astronomers have discovered a rare kind of space object.
•  It is described as something between an asteroid and a comet.
•  The object has been called an active asteroid. 

About active asteroids:

• The newly discovered asteroid is named 2019 LD2.
• 2019 LD2 has an orbit like an asteroid but the tail of a comet. 
• The specialty of 2019 LD2 special is that the active asteroid shares Jupiter’s orbit in an asteroid swarm known as the Jupiter Trojans.
•  This is the first Jupiter Trojan that the astronomers have come across.
• These asteroids follow the same orbit like that of a planet. But it remains 60 degrees ahead of or behind along the orbit. 
•  The Jupiter Trojan asteroids orbit the Sun in two huge swarms, one swarm orbiting ahead of the planet, where 2019 LD2 is present, and the other swarm orbiting behind it
• It is suspected that the Trojan asteroids have been captured into these orbits by Jupiter’s strong gravity. 
• 2019 LD2 is a first-of-its-kind active asteroid because most Jupiter Trojans were captured billions of years ago.
•  Other planets on the Solar system like Earth, Neptune, and Jupiter have more than one Trojan asteroid.

Rare fish in Gulf of Mannar:

Why it is in News?

• The Researchers at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute have found a rare fish (Scorpaenospsis neglecta) from the Gulf of Mannar.
• The specimen was deposited at the National Marine Biodiversity Museum of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

About fish:

• The fish is locally called Scorpion Fish for its venomous tail.
•  When the spines in the tail pierce an individual, the venom gets injected and causes severe pain.
• This is the first time, the species has been found alive in the Indian waters.