Future Officers

Odia New Year – 13 April

About the day:

The reason behind the day – It is the first day of the solar year.
Only on this day, the Sun fully rests on the equator on two occasions namely ‘Mesha Sankranti’ and ‘Tula Sankranti’
Maha Bishuba Pana Sankranti is celebrated as the Odia New Year on 13 April. Pana Sankranti begins on 13 April every year.
The day is named after “Pana”, a drink offering. The day is celebrated with great joy, social, cultural and religious performances.

Pana Sankranti:

After Mesha Sankranti, the Sun moves in the northern direction to the side where India is situated to the north of the equator.
Hence from this day of the first movement of the Sun from Mesha Sankranti that the New Year is counted.
As per the tradition of Odia, the Pana Sankranti is believed to be the birthday of the Hindu deity Hanuman. His loving devotion towards Vishnu avatar Rama in Ramayana is legendary.
His temples, along with those of Shiva and Surya (the sun god) are revered in the new year. Hindus also visit Devi temples on Pana Sankranti.

Celebrations:

On this day, people use a small pot filled with “pana” or a sweet drink of Mishri and water is hung on a basil (Tulsi) plant.
A hole is made at the bottom of the pot which allows the water to fall from the pot, representing rain.
The festival is observed widely in the coastal areas, in some towns and villages of other areas as a rigorous ritualistic observance in Odisha.
Other festivals are otherwise known as Jharnu Yatra, Hingula Yatra or Patua Yatra, Danda Yatra, Uda Yatra culminate in the Bishuba Sankranti.

जलियांवाला बाग हत्याकांड की 101 वीं वर्षगांठ

जलियांवालाबागकाक्यामतलबहै?

जलियांवालाबागभारतकेपंजाबप्रांतमेंअमृतसरशहरमेंएकसार्वजनिकउद्यानहै।यहउनलोगोंकोयादकरनेकेलिएएकस्मारकहै, जो 13 अप्रैल, 1919 केनरसंहारमेंमारेगएथे।यहतारीखपंजाबीनववर्षभीथी।उद्यानमें 2,000 शांतिपूर्णप्रदर्शनकारीएकत्रितहुएथे।

जलियांवालाबागहत्याकांडकेकारणक्याहैं?

जलियांवालाबागनरसंहारब्रिटिशजनरलडायरकेकारणहुआथाजोभारतीयोंकोसबकसिखानाचाहतेथेऔरअंग्रेजोंकेखिलाफकिसीभीतरहकाविरोधप्रदर्शननाकरें।
सैफुद्दीनकिचलूकोअंग्रेजोंनेगिरफ्तारकरलियाथाऔरइसलिएबैसाखीकेशुभदिनकेदौरानकुछपरिवारजलियांवालाबागमेंएकत्रहुए।

जलियांवालाबागनरसंहारकेबादसामान्यडायरकाक्याहुआ?

1919 में, जलियांवालाबागहत्याकांडकेलगभगएकमहीनेबाद, डायरनेतीसरेएंग्लो-अफगानयुद्धमेंसेवाकी। 1919 मेंकुछमहीनोंकेलिएवहजमरूदमें 5 वेंब्रिगेडमेंतैनातथे।
वह 17 जुलाई 1920 कोसेवानिवृत्तहुए, कर्नलकापदबरकराररखा।
डायरकोकिसनेमारा?

सरमाइकलओडायरकीहत्या 1940 मेंलंदनमेंएकसिखक्रांतिकारी, उधमसिंहद्वाराकीगईथी, जोअमृतसरमेंघायलहोगएथे।

Daily current affairs – April 13

GS – 2

International

OPEC and Russia approve biggest Oil Cuts:

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia have come together to cut oil output by 10%.
This is done to control the falling oil prices amidst lock down all over the world due to COVID-19.

Foreground

The Russian Government earlier denied to sign the deal when Saudi Arabia initiated production cuts. Russian petroleum exports were badly hit due to the CAATSA imposed by Russia. Hence, Russian market began to turn in towards the its own country markets.
Russia in fact began to increase its production since then. Russia had planned to boost its production to 500,000 bpd to fulfil its own energy demands and also to suffice its export destinations.
The OPEC asked Russia to cut its production by 300,000 barrels per day. This will hit Russian economy badly.

Outcome of India

The big consumer countries such as India, China, Japan and South Korea backed the deal to boost their reserves.
This is because, the current deal on which OPEC members are supplying oil had come to an end by March 30, 2020.
Though the new deal has made the biggest cuts, it will not cause major changes to price changes as the demand is unpredictably low.
India’s petroleum reserves have now reached 60% of its holding capacity.
This is the right time for the importing countries like India to fill in their reserves.

Role of US

The deal was brokered by the US President and also by G20. The United States had a major role as it intended to protect its energy sector.
The US shale sector was battered badly due to decline in oil prices.

National

BRO opened Srinagar-Leh highway:

Border Roads organisation (Bro) opened the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway on April 11.
The highway connects Ladakh with the rest of the world.
Earlier some oil tanks and other essential commodities were allowed to move towards leh from Zojila pass.

Why was Srinagar-Leh highway closed?

The 425 km Srinagar-Leh highway was closed since the month of December 2019 due to heavy snowfall at Zojila Pass.
The Snow clearance operation were undertaken by project Beacon of BRO from Gagangir to Zero point and the same was done by project Vijayak from Drass towards zero point.

About BRO

BRO is responsible to develop and maintain road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
It functions under the Ministry of Defence.
It operates around 18 projects and serves in the region of India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan.

MHRD launched YUKTI web portal:

Centre launched a Web portal “young India Combating COVID with knowledge, Technology and Innovation” (YUKTI) in New Delhi.
Launched by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank.”

YUKTI portal

YUKTI portal is a unique portal and dashboard to monitor and record the efforts and initiatives of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
The portal aims to cover the different dimensions of COVID-19 challenges in a very holistic and comprehensive way.
The primary aim is to keep the Indian academic community healthy, both physically & mentally. It also aims to enable a continuous high-quality learning environment for learners.
The portal is an effort of MHRD to achieve the goal in these difficult times.
The portal will cover various initiatives and efforts of the institutions in academics, research especially related to COVID-19, social initiatives by institutions and the measures taken for the betterment of the total well-being of the students.
The portal will cover both qualitative and quantitative parameters for the effective delivery of services to the academic community at large.
Through this portal, several institutions can share their strategies for various challenges to tackle COVID-19 and other future initiatives.
The portal will give inputs for better planning and will enable MHRD to monitor effectively its activities for the coming six months.
The portal focuses on establishing a two-way communication channel between the MHRD and the institutions in the country. Through this, the Ministry aims to provide the necessary support system to the institutions.

Red, Orange and Green Zones:

According to the last PM meet, It has been concluded that India will enter into “smart Lockdown”.
Under the smart lock down, India is to be demarcated into red, orange and green zones.

Red Zone: In this regions that were declared as hotspots. Here no economic activity is to be allowed.

Green zones: Along with farm activities, MSME industries will also begin to function.

These industries will provide in-house lodging facilities for employees along with social distancing facilities.

Orange zones: This is the regions where limited public transport is to be allowed. In these regions harvesting of farm products will also be allowed.

101st Anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

What does Jallianwala Bagh mean?

Jallianwala Bagh is a public garden in Amritsar city in Punjab province of India. It has a memorial to remember those people who were killed in the Massacre of 13 April, 1919. This date was also the Punjabi New Year 2,000 peaceful demonstrators had gathered in the garden

What are the causes of Jallianwala Bagh massacre?

Jallianwala Bagh massacre was caused by British General Dyer who want to teach Indians a lesson and not to indulge in any form of protests against the British.
Saifuddin Kichlew were arrested by the British and therefore during the auspicious day of Baisakhi some of the families gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh.

What happened to general Dyer after Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

In 1919, about a month after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Dyer served in the Third Anglo-Afghan War. For a few months in 1919 he was posted to the 5th Brigade at Jamrud.
He retired on 17 July 1920, retaining the rank of colonel.

Who killed Dyer?

Sir Michael O’Dyer was assassinated in London in 1940 by a Sikh revolutionary, Udham Singh, who had been injured at Amritsar.

दैनिकसामयिकी- 12 अप्रैल

GS – 2

स्वास्थ्यऔरकल्याण

टीकेकेउत्पादनकेलिएसीगलबायोसोल्यूशन:

विज्ञानऔरप्रौद्योगिकीविभाग (Department of Science and Technology (DST) विज्ञानऔरप्रौद्योगिकीमंत्रालयकेतहत, सीगलबायोसोल्यूशनप्राइवेटलिमिटेड (SBPL)COVID-19 केलिएसक्रियवायरोसोम (AV: Active virosome) वैक्सीनऔरइम्यूनोडायग्नॉस्टिककिटकेविकासकेलिएनिधिदेताहै।।

सक्रियविरोसमप्रौद्योगिकी (Active Virosome Technology (AVT):

सीगलबायोद्वाराविकसितAVT काउपयोगटीकोंऔरइम्यूनोथैरेप्यूटिकएजेंटोंकेउत्पादनकेलिएकियाजासकताहै।
एवीटी (AVT) प्लेटफॉर्मउपन्यास, गैर-खतरनाकऔरकिफायतीसक्रियविरोसमएजेंटोंकाउत्पादनकरताहैजोलक्ष्यरोगज़नक़सेवांछितएंटीजनकोव्यक्तकरतेहैं।
इनकाउपयोग COVID-19 संक्रमणकीरोकथामकेलिएएकउपन्यासटीकाविकसितकरनेऔर COVID-19 केलिएइम्यूनोडायग्नॉस्टिक(ELISA) एलिसाकिटकेलिएभीकियाजाएगा।
SBPL नेदोप्रकारके AV एजेंटबनानेकीयोजनाबनाईहै, एकजो COVID-19 (AV-S) के S प्रोटीनकोव्यक्तकरताहैऔरदूसराजो COVID-19 (AV-SPs) केसंरचनात्मकप्रोटीनकोव्यक्तकरताहै।
यहउम्मीदकीजातीहैकिइम्यूनोडायग्नॉस्टिककिटअगस्त 2020 तकक्षेत्रपरीक्षणोंकेलिएतैयारहोजाएंगेऔर 10-11 महीनोंकेअंततकअनुमोदितहोजाएंगे।एवीवैक्सीनकेविकासमेंअधिकसमयलगनेकीउम्मीदहै।

वर्मीवेट

भारतकेनेशनलइनोवेशनफाउंडेशननेवर्मीवेटनामकएकस्वदेशीहर्बलदवाविकसितकीहै।यहरासायनिकतरीकोंकाएकविकल्पहैजोवर्तमानमेंकीड़ेकेइलाजकेलिएउपयोगकियाजारहाहै।
कीड़ेमेंआंतरिकपरजीवी,शरीरकावजनघटना, एनीमियातथाप्रजननस्वास्थ्यमेंनुकसानकाकारणबनाताहै।यहविकासऔरउत्पादकताकोसीमितकरताहै।दूसरीओर, रासायनिकडूमर्सकाअनुचितउपयोगप्रतिरोधबनाताहै।

नेशनलइनोवेशनफाउंडेशन:

•राष्ट्रीयनवाचारफाउंडेशनविज्ञानऔरप्रौद्योगिकीविभागकेअंतर्गतकार्यकरताहै।यहग्रासरूटइनोवेशनकोसहायताप्रदानकरनेकाकामकरताहै।इसकेअलावा, यह CBSE बोर्डकेसाथ IGNITE नामकएकवार्षिकप्रतियोगिताआयोजितकरताहै।

ग्रासरूटइनोवेशन

भारतकाबौद्धिकसंपदाअधिकारजमीनीस्तरकेनवाचारोंऔरपारंपरिकज्ञानप्रथाओंकोभीमान्यतादेताहै।
यहकृषि, पशुचिकित्साविज्ञानऔरमानवस्वास्थ्यकेक्षेत्रमेंअधिकआमहै।ग्रासरूटस्तरकेनवाचारआमलोगोंद्वाराकिएगएआविष्कारहैं।

GS -3

सरकारीनीतियां

प्रधानमंत्रीगरीबकल्याणपैकेजकेलाभ:

वित्तमंत्रालयने PM-KISAN केतहत 7 करोड़किसानोंकोलगभग 14,000 करोड़रुपयेदेनेकीघोषणाकीहै।फंडलगभगसीधेहस्तांतरितकरदियागयाहै।
भारतसरकारनेलगभग 10,000 करोड़रुपये19 करोड़प्रधानमंत्रीजनधनयोजना (पीएमजेडीवाई) महिलाखाताधारकोंकोऔर3,000 करोड़रुपये2 करोड़भवनऔरअन्यनिर्माणश्रमिकोंकोदिएहैं।
इसकेअलावा, देशमेंलगभगतीनकरोड़दिव्यांगों, वरिष्ठनागरिकोंऔरवृद्धविधवाओंकेखातोंमें 1400 करोड़रुपयेसेअधिकस्थानांतरितकिएगएहैं।

भारतपढ़ेंऑनलाइनअभियान

मानवसंसाधनविकासमंत्रालयनेएकसप्ताहकीअवधिकाअभियानशुरूकियाहैजिसकानाम “भारतपडेऑनलाइनअभियान” है।
इसअभियानकाउद्देश्यभारतमेंऑनलाइनशिक्षामेंसुधारकरनाहै।
हालांकिभारतमेंऑनलाइनशिक्षाकोबढ़ावादेनेकेलिएकईअन्यपहलहैं, लेकिनयहअभियानविभिन्नक्षेत्रोंकेसभीविशेषज्ञोंकोइसलॉकडाउनअवधिउनकेदौरानज्ञानकोसाझाकरनेकेलिएशुरूकियागयाहै।
अन्यई-शिक्षापहल: “स्वयं” एकविशालऑनलाइनपाठ्यक्रमहैजो 9 वींकक्षासेपढ़ाएजानेवालेसभीपाठ्यक्रमोंकीमेजबानीकरताहै।स्वयंप्रभाभारतसरकारकीएकऔरपहलहैजोडीटीएचटेलीविजनचैनलोंकेमाध्यमसेविशेषज्ञोंद्वाराविकसितशैक्षिकसामग्रीप्रदानकरतीहै।राष्ट्रीयडिजिटललाइब्रेरीमें 6.5 मिलियनसेअधिकपुस्तकेंहैंऔरइसेमुफ्तमेंएक्सेसकियाजासकताहै।

वातावरण

अनकक्रकटुज्वालामुखीकासबसेलंबाविस्फोट

इंडोनेशियाकाएनाकक्राकाटाऊज्वालामुखीका11 अप्रैलकोविस्फोटहुआ।

एनाकक्राकाटाऊ

आककृतकौकाअर्थहैकृतकौकाबच्चा, यहप्रसिद्धकृतकौज्वालामुखीकीसंतानहै।ज्वालामुखीपहलीबार 1883 मेंफटा, जिसनेवैश्विकशीतलनकादौरशुरूकिया।
यहद्वीपइंडोनेशियाईप्रांतलम्पुंगमेंजावाऔरसुमात्राकेद्वीपोंकेबीचसुंडाजलडमरूमध्यमेंएककाल्डेरामेंस्थितहै।
यहद्वीपउसक्षेत्रमेंकईमेंसेएकहैजोज्वालामुखीविदोंकेलिएकाफीरुचिरखताहैऔरव्यापकअध्ययनकाविषयहै।

विज्ञानऔरप्रौद्योगिकी

एनआईपीईआर-जी(NIPER-G )अभिनव 3-डीउत्पादोंकाडिजाइन

एनआईपीईआर-जी (NIPER-G)नेCOVID-19 प्रकोपसेलड़नेकेलिएउपन्यासकोरोनवायरसकेप्रसारकोनियंत्रितकरनेकेप्रयासमेंदोउत्पादों, अर्थात् 3 डी-प्रिंटेडहैंड्स-फ्रीऑब्जेक्टऔर 3 डी-प्रिंटेडएंटीमाइक्रोबियलफेस-शील्डकाविकासकिया।

3 डी-प्रिंटेडहैंड्स-फ्रीऑब्जेक्ट

3 डी-प्रिंटेडहैंड्स-फ्रीऑब्जेक्टकाउपयोगदरवाजों, खिड़कियों, दराजोंऔररेफ्रिजरेटरकेहैंडल, याप्रेसएलेवेटरबटनऔरलैपटॉप / डेस्कटॉपकीबोर्डकोखोलने / बंदकरनेमेंमददकरनेकेलिएकियाजासकताहै, जिसमेंस्विचबटनकोचालू / बंदकरनाशामिलहै।
यहउम्मीदकीजातीहैकियहहाथसंपर्कोंयादूषितसतहस्रोतोंकेमाध्यमसेएकव्यक्तिसेदूसरेमेंसंक्रमणकोरोकनेमेंमहत्वपूर्णभूमिकानिभासकताहै।

3 डी-मुद्रितरोगाणुरोधीचेहरा-ढाल:

3 डी-मुद्रितरोगाणुरोधीचेहरे-ढालकोमौखिक, नेत्ररोग, घ्राणऔरअन्यशरीरगुहाओंकेमाध्यमसेवायरसकेप्रसारकोसमझनेकेलिएगहनअध्ययनकेबादडिजाइनकियागयाथा।
यहकमलागत, पहननेमेंआसान, अच्छारासायनिकस्थिरता, गैर-नाजुकहैऔरइसकोमौजूदासैनिटाइज़रयाकिसीमादककीटाणुनाशकसेसाफकरनाआसानहै।

Daily current Affairs – April 12

GS – 2

Health and Welfare

Seagull Bio Solutions for vaccine production

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, is to fund Seagull BioSolutions Pvt. Ltd. (SBPL) to undertake the development of Active Virosome (AV) Vaccine and Immunodiagnostic kits for COVID-19 emergency.

Active Virosome Technology (AVT):

AVT developed by Seagull Bio can be used for the production of vaccines and immunotherapeutic agents.
The AVT platform produces novel, non-hazardous and economical Active Virosome agents expressing desired antigens from the target pathogen.
These will be used to develop a novel vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 infection and also immunodiagnostic ELISA kits for COVID-19.
SBPL has planned to produce two types of AV agents, one that expresses S protein of COVID-19 (AV-S) and another that expresses structural proteins of COVID-19 (AV-SPs).
It is expected that the Immunodiagnostic kits will be ready for field trials by August 2020 and approved by the end of 10-11 months. The development of the AV vaccine is expected to take a longer time.

Wormivet:

The National Innovation foundation India has developed an indigenous herbal medicine called Wormivet. It is an alternative to chemical methods that are currently being used to treat worms.
Internal Parasite in worms leads to loss in body weight, anemia, loss in reproductive health. It limits growth and productivity. On the other hand, inappropriate use of chemical dewormers creates resistance.

National Innovation Foundation:

The National Innovation Foundation operates under Department of Science and Technology. It works to provide support to grass root innovations. Also, it organizes an annual competition called IGNITE along with CBSE board.

Grass root Innovations:

The Intellectual Property Rights of India recognizes grassroot innovations and also traditional knowledge practices.
This is more common in the fields of agriculture, veterinary science and human health. The Grass root level innovations are inventions made by common people.

GS – 3

Government policies

Benefits under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package:

Ministry of Finance has announced around Rs.14,000 crore to 7 crore farmers under PM-KISAN. The fund has been directly transferred to approximately.
Ministry of Finance has announced around Rs.14,000 crore to 7 crore farmers under PM-KISAN. The fund has been directly transferred to approximately.
GoI has also given around Rs.10,000 crore to over 19 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) women account holders and Rs.3,000 crore to 2 crore building and other construction workers so far.
Also, over Rs.1400 crore has been transferred in the accounts of around three crore divyangs, senior citizens and aged widows in the country.

Bharat Padhe Online Campaign

The Ministry of Human Resources Development has launched a week long campaign called “Bharat Padhe Online Campaign”.
This campaign aims to improve online education in India.
Though there are several other initiatives to promote online education in India, this campaign is launched to bring in all the experts of different fields to share their knowledge during lock down.
Other e-education initiatives Swayam is a massive online course that hosts all courses taught from 9th class. Swayam Prabha is another initiative of GoI that provides educational contents developed by experts through DTH television channels. National Digital Library consists of more than 6.5 million books and can be accessed for free.

Environment

Anak Krakatau volcano eruption:

Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano erupted on 11 April. It spewed a column of ash 500 meters into the sky. It last erupted in 2018

Anak Krakatau:

Anak Krakatau means the child of Kratakau, is the offspring of the famous Krakatau volcano. The volcano first erupted in 1883 triggered a period of global cooling.
The island is located in a caldera in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian province of Lampung.
The island is one of several in the area which is of considerable interest to volcanologists and the subject of extensive study.

Science and Technology

NIPER – G designs innovative 3D products:

NIPER-G developed two products, namely 3D-printed hands-free object and 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield in an effort to control the spread of novel coronavirus, to fight COVID-19 outbreak.

3D-printed hands-free object:

The 3D-printed hands-free object could be used to help open or close doors, windows, drawers, and refrigerator handle, or press elevator buttons, and laptop/desktop keyboards, including turning the switch buttons on/off.
It is expected that it might play a key role in preventing transmission of infection from one person to another through bare hand contacts or contaminated surface sources.

3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield:

The 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield was designed after a thorough study to understand the spread of the virus through oral, ophthalmic, olfactory and other body cavities.
It is also low cost, easy to wear, has good chemical stability, non-fragile and is easy to clean with the existing sanitizers or any alcoholic disinfectant.

मानव अंतरिक्ष उड़ान का अंतर्राष्ट्रीय दिवस

मानव अंतरिक्ष उड़ान का अंतर्राष्ट्रीय दिवस 12 अप्रैल को मनाया जाता है। यह दिन 1961 में यूरी गगारिन की ऐतिहासिक अंतरिक्ष यात्रा की सालगिरह के रूप में मनाया जाता है।
इस दिन को रूस में कॉस्मोनॉटिक्स दिवस के रूप में मनाया जाता है। यह दिन देशों को बाहरी अंतरिक्ष में शांतिपूर्ण उद्देश्यों को बनाए रखने की आकांक्षा को महसूस करने वाले का लक्ष्य रखता है।
मानव अंतरिक्ष उड़ान:

एक सोवियत नागरिक यूरी गगारिन ने 12 अप्रैल 1961 को वोस्तोक 1 अंतरिक्ष उड़ान भरी
वोस्टोक 3KA अंतरिक्ष यान ने 108 मिनट में पृथ्वी के चारों ओर एक परिक्रमा की। अंतरिक्ष यान का प्रक्षेपण वोस्तोक-के प्रक्षेपण यान द्वारा किया गया था।
इस ऐतिहासिक उपलब्धि ने सभी मानवता के लाभ के लिए अंतरिक्ष अन्वेषण का मार्ग प्रशस्त किया।
इतिहास:
अपने 65 वें सत्र में, संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासभा (UNGA) ने अप्रैल 2011 में एक प्रस्ताव पारित किया और 12 अप्रैल को अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मानव दिवस के रूप में अवलोकन किया।
इस दिन का लक्ष्य अंतरिक्ष विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी का सतत विकास लक्ष्यों को प्राप्त करने में किये गए योगदान की पुनः पुष्टि करना है। यह दिन देशों एवं उसके लोगों का कल्याण बढ़ाने पर केंद्रित है।

International Day of Human Space Flight

International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on 12 April. The day commemorates the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic spaceflight in 1961.
The day is celebrated as the Cosmonautics Day in Russia. The day aims to ensure the countries realize the aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.

Human Space Flight:
A Soviet citizen Yuri Gagarin carried out Vostok 1 space flight on 12 April 1961.
The flight made one orbit around the Earth over 108 minutes in the Vostok 3KA spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched by the Vostok-K launch vehicle.
This historic achievement paved the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.

History:
In its 65th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution in April 2011 and designated the observation of International Day of Human Space Flight on 12 April.
The day aims to reaffirm the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). The day focuses on increasing the well-being of Countries and its people.

Daily current affairs – April 11

Gs – 2

National

Operation SHIELD in 21 Containment Areas against COVID-19

Delhi Chief Minister(CM) has launched “Operation SHIELD” in 21 identified Containment Areas of the state to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
It deals with sealing, home quarantine, isolation & tracking, essential supply of commodities, local sanitisation and door-to-door health checkups.
Acronym of SHIELD:
S – Sealing of the immediate area/surroundings after geographical marking.
H – Home quarantine of all the people living in the area.
I – Isolation and tracing of people who have been first and second contacts.
E – Essential supply of commodities is ensured.
L – Local sanitisation of the area by authorities.
D – Door-to-door health checks of everyone living in the area.
The government has made it compulsory to wear masks while stepping out of the houses & also stated that punishment will be given for those who misbehave with healthcare personnel.

Government policies and Interventions

Market Investment Scheme:

The Central Government has directed all the States and Union Territories to implement the Market Intervention Scheme to ensure remunerative prices to farmers for perishable crops.
It has also begun a train service to transport perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities to markets due to the obstacles in road transport.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare 50 trains have been deployed for this purpose.
Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) is implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
The objective of MIS is to provide remunerative prices to the farmers in case of excess of production and fall in prices.
The MIS is an ad-hoc scheme under which include horticultural commodities and other agricultural commodities.
These commodities are perishable in nature and which are not covered under the minimum price support scheme.
Further, the MIS is implemented on the specific requests of the State Government/UT Administrations willing to share the loss with the Central Government on a 50:50 basis (75:25 in case of North-Eastern States).

GS – 3

Science and Technology

Intranasal Vaccine for coronavirus ‘coroFlu’

Bharat Biotech International Ltd, a leading vaccines & bio-therapeutics manufacturers in India, has joined hands with US (United States) FluGen Inc and virologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Wisconsin,US , to begin the development and testing of a new intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 called ‘CoroFlu’.
The vaccine is being developed on the basis of FluGen’s flu vaccine candidate known as M2SR, a self-limited version of influenza virus.
It induces an immune response against the flu.
The vaccine will be built by FluGen’s lab that insert gene sequences from SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, into M2SR so that the novel vaccine will also induce immunity against the coronavirus.
Different trials of this vaccine may take three to six months. Once prepared, a drop of this vaccine will be administered through the nose to the mucosal layer of the corona patients. The company will produce 300 million doses if the test is successful.
Pharma majors like Ahmedabad (Gujarat) -based Zydus Cadila and Pune (Maharashtra)-based Serum Institute have already engaged in the process to make vaccines against corona.

Conservation

Asian Elephants:

Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is the only sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh with a population of Asian elephants.
The sanctuary is covered by southern tropical dry deciduous and thorn forests. Some of the important flora consists of Albizia amara, Acacia, Lagerstroemia, Ficus, bamboo, and a species which is a regeneration of Santalum album.
Apart from some of the animals found in the sanctuary are: sloth bear, panther, cheetal, chowsingha, sambar, porcupine, wild boar, jungle cat, jackal, jungle fowl, starred tortoise and slender loris.
There are three subspecies of Asian elephant – the Indian, Sumatran and Sri Lankan.
The Indian has the widest range and accounts for the majority of the remaining elephants on the continent.
Escalation of poaching, habitat loss, and mistreatment in captivity are some common threats to both African and Asian elephants.
African elephants are listed as “vulnerable” and Asian elephants as “endangered” in IUCN Red list of threatened species.
The elephant has been accorded the highest possible protection under the Indian wildlife law through its listing under Schedule I of the Wild life protection act of 1972
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) status – Appendix I
Appendix I lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants.
The Government of India has launched various initiatives for conservation of elephants. Few important initiatives are:
Project Elephant launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Elephant census is conducted once in 5 years under the aegis of Project elephant.
Establishment of elephant reserves and adoption of the “World Elephant Day” (August 12) to help conserve and protect elephants in India and improve their welfare.
‘Gaj Yatra’ a nationwide awareness campaign to celebrate elephants and highlight the necessity of securing elephant corridors.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), had come out with a publication on the right of passage in 101 elephant corridors of the country in 2017, stressed on the need for greater surveillance and protection of elephant corridors.
The Monitoring the Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme launched in 2003 is an international collaboration that tracks trends in information related to the illegal killing of elephants from across Africa and Asia, to monitor effectiveness of field conservation efforts.