MOST PROBABLE TOPICS – PART 16

1.Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and Carbon Pricing

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement aims at promoting integrated, holistic and balanced approaches that will assist governments in implementing their NDCs through voluntary international cooperation. This cooperation mechanism, if properly designed, should make it easier to achieve reduction targets and raise ambition. In particular, Article 6 could also establish a policy foundation for an emissions trading system, which could help lead to a global price on carbon.
Under this mechanism, countries with low emissions would be allowed to sell their exceeding allowance to larger emitters, with an overall cap of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ensuring their net reduction. Supply and demand for emissions allowances would lead to the establishment of a global carbon price that would tie the negative externalities of GHG emissions to polluters. In other words, by paying a price on carbon, states exceeding their NDCs would bear the costs of global warming.

2.El Nino

El Nino, which is the unusual warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, disrupts global wind patterns affecting climatic conditions in tropical areas like Africa, sub-tropical areas like India as well as the extra-tropical areas like North America.
In India, there is a relationship between El Nino events and hotter than usual summers along with a decrease in rainfall during the monsoon. Most of the time, these events have also led to drought conditions.

3. Madden Julian Oscillation and Impact on Indian Monsoon

It is an oceanic-atmospheric phenomenon which affects weather activities across the globe. It brings major fluctuation in tropical weather on weekly to monthly timescales.
The MJO can be defined as an eastward moving ‘pulse’ of clouds, rainfall, winds and pressure near the equator that typically recurs every 30 to 60 days.
It’s a traversing phenomenon and is most prominent over the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

To read about impact on India in detail-Click

4. Bru refugee crisis

A four party agreement among the Centre, Mizoram Government, Tripura Government and Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) which seeks to end the 22-year-old Bru refugee crisis may be signed on 16^th January 2020

Background

Bru or Reang is a community indigenous to Northeast India, living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
In Mizoram, they have been targeted by groups that do not consider them indigenous to the state. In 1997, following ethnic clashes, nearly 37,000 Brus fled Mamit, Kolasib and Lunglei districts of Mizoram and were accommodated in relief camps in Tripura.
Since then, 5,000 have returned to Mizoram in eight phases of repatriation, while 32,000 still live in six relief camps in North Tripura.
- In June 2018, community leaders from the Bru camps signed an agreement with the Centre and the two state governments, providing for repatriation in Mizoram. But most camp residents rejected the terms of the agreement.
- The camp residents say that the agreement doesn’t guarantee their safety in Mizoram.
In October 2019, the supply of ration to relief camps was stopped on instructions of the Home Ministry in a bid to hastily complete the repatriation of refugees to Mizoram. Civil society outfits had alleged that at least six refugees died due to starvation.

Proposed New Agreement

According to the 2018 agreement, the Bru tribals would have settled in Mizoram, but according to the new agreement, they will now settle in Tripura.
The stakeholders in the issue expect a package of Rs 600 crore from the Centre which includes:
- Plots of 2,500 sq ft for each Bru family in addition to agricultural land.
- A stipend of Rs 5,000 per month and free ration for each family for the next two years.
- Bru tribals would be included in Tripura’s voter list.

5. McrBC

A team of scientists at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune claims to have determined the atomic structure of McrBC — a complex bacterial protein which helps prevent viral infections in a bacterial cell and functions as a molecular scissor.
This is the first report of the high-resolution structure from India determined using electron cryomicroscopy, commonly known as cryo-EM.
The determination of the McrBC’s structure has long-term implications in ‘phage therapy’ and could help combat drug-resistant infections in the future.
Phages are groups of viruses that infect and kill bacterial cells and phage therapy is the therapeutic use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections.

6. Jal Jeevan Mission

Jal Jeevan Mission, a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of piped water for every household in India.
The mission’s goal is to provide to all households in rural India safe and adequate water through individual household tap connections by 2024.
The Har Ghar Nal Se Jal programme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2019-20 speech. This programme forms a crucial part of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The programme aims to implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, and rain water harvesting.
The Jal Jeevan Mission will be based on a community approach to water. According to the government, the mission will include information, education and communication as key components.
The mission is meant to create a people’s movement for water, making it everyone’s priority.
Also know about Day Zero– Day Zero refers to the day when a place is likely to have no drinking water of its own.

7. Scramjet Engine/ Supersonic Combustion Ramjet

The Scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser.
A ramjet is a form of air-breathing jet engine that uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress incoming air for combustion without a rotating compressor. Fuel is injected in the combustion chamber where it mixes with the hot compressed air and ignites. A ramjet-powered vehicle requires an assisted take-off like a rocket assist to accelerate it to a speed where it begins to produce thrust.
Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound) and can operate up to speeds of Mach 6. However, the ramjet efficiency starts to drop when the vehicle reaches hypersonic speeds.
A scramjet engine is an improvement over the ramjet engine as it efficiently operates at hypersonic speeds and allows supersonic combustion. Thus it is known as Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or Scramjet.
India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet Engine.

8. GAGANYAAN MISSION

ISRO & ROSCOSMOS( Russia) to work together on the project
India’s 1st manned space mission
3 humans will be sent into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by 2022
For 5-7 days
3 astronauts will conduct experiments on microgravity in space
Only 3 nations have sent humans into space till date- USA, Russia and China
10,000-crore mission will be a turning point in India’s space journey.
Isro has developed some critical technologies like re-entry mission capability, crew escape system, crew module configuration, thermal protection system, deceleration and flotation system, sub-systems of life support system required for Mission Gaganyaan.

9. Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART) Scheme

It’s an Umbrella scheme under Ministry of Earth Sciences and encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science.It encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science.

10. S-400

The Russian-built S-400 Triumf is the world’s most dangerous operationally deployed modern longrange surface-to-air missile system. The S-400 is a mobile system that integrates multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and a command and control centre.
India Russia signed deal for purchase of S-400 missile system.

11. Pancheswar Dam Project

It is a bi-national project aimed at energy production and augmenting irrigation in India and Nepal.
It is proposed on river Mahakali (known as river Sharda in India), where the river forms the international boundary between Nepal and State of Uttarakhand in India.
A Treaty known as “Mahakali Treaty” concerning the integrated development of the Mahakali River, which included Sharda barrage, Tanakpur barrage and Pancheshwar Dam Project, was signed between the Nepal and India in 1996.

12. Mudiyettu

It is a traditional ritual theatre and folkdance drama from Kerala
Enacts the mythological tale of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika
The ritual is a part of the bhagavathi or bhadrakali cult.
Part of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

13. 1,500-year-old sealing unearthed near Nagpur reveals power of Vakataka queen

For the first time, a team of archaeologists has unearthed a sealing that dates back nearly 1,500 years and belonged to Prabhavatigupta, the queen of Vakataka king Rudrasena II, who ruled the kingdom from Nagardhan in Ramtek taluka, located about 50 km from Nagpur.
The oval sealing that bears images of the queen and a conch, accompanied with some inscriptions in Brahmi letters, was found on top of a mega wall, now believed to be a part of a palace structure located in the capital city of the Vakataka dynasty
Though the Vakataka rulers were primarily Shaivites, these rulers had forged several matrimonial alliances with other dynasties. Of these, the most important alliance was stitched with Prabhavatigupta, the daughter of Emperor Chandragupta II and granddaughter of Samudragupta of the Gupta dynasty, who were Vaishnavites.
Nagardhan- believed to be the capital of the Vakataka dynasty, where the queen issued seals.

14. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
It is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1^st Biosphere Reserve in India) along with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) in the West, Bandipur National Park (Karnataka) in the North, Mukurthi National Park and Silent Valley in the South.

Other Tiger Reserves in Tamil Nadu

Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR)
Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR)
Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR)

15. Tiger Reserves of North East India

Kaziranaga TR- Assam
Manas TR- Assam
Orang TR- Assam
Nameri TR – Assam
Pakhui TR- Arunachal Pradesh
Namdapha TR – Arunachal Pradesh
Dampa TR- Mizoram

16. EMISAT

India’s first electronic surveillance satellite, EMISAT.
Space-based electronic intelligence or ELINT from the 436-kg spacecraft will add teeth to situational awareness of the Armed Forces as it will provide location and information of hostile radars placed at the borders; this will be another dimension to current land or aircraft-based ELINT.
The spacecraft would measure the electromagnetic spectrum.

17. Kolam Tribe- Andhra(including Telangana) and Maharashtra

Kolam are PVTG from Maharashtra and Andhra.
They speak the Kolami language, they are an agricultural community. The Kolam are an endogamous group.
They have a high rate of returning positive to the Naked eye single tube red cell osmotic fragility test (NESTROFT) test, making them prone to high incidence of Thalassaemia.

18. Medical Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill- 2020

Important Pointers

Requirement for opinion of one registered medical practitioner (RMP) for termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation and of two medical practitioners for 20-24 weeks of gestation.
Enhancing the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women.
Limit of 24 weeks for termination of pregnancy will not apply in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities.
Name and details of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated shall not be revealed.
The contraceptive-failure condition for “any woman or her partner” has been relaxed from the present provision for “only married woman or her husband”.

19. Annual Status of Education Report-ASER-2019

NGO Pratham published ASER Report 2019 ‘Early Years’.
‘Early Years’ ASER collects data on the schooling or pre schooling status of children in the age group 4-8.
It is an annual survey that aims to provide reliable annual estimates of children’s schooling status and basic learning levels for each state and rural district in India.

Key Findings

Private schools performing better than the Government schools.
Among the young children of age 4-8 years, more girls than boys enrolled in government institutions, and more boys than girls enrolled in private institutions.
Children from less advantaged homes are affected disproportionately.
More than 90% of children in 4-8 age group are enrolled in some type of educational institution.

20. Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP)

MoHRD to launch a ₹1.5 lakh crore action plan EQUIP to improve the quality and accessibility of higher education over the next five years (2019-2024).

Objectives

Double the GER in higher education
Resolve the geographical skewed access to Higher education
Globally acceptable quality
Position at least 20 Indian institutions among the global top.
Introduce reforms,technology etc.

21. Sister Cities

(for match the following type questions)

o Aurangabad – Dunhuang (China)
o Hyderabad – Qingdao (China)
o Chennai – Chongoing (China)
o Ahmedabad – Kobe (Japan)
o Delhi – Chicago (USA)

22. Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity Network

THMCN is an economic corridor between Nepal and China and part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Kathmandu to Tibet Autonomous Region

23. H1-B and H4 Visas

The lottery-based H-1B visas allow US companies to employ foreign workers temporarily in specialised occupations for three years, extendable to six years.
Max- 85000/year- exemptions to universities and non profit research.
74% applicants are from India
H4- for spouses of H1B visa holders,through which some are allowed to work in USA.

24. First UN-HABITAT Assembly

Held at UN Habitat headquarters in Nairobi,Kenya
India elected to the Executive Board.
Theme – “Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities”.
(UN–Habitat) is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development- since 1978.

25. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

Draft Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) is part of a World Bank-funded project named ENCORE (Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Resource Efficiency Program) which aims to strengthen integrated coastal zone management program (ICZMP) in all coastal States and Union Territories of India.

26. India’s NDC Target

Reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level.
Achieve about 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030
Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

27.CLIMATE CHANGE PERFORMANCE INDEX -2020

published by Germanwatch, Climate Action Network International and the NewClimate Institute, annually to enhance transparency in international climate politics and enables comparison of climate protection efforts and progress made by individual countries .
The Index covers 57 countries and the EU.
Based on 14 indicators within 4 categories-GHG Emissions,Renewable energy,Energy Use,Climate policy
India’s ranking improved two places, from 11th (CCPI 2019) to 9th (CCPI 2020) entering into top ten rankings for the first time.

28. SO2 Emissions

Greenpeace report found that India is the largest emitter of sulphur dioxide in the world contributing more than 15 percent of the global anthropogenic emissions in the world.
Largest source of SO2 in the atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities-expansion of coal based electricity generation in India is the reason behinf high emissions.

29. Ocean Energy

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has declared Ocean Energy as renewable energy.
Ocean energy- tidal energy,waves energy,Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion etc.
Stakeholders shall be eligible for meeting the non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO)
Under the RPO, distribution companies (DISCOMs) are required to have certain proportion of clean energy supplies. The proportion is fixed by state power regulators. The DISCOMs can also buy renewable energy certificates in lieu of mandated clean energy supplies, from the developers or renewable power generators.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) potential in India- 180,000 MW
Tidal energy potential in India- 12,455 MW
Wave energy potential – 40000 MW.

30. UNNATEE

Unlocking NATional Energy Efficiency potential was launched in 2019- Bureau of energy efficiency.
It provides a roadmap for meeting India’s goals on climate change through energy efficiency.

31. Bharat Stage Norms VI

standards set up by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engines and spark-ignition engine equipment, including motor vehicles.
Gases covered under the norms are: Carbon monoxide, Hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and Particulate matter

BS VI vs BS IV

NOx for BS VI-grade diesel engines and petrol engines will be brought down by 70% and 25%.
Reduces the particulate Matter (PM) limit by 80% from BS IV for diesel vehicles and introduces PM limit for petrol vehicles.
The sulphur traces in BS VI fuel is five times lower- a reduction of 80%.

Related Terms

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) are being introduced with the roll-out of BS VI norms.
SCR converts NO and NO2 to molecular nitrogen and oxygen reducing the harmful effects.
Real Driving Emission (RDE) will be introduced for the first time with the implementation of Bharat Stage VI emission norms. – It will measure a vehicle’s emission in real time conditions .
Onboard Diagnostics (OD) has been made mandatory for all vehicles.

32. Aerosol Radioactive Forcing

Researchers at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) Nainital have found that Aerosol Radiative Forcing (ARF) over trans-Himalayas is larger than the global averages.
Aerosol radiative forcing is defined as the effect of anthropogenic aerosols on the radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and at the surface and on the absorption of radiation within the atmosphere. The effect of the total (anthropogenic + natural) aerosols is called aerosol radiative effect or total aerosol forcing.

Effect of Aerosols

Aerosols affect climate in multiple ways. Aerosol absorbs or scatters radiation in the atmosphere (so-called direct effect).
Aerosols, except dust, interfere mainly with solar radiation.
Some aerosols act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), thus affecting cloud albedo and lifetime (so-called indirect effect).
Dark color aerosols can be deposited on sea ice, snow packs and glaciers, thus darkening the snow and ice surfaces, and enhancing the absorption of sunlight (so-called surface darkening effect).
Some of the aerosols can absorb sunlight efficiently and heat the atmosphere. This heating can burn cloud (so-called semi-direct effect).

33. Indigenous Air Unique Quality Monitoring (AUM) Photonic System

It is an indigenous photonic system for real-time remote monitoring of air quality parameters.
It is an innovative application of the principles of laser backscattering, statistical mechanics, optoelectronics, artificial intelligence, machine/deep learning, and Internet of Things.
It can identify, classify, and quantify various pollutants simultaneously with very high precision, sensitivity and accuracy.

34. Etalin Hydropower Project

A 3097 MW Etalin Hydropower Project is proposed to be constructed over Dri and Tangon Rivers, situated inside the Dibang catchment zone in Arunachal Pradesh.
The project has been awaiting forest clearance since 2014 and Close to 3 lakh trees are expected to be felled to make way for the dam.
The dam will affect 2,000 Idu Mishmi people,a PVTG.

35. DNA TECHNOLOGY (USE & APPLICATION) REGULATION BILL

Key Provisions :

1- DNA testing is allowed in following matters

Offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
for civil matters such as paternity suits.
for matters related to establishment of individual identity.

2- Collection of DNA: the investigating authorities may collect bodily substances of persons.
Requirement of consent for collection in certain situations- written consent for offences with upto 7 years imprisonment,not required in case of more than 7 years.

3- DNA Data Bank– A National DNA Databank and regional DNA Databanks will store DNA Profiles in a specified format.

4- Removal of DNA profiles: The Bill provides for removal of the DNA profiles of the following persons:
✓ of a suspect if a police report is filed or court order given,
✓ of an undertrial if a court order is given, and
✓ on written request, for persons who are not a suspect, offender or undertrial, from the crime scene or missing persons’ index.

5 – Establishment of DNA Regulatory Board: which will supervise the DNA Data Banks and DNA laboratories.

6 – Penalties for various offences, including disclosure of DNA information or using DNA sample without authorization have been provided.

36. Starlink network

American company SpaceX recently sent 60 small satellites (under 500 kg each) into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for building low-cost Internet everywhere on Earth.
Space-based internet is the ability to use satellites in orbit around Earth to send and receive data. It provides better accessibility, more affordability, 24*7 availability and propels Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

37. Quantum Supremacy- Sycamore

Quantum supremacy means that researchers have been able to use a quantum computer to perform a single calculation that no conventional computer, even the biggest supercomputer, can perform in a reasonable amount of time.
Google’s quantum computer, named Sycamore, claimed ‘supremacy’ because it reportedly did the task in 200 seconds that would have apparently taken a supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.

38. Edge Computing

Edge computing enables data to be analysed, processed, and transferred at the edge of a network. Meaning, the data is analysed locally, closer to where it is stored, in real-time without latency.

The basic difference between edge computing and cloud computing lies in where the data processing takes place.
In simple terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive.
Currently, the existing Internet of Things (IoT) systems perform all of their computations in the cloud using data centres.
Edge computing, on the other hand, manages the massive amounts of data generated by IoT devices by storing and processing data locally.
Advantages- High speed, reduced latency & better reliability,better security,cost effective scalability.

39. AWaRe tool aims to guide antibiotic use globally

Using the “access,” “watch,” and “reserve” designations established previously, the World Health Organization (WHO) has created a new tool to limit the use of drugs associated with the highest risk of resistance and to increase the use of antibiotics in countries where supply and availability is low.
The tool, called AWaRe (for Access, Watch, and Reserve), was developed by the WHO Essential Medicines List to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), antibiotic-related adverse events, and drug costs.

40. Nano-Pharmaceuticals

Department of Biotechnology under Ministry of Science and Technology has prepared draft guidelines for evaluation of nano-pharmaceuticals in India.
Nanopharmaceuticals offer the ability to detect diseases at much earlier stages and the diagnostic applications could build upon conventional procedures using nanoparticles.
Nanopharmaceuticals represent an emerging field where the sizes of the drug particle or a therapeutic delivery system work at the nanoscale.Such precision targeting via nanopharmaceuticals reduces toxic systemic side effects, resulting in better patient compliance.
A nanocarrier is a nanomaterial being used as a transport module for another substance like a drug.
Nanomaterials – size scale range of 1 to 100nm.

41. Trans-fat

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a comprehensive plan to eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans fats from the global food supply by 2023.

In tune with this commitment, the Draft Notifications of FSSAI, the Indian food safety regulator, state that the limit of trans fats in the fats/oils will be not more than 3% by weight on and from January 01, 2021 and not more than 2% by weight on and from January 01, 2022.

The current permitted level of trans fat is 5 percent (by weight) in India.

WHO calls on governments to use the REPLACE action package to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the food supply.

REPLACE- Review,Promote,Legislate,Assess,Create

Trans fats, or trans-fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat.

There are two main sources for trans fats:

natural sources – in the dairy products and meat of ruminants such as cows and sheep.
artificial sources – They are created when
the oil goes through hydrogenation, which
involves adding hydrogen to the liquid oil to
make it more solid.

They help to increase the shelf life of oils and foods and stabilise their flavours.

42. INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) INDEX

International Intellectual Property Index 2020 was released by US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC).

India’s rank – 40/53

India’s Rank in 2019- 36/50

Top 5- US, the UK, Sweden, France and Germany.

43. Patent Pooling

According to World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), patent pools are defined as an agreement made between two or more patent holders for licensing their patents to one another or any third party for the purpose of sharing their intellectual property rights.
Generally, patents pools are made for complex technologies which necessitate complementary patents for providing productive technical solutions such as vaccines in the present Covid-19 crisis.
Sewing Machine Combination of 1856 is considered as the first modern patent pool in the United States.
It ensures innovation between companies,lower transaction costs and better process efficiencies.

44. UN Report on Zoonotic Diseases

Released by United Nations Environment Programme and International Livestock Research Institute highlighting increasing trend of Zoonotic diseases.
“Zoonotic disease (ZD)” or “zoonosis” is a disease that has passed into the human population from an animal source. It can be bacterial, viral, or parasitic in nature such as Ebola, malaria, rabies, COVID-19 etc.

Report Findings

About 60% of human infections are estimated to have an animal origin. Further 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic.
Report identifies One Health approach, which unites public health, veterinary and environmental expertise, as the optimal method for preventing as well as responding to zoonotic disease outbreaks and pandemics.

45. Nanotechnology in Agriculture

Centre has released ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano-based Agri-input and food products’ in India.
The unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, that is, catalytic reactivity, high surface area, size and shape, have the potential to open new paradigms and to introduce new strategies in agriculture.
These regulations will oversee the use and spread of hundreds of nano-agri input products (NAIP) and nano-agriproducts (NAP) which have been circulating in the Indian market for some years now, to prevent nanoparticle toxicity in humans and the environment.
NAIPs and NAPs are products in a submicroscopic form used in agriculture and allied sectors for achieving varied goals like pest and disease prevention, nutrition, growth regulation, efficient packaging and storage among others.
Nano-biotechnology has been an important area for the government of India which had launched a National Nano Mission in 2007 that looks at the uses of nanotechnology for safe drinking water, materials development, sensors development, drug delivery, etc.
Department of Science and Technology (DST) is the nodal agency for implementing the nano mission.
Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) role is to promote its applications in various sectors of life sciences.

Uses of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

Nano-fertilisers can significantly increase the nutrient use efficiency and provide stress tolerating ability to crops as well as reduce environmental pollution by reducing fertiliser nutrient run-off into ground and surface water.
Use of nanotechnology in agriculture aims to reduce nutrient losses and the amount of agrochemicals used, by ensuring the smart delivery of active compounds and increased productivity through optimised water and nutrient management.
Higher crop yield and better crop protection

NAIPs include products, like nano fertilisers and nanopesticides, that are intended to be used in agriculture and allied sectors for crop production, protection, management, harvesting, post-harvesting and packaging.

NAPs, like nano-food and nano-feeds, cover “agriproducts in the nano form of finished food formulation, finished feed formulations, nano processing aids, nanocomposites for food packaging and nano-sensors for food packaging and food safety applications.”

46. Fuel Cell Technology

A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical potential energy (energy stored in molecular bonds) into electrical energy.
A PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) cell uses hydrogen gas (H₂) and oxygen gas (O₂) as fuel.
The products of the reaction in the cell are water, electricity, and heat.

Hydrogen + Oxygen = Electricity + Water Vapor

Fuel cell,Batteries are important topics for Prelims and there are questions almost every year.We have covered these technologies in article on Emerging Technologies,Science and Tech-Part 4.One must also go through Electric Vehicles battery technology- important this year.

47. Proton Therapy

Vice President of India inaugurated India’s first proton therapy centre in Chennai for the treatment of Cancer- Apollo Proton Cancer Centre- South Asia’s first such centre.

Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy — a treatment that uses high-energy beams to treat tumors. Radiation therapy using X-rays has long been used to treat cancers and noncancerous (benign) tumors.

Proton therapy is a newer type of radiation therapy that uses energy from positively charged particles called protons.

Proton therapy is used as a treatment for cancer and some noncancerous tumors.

Advantages

Precision in treatment
Less side effects

Disadvantages

Specialised and expensive
Not applicable to all types of cancers
More research and clinical trials needed

48. Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a new bioelectrochemical process that aims to produce electricity by using the electrons derived from biochemical reactions catalyzed by bacteria.

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) have been described as “bioreactors that convert the energy in the chemical bonds of organic compounds into electrical energy through catalytic activity of micro-organisms under anaerobic conditions” .

The operational and functional advantages of MFCs are:

MFCs can use organic waste matter as fuels and readily available microbes as catalysts.
MFCs do not require highly regulated distribution systems like the ones needed for Hydrogen Fuel Cells.
MFCs have high conversion efficiency as compared to Enzymatic Fuel Cells, in harvesting up to 90% of the electrons from the bacterial electron transport system.
It could provide help with wastewater treatment and bioremediation.

49. Floating Rate Savings Bonds 2020 Launched

Floating Rate Savings Bonds 2020 are debt instruments issued by the government whose rate of return fluctuates from time to time. The interest rates for these bonds change as per its benchmark rate.
The Government will launch Floating Rate Savings Bonds 2020 (Taxable) scheme with an interest rate of 7.15 percent from July 1, 2020.

Features

Interest rates for Floating Rate Savings Bonds 2020 will change every six months.
The interest rate for these bonds would be 35 basis point over and above NSC rates-National Saving Certificates.
Only Indians residents can buy these bonds.
These bonds can be bought from designated bank branches in dematerialized format.
The lock-in period for these bonds is seven year, with exceptions for senior citizens
Floating Rate Saving Bonds 2020 are taxable
These bonds are not tradable, but transferable to the nominee.

50. National Electric Mobility Mission: 2020 and FAME

Under its National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP), the government is targeting to achieve 6-7 million sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in India by 2020. NEMMP aims to achieve national fuel security by promoting hybrid and electric vehicles in the country.
The government has approved a 10,000 crores programme under the ‘Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India II for promotion of Electric Mobility in the country. The main objective of the scheme is to encourage Faster adoption of Electric and hybrid vehicle by way of offering upfront Incentive on purchase of Electric vehicles and also by way of establishing a necessary charging Infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Last year,Union Cabinet approved setting up of a ‘National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage’ to promote clean, connected, shared, sustainable and holistic mobility initiatives.

Government Initiatives:

The government aims to see 6 million electric and hybrid vehicles on the roads by 2020 under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020.
Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India Scheme) for improving electric mobility in India.
The GST reduction for electric vehicles from 12% to 5%.
The Union power ministry categorized charging of batteries as a service, which will help charging stations operate without licences.
Implementation of smart cities would also boost the growth of electric vehicles.
Finance Minister announced additional income tax reduction of 1.5 lakh rupees on loans taken. Government is on the way to make India a global manufacturing hub in electric vehicles.

Share this post: