Facts in News

Facts in News

Single Crystal Blades

• The blades are used in the development of engines to allow helicopters to operate reliably in complex and extreme conditions.
• Made using a nickel-based superalloy, the blades feature a complex geometrical design and can withstand high temperatures.
• Single-crystal airfoils have longer fatigue life, are more corrosion resistant and can also be cast with thinner walls.
• The US, UK, Russia and France are among the few countries that can design and produce single-crystal components.
• The technology has been developed by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
  • Single-crystal technology is a critical component in aero engines.

(Image Courtesy: AMB)

Ladakh Ignited Minds Project

• To provide better educational opportunities for Ladakhi students, the Indian Army has initiated the project Ladakh Ignited Minds.
• It is a Centre of Excellence and Wellness initiated by the Indian Army.
• Aims
  • To provide better training facilities to disadvantaged Ladakhi students to give them opportunity to study in niche educational institutes.
  • To maintain cordial Civil and Defence relations with Ladakhi youth.
• On behalf of the Indian Army, the Fire and Fury Corps has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and National Integrity and Educational Development Organization (NIEDO), the executing agency.
• The first batch of students from Leh and Kargil would get training for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) entrance examinations.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

• It was established on 12^th October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 after amending the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.
  • Section 2(1)(d) of the PHRA defines Human Rights as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution and enforceable by courts in India.
• Functions
  • Spreads human rights awareness amongst the masses & encourages the efforts of stakeholders.
  • Enquiries into complaints of violation of human rights.
  • Hosts delegations from UN Bodies and other NHRIs.
• It is in conformity with the Paris Principles.
  • The first international workshop on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights held in October 1991 gave these principles.
  • These were also endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1993.
• NHRC is a unique institution because it is one of the few National Human Rights Institutes (NHRIs) in the world whose Chairperson is the former Chief Justice of the country.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

• It is a new pan India Central Sector Scheme called Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. 
• It provides a medium – long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
• The duration of the Scheme is from FY2020 to FY2029 (10 years).

• It will be managed and monitored through an online Management Information System (MIS) platform.
• Key Features:  Under the scheme, the banking and financial institutions will extend the funding as loans to primary agricultural credit societies (PACS), marketing cooperative societies, FPOs, SHGs, cooperative societies, etc.

• It seeks to extend funding of Rs 1 lakh crore for  10 years to boost agricultural marketing while strengthening the 10,000 farmers’ producers organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• Credit guarantee coverage will be available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to two crore rupees with interest subvention of 3 per cent per annum for a maximum period of seven years.

Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)

• Launch:In 2000 by the Ministry of MSMEs, GoI and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
• Aim: To make available collateral-free credit to the micro and small enterprise sector.
• Key Points: Both the existing and the new enterprises are eligible to be covered under the scheme.
  • The corpus of CGTMSE is being contributed by the GoI and SIDBI in the ratio of 4:1 respectively.

Supply Chain Resilience Initiative

• India, Japan and Australia  formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) in a move to counter China’s dominance of the supply chain in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Aim:  To create a virtuous cycle of enhancing supply chain resilience with a view to eventually attaining strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • It seeks to build upon the existing bilateral frameworks like the Asean-Japan Economic Resilience Action Plan and India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership and attract foreign direct investment in the region. 
• After an understanding emerges among India, Japan and Australia, the initiative could also be thrown open for the ASEAN countries.

Image Courtesy: ET

Aditya-L1 Support Cell (AL1SC)

• The service centre called Aditya-L1 Support Cell (AL1SC) is a joint effort of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology.
• It will be used by the guest observers in analyzing science data and preparing science observing proposals.

• The Support Cell will be a one-stop online platform for students, faculty and researchers from colleges, universities and institutions in India to get free access to a sample of processed scientific data pertaining to the Sun.
•  The Cell will provide training and skilling to students and the larger user community to handle the scientific data for undertaking research activities. 
• The centre will also provide the co-aligned data from other observatories around the world that can complement the data obtained from Aditya-L1 allowing users to accomplish the science goals beyond the capabilities of the Aditya-L1.