1.Lok Sabha passes the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020
News: Lok Sabha has passed the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020
Facts:
- The bill seeks to replace the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.
- Objective: The Bill seeks to provide for regulation, operation and planning of major ports in the country and provide greater autonomy to these ports.
- Key Feature: The bill provides for the creation of a Board of Major Port Authority for each major port. These Boards will replace the existing Port Trusts.
Additional Information
India has 12 major ports— Deendayal (erstwhile Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar (earlier Ennore), V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia).
2.DRDO conducts successful flight test of ABHYAS
News: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted successful flight-tests of the indigenously-designed Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from ITR Balasore in Odisha
Facts:
- ABHYAS is a High-speed Expendable Aerial Target which provides a realistic threat scenario for practising weapon systems
- It is capable of fully-autonomous flight and runs on a gas turbine engine.
- Its inertial navigation system is based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). It uses a flight control computer for guidance and control.
- It is designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), DRDO.
3.Indian Navy, Royal Australian Navy Passage Exercise (PASSEX) underway in Eastern Indian Ocean
News: Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy are conducting PASSEX in Eastern Indian Ocean Region.
Facts:
- Passage Exercise is an exercise done between two navies to ensure that the navies are able to communicate and cooperate in times of war or humanitarian relief.
- The Indian Navy had recently conducted similar passing exercises with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, French Navy and US Navy.
4.‘Kritagya’ Hackathon by National Agricultural Higher Education Project of ICAR
News: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has planned a hackathon named “KRITAGYA”
Facts:
- It aims to promote potential technology solutions for enhancing farm mechanization with special emphasis on women friendly equipments.
- It has been planned under National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP).
Additional Information:
NAHEP
- It is a Government of India and World Bank project, commenced by ICAR in 2017.
- It aims to support the National Agricultural Research and Education System in providing more relevant and better-quality education to the students.
5.Fungi tablets to tackle crop stubble burning by farmers
News: Scientists at Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) have invented PUSA Decomposer.
Facts:
- It is a set of four tablets made by extracting fungi strains that help the paddy straw to decompose at a much faster rate than usual. It gives farmers the option to shred the straw, spray a solution containing the fungal strains, and mix it with the soil for decomposition.
- Significance: It will help tackle crop residue burning by farmers.
