1.Drug discovery hackathon 2020 for open source coronavirus cure launched
News: Union Health Minister and Union HRD Minister has launched the Drug Discovery Hackathon 2020.
Facts:
- Drug Discovery Hackathon: It has been jointly organised by the All India Council for Technical Education(AICTE) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR).
- The hackathon is being supported by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing(CDAC), MyGov as well as private players.
- Objective: To provide a platform to all people who have ideas for the development of cures against COVID-19.
2.Explained: The new weapons DAC has approved ‘for defence of borders’
News: Defence Acquisition Council(DAC) chaired by Defence Minister has cleared several proposals worth close to Rs 39,000 crore that will boost the combat capabilities of all three services—Army, Navy and the Air Force.
Facts:
Key Proposals:
| Missiles and Aircraft’s | Details |
| Astra Missile for Navy and Air Force | It is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) developed by DRDOPurpose: It is designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft to engage and destroy supersonic aircraft with a range of over 70 km. |
| Pinaka Missile system for Army | It is an all-weather artillery rocket system developed by DRDO.Purpose: It has the capability of accurately striking against a variety of targets such as exposed enemy troops, armored vehicles, communication centers and air terminal complexes. |
| Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems(LRLACM) for Navy and Air Force | Purpose: It is aimed at enhancing India’s firing range from between 400 km and 500 km of the Brahmos to 1000 km. |
| MIG-29 from Russia | It is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jet developed by the Soviets since the 1970s, but has been upgraded since. |
| Sukhoi Su-30MKI | It is a twinjet multirole air fighter developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under licence by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) |
Facts: Van Mahotsav is an annual one week tree planting festival in India.It was started in 1950 by K. M. Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food to create an enthusiasm in the mind of the populace for the conservation of forests and planting of trees.
4.State notifies Tillari forest as conservation reserve
News: Maharashtra government has declared the Tilari forest area as a conservation reserve area.
Facts:
- Tillari Conservation Reserve: It will be the seventh wildlife corridor in the state to be declared as a ‘conservation reserve’.
- The reserve connects the Mhadei sanctuary in Goa and Bhimgad in Karnataka.
Conservation Reserves:
- Conservation reserves and community reserves are terms denoting protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
- Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities and community areas if part of the lands are privately owned.
- These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
5.Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba orders eSamikSha revamp
News: Cabinet Secretary has ordered a revamp of the e-SamikSha platform to ensure that various milestones and targets put in place since 2014 are being met.
Facts:
- e-SamikSha Platform: It is a real time, online system for monitoring follow-up action on the decisions taken during the presentations made by different Ministries/Departments to the Prime Minister.
- Developed by: It has been developed by Cabinet secretariat with the technical help from National Informatics Centre(NIC).
6.Hul Divas celebrations off for Covid
News: Hul Divas celebrations in Jharkhand have been called off due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Facts:
- Hul Divas: It is observed annually in memory of tribals — Sidhu and Kanhu who led the Santhal Hul(rebellion) in 1855 at Bhognadih in Sahibganj district.
- Santhal Rebellion(1855-56): The Santhals of Rajmahal Hills led by Sidhu and Kanhu revolted against the oppression of money lenders and zamindars whom they called Dikus(outsiders).
- The rebellion later turned anti-British and was finally suppressed in the year 1856.
7.World Bank to give $750 million funding support to MSMEs
News: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $750 million MSME Emergency Response program for India.
Facts:
- MSME Emergency Response program: It aims to support increased flow of finance into the hands of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which are severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
- Impact: It will address the immediate liquidity and credit needs of some 1.5 million viable MSMEs to help them withstand the impact of the current shock and protect millions of jobs.
Additional Facts:
- Accelerating India’s COVID-19 Social Protection Response Program (PMGKY): It is a World Bank’s programme to support India’s efforts at providing social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
