1.Indian Air Force designs, develops & manufactures ARPIT
News: Indian Air Force has indigenously designed, developed and manufactured an Airborne Rescue Pod for Isolated Transportation(ARPIT).
Facts:
- ARPIT: It is a rescue pod that will be used for evacuation of critical patients with infectious diseases including COVID-19 from high altitude areas, isolated and remote places.
- Significance: It will help in preventing the spread of the infectious aerosol from a COVID-19 patient while being airlifted.
2.Gujarat, Goa, Chandigarh lead India’s food safety index
News: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released the second State Food Safety Index.
Facts:
- The index was released on the occasion of World Food Safety Day with the theme “Food Safety is everyone’s business”.
- It ranks states on five parameters of food safety: a) human resources and institutional data b) compliance c) food testing facility d) training and capacity building and e) consumer empowerment.
Key Takeaways:
- Larger States: Gujarat was ranked first followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
- Smaller States: Goa came first followed by Manipur and Meghalaya
- Union Territories: Chandigarh was ranked first followed by Delhi and Andaman Islands.
3.World’s first ‘Internet-controlled’ robot ‘Coro-bot’
Facts: Coro-bot is a first-of-its kind ‘Internet-controlled’ robot developed by a student from Maharashtra to address the needs of hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.It can be operated using Internet of Things(IoT) technology to provide food, medicines and advice to Corona patients without the need of care-givers.
4.Explained: Shapes of Economic Recovery
News: As India is going to come out of the Covid-19 lockdown, experts are debating over the shape of recovery of Indian economy.
Facts:
| Shapes | Graph | Explanation |
| Z-shaped recovery |  | It is the most-optimistic scenario in which the economy quickly rises after an economic crash.It makes up more than for lost ground before settling back to the normal trend-line thus forming a Z-shaped chart. |
| V-shaped recovery |  | A V-shaped rebound would bring a sharp dip in economic activity matched by an equally brisk surge back to normality. |
| U-shaped recovery: |  | It is a scenario in which the economy, after falling, struggles around a low growth rate for some time, before rising gradually to usual levels. |
| W-shaped recovery: |  | A W-shaped recovery is a dangerous creature.In this, growth falls and rises, but falls again before recovering, thus forming a W-like chart.The double-dip depicted by a W-shaped recovery can be due to the second wave of the pandemic. |
| L-shaped recovery: |  | In this, the economy fails to regain the level of GDP even after years go by.The shape shows that there is a permanent loss to the economy’s ability to produce |
5.Economy to contract by 3.2% this fiscal, says World Bank
News: The World Bank has released the Global Economic Prospects (GEP) June 2020 report.
Facts:
- Global Economic Prospects is a World Bank Group flagship report that is issued twice a year, in January and June.
- Aim: To examine global economic developments and prospects with a special focus on emerging markets and developing economies.
Key Takeaways:
- Global Economy: The COVID-19 pandemic will shrink the global economy by 5.2% in 2020-21 representing the deepest recession since World War Two and a dramatic rise in extreme poverty.
- Indian Economy: It is expected to contract by 3.2% (so growth is -3.2%) in FY 2020-21 due to impact of Coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on activity.However, it will make a modest recovery to 3.1% growth in the next fiscal year.
Additional Facts:
Other reports released by World Bank:
- Ease of Doing Business Report
- Human Capital Index(HCI)
- World Development Report(WDR)
- Logistics Performance Index(LPI).
6.Andhra govt launches India’s first online waste management platform
News: Andhra Pradesh(AP) government has launched country’s first online Waste Exchange Platform for industrial waste.
Facts:
- Purpose: To ensure safe disposal of toxic wastes with the help of monitoring, scrutinizing and auditing of the waste.
- Besides, the platform will also encourage proper utilisation of waste and promote 6Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle, refurbish, redesign and re-manufacturing of waste items.
- Implementation:It will be implemented by Andhra Pradesh Environment Management Corporation(EMC).
7.Distinct colour band for number plate sticker for BS-6 four-wheel vehicles
News: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made it mandatory for the Bharat Stage(BS) VI Vehicles to carry a one cm green sticker providing registration details.
Facts:
- Bharat Stage(BS) norms: These are standards instituted by the Government of India in 2000 to regulate emission of air pollutants from motor vehicles.They are based on the European(EURO) emission standards.
- The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Benefits of BS-VI Standards:
- Particulate matter(PM): BS-VI norms brings down the emission of particulate matter by almost 80% in case of petrol as well as diesel power plants.
- Sulphur content: Sulphur traces in BS-VI fuel is five times lower (10 ppm) as compared to sulphur traces in BS-IV fuel (50 ppm).
- Nitrogen Oxide Content: Nitrogen oxide level for BS-VI diesel engines and petrol engines will be brought down by 70% and 25% respectively.
