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IIT-Patna has recently obtained a patent for its innovative lightweight, compact inverter, which was developed as part of the startup initiative 'Portable Power Technology'. This groundbreaking invention combines the functionalities of a battery and an inverter into a single unit, resulting in an impressive 80% reduction in weight. The device, crafted by a team of five young scientists under the mentorship of A K Thakur, holds the promise of delivering clean energy while enhancing battery longevity. With the patent securing IIT-Patna's intellectual property rights for the next 20 years, the stage is set for its commercial deployment, slated to commence next month.
In a collaborative effort, the Indian Army and the Punit Balan Group proudly unveiled Pune's first-ever Constitution Park. The inauguration ceremony was spearheaded by Lt. Gen. Ajai Kumar Singh, emphasizing the vital role of citizens' constitutional duties in India's envisioned progress by 2047. Lt. Gen. Singh underscored the significance of the Indian Constitution on a global scale, safeguarding Fundamental Rights while emphasizing Fundamental Duties. Recognizing and embracing these rights and responsibilities are deemed essential for the holistic development of India.
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), headquartered in Bengaluru, recently documented a rare celestial event: the moon passing in front of Antares, a colossal red supergiant star within the Scorpius constellation. Antares, boasting a brightness 10,000 times that of the Sun, spans a diameter 700 times larger and is situated some 600 light-years away. Despite its immense size, Antares exhibits relatively low density and temperature, hovering around 6,100°F (3,400°C), which lends it a distinctive ruddy hue. These characteristics typify red supergiants, massive yet cool stars in the twilight of their stellar existence, radiating immense luminosity while maintaining a comparatively low surface temperature.
Justice (retired) Dinesh Kumar, previously serving as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, has assumed the role of Presiding Officer at the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT). His appointment comes following a four-month gap left by the retirement of Justice Tarun Aggarwal in December 2023. SAT, functioning as an autonomous entity under the SEBI Act of 1992, specializes in adjudicating appeals against rulings issued by financial regulatory bodies such as SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDAI. This move seeks to enhance efficiency by providing a dedicated avenue for addressing appeals outside the jurisdiction of High Courts, streamlining the overall appeal process within the financial regulatory framework.
Recent research underscores the critical role of Red colobus monkeys in the conservation of tropical forests. These primates, facing significant threats across Africa, serve as crucial indicators of biodiversity and represent one of the two major simian groups worldwide. With hunting and habitat destruction pushing them toward extinction, more than half of the Red colobus species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered. To address this pressing issue, the Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan, spearheaded by the IUCN, endeavors to prioritize their protection. By safeguarding Red colobus populations, this initiative aims to preserve the integrity of Africa's forests while mitigating the adverse impacts of unsustainable hunting practices.
- Introduction:
- Explosives such as gunpowder, nitroglycerin, nitroglycol, dinitrotoluene, and picric acid are highly regulated due to their volatile nature and potential risks to public safety.
- Proposed Provisions of the Explosives Bill 2024:
- The Union government plans to introduce the Explosives Bill 2024 to replace the outdated Explosives Act of 1884.
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) proposes to increase fines for violations and streamline licensing procedures.
- The bill will designate the authority responsible for granting, suspending, or revoking licenses, which is currently under the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
- Study Findings on Lunar Water Ice:
- Scientists at the Space Applications Centre (SAC) conducted a study revealing that the quantity of water ice in the northern polar region of the Moon is double that found in the southern polar region.
- About Space Applications Centre (SAC):
- SAC is a prominent research and development facility under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- Situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, SAC operates across two campuses, engaging in multifaceted activities.
- Genesis of SAC:
- The inception of SAC traces back to 1966 with the establishment of the Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station (ESCES) by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai in Ahmedabad.
- Project ISHAN Overview:
- India has initiated Project ISHAN to merge its four airspace regions into a single unified airspace covering the entire nation.
- The Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management (ISHAN) initiative aims to streamline and improve air traffic management across the country.
- Unification Plan:
- The ISHAN initiative seeks to consolidate the four Flight Information Regions (FIRs) located in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai into one continuous airspace centered around Nagpur.
- The Department of Public Enterprises recently conferred 'Navratna status' upon the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), a public sector undertaking company.
- Classification of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs):
- The government categorizes PSUs into three classifications: Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna, each with distinct criteria and benefits.
- The 'Navratna' scheme was introduced in 1997 to recognize and empower select PSUs based on their performance and potential.
- Criteria for Navratna Status:
- To qualify for Navratna status, a PSU must be a Miniratna-I, Schedule 'A' company, with an 'excellent' or 'very good' MoU rating in three of the last five years, and a composite score of 60 in six performance indicators.
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently published a report titled “Towards a Regenerative Blue Economy – Mapping the Blue Economy”, shedding light on the significance of coastal and marine ecosystems.
- The report underscores the need to recognize and value the services provided by these ecosystems, such as carbon sequestration.
- It introduces the concept of Blue Carbon as a burgeoning market opportunity and a vital component of sustainable economic models.
- Blue Carbon is in alignment with the broader movement towards Nature-based Solutions, addressing challenges related to climate change and biodiversity.
- The Estate Duty Act of 1953 aimed to address economic inequality by implementing an inheritance tax.
- It targeted affluent individuals who transferred substantial wealth to their heirs.
- The tax encompassed both immovable and movable assets owned by the deceased within and outside India, if the individual was domiciled in India at the time of death.
- Property valuation for taxation purposes was based on its market value at the time of the individual's passing.
- The Supreme Court recently emphasized the necessity for charge sheets to contain clear and comprehensive entries, enabling the court to discern the crimes committed by accused individuals and the available material evidence.
- A charge sheet, filed under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), serves as the final report by investigating officers or police officials after completing an investigation in a cognizable or non-cognizable case.
- It encapsulates records from the initiation of the investigation, including lodging an FIR, to the conclusion of the investigative process and the preparation of the final report.
- Once submitted to a court, prosecution proceedings against the accused commence.
- Investing in domestic electrolyzer manufacturing infrastructure is poised to lower the cost of green hydrogen and bolster India's competitive advantage.
- Electrolysers are devices that produce hydrogen through electrolysis, a chemical process that splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.
- In operation, electrolyzers feature a conductive electrode stack separated by a membrane, subject to high voltage and current, inducing water to decompose into hydrogen and oxygen.
- The released oxygen can be vented into the atmosphere or stored for various applications such as medical or industrial use.
- Researchers at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) have named a newly discovered marine tardigrade species found along the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu as Batillipes chandrayaani, paying homage to the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission.
- This tardigrade species was uncovered in the intertidal beach sediments at Mandapam, Tamil Nadu.
- Characterized by its trapezoid-shaped head and four pairs of legs equipped with sharp-tipped sensory spines, Batillipes chandrayaani shares similar dimensions to other tardigrades, growing to approximately 0.15 millimeters in length and 0.04 millimeters in width.