25 Feb 2018: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

DRDO Successfully Test Flight Rustom 2

• DRDO successfully flew its Rustom 2 at its Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Chalakere at Chitradurga.
• This flight assumes significance due to the fact that this is the first flight in user configuration with higher power engine.

Rustom 2

• The DRDO Rustom is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation for the three services, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force of the Indian Armed Forces.
• Rustom-2 is an unmanned combat air vehicle developed DRDO on the lines of the American Predator drones.
• It has altitude ceiling of 32,000 feet and an endurance of up to 35 hours.
• Rustom is derived from the NAL’s LCRA (Light Canard Research Aircraft) developed by a team under the leadership of late Prof Rustom Damania in the 1980s.

21st National Conference on e-Governance

• The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India, along with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India in association with Government of Telangana is organizing the 21st National Conference on e-Governance on February 26- 27, 2018 in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The theme of the Conference this year is, ‘Technology for accelerating Development’.
• National e-Governance Awards 2018 in 8 categories concerning various aspects of e-Governance comprising of Gold and Silver in each category will be presented.
• The Conference serves as a forum in which the Secretaries, Administrative Reforms and Secretaries, Information Technology of State Governments, IT Managers of the Central Governments, Software Solution providers, industry, etc. participate and interact, exchange opinions, views, discuss issues, problems and also analyze various solution frameworks.
• The Conference is also a forum to showcase best practices, innovative technologies and ICT solutions. The National e-Governance Awards recognise and promote excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives taken by various government departments and also initiatives of public sector units and Non- Government Institutions.

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