16 July 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

16 July 2024 PIB
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. THINQ 2024
2. Aatmanirbharta in Defence
3. CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI)
4. "Pre-clinical Network Facility" under CEPI

1. THINQ 2024

Syllabus: GS-3, Defence and Security

Prelims: THINQ 2024

Context:

The Indian Navy launched THINQ 2024, the Indian Navy quiz.

Details:

• THINQ 2024 is a national-level quiz competition open to all students from Class 9 to 12 across the country.
• It will be conducted in hybrid mode and unfold in four stages ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of participants. 
• The event provides a unique opportunity to nurture intellectual growth and inspire young minds while instilling a sense of pride and patriotism in our rich cultural heritage.
• The previous editions of the contest THINQ-22 and G20 THINQ (which saw participation of G20 countries in 2023) were highly successful.
• The theme for THINQ 2024 is ‘Viksit Bharat’ aligned with the GoI vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047 on the 100th year of independence.

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2. Aatmanirbharta in Defence

Syllabus: GS-3, Defence and Security

Prelims/Mains: Aatmanirbharta in Defence, Positive Indigenisation List for DPSUs

Context:

The Ministry of Defence notified the fifth Positive Indigenisation List of 346 items for DPSUs.

Details:

• The Ministry of Defence has notified the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) consisting of 346 items.
• The list includes strategically important Line Replacement Units/Systems/Sub-systems/Assemblies/Sub-assemblies/Spares & Components and raw materials, with import substitution value worth Rs 1,048 crore.
• The Ministry of Defence had launched the SRIJAN PORTAL in 2020. 
  • On this portal, DPSUs and Service Headquarters (SHQs) offer defence items to industries, including MSMEs and start-ups, for indigenisation. 
• The DPSUs will undertake indigenisation of the items mentioned in the fifth PIL through various routes including the ‘Make’ procedure or in-house development involving the industry, including MSMEs. 

Significance:

• This will provide impetus to the growth of the economy, enhance investment in defence and lead to reduced import dependence. 
• In addition, this will augment the design capabilities of the domestic defence Industry due to the involvement of academia and research institutions.
• Till June 2024, over 36,000 defence items were offered to the industry for indigenisation by the DPSUs and SHQs. 
• Of them, more than 12,300 items have been indigenised in the last three years. As a result, the DPSUs have placed orders on domestic vendors to the tune of Rs 7,572 crore.

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3. CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI)

Syllabus: GS-3, Science and Technology

Prelims: Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), CSIR

Context:

Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) celebrated its 73rd Foundation Day.

About the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI):

• CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) is a premier national laboratory established in 1952 and a constituent of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• CRRI is engaged in carrying out research and development projects on the design, construction and maintenance of roads and runways, traffic and transportation planning of mega and medium cities, management of roads in different terrains, improvement of marginal materials, utilization of industrial waste in road construction, landslide control, ground improvements environmental pollution, road traffic safety and analysis & design, wind, fatigue, corrosion studies, performance monitoring/evaluation, service life assessment and rehabilitation of highway & railway bridges.
• One of its key mission objectives is to nurture scientific talent for the development of safe and sustainable transportation systems.
• It also strives to become an effective R&D platform for the transportation sector.
• CRRI is located in Delhi.

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4. “Pre-clinical Network Facility” under CEPI

Syllabus: GS-2, Health

Prelims: CEPI

Context:

Union Minister inaugurated Asia’s first health research-related “Pre-clinical Network facility” under the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Details:

• The facility was inaugurated at the Regional Centre of Biotechnology under the aegis of the Translational Health Science & Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad.
• The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has selected BRIC-THSTI as a pre-clinical network laboratory based on its capability to handle BSL3 pathogens. 
• It will be the 9th such network laboratory across the globe and the first such laboratory in the whole of Asia. 
• The other labs are located in the USA, Europe and Australia. 
• The experimental animal facility is one of the largest small animal facilities in the country with a housing capacity of about 75,000 mice, including immune-compromised mice and other species such as rats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.

About CEPI:

• The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is a global partnership launched in 2017 to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics.
• CEPI finances and coordinates the development of vaccines against infectious diseases.
• It is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

About Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI):

• It is an institute of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• The institute acts as a catalyst to translate fundamental discoveries by building rigorous clinical research capacity and enabling a faster transition of discoveries from bench to bedside. 
• THSTI is housed within the NCR Biotech Science Cluster in Faridabad.

Read previous PIB articles here.

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