18 July 2024 PIB
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. India and Malaysia 2. Two of the World’s Five Largest Coal Mines Now in India 3. NCORD Top-Level Meeting 4. Utkrishtata ki Ore Badhte Kadam: Celebrating Achievements, Inspiring Excellence 5. International study observes smaller object in a black hole pair directly for the first time 6. India Maritime Centre (IMC) 7. Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Program 8. Report on “Electronics: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains” by NITI Aayog released
1. India and Malaysia
Syllabus: GS-2, International Relations
Mains: India – Malaysia Relations
Context:
India and Malaysia to increase cooperation in oil palm and other sectors.
Details:
- India and Malaysia have decided to increase cooperation between the two countries in oil palm and other sectors.
- Union Agriculture Minister and the Minister of Plantations and Commodities of Malaysia held a meeting in New Delhi wherein they discussed opportunities to deepen the bilateral agriculture cooperation between India and Malaysia.
- The sides expressed the desire to collaborate on the National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm, discussed the market access issues related to agriculture and allied products, institutionalization of the cooperation in agriculture, and application of digital technology in the plantation sector.
Read more on India – Malaysia relations in the linked article.
2. Two of the World’s Five Largest Coal Mines Now in India
Syllabus: GS-3, Economy
Prelims: Mines in India
Mains: Coal Mining in India
Context:
Chhattisgarh-based Coal India subsidiary South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Gevra and Kusmunda coal mines have secured the 2nd and 4th spot in the list of the world’s 10 largest coal mines released by WorldAtlas.com.
Details:
- Situated in the Korba district of Chhattisgarh state, these two mines annually produce over 100 million tons of coal, contributing approximately 10% to India’s total coal production.
- These mines use some of the world’s largest and most advanced machines, like the “Surface Miner,” which extracts and cuts coal without blasting, ensuring eco-friendly operations.
- For overburden removal, they employ massive HEMMs (Heavy Earth Moving Machinery) such as 240-ton dumpers, 42 cubic meter shovels, and vertical rippers, facilitating environment-friendly and blast-free OB removal.
- Gevra Opencast Mine:
- With an annual production capacity of 70 million tons, the mine produced 59 million tons of coal in FY 23-24.
- Operational since 1981, it has sufficient coal reserves to meet the country’s energy needs for the next decade.
- Kusmunda Open Cast Mine:
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- In FY 23-24, the Kusmunda OC mine produced over 50 million tons of coal, making it the second mine in India, after Gevra, to reach this milestone.
3. NCORD Top-Level Meeting
Syllabus: GS-2, Governance, Health
Prelims: NCORD, MANAS Helpline, Narcotics Control Bureau
Mains: Drug abuse in India
Context:
Union Minister chaired a top-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD).
Details:
- The Minister also launched the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asuchna Kendra) and virtually inaugurated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Office at Srinagar. He also released NCB’s ‘Annual Report 2023’ and Compendium on ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’.
Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD)
- The Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) is an initiative by the central government to enhance coordination and synergy among various central and state agencies involved in combating drug trafficking and abuse.
- Established in 2016 and strengthened in 2019 with a four-tier system, NCORD includes Apex Level, Executive Level, State Level, and District Level Committees.
- It aims to streamline operations, improve information sharing, and bolster the institutional framework to effectively address narcotics-related issues across the country.
MANAS Helpline
- MANAS (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asuchna Kendra) is a helpline established in India to combat drug addiction and substance abuse.
- The service provides information, counseling, and support to individuals affected by drug addiction and their families.
- It aims to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse, offer guidance on available treatment options, and help in the rehabilitation process.
- MANAS is part of the Indian government’s efforts to address the growing issue of drug addiction and promote a drug-free society.
Also read: Drug abuse in India
4. Utkrishtata ki Ore Badhte Kadam: Celebrating Achievements, Inspiring Excellence
Syllabus: GS-2, Govt schemes, Governance
Prelims: PM SVANidhi, DAY-NULM
Context:
MoHUA organized the “Utkrishtata ki Ore Badhte Kadam” event, awarding best performers under PM SVANidhi and DAY-NULM.
Details:
- The event was held to celebrate the remarkable achievements of 2023-24 and to express appreciation to the stakeholders whose relentless efforts were crucial in reaching these milestones.
- In acknowledgment of their outstanding contributions, key stakeholders such as states, urban local bodies, and lending institutions were recognized with PRAISE and SPARK awards for their exceptional performance in executing the PM SVANidhi and DAY-NULM initiatives, respectively.
5. International study observes smaller object in a black hole pair directly for the first time
Syllabus: GS-3, Science and Technology
Prelims: Black Holes – related developments, Indian achievements in science
Context:
A new study carried out by a group of 32 scientists from 10 countries (Finland, Poland, India, China, USA, Czech Republic, Japan, Germany, Spain, and Italy) spotted the smaller black hole of a pair, establishing the ‘sight’ of an orbiting black hole for the first time.
Details:
- Several international research groups have confirmed the existence of two black holes at the center of the galaxy OJ 287, a theory first proposed by astronomers at the University of Turku, Finland. In 2021, NASA’s TESS satellite studied OJ 287 to verify this theory. TESS, known for discovering exoplanets, detected a significant flare in November 2021, revealing the presence of a smaller black hole orbiting a much larger one.
- The flare was predicted by Pauli Pihajoki in 2014, and the observation was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. The discovery was confirmed by NASA’s Swift telescope and through a global collaboration involving various telescopes and researchers, including those from Jagiellonian University, Boston University, and the Aryabhatta Research Institute.
- Professor Mauri Valtonen from the University of Turku’s team showed that the 12-hour burst of light was caused by the smaller black hole swallowing part of the accretion disk of the larger black hole, resulting in a temporary brightening of the galaxy. This “yellow” burst, compared to the usual red light of OJ 287, confirmed the smaller black hole’s presence.
- While direct imaging of these black holes remains challenging due to the galaxy’s immense distance, future observations may detect gravitational waves from the smaller black hole, as predicted by A. Gopakumar from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
6. India Maritime Centre (IMC)
Syllabus: GS-3, Defence & Security
Prelims: India Maritime Centre
Mains: Maritime defence
Context:
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) is establishing the India Maritime Centre (IMC), a cornerstone initiative under the Maritime India Vision 2030.
Details:
- The IMC seeks to create a cohesive platform for the Indian maritime industry, serving as a think tank for policy development and industry recommendations.
- Its key objectives are to enhance India’s role in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and global maritime forums, build a robust domestic maritime sector through a unified approach, host flagship events to promote a strong global brand for the Indian maritime cluster, offer expert analysis and recommendations for sustainable growth, facilitate collaboration and networking among industry stakeholders, and establish a fund to support the industry, including startups.
- The IMC will serve as a central platform for collaboration, innovation, and policy advocacy, ensuring sustainable growth and enhancing India’s position in the global maritime community.
- For Infrastructure and Operationalization, Mumbai, Maharashtra has been finalized as the location for the IMC.
Background:
- The Task Force for the IMC was formed in January 2024 and divided into subgroups focused on Awareness and Outreach, Infrastructure and Operationalization, and Procedure and Documentation.
- To date, two meetings of the entire Task Force and three subgroup meetings have been conducted at the Ministry.
7. Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Program
Syllabus: GS-2, Govt schemes & programs
Prelims: Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Program
Context:
The Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Program to get a fresh boost.
About the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) Program:
- KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification) is designed to create a comprehensive talent identification system utilizing modern ICT tools and global best practices.
- Its goal is to consolidate the grassroots talent identification process onto a single platform.
- The project emphasizes an athlete-centric approach, making the talent Identification process more inclusive and accessible at every stage.
- With its decentralized and localized approach, KIRTI aims to support the Khelo India Scheme’s dual objectives: achieving sports excellence and increasing mass participation in sports.
- KIRTI plans to carry out 2 million assessments nationwide over the year to identify talent through designated Talent Assessment Centres.
- This large-scale scouting and assessment program is unprecedented in India and aligns with the country’s ambition to rank among the top 10 sports nations by 2036 and the top five by 2047.
- Evaluation of aspiring athletes has happened in 11 disciplines – Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Football, Hockey, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Wrestling.
- Phase 1 of the program was launched in Chandigarh in March 2024 while phase 2 will be launched in New Delhi in July 2024.
8. Report on “Electronics: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains” by NITI Aayog released
Syllabus: GS-3, Economy
Mains: Electronics industry in India
Context:
NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Electronics: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains’.
Details:
- This report is the outcome of an extensive analysis of India’s electronics sector including its scopes and challenges.
- The report lays down the roadmap for the country to become a global manufacturing hub in electronics manufacturing.
- NITI Aayog has suggested interventions in fiscal, financial, regulatory, and infrastructure areas to boost India’s electronics production, including mobile phones.
- It also recommends diversifying into emerging sectors like wearables, IoT devices, and automotive electronics.
- NITI Aayog has proposed several measures to strengthen India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem, including promoting the production of components and capital goods, incentivizing research, development, and design, rationalizing tariffs, advancing skilling initiatives, facilitating technology transfers, and investing in infrastructure development.
- NITI Aayog suggests that a supportive business environment and strong policy measures could help India achieve $500 billion in electronics manufacturing by FY’30, with $350 billion from finished goods and $150 billion from components.
- Currently, India exports $25 billion annually, less than 1% of the global market despite accounting for 4% of global demand.
- The Aayog highlights the importance of global value chains (GVCs) in modern manufacturing, which make up 70% of international trade.
- India needs to boost its participation, particularly in electronics, semiconductors, automobiles, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
- Electronics are crucial, with 75% of exports linked to GVCs. India’s electronics production nearly doubled to $101 billion in FY’23, driven by mobile phones.
- While India now manufactures 99% of its smartphones domestically, it still holds only 4% of the global electronics market, dominated by China, Taiwan, the USA, South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Read previous PIB articles here.
| Related Links | |||
| Indian Council of Agricultural Research | Vizhinjam Port | ||
| Food Corporation of India | Tele-MANAS | ||
| Index of Industrial Production | Agnipath Scheme | ||
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