TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. International Symposium on Sustainable Livestock Transformation 2. Steel Slag Road Technology 3. Universal Postal Union (UPU) 4. Tankai Method of Shipbuilding
1. International Symposium on Sustainable Livestock Transformation
Syllabus: GS-2, Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
Prelims: NDDB
Context:
Union Minister inaugurated the International Symposium on Sustainable Livestock Transformation under the Agriculture Working Group of G20 at NDDB Anand.
Details:
- The symposium deliberations are expected to help disseminate various innovations in the livestock sector for sustainable transformation.
- Sustainable transformation in the livestock sector becomes more relevant considering the number of farmers and other stakeholders associated with the sector, its role in providing livelihoods & food security.
- The event will bring together all potential stakeholders in the global livestock industry in order to create a sector that is more effective, environmentally friendly, and inclusive while also making a greater contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The 2-day long symposium was aimed to foster insightful discussions and deliberations on the transformation to more efficient and sustainable agri-food systems, with a particular focus on the livestock sector.
- Distinguished experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from the G20 who participated in the event exchanged knowledge, shared experiences, and explored innovative approaches to ensure the sustainability of the livestock sector.
About NDDB Anand:
- The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was created to promote, finance and support producer-owned and controlled organisations.
- NDDB’s programmes and activities seek to strengthen farmer-owned institutions and support national policies that are favourable to the growth of such institutions.
- NDDB has been constituted as a body corporate and declared an institution of national importance by an Act of India’s Parliament.
- It is located in Anand, Gujarat.
Read more about the National Dairy Development Board in the linked article.
Syllabus: GS-3, Environment, Science and technology
Prelims: Steel Slag Road Technology, CSIR-CRRI
Context:
Steel Slag Road Technology developed by CSIR-CRRI.
Background:
- India is the second largest steel-producing country in the world and about 19 million tonnes of steel slag is generated in the country as solid waste.
- This will increase to 60 million tonnes by the year 2030.
- Due to the non-availability of efficient disposal methods for steel slag, huge piles of steel slag have come up around the steel plants, which have become a major source of water, air and land pollution.
Steel Slag Road Technology:
- The technology has been developed by the Central Road Research Institute under a research project in collaboration with the Ministry of Steel, Government of India and four major steel manufacturing companies of the country, viz., ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, JSW Steel, Tata Steel and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam.
- This technology facilitates the large-scale utilization of waste steel slag in steel plants and has proved very useful in the effective disposal of about 19 million tonnes of steel slag generated in the country.
- This technique has been successfully tested in road construction in four major states of the country including Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.
- The first road to be made with this technology in the country is in Surat, Gujarat.
Central Road Research Institute (CRRI):
- CRRI is a constituent institution of the CSIR.
- It was established in 1952 and is engaged in carrying out research and development projects on the design, construction and maintenance of roads and runways, and many other related activities.
3. Universal Postal Union (UPU)
Syllabus: GS-2, International Organisations
Prelims: Universal Postal Union
Context:
The Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union gets inaugurated in New Delhi.
Details:
- The Regional Office of UPU in India will serve as a vital platform for exchanging ideas, experiences and expertise, thereby accelerating the modernisation and transformation of the postal sector.
- It will act as a hub for promoting collaboration among UPU member countries in the Asia Pacific region, encouraging innovation and facilitating knowledge sharing to enhance postal services.
- The Regional Office will undertake UPU’s technical assistance activities in South Asia region by entering into a host country agreement with the Department of Posts, India.
Read more about the Universal Postal Union in the linked article.
4. Tankai Method of Shipbuilding
Syllabus: GS-1, Art and Culture
Prelims: Tankai method
Context:
The Ministry of Culture and the Indian Navy signed an MoU to revive the “ancient stitched shipbuilding method (Tankai method)”.
About the Tankai Method:
- It is a 2000-year-old technique of shipbuilding known as the ‘stitched shipbuilding method’.
- The stitched ship holds significant cultural value in India.
- Throughout history, India has had a strong maritime tradition, and the use of stitched ships played a vital role in trade, cultural exchange, and exploration.
- The technique involved construction by stitching wooden planks together rather than using nails.
- This offered flexibility and durability and made the ships less susceptible to damage from shoals and sandbars.
- Although the arrival of European ships led to a shift in shipbuilding techniques, the art of stitching ships has survived in a few coastal regions of India, primarily for small local fishing boats.
Read the previous PIB articles here.
July 19th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here
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