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By admin: Aug. 26, 2023

PM Modi becomes the first Indian Prime Minister to receive the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor from Greece

Tags: Awards

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the highest civilian honor Grand Cross of the Order of Honor by Greek President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou in Athens

An Overview of the News

• The award is the highest civilian honor Greece can bestow on a foreign head of government.

• The award recognizes PM Modi's outstanding contribution to strengthening bilateral relations between Greece and India.

• The citation given along with the award highlights PM Modi's commitment to enhancing political, economic, cultural, and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

• He is also the first foreign head of government to be honored with the award since 2017.

• The award reflects PM Modi's efforts to strengthen ties between India and Greece, which share a history of friendship and cooperation.

About the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor

• It is awarded by the President of Greece.

• Recipients include Prime Ministers and eminent personalities.

• Award winners are recognized for enhancing the prestige and status of Greece.

• The Order of Honor was established in 1975.

• The medallion depicts the Greek goddess Athena.

• Accompanying the image of Athena are the words "Only the righteous should be respected".

• Blue and white ribbons are used to wear the badge around the neck.

Inauguration of ICONS 2023 - 3rd International Conference on Structural Integrity

Tags: Summits

The 3rd International Conference on Structural Integrity (ICONS 2023) began virtually at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu on August 23, 2023.

An Overview of the News

• ICONS 2023 was inaugurated under the leadership of Dr. N. Kailaiselvi, Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

• ICONS 2023 is organized by Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam and Society for Failure Analysis.

• Association with Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing (Kalpakkam Chapter), Indian Institute of Metals (Kalpakkam Chapter), and Indian Structural Integrity Society.

• Executive Director, LWR Engineering, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, N. Ram Mohan shared insights from setting up critical infrastructure in areas such as design, manufacturing and construction.

Diverse Participation and Conference Focus

• ICONS 2023 was attended by around 250 delegates from India and abroad, including mechanical engineers, materials scientists, academicians, industry experts, plant managers and regulatory personnel.

• The aim of the conference is to discuss recent developments and future directions in assessing and ensuring structural integrity in industries such as nuclear, defence, aerospace, chemical and oil.

• The next two days featured around 35 invited lectures by experts and around 200 contributed papers.

About Tamil Nadu

The state was formed on 26 January 1950 but its boundaries were redrawn on 14 January 1969.

Governor - Ravindra Narayan Ravi

Chief Minister - MK Stalin

Assembly seats - 235 seats

Rajya Sabha seats - 18

Lok Sabha seats - 39

First ABDM Microsite Launched in Mizoram

Tags: Science and Technology

National Health Authority (NHA) inaugurated the ABDM microsite in Aizawl, Mizoram as part of the 100 microsites project.

An Overview of the News

• The objective of the ABDM microsite is to accelerate the adoption of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) across India.

• Mizoram is the lead state operating the ABDM microsite.

• The initiative aims to transform health facilities including private clinics, small hospitals, and laboratories into ABDM-enabled establishments that provide digital health services.

Appointment of Interfacing Agency in Mizoram

• The implementation of the ABDM microsite in Aizawl has been entrusted to "Youth for Action" appointed as the interfacing agency.

• His role includes overseeing the successful execution of the ABDM microsite at Aizawl.

Significance of the 100 Microsites Project

• CEO of NHA underlines the paramount importance of the 100 microsites project under ABDM.

• This initiative has the potential to revolutionize healthcare digitization and encourage active participation of small and medium-scale healthcare providers.

Enhanced Patient Experience

• Patients can seamlessly link their health records with Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA).

• Access and sharing of health records is facilitated through ABDM-enabled personal health record (PHR) applications on mobile devices.

Learning from Pilot Projects

• Previous pilot projects in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Surat have contributed to shaping the architecture of the wider 100 Microsites project under ABDM.

• States like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh are also making significant progress in implementing ABDM microsites.

BHEL develops India's first catalyst set to curb NOx emissions in power plants

Tags: Environment

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a government engineering firm successfully produced the first indigenous Selective Catalytic Reactor (SCR) to control NOx emissions from thermal power plants.

An Overview of the News

• SCR Catalysts were earlier imported in line with the 'Make in India' initiative.

• The initial batch of indigenous SCR Catalyst was manufactured for 5x800 MW Yadadri Thermal Power Station in Telangana.

• The inaugural event took place at BHEL's Bengaluru Solar Business Division unit, which was led by Renuka Gera, Director, of Industrial Systems and Products.

• BHEL set up a manufacturing facility at its Solar Business Division unit to produce SCR catalysts for reducing NOx emissions in thermal power plants.

• Burning coal converts its nitrogen content into nitrogen oxides (NOx), a major air pollutant that includes substances such as NO, NO2, and N2O.

• Recognizing the serious environmental impact of NOx, the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO) ordered SCR units for the Yadadri Thermal Power Station.

• Other orders for SCR units came from Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MAHAGENCO), West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL), and NALCO for various thermal power stations.

• BHEL is dedicated to environmental protection, offering a range of eco-friendly technologies for thermal power plants, including high-efficiency boilers, electrostatic precipitators, flue gas desulphurization units, and selective catalytic reactors.

• BHEL achieved indigenization of technology in collaboration with NANO, a leading company of the Republic of Korea for the development of SCR technology.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL):

• It is a major Central Public Sector Enterprise in India.

• It has the distinction of being the largest manufacturer of power generation equipment under government ownership.

• BHEL works as a part of the Government of India and comes under the purview of the Ministry of Heavy Industry.

• Establishment - 1956

• Headquarters - New Delhi

Assam enforces ban on plastic water bottles of less than 1000ml

Tags: State News

The Assam government implemented a ban on plastic water bottles of less than 1000 ml capacity with effect from October 2.

An Overview of the News

• The Environment and Forest Department of Assam has issued this notification to address environmental concerns.

• Aims to ban plastic water bottles of less than 1000 ml capacity.

• The primary goal is to tackle the problem of plastic pollution and promote sustainable behavior.

• This initiative demonstrates Assam's commitment to protecting the state's natural resources and diverse ecosystems.

• Minister of Environment and Forests of Assam - Chandra Mohan Patowary

Special attention on PET bottles:

• Assam had earlier expressed its intention to ban polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles of less than 1000 ml.

• Formal implementation took place through a firm notification issued by the Assam Environment and Forest Department on 23 August.

• The ban covers various aspects including the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, and sale of plastic water bottles falling under the specified capacity.

Legal authorization and implementation of the plastic water bottle ban:

• Scope of the ban: Ban on plastic water bottles of less than 1000 ml capacity.

• Legal Basis: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

• Source of Authority: Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India under section 23 of the Act.

• Effective date: The ban will be effective from October 2.

About Assam

Formation (as a state) - 26 January 1950

Capital - Dispur

Language - Assamese

Chief Minister - Himanta Biswa Sarma

Governor - Gulab Chand Kataria

Rajya Sabha - 7 seats

Lok Sabha - 14 seats

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal launches Tele-Law 2.0

Tags: Science and Technology

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal launched Tele-Law- 2.0 on August 25, 2023, in New Delhi.

An Overview of the News

• The Department of Justice (DOJ) hosted the Tele-Law 2.0 event at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi.

• The event marks the achievement of helping 5 million citizens and highlights the use of technology in providing pre-litigation advice to the public.

• Tele-law services are being integrated with legal representation services under the Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono) program.

• This integration streamlines access to legal advice, assistance, and representation through a unified registration process on the Tele-Law platform.

• The event recognizes and honors frontline workers who play a vital role in providing legal services directly to the people.

• The event has been organized by the Department of Justice in association with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited.

• The event is in line with the government's vision to strengthen the legal aid ecosystem and ensure equitable access to justice for all.

Important components of organizing include:

• Screening of a documentary showing the journey of tele-law from 2017 to 2022.

• "Tele-Law-2.0" is being launched, which combines the Tele-Law and Nyay Bandhu apps, Also an e-tutorial has been released.

• Unveiling of “Voices of Beneficiaries”, a compilation of firsthand experiences shared by people who have benefited from Tele-Law.

• Presenting the "Achievers Catalogue", which acknowledges outstanding performers such as Paralegal Volunteers, Village Entrepreneurs, Panel Lawyers, and State Coordinators for the years 2022-2023 and April to June 2023.

G20 Culture Ministers' meeting begins in Varanasi

Tags: Summits

The G20 Culture Ministers' meeting began on 26 August in Varanasi.

An Overview of the News

• The event represents the culmination of India's G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meetings and discussions.

• A comprehensive report summarizing the insights and recommendations of the webinar 'G20 Culture: Shaping the Global Narrative for Inclusive Growth' will be unveiled during the meeting.

• A special stamp will be issued to commemorate the 'Culture Unites All' campaign, an important initiative under India's G20 Presidency CWG.

Union Culture Minister - G Kishan Reddy

Minister of State for Culture - Meenakshi Lekhi

About the G20

• It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.

• Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

• The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.

India declares August 23 as National Space Day in honor of Chandrayaan-3's moon landing

Tags: Science and Technology

On 26 August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the designation of 23 August as National Space Day in honor of India's Chandrayaan-3 moon landing.

An Overview of the News

• The specific spot where Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon will be named 'Shivshakti', and the spot where Chandrayaan-2 landed will be called 'Tiranga Point'.

• PM Modi made this announcement during his visit to the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network Mission Control Complex in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Chandrayaan-3 Achievements:

• On 23 August 2023, Chandrayaan-3 achieved a historic feat by becoming the first mission to land on the South Pole of the Moon.

• Mission goals included a safe lunar landing, rover maneuverability, and the performance of scientific experiments on-site.

• India has now joined the ranks of the United States, Russia, and China in successfully landing on the Moon.

Objectives of Chandrayaan-3:

• Chandrayaan-3 is set to operate on the lunar surface for one lunar day (equivalent to 14 Earth days).

• The Pragyan rover will detect, conduct experiments, and transmit the data to the lander within a radius of 500 meters around the landing site.

• The Vikram lander will relay data and images to the orbiter, which will then transmit them back to Earth.

• Both the lander and the rover carry advanced scientific instruments for a variety of lunar investigations including terrain analysis, mineralogical composition, surface chemistry, atmospheric studies, and water/resource exploration.

Additional Payloads and Studies:

• The propulsion module that propelled the lander and rover into a 100 km lunar orbit contains the SHAPE payload.

• SHAPE (Spectro-Polarimetry of the Habitable Planet Earth) is designed to study the spectral and polarimetric characteristics of Earth from the orbit of the Moon.

Chandrayaan-1

• Chandrayaan-1 was the first Indian lunar probe launched by ISRO.

• It was part of the Chandrayaan program and was launched in October 2008 and the mission lasted till August 2009.

• Chandrayaan-1 consisted of a Lunar Orbiter and an Impactor.

• The Lunar Orbiter conducted scientific research and collected data about the Moon.

• The objective of the mission was to make a detailed map of the Moon's surface and study its composition.

• Chandrayaan-1 had advanced instruments to test the presence of water ice and minerals.

• The spacecraft carried both Indian and international scientific payloads.

• Chandrayaan-1 made important discoveries including evidence of water molecules on the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-2:

• India's second lunar exploration mission developed by ISRO.

• Components: Lunar Orbiter, Vikram Lander, and Pragyan Rover.

• Scientific Objective: Study the composition of the lunar surface and find lunar water.

• Launch: July 22, 2019, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

• Landing Site: Intended for the south polar region of the Moon at a latitude of 70°S.

• Planned Landing Date: September 6, 2019

• Landing Result: The lander crashed due to a software glitch.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO):

• It was established on 15 August 1969.

• It is the national space agency of India. It launched its space rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• Headquarters - Bengaluru

• Chairman - S Somnath