UPSC Prelims News 11 January 2023

UPSC Prelims News of 11 January 2023

E Sanjeevani Portal

• Context: The Government’s free telemedicine service, e-Sanjeevani, recently crossed a milestone by touching the nine crore teleconsultations mark.
• E-Sanjeevani is a national telemedicine service that strives to provide an alternative to conventional physical consultations through a digital platform.
• The initiative has garnered the distinction of being the world’s largest government-owned telemedicine platform.
• Initiative has two variants:
  • eSanjeevani Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre(AB-HWC)
    • To provide quality health services to a patient residing in rural areas.
  • eSanjeevaniOPD
    • Patient-to-doctor telemedicine service enables people to get outpatient services in the confines of their homes.
• The initiative is an exemplification of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, as it has been developed indigenously by the Health Informatics Group in the Mohali branch Centre for Development and Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
• It is also giving wings to India’s digital health journey and ensuring quality healthcare services to patients digitally even in remote regions of the country.

UPSC Prelims News 10 January 2023

Prithvi 2

• Context: A successful training launch of a Short-Range Ballistic Missile, Prithvi-II was carried out recently from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
• Prithvi-II, developed by DRDO is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, which has a strike range of 350 km.
• It is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilograms of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
• The state-of-the-art missile uses an advanced inertial guidance system with a manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.
• Also, the missile is also capable of carrying nuclear weapons and can be launched from a mobile launcher.
• The Prithvi series missiles were the first missiles to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

Maluku Islands

• Context: A powerful earthquake of 7.7 magnitude has struck the Tanimbar region in Indonesia.
• The epicentre of the quake was south of the Indonesian island of Ambon. The tremor was felt on the islands of Timor, Maluku archipelago, and Papua
• Tanimbar region: The Tanimbar region is a group of 65 islands.
  • The Tanimbar islands separate the Banda Sea and the Arafura Sea.
  • Historically, they were part of the Dutch East Indies.
• Maluku archipelago: The islands are also called Spice islands because of the nutmeg, mace, and cloves found widely.
  • Originally they were inhabited by Melanesian people but were later replaced by Malay people during the colonial period.
• Location: They are located east of Sulawesi, west of New Guinea, and north and east of Timor.
• Geology: Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes.
• Vegetation: The islands are made up of tropical rainforests.

Defence Acquisition Council

• Context: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for three capital acquisition proposals.
• It is the highest decision-making body in the Defence Ministry for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services and the Coast Guard.
• Objective: Expedite procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces in terms of capabilities sought, and time frame prescribed, by optimally using the allocated budgetary resources.
• The DAC was formed on the basis of recommendations made by the Group of Ministers on ‘Reforming the National Security System’ in 2001.
• Functions:
  • Accord approval for AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) for Capital Acquisition Proposals.
  • Categorizing the acquisition proposals into ‘Buy, Buy & Make, & Make’.
  • Provides in-principle approval of 15 Year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTPP) for Defence Forces
  • Makes decisions on the Transfer of Technology
  • Monitors the progress of major defence projects.
• Members: The DAC is chaired by the Defence Minister. Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Tri-Services, Defence Secretary, Secretary of Defence Production, Secretary of Defence R&D, Chief of Integrated Defence, Director General Acquisition, and Chief of Integrated Staff Committees HQ IDS are other members.

Siachen Glacier

Why in news? Recently, Captain Shiva Chauhan of Fire and Fury Sappers has become the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in Kumar Post in the Siachen.

About:

• The Siachen Glacier lies in that part of the Karakoram which is referred to as the “Third Pole” of the world.
• The Siachen glacier demarcates Central Asia from the Indian subcontinent and separates Pakistan from China in the region.
• It is the Second-Longest glacier in the World’s Non-Polar areas.
• The glacier is the source of the Nubra River that eventually feeds the mighty Indus.
• The Siachen Glacier is part of Ladakh.
• The Siachen Glacier is the world’s highest battlefield.

Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM)

Why in News? The Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela is being conducted in 242 districts of the country.

About:

• Under National Skill Development Mission, apprenticeship melas are hosted every month, wherein selected individuals receive a monthly stipend.
• PMNAM is providing awareness to the youth on various opportunities existing across the participating companies.
• The major purpose is to encourage companies to hire more apprentices, while also assisting employers in discovering the right talent and developing their potential via training and practical experience.
• It aims to raise apprenticeship opportunities in India to 10 lakhs by the end of 2022, and to 60 lakhs by 2026.
• The government is striving to train 1 million youth per annum through apprenticeship training and to fulfil this mission.

Young Professionals Scheme

Why in News? Recently, the governments of India and the U.K. marked Pravasi Bharatiya Divas by kicking off the Young Professionals Scheme.

About:

• It will permit up to 3,000 of their degree-holding citizens aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in each other’s countries for a period of two years.
• The scheme, which was announced in November at the G20 summit in Bali, is part of the India-UK Migration and Mobility MoU signed in May 2021.

Gini Coefficient

Why in News? Higher procurement and free distribution of cereals, helping lower inequality in India, a recent report by the State Bank of India’s research team showed.

About:

• The Gini Coefficient, which is derived from the Lorenz Curve, can be used as an indicator of economic development in a country.
• The Gini Coefficient measures the degree of income equality in a population.
• The Gini Coefficient can vary from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality).
• A Gini Coefficient of zero means that everyone has the same income, while a Coefficient of 1 represents a single individual receiving all the income.

National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG)

Why in News? Two weeks capacity building programme for the civil servants of Bangladesh, Maldives and Arunachal Pradesh commenced recently at the Mussoorie campus of NCGG.

About:

• NCGG is an autonomous institute under the aegis of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India.
• It has been set up to assist in bringing about governance reforms through studies and seeks to carry out policy-relevant research and prepare case studies
• It provides a platform for sharing existing knowledge and proactively seeking out and developing ideas for their implementation in the government, both at the National & International levels.
• NCGG traces its origin to the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR).
• It curates training courses for civil servants from India and other developing countries

SPRINT Scheme

Why in News? Recently, Indian Navy signed a contract for autonomous armed boat swarms under the SPRINT scheme.

About:

• SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence) aims to promote the development and usage of indigenous defence technologies by domestic companies.
• The task of developing this technology is one of the 75 challenges that have been introduced by the Indian Navy under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• To achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence, Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO), in conjunction with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy till august 2023.
• It will transform the Navy from a ‘Buyer’s Navy’ to a ‘Builder’s Navy.

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