Weekly Current Capsules

16 to 22 July  2024

e-mobility R&D Roadmap for India

• The “e-mobility R&D Roadmap for India” report was launched by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India
• The R&D roadmap has been prepared after detailed horizon scanning of the global automotive sector and identifying future cutting-edge technological requirements.
• It categorizes research projects into four important areas: Energy Storage Cells, EV Aggregates, Materials and Recycling, Charging and Refueling, and provides clear pathways to attain global leadership by beingAtmanirbhar in the next five years.

India aims to achieve a 45% reduction in emission intensity by 2030 and energy independence by 2047 to reach net-zero commitment by 2070.

Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)

• Union Minister inaugurated Asia’s first health research-related “Pre-clinical Network Facility” under the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) 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 facility in the country with a housing capacity of about 75,000 mice, including immune-compromised mice and other species such as rat, rabbit, hamsters, guinea pigs etc.

Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)

• The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is a foundation that takes donations from public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organisations, to finance independent research projects to develop vaccines against emerging infectious diseases (EID).
• CEPI is focused on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “blueprint priority diseases”, which include: the Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the Nipah virus, the Lassa fever virus, and the Rift Valley fever virus, as well as the Chikungunya virus and the hypothetical, unknown pathogen “Disease X”.
• CEPI investment also requires “equitable access” to the vaccines during outbreaks, although subsequent CEPI policy changes may have compromised this criterion.
• In 2022, CEPI adopted a vision for the world to be able to respond to a pandemic threat with a new vaccine within 100 days.
• CEPI was conceived in 2015 and formally launched in 2017 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
• It was co-founded and co-funded with US$460 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the governments of India and Norway, and was later joined by the European Union (2019) and the United Kingdom (2020).CEPI is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

Genetically Defined Human Associated Microbial Culture Collection (Ge-HuMic) Facility

• Union Minister of State for Science and Technology also inaugurated the “Genetically Defined Human Associated Microbial Culture Collection (Ge-HuMic) Facility” to act as a “repository” for providing microbial cultures to research institutes, universities, and industries for research and development.
• The facility will serve as a Nodal Resource Center that will foster national and international collaborations between academic institutions, hospitals and industry.
• It will also serve as a repository of genetically characterized specific pathogen-free animals (including cryopreserved embryos and sperm) for the use of researchers within the country.

Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI)

• The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) is an institute of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Department of Biotechnology under Ministry of Science and Technology which facilitated the signing of more than a dozen agreements and MoU’s signed with Private sector for Vaccine development and research in Nipah Virus, Influenza and other respiratory diseases.
• It will also facilitate innovative and cutting-edge fundamental research in the country, support translational research to test drug and vaccine candidates, identify biomarkers of disease progression/resolution and foster research collaborations across disciplines and professions with connectivity to industry and academia.

Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity

• The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity was given to the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) project in 2024 for its work on sustainable farming in India.

Know! about Gulbenkian Prize

• Gulbenkian Prize is a series of prizes awarded annually by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
• The main Gulbenkian Prize was established in 1976 as the Gulbenkian Science Prize awarded to Portuguese individuals and organizations.
• Starting 2012, the Foundation started giving a special international Prize funded by an annual award of €100,000 each in the field of human rights called the Calouste Gulbenkian Prize on Human Rights.
• The Gulbenkian Science Prize has now been restructured and is known as the Gulbenkian Prizes on Cohesion, Knowledge and Sustainability and three prizes are awarded in each of the fields
• The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, which was created in 2020, recognizes important efforts to the progress of humanity around the world.
• It is given out by the Gulbenkian Foundation, which is based in Lisbon, Portugal.
• The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Portugal gives the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity every year to recognize important efforts to protect ecosystems, making sure there is enough food for everyone, and make the world more resistant to climate change.

Know! about  Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming

• Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (AP-CMNF) uses traditional methods to support healthy farming.
• It was started in 2015 and focuses on low-cost ways that cut chemical use by 95%.
• With the help of more than 600,000 farmers, the land is healthier and more species live there.
• To get better results, the program combines old knowledge with new scientific study.
• The “Zero Budget Natural Farming” approach is used by AP-CMNF to keep farming costs as low as possible.
• It has helped farmers make more money and make sure they have enough food. India wants to find long-term answers for farming problems, and this project is part of that.

UN-Water Convention

• Ivory Coast joined the United Nations Water Convention, becoming the 10th African nation to do so.
• In 2024, at least three more African nations, which include Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe, are in the final stages of accession and joining the convention.
• Ivory Coast joined the convention to enhance cooperative water management across borders in response to growing water stress and the effects of climate change on the water resources it shares with its neighbours.
• It is now the 53rd Party (country) to the 1992 UN Water Convention, which is also known as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

Know! about the Convention

• The Convention was initially established as a regional framework for the pan-European region. Since its global expansion to all UN Member States in 2016, Chad, Senegal, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Togo and Cameroon were the first African nations to accede. They were later joined by Nigeria, Namibia and The Gambia in 2023.
• Under the convention, the parties (or nations) are required to cooperate for the sustainable management of transboundary waters.
• The Water Convention facilitates cooperation on surface water and groundwater too.
• The Convention requires Parties to prevent, control, and reduce negative impacts on water quality and quantity across borders, to use shared waters in a reasonable and equitable way, and to ensure their sustainable management through cooperation.
• Parties bordering the same transboundary waters are obliged to cooperate by concluding specific agreements and establishing joint bodies.

Background of the UN Water Convention

• Its full name is the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
• The UN Water Convention was created in 1992 mainly for the European area. In 2016, its goals were made more global so that all UN Member States could join and support the long-term management of shared water supplies.
• The “Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes,” as the UN Water Convention is legally known, was signed in 1992.
• It encourages sustainable control of water across borders.
• It has only been approved by 47 countries, mostly in Europe.
• The Convention stresses the fair and sensible use of shared water supplies.
• It motivates people to be involved in managing water. The 2016 change lets states that aren’t UN members join.

SVANidhi scheme’s “Best Performing State” category

• Madhya Pradesh is the best state in the Prime Minister SVANidhi scheme’s “Best Performing State” category. The state’s successful adoption of a micro-credit program to help urban street vendors is highlighted by this award.

Performance Highlights

• Madhya Pradesh’s involvement in the plan shows that it is well-managed and reached at the state level.
• Assam won second place in the “Best Performing States – Innovation and Best Practices Award” category, just behind Madhya Pradesh.
• Cities and towns were also rewarded for how well they handled loans, in addition to the state. In this group, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) came out on top. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation were close behind.
• DAY-NULM, the National Urban Livelihood Mission, was also recognized at the awards event. Kerala was ranked the highest in the “Systematic Progressive Analytical Real Time Ranking (SPARK)” category. Uttar Pradesh came in second and Rajasthan came in third.

Know! about Prime Minister SVANidhi Scheme

• The PM SVANidhi plan, which started in 2020, gives loans of up to ₹50,000 to street vendors in cities with no collateral.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, a plan was put in place to help vendors recover from the effects of the crisis on their businesses.
• It gives loans up to ₹10,000 with no guarantee, which must be paid back in one year.
• The plan’s goal is to improve people’s lives and keep their finances stable.
• Increasing business opportunities, over 28 lakh street vendors have gained.

The Voicebox

• National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), a public sector enterprise under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB), have joined hands with Netflix India to launch an upskilling program   for voice-over artists in India called “The Voicebox”.

Know! about the Program

• The Voicebox” program will offer Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training for voice-over artists focusing on English, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Gujarati languages.
• As part of the program, structured workshops, which would include training (featuring guest lectures and mentoring sessions), followed by an assessment, will be conducted in seven major cities of India – New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kochi.
• Each batch would accommodate up to 30 candidates, with 210 participants selected through preliminary screening. At least 50% of the participants will be women.
• Pearl Academy, India’s leading design institute will join as a Training Partner for this program.
• Seven top participants from every batch will be chosen to contribute to Netflix’s special project, “Azaadi ki Amrit Kahaniya”, where they will lend their voice to narrate stories reflecting the Indian independence movement.
• The program is open to professionals, preferably women, with more than two years of experience in the media and entertainment sector, who are eager to enhance their skills in voice-over.
• This Voicebox program is sponsored by theNetflix Fund for Creative Equity, which has dedicated $100 million a year over five years to setting underrepresented communities up for success in the TV and film industries through programs all around the world.

Fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL)

• Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence has notified the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) consisting of 346 items.
• These include 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 items will only be procured from the Indian Industry after the timelines of indigenisation as indicated in the list available on the Srijan portal
• The DPSUs will undertake indigenisation of the items mentioned in the fifth PIL through various routes including ‘Make’ procedure or in-house development involving the industry, including MSMEs.

Know! about Srijan Portal

• The Ministry of Defence had launched the SRIJAN PORTAL in 2020.
• On this portal, DPSUs and Service Headquarters (SHQs) offer defence items to the industries, including MSMEs and start-ups, for indigenisation.

Know! about PIL

• The PIL isa list of items that can only be purchased by the Indian armed forces from domestic manufacturers, including private sector or DPSUs.
• Earlier, four PILs comprising 4,666 items were notified by the DDP for DPSUs, of which 2,972, having import substitution value worth Rs 3,400 crore, have already been indigenised.
• These five lists for DPSUs are in addition to the five positive indigenisation lists of 509 items notified by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).
• These lists include highly complex systems, sensors, weapons, and ammunition.

Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii

• Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have identified a new plant species, Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii, in the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The newly discovered species belongs to the family Acanthaceae and the genus Phlogacanthus, which includes 13 known species primarily found in northeastern and eastern Himalayan states.
• Named in recognition of Dr Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, a BSI scientist, the species acknowledges his significant contributions to plant and ecological research in the Indian
• The Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii plant species is only found in India, in the Northeast area. It was found in 2015 and is in the family Acanthaceae.
• This plant has bright purple flowers and unique leaves.
• It usually grows in damp, shady woods and is an important part of the ecosystems in those places.

Operation Nanhe Farishtey

• Over the past seven years, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been at the forefront of an operation named ‘Nanhe Faristey’ – a mission dedicated to rescuing children in need of care and protection across various Indian Railway Zones.
• During last seven years (2018- May 2024), RPF has rescued 84,119 Children who were at risk in stations and trains, preventing them from falling into harm’s way.

Electronics: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains

• NITI Aayog unveiled its report titled “Electronics: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains
• This report is the outcome of 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.

Report Highlights

• In the current scenario, 70% of international trade comprises Global Value Chain (GVC) items emphasizing the critical need for India to enhance its GVC participation.
• This can be achieved by prioritizing sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, automobiles, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, which play a significant role in the GVC landscape.
• Within GVCs, the electronics sector holds a significant position as nearly 80% of electronics exports come from GVCs.
• In the financial year 2023, India’s electronics sector recorded a significant value of exports, contributing a considerable share of 5.32% to India’s total merchandise exports.
• Presently, India’s electronics manufacturing primarily involves the final assembly of electronic goods. While brands and design firms have started increasingly outsourcing assembly, testing, and packaging tasks to Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) companies in India, the ecosystem for design and component manufacturing is at a nascent stage.
• The manufacturing sector will play a crucial role in India’s journey towards becoming Viksit Bharat. It can be achieved by accelerating Make-in-India by engaging in Global Value Chains.

U-WIN

• The Indian government has made a 100-day health plan that includes U-WIN, an online platform for managing vaccines that aims to increase the number of children in the country who get vaccinated.
• U-WIN is about to go live across the whole country, building on the successful digital infrastructure that was set up during the Covid-19 vaccination program by CoWIN.

Know! about U-WIN

• U-WIN is a website that helps people keep track of immunization records for kids younger than six and women who are pregnant.
• Users sign up with a government ID (like Aadhaar) and a cellphone number, which lets the system keep track of their vaccination records.
• When a kid signs up for U-WIN, all of their required vaccinations can be added, which creates a color-coded vaccination certificate.
• Users are reminded of future vaccines by text message, and the platform makes it easy to find vaccination centers and make appointments
• U-WIN will be linked to eVIN, a system that keeps track of vaccine stock and temperatures all along the cold chain.
• Using digital frameworks that health workers already know how to use, this integration aims to make sure that vaccine stocks are managed efficiently and that waste is kept to a minimum.

Aizawl is now on Rail Route

• Aizawl, Mizoram’s capital, will connect by rail by July 2025 via the Rs 8,213.72 crore Bairabi-Sairang project, involving tunnels, bridges, and four new stations.
• Started in 2008-2009, it tackles difficult terrain and monsoons. NFR’s efforts aim to reduce costs, boost tourism, and support local industries.
• The city of Aizawl in Mizoram will be the fourth capital inNortheast India to have train service
• Currently, Guwahati, Agartala, and Naharlagun are all connected to the railway network.

Know! about Bairabi-Sairang railway project

• It goes from Bairabi in Assam to Sairang in Mizoram’s Aizawl District and is 52 km long.
• The railway line has four stops: Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang.
• The railway link will cut travel time between Aizawl and Assam by a large amount.

National Flag Day

• India’s National Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the Indian national flag on July 22, 1947, by the Constituent Assembly, a few days before the country attained Independence from the British on August 15, 1947.
• This day is significant as it honours the symbol of India’s unity, integrity and sovereignty

Design and symbolism of the flag

• The Indian national flag, known as the “Tiranga”, features three horizontal stripes of equal width.
• The top stripe is saffron (kesaria), representing courage and sacrifice.
• The middle stripe is white, symbolising peace and truth, with a navy blue Ashoka Chakra (wheel) at its centre, which signifies the eternal wheel of law.
• The bottom stripe is green, denoting growth and auspiciousness.
• The flag’s proportions are in the ratio of 2:3 and the Ashoka Chakra has 24 spokes, representing continuous progress.

Historical context

• The flag’s design, adopted just weeks before India’s Independence, was chosen to replace the earlier version.
• The Ashoka Chakra replaced the spinning wheel, or “Charkha,” which was a symbol of self-reliance and resistance during the freedom struggle.
• This change was suggested by Badr-ud-Din Tyabji and endorsed by Mahatma Gandhi.

The Flag Code of India

• The Flag Code of India was modified in 2002, allowing citizens to display and use of the national flag on any day and not just National days as was the case earlier, but with respect and dignity.
• Citizens are permitted to fly the flag throughout the year, provided they adhere to the guidelines, which include hoisting the flag between sunrise and sunset unless adequately illuminated at night.

Significance and observance

• National Flag Day is not only a day to honour the flag but also an opportunity to reflect on the values and sacrifices associated with India’s freedom struggle.

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