November 26, 2020

 

Topic:- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

What is the news?

• Chief Minister of Himachal Sri Jai Ram Thakur has asked his officials to prepare a list of cold chain equipment required for the transportation of Covid vaccine, list to be submitted to the Centre.

 

What is Cold Chain?

• There are many items like some food products and certain medicines which are needed to be kept at specific low temperatures, otherwise, they will start losing their properties and will not be able to fulfil their purpose or some time may become dangerous to the health.
• Common temperature range for a cold chain in pharmaceutical industries is 2 to 8 °C (36 to 46 °F).
• So to maintain their freshness and usefulness they are kept and transported at a specific low temperature, and the process and equipment’s involved in maintaining required low temperatures is known as Cold Chain or Cool Chain.
• There is a portable icebox also to carry small items in very less quantity held in hand or shoulders.

For example, there are air-conditioned trucks vans, railway bogies, ships and aircraft to transport such items to long distances, even to other countries.

• The items may include milk and milk products, fruits and vegetables, certain vaccines like COVID vaccine, etc. COVID vaccine may need ultra-cold storage and transportation temperatures as cold as −70 °C (−94 °F)

What cold-chain equipment is used in health care?

Different levels of the health care system need different equipment for transporting and storing vaccine at the required temperature.

• Central and regional stores need cold rooms, freezers, refrigerators and cold boxes (for transportation).
• District stores need freezers, refrigerators and cold boxes.
• Health centres need refrigerators, cold boxes and vaccine carriers.

 

Where Cold Chain concept originated?

• In 1938, Frederick McKinley Jones and Joseph A. invented it in the USA.

 

What is the status of Cold Chain in India?

• In 2018 the Indian cold chain market was worth INR 1,121 Billion. The market projected to reach INR 2,618 Billion by 2024, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.8% during 2019-2024.
• 27 new integrated cold chain projects have been approved by the Central government under the scheme for integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).with an investment of Rs. 743/- crore. The projects will benefit more than two lakh farmers.
• Ministry of Food Processing will provide financial assistance  (grant-in-aid) at the rate of 35 % for general areas and 50 % for north-eastern states, Himalayan states and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure.

(Source:- The Tribune)

(Source:- manufacturingtodayindia)

 

Topic:- HP ECONOMY

 

What is the news?

• Himachal based company HAX Magnets bagged the contract for making Magnetic Rings for ISRO.

 

How it will benefit?

• It will help in generation of employment to locals and Himachal residents in particular.
• The functioning of the industry will add to the revenue to the state as GST, etc.
• Such contracts from big PSUs invite more investments to set up their plant in Himachal, thus improving the value of the state on the national and international level.

 

Himachal’s Industrial Development and Economic growth:

• At current prices, Gross State Domestic Product of Himachal Pradesh is estimated to reach Rs 1.82 trillion in 2020-21.
• The state’s per capita GSDP in 2019-20 was Rs. 225,839. GSDP will increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.76 per cent between 2015-16 and 2020-21. The tertiary sector witnessed the fastest growth at a CAGR of 12.02 per cent between 2011-12 and 2019-20.
• In the year 2019, 15 investment were filed in Himachal Pradesh with a proposed investment of Rs 345 crore.
• 41 industrial areas and 15 industrial estates have developed to provide infrastructure support to entrepreneurs. Solan, Sirmour, Kangra and Una districts lead in terms of investments attracted.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

National News

 

Topic:- INDIAN POLITY

 

What is the news?

• India celebrated 72^nd Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas) today.

 

When the Constitution of India was adopted?

• On 26^th November 1949, the Constitution on India was adopted with a Preamble, 395 Articles and 8 Schedules. Dr B.R.Ambedkar  was the Law Minister at that time.

 

How the Constitution of India came into being?

• To make the constitution, the Constitution assembly was established. The Assembly held its first meeting on December 9^th, 1946. The first meeting was attended by 211 members. Following the French practice, a temporary President of the Assembly was made, and Dr Sachchidnand Sinha was elected such president.
• Later Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President of Constituent Assembly, and after the enforcement of the constitution on January 26^th, 1950, he was sworn in as the first President of India.
• On December 13^th, 1946, Jawahar Lal Nehru tabled the Objectives Resolution in the assembly, which later on modified and became the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
• Many committees were formed to take the work of the making of the constitution, but the most important committee was the Drafting Committee whose responsibility was to prepare the draft of the new constitution. It was formed on August 29^th, 1947 and Dr B.R.Ambedkar was its chairman with 6 other members.
• The draft passed through many discussions and amendments in the assembly and finally was adopted on November 26^th, 1949. But it was decided that the constitution will come into force from January 26^th, 1950.

 

Why specifically January 26^th?

• This day has a historic value in the Indian freedom struggle. Because on this day Purna Swaraj day was celebrated on January 26^th, 1930.

Source: Open source

 

Topic:- DEFENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

What is the news?

• India received two armed drones from US-based company on one year lease, could be deployed against Chinese infiltration along LAC. The Navy has received “Sea Guardians”, a variant used by the US Navy.

 

What is special in these drones?

• These drones, can fly for over 30 hours and will relay live images and videos
• They carry multi-mode radar for surveillance that tracks multiple targets
• These can be armed with anti-submarine weapons and can also be launched to examine an area under surveillance

 

What is a Drone?

• A drone refers to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), means there is no human (pilot) inside.
• Drones are mostly used in military actions, they are also used in space application and delivering essential items both military and civil.

How do drones work?

• As they are unmanned, they are controlled from the ground by the drone pilots through the remote. They run on non-fossil power.
• The Drones are equipped with radar, sensors, cameras, etc. which help in flight control, taking pictures and making live videos of the concerned.

(Source: The Tribune HP)