Daily UPSC Current Affairs | 11th May 2020

Dear Aspirants
IASbhai Daily Current Affairs for UPSC is an initiative to dilute major articles from leading Newspapers in India which are most relevant to UPSC preparation –‘THE HINDU, LIVEMINT , INDIAN EXPRESS’ and help millions of readers who find difficulty in answer writing and making notes everyday. Hence we choose articles on daily basis and analyse them with respect to UPSC PRELIMS2020.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.– Winston Churchill

HIGHLIGHT INFO:

ORANGE COLOUR: Important for Prelims.

RED COLOUR: Important for Mains.

BLACK COLOUR: Must Read !

BLUE COLOUR : Important Links/Survey.

PINK COLOUR: Reports/Themes/Summits.

Page Contents:

National Technology Day

HEADLINES:

National Technology Day to be celebrated focusing on rebooting the economy through S&T

WHY IN NEWS:

MINISTRY? :- Ministry of Science & Technology

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Science and Technology

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS understand the theme of this event and the organizers agenda . Historical significance is not much important for Prelims exam.

For MAINS what action plan should be devised ? Do you think there should be more such mega events in future ?

ISSUE:

A high-level digital conference on ‘Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology and Research Translations titled RESTART’ will be organised by Technology Development Board (TDB) a statutory body of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Monday, May 11, 2020, to celebrate the National Technology Day.

MORE ABOUT RESTART CONFERENCE :

As the world adjusts to its new normal, business leaders world over are rethinking and devising new strategies to harness technologies that would help drive resilience and make them emerge from the crisis stronger.
Keeping in mind the need of the hour to formulate a comprehensive action plan to reboot the economy, TDB is celebrating National Technology Day, focusing on technological solutions towards that end.
These technologies would include, medical technologies, advanced technologies and manufacturing that would prepare India for the post Covid-19 time.

THE CONFERENCE WILL HAVE TECHNICAL SESSIONS ON :

‘Medicines & Medical Technologies’;
‘Advanced Materials – New Technology Horizons’;
‘Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Sustainable Future and Global Innovation’& Technology Alliance for Global Economic Leadership.

NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY :

Since 1999 ,Ministry of Science & Technology, celebrates May 11 every year as National Technology Day to commemorate achievements of innovations and technological excellence in the country.

The day has a historical perspective as it was on May 11, 1998, that India achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully carrying out nuclear tests at Pokhran.
Further, the first indigenous aircraft “Hansa-3” was test flown at Bangalore on this day; and India also performed successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day.

The celebration of Technology Day symbolizes India’s quest for scientific inquiry, technological creativity & innovations, and the integration of these developments into national socio-economic benefits and global presence.

IASbhai WINDUP:

The conference will bring together Scientists, Technocrats, Government officials, Diplomats, WHO officials and dignitaries from national and international Industry, Research Institutions and Academic Institutions on a single platform to share their insights on the role played by S & T in the global healthcare crisis and find solutions that not only address the current pandemic but will also help us in facing the challenges ahead.

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB/DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS for UPSC CSE Prelims & Mains

Automated UV systems

HEADLINES:

DRDO lab develops automated UV systems to sanitise electronic gadgets, papers and currency notes

WHY IN NEWS:

Hyderabad based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) premier lab, Research Centre Imarat (RCI), has developed an automated contactless UVC sanitisation cabinet, calledDefence Research Ultraviolet Sanitiser (DRUVS).

MINISTRY? :-Ministry of Defence

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Science and Technology:Recent Innovations

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS one more equipment in the row ! Facts become little important in such issues . Go through them and remember it till the day !

CONTEXT:

DRUVS CABINET:

It has been designed to sanitise mobile phones, iPads, laptops, currency notes, cheque leafs, challans, passbooks, paper, envelopes, etc.

The DRUVS cabinet is having contactless operation which is very important to contain the spread of virus.
The proximity sensor switches, clubbed with drawer opening and closing mechanism, makes its operation automatic and contactless.
It provides 360 degree exposure of UVC to the objects placed inside the cabinet.
Once the sanitisation is done, the system goes in sleep mode hence the operator need not wait or stand near the device.

AUTOMATED UVC CURRENCY SANITISING DEVICE :

The RCI(Research Centre Imarat ) has also developed an automated UVC currency sanitising device, called NOTESCLEAN.
Bundles of currency notes can be sanitised using DRUVS, however disinfection of each currency notes using it will be a time consuming process.
For that purpose, a sanitising technique has been developed, where one has to just place the loose currency notes at the input slot of the device.

It picks the notes one by one and makes them pass through a series of UVC lamps for complete disinfection.

NOTESCLEAN

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB/DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS for UPSC CSE Prelims & Mains

MISSION SAGAR

HEADLINES:

MISSION SAGAR – 10 MAY 2020

WHY IN NEWS:

As part of the Government of India outreach amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Indian Naval Ship Kesari has departed for Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, to provide Food Items, COVID related Medicines including HCQ Tablets and Special Ayurvedic Medicines with Medical Assistance Teams embarked, on 10 May 20.

MINISTRY? :-Ministry of Defence

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Defence

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS remember the aim of this mission and thats it !

For MAINS do you think its part of soft diplomacy ? How should India percolate its existence more in IOR ?

ISSUE:

‘MISSION SAGAR’ :

This deployment as ‘Mission Sagar’, is in line with India’s role as the first responder in the region and builds on the excellent relations existing between these countries to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant difficulties.

The deployment is in consonance with the Prime Ministers vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR’ and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her neighbouring countries and further strengthens the existing bond.
The operation is being progressed in close coordination with the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government of India.

As part of Mission Sagar, Indian Naval Ship Kesari would enter the Port of Male in Republic of Maldives, to provide them 600 tons of food provisions.

INS KESARI :

INS Kesari is a Shardul-class tank landing ship of the Indian Navy

In 2009, INS Kesari was transferred from the Eastern Naval Command in Vishakhapatnam to Port Blair.

IASbhai WINDUP:

India and Maldives are close maritime neighbours with strong and extremely cordial defence and diplomatic relations.

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB/DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS for UPSC CSE Prelims & Mains

Precedence Effect

HEADLINES:

Global Eco Watch: Tree frogs create auditory illusion to find mate without being eaten

WHY IN NEWS:

Humans experience it too.

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Science : Psychology

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS its just a principle ! We had to share it with you .

ISSUE:

CREATING AUDITORY ILLUSION :

Reasearchers found that treefrogs create an ‘auditory illusion’ to protect themselves while trying to find a mate.
The frogs become easy targets for predators and parasites when they send mating calls.
Male treefrogs essentially overlap their mating calls with those of their neighbours.
When this happens, an auditory illusion takes place and predators are more attracted to the leading call, leaving other frogs to find mates without risking their lives, according to the research.
This is called the ‘Precedence Effect’.

PRINCIPLE :

When we hear two short sounds in quick succession, we assume the sound is coming from the source of the first one.

IASbhai WINDUP:

Frogs have found out this unique way to protect themselves.

SOURCES:DOWNTOEARTH

Todas to keep the virus at bay

HEADLINES:

Tying up with Todas to keep the virus at bay

WHY IN NEWS:

Traditional tribal artisans from the Nilgiris are producing masks with exquisite embroidery

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1:Tribes

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS Toda’s are important . Go through religion,place,food,culture and art of Toda’s.

ISSUE:

More than a hundred women and indigenous Toda artisans from the Nilgiris are producing thousands of stylish, embroidered masks for local residents, police, and sanitary workers.

The masks are sold for around ₹225 each.

These have been a huge hit, with demand for the masks coming from Coimbatore, Chennai and New Delhi.
The masks are produced by Indian Yards in Coonoor and Shalom Ooty, who are partnering with Last Forest.
While Indian Yards has been empowering more than 50 local women by training them on how to stitch articles of clothing, Shalom Ooty regularly employs over 150 Toda artisans to embroider indigenous designs on bags, shawls and other items.
A Toda artisan, who embroiders the motifs on masks, said she gets anywhere between ₹50-100 for each single piece she produces, and added that because of demand for the masks, she has found work despite the lockdown.

IASbhai WINDUP:

“As there are no tourists coming into the district, there is no demand at all for Toda embroidered quilts, shawls or other clothes.
But because of the demand for masks, our skills are being put to use and we get a livelihood in return,” .
The masks have already been dispatched for sale in stores in the Nilgiris and people can also order them online from the Last Forest website.