04th December 2019: Prelims Current Affairs : Prelims Sure shot 

 

 

India tests Swedish technology to reduce stubble burning

Issue:

Pollution from stubble burning in winter is the key contributor to the sharp decline in air quality in Delhi. But stubble burning continues unabated.

Details:

• To find a solution to the stubble burning issue, India is testing a Swedish technology — torrefaction that can convert rice stubble into ‘bio-coal’.
• The Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to Government of India has funded a pilot project in Punjab to evaluate the feasibility of the technology.
• Bioendev, a Swedish company, has set up a pilot plant at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Mohali.

How does torrefaction work?

• Torrefaction is a thermal process to convert biomass into a coal-like material, which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass. Torrefied biomass is more brittle, making grinding easier and less energy intensive.
• The technology involves heating up straw, grass, saw mill residue and wood biomass to 250 degrees Celsius – 350 degrees Celsius.
• This changes the elements of the biomass into ‘coal-like’ pellets. These pellets can be used for combustion along with coal for industrial applications like steel and cement production.

Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS)

Why in news?

Department of Fertilizers (DoF) has developed an IT enabled system viz., Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS), which captures end to end details of Fertilizer.

 Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS)

• The Fertilizer sales are monitored online through web based Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS) by Concerned stakeholders like DoF, State Agriculture Departments and Fertilizer companies.
• The portal facilitates Real time online tracking of fertilizer movement, Real time Fertilizer availability, Real time tracking of sale of fertilizers at subsidized rates to farmers through PoS devices etc.
• Under Aadhaar enabled Fertilizers Distribution System (AeFDS), it is mandatory for the retailers to sell subsidized fertilizers through PoS devices.

e-Urvarak Dashboard

• The dashboard is developed by Department of Fertilizers to facilitate easy monitoring by various Stake holders viz. State Agriculture Departments, District Collectors and State Marketing Federations.
• The Dashboards provide various reports like Frequent buyers, the retailers not selling fertilizer through PoS devices, Stock Availability etc

 

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill

Why in news?

Parliament passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill.

More about

• The bill has been brought to provide for merger of union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, in view of
• fruitful utilization of manpower
• improve administrative efficiency
• reduce administrative expenditure
• improve service delivery and
• facilitate better monitoring of schemes.
• The new entity would be called the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
• It would be governed under the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court.

Union territories in India (After the merger of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu)

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. Lakshadweep
3. Puducherry
4. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
5. National Capital Territory of Delhi
6. Chandigarh
7. Jammu and Kashmir
8. Ladakh

 

 

India tests Swedish technology to reduce stubble burning

Issue:

Pollution from stubble burning in winter is the key contributor to the sharp decline in air quality in Delhi. But stubble burning continues unabated.

Details:

• To find a solution to the stubble burning issue, India is testing a Swedish technology — torrefaction that can convert rice stubble into ‘bio-coal’.
• The Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to Government of India has funded a pilot project in Punjab to evaluate the feasibility of the technology.
• Bioendev, a Swedish company, has set up a pilot plant at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Mohali.

How does torrefaction work?

• Torrefaction is a thermal process to convert biomass into a coal-like material, which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass. Torrefied biomass is more brittle, making grinding easier and less energy intensive.
• The technology involves heating up straw, grass, saw mill residue and wood biomass to 250 degrees Celsius – 350 degrees Celsius.
• This changes the elements of the biomass into ‘coal-like’ pellets. These pellets can be used for combustion along with coal for industrial applications like steel and cement production.

 

 

DRDO to develop naval fighter jet

What’s in News?

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to develop a new twin-engine deck-based fighter aircraft for the Indian Navy to serve on its aircraft carriers, one of which is already in active service, and another is presently under construction.

• The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has offered to develop a new twin-engine deck-based fighter aircraft for the Navy based on the experience of the naval light combat aircraft (LCA) and it is expected to be ready by 2026.
• It is said that the Navy expected to have the first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-I) Vikrant operational by 2022.
• The naval LCA recently successfully completed the take-off and landing trials on the shore-based test facility (SBTF) in Goa.
• The current LCA Mk-1 is a technology demonstrator and would further be put to carrier compatibility tests.
• The Navy is scheduled to host its largest multilateral exercise, MILAN off the coast of Visakhapatnam in March 2020, for which 41 countries have been invited.
• So far, over 15 countries have confirmed their participation. However, China has not been invited.

Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas

• The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas is an indigenous lightweight; multi-role supersonic aircraft developed in both fighter and trainer versions.
• The Tejas is designed to carry a plethora of air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided and standoff weaponry.
• The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme began in the 1980s to replace India’s ageing MiG-21 fighters.
• In 2003, the LCA was officially named “Tejas”.
• The Tejas is an Indian single-engine, delta wing, multirole light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

Astra missile

• India has successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed air-to-air missile Astra.
• It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India.
• The state-of-the-art missile was launched from Sukhoi-30 MKI.
• The missile is designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The Astra missile is a beyond visual range missile of both short-range targets (up to 20 km) and long-range targets (up to 80 km) using alternative propulsion modes.
• It is capable of engaging different targets at different altitudes.
• The missile has a strike range of 70km and a 15-kg high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead.