Published on: November 18, 2024

Snippets :18 NOVEMBER 2024

Snippets :18 NOVEMBER 2024

  • The state government plans to expand the Diabetic Foot Care Initiative through D-PoC, aiming to address diabetic foot-related conditions such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy (detected in 82% of patients), peripheral arterial disease (12%), and diabetic foot ulcers (33%). The D-PoC system includes interconnected devices that work together to assess foot pressure, neuropathy, and blood flow, creating digital twins of patients’ feet to track disease progression and provide predictive podiatry insights. The system’s future expansion is being supported by collaborations with the state health department and private foundations, and the initiative will be reviewed by a technical committee before full implementation.
  • The Karnataka Transport Department is set to introduce advanced smart cards for Driving Licences (DLs) and Registration Certificates (RCs) by January or February 2025, replacing the current PVC cards, which suffer from durability issues like fading and damage over time. The new smart cards will feature embedded chips for secure data storage, QR codes for instant access to cardholder details, and laser-engraved information to prevent tampering. Made of durable polycarbonate, these cards will provide enhanced security, quick data retrieval, and a streamlined user experience, especially in traffic, theft, or accident-related cases. With centralised printing in Bengaluru, the new cards will ensure uniform quality and timely distribution across Karnataka, following the example of states like Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh that have already implemented similar smart card systems.
  • The Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) initiative, launched by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), aims to enhance research capabilities in India’s central and state public universities by fostering collaboration between institutions. It encourages scientific innovation, supports internationally competitive research, builds collaborative networks, advances research infrastructure, and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Following a hub-and-spoke model, top-tier institutions (hub) mentor emerging institutions (spoke) like public universities, NITs, and IIITs, focusing on improving research quality and infrastructure. Initially, the top 25 institutions in the NIRF ranking and Institutions of National Importance (within the top 50) serve as hubs, mentoring up to seven spoke institutions each, with plans to expand in future phases. The ANRF, established under the ANRF 2023 Act, provides strategic direction for scientific research and fosters collaboration among academia, industry, and government bodies, taking over the functions of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).
  • India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested a long-range hypersonic missile on November 17, 2024, off the Odisha coast, making India one of the few nations with hypersonic capabilities. The missile, with a range of over 1,500 km and capable of carrying various payloads, was developed indigenously in collaboration with DRDO labs and industry partners. Hypersonic missiles, traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 and offering enhanced maneuverability, pose strategic advantages such as increased strike capabilities and difficulty in detection but face challenges like heat generation, operational complexities, and high development costs. Globally, nations like Russia, China, and the US lead in hypersonic technologies, while India’s successful test strengthens its defense infrastructure and positions it prominently on the global stage.
  • The George Cross medal awarded to British Indian spy and descendant of Tipu Sultan, Noor Inayat Khan, for her “most conspicuous courage” will go on display at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum at Colindale in north-west London
  • As part of the three-day 14th Annual Convocation, the Jain (Deemed-to-be University) (JDU) on Friday, conferred Honoris Causa, (honorary doctorate) on Arun Yogiraj,sculptor of the Ram Lalla idol.
  • BEML Limited has been honoured with awards in multiple categories at the 18th Global Communications Conclave and the 14th Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) Excellence awards
  • The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is all set to launch a new portal for property owners who have never obtained a khata in the city to apply for fresh e-khatas. The civic body estimates that there are around five lakh such properties without a khata. The BBMP recently launched a website, www.bbmpeaasthi.karnataka.gov.in, to digitally procure e-khata for properties that already have a khata. For this, the Revenue Department digitised 22 lakh properties. So far, six lakh drafts of e-Khatas have been downloaded by property owners.The BBMP has already started approving final e-khatas.
  • The Solomon Islands, a southwestern Pacific Ocean archipelago consisting of nearly 1,000 islands (six main and over 900 smaller islands, with 147 inhabited), is home to the world’s largest coral colony, recently discovered by researchers. The islands, covering 28,446 sq km of landmass within a 461,000 sq km area, are mainly mountainous and forested with some plains. A parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth, the Solomon Islands gained independence as a republic in 1978, with Honiara as its capital on Guadalcanal, the largest island. The population comprises Melanesian (93%), Polynesian (4%), Micronesian (1.5%), and other (1.5%) ethnic groups, speaking English officially and around 120 vernacular languages, including Solomon Islands pidgin.
  • Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports has launched a nationwide appeal to strengthen the fight against doping in sports, urging athletes, coaches, and the entire sporting community to embrace the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India’s ‘Know Your Medicine (KYM)’ app.
  • The Scientifically Validated Traditional Knowledge (SVASTIK) initiative, coordinated by CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), aims to preserve and promote India’s traditional knowledge and practices by verifying them scientifically. Launched to communicate validated traditional knowledge to society, SVASTIK has partnered with research organizations, institutions, experts, and NGOs to document and disseminate content. Through social media, NIScPR has shared engaging SVASTIK stories in 17 Indian languages, and its publications provide authenticated stories on traditional knowledge, inspiring young students to explore science, thereby boosting public faith in India’s traditional heritage.
  • The 12th India Inclusion Summit (IIS), an annual event focused on raising awareness about people with disabilities and fostering an inclusive society, took place in Bangalore
  • India and Nigeria have agreed to boost bilateral defense cooperation and combat radicalization and terrorism together. This development came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja . During the meeting, Tinubu conferred Nigeria’s national award, “Grand Commander of the Order of Niger,” on Modi, who dedicated the honor to the people of India and the historic friendship between the two nations. They also witnessed the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on cultural exchange, customs cooperation, and survey cooperation. Modi offered India’s expertise in agriculture, transportation, affordable medicine, renewable energy, and digital transformation to Nigeria. Nigeria appreciated India’s development cooperation partnership, which has created local capacities, skills, and professional expertise. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to jointly fighting terrorism, piracy, and radicalization, and agreed to work together to meet the development aspirations of the Global South. This visit marks a significant step forward in the strategic partnership between India and Nigeria, with Modi being the first foreign recipient of the “Grand Commander of the Order of Niger” award since 1969 after Queen Elizabeth
  • The Indian government is planning to introduce a new law regarding MPs holding office of profit, repealing the 65-year-old Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959. The draft ‘Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Bill, 2024’ aims to rationalize Section 3, remove the negative list of offices that would incur disqualification, and resolve conflicts with other statutes.This bill is prepared based on recommendations by the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit, headed by Kalraj Mishra in the 16th Lok Sabha. The proposed reforms aim to rationalize Section 3 by updating the existing law to align with present-day requirements, eliminate the Negative List to remove disqualification-inducing offices, resolve statutory conflicts by addressing inconsistencies between the existing Act and other statutes, and omit temporary suspension provisions, empowering the Centre to amend the schedule through notifications for streamlined governance.
  • The Chennanoor excavation site in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district has emerged as a significant discovery in Tamil civilisation, uncovering evidence of habitation spanning the Microlithic Age to the Early Historic Period. This marks a breakthrough in understanding the Neolithic Age (9000 BC-3000 BC), bridging gaps between the Microlithic (9000 BC-4000 BC) and Iron Ages (1200 BC-600 BC). Since June, archaeologists have unearthed 327 artefacts across 10 trenches, including tools, terracotta seals, handcrafted pottery, stone axes, and iron implements, revealing four distinct cultural sequences stratigraphically—a rare find. With evidence of continuous habitation and transitions from hunting to settled life, the findings reinforce the region’s historical significance, complementing earlier discoveries like the 4,200-year-old iron technology at Mayiladumparai in Krishnagiri.
  • India’s first K-12 School of Innovation, Creativity, and Design, Ekya Nava, was inaugurated in Bengaluru on Sunday during the FIND festival, Ekya School’s flagship celebration event. The school aims to nurture a problem-solving mindset through experiential learning and community involvement. The inauguration featured a design-thinking challenge, learning showcases, interactive workshops, and panel discussions, alongside the launch of Prompting the Future: AI for Transformative Teaching by the Ekya Professional Development Institute.
  • Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated the 1st Bodoland Mahotsav in New Delhi, a significant event aimed at promoting peace and fostering a vibrant Bodo society. With the theme ‘Peace and Harmony for Prosperous Bharat’, the Mahotsav celebrates the rich cultural, linguistic, and educational heritage of the Bodo community and other communities in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). It highlights the region’s ecological biodiversity, linguistic diversity, and touristic potential while reflecting on the resilience achieved since the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord. The Bodos, one of Assam’s earliest known ethnic groups, belong to the Mongoloid stock and are speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages. They are known as Bodos or Boros in the Brahmaputra Valley and as Meches in Lower Assam, West Bengal, and Nepal.
  • The Red-Headed Vulture, also known as the Asian King Vulture or Pondicherry Vulture, was recently sighted for the first time at Manhampothikunnu near Mavungal in Kasaragod, Kerala. This vulture is one of the nine species found in India and is characterized by its dark, medium-sized body, bare reddish head, and loose flaps on the side of the neck. Weighing around 5 kg and measuring over 80 cm in length, it is primarily solitary, often seen alone or with a mate. Its black plumage is marked by a distinctive white patch on the abdomen, which becomes more prominent during flight. The Red-Headed Vulture is typically found in Central India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Breeding occurs between November and January. However, the species is critically endangered, listed on the IUCN Red List, and is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The vulture’s population has drastically reduced in India due to diclofenac poisoning, which has had a severe impact on its numbers.
  • The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is experimenting with the removal of a potential new species of invasive plant Senna tora that has begun emerging in parts of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).
  • Tamil Nadu Forest Department staff, along with members of a non-governmental organization, recently rescued a rare peacock with white feathers, a result of a genetic condition called leucism. Leucism is an abnormal condition of reduced pigmentation that affects various animals, including birds, mammals, and reptiles, leading to overall pale coloring or patches of reduced color. This condition is caused by a genetic mutation that inhibits the deposition of melanin and other pigments in feathers, hair, or skin. In birds, leucism specifically affects the feathers, causing them to lack the typical plumage colors. As a result, affected birds may have white patches where feathers should be, or their entire plumage may appear pale or bleached out.
  • The AI-enabled e-Tarang System, recently launched by the Ministry of Defence, is a cutting-edge software developed in collaboration with the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N). Designed to enhance the planning and management of Defence Spectrum, this system aims to ensure the interference-free operation of defence equipment during both wartime and peacetime. By automating the process, it enables more efficient planning, supporting the development of new technologies in higher frequency bands. The system is also poised to facilitate rapid decision-making, ensuring the seamless integration of advanced technologies critical for modern defence applications.
  • Ahuna, a post-harvest festival of the Sumi Naga tribe, was recently celebrated with a spirit of oneness.