Published on: December 16, 2024
Snippets :16 DECEMBER 2024
Snippets :16 DECEMBER 2024
- The Jalvahak Scheme was launched by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, to boost long-haul cargo movement via inland waterways. The scheme offers up to 35% reimbursement of total operating expenditure to incentivize the transport of cargo on National Waterways (NW)-1, NW-2, and NW-16. It features fixed scheduled services from Haldia on NW-1 (Ganga) and NW-2 (Brahmaputra), ensuring timely delivery of cargo. The scheme promotes economic benefits by reducing transportation costs and ecological advantages by encouraging environment-friendly cargo movement. The scheme helps alleviate congestion in railways and roadways, improving overall freight movement efficiency. The routes covered include Kolkata → Patna → Varanasi → Patna → Kolkata on NW-1 and Kolkata → Pandu (Guwahati) on NW-2. Key beneficiaries of this scheme are major shipping companies, freight forwarders, trade bodies, and cargo owners. The scheme is initially valid for three years, with its first milestone marked by the flagging off of cargo ships like MV AAI, MV Homi Bhaba, and MV Trishul from G.R. Jetty, Kolkata. UltraTech Cement became the first industry user to leverage NW-1 for large-scale gypsum transport.
- Ladakh’s Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Hanle has been identified as an ideal site for space-based quantum communication, according to a study by researchers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru. The study evaluated multiple sites, including Mount Abu and the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital, but found IAO’s dry, cold conditions and low atmospheric pressure make it optimal for quantum-key distribution (QKD). QKD is a secure communication method that leverages quantum mechanics to detect eavesdropping attempts, offering enhanced security for industries like banking, defense, and healthcare. The IAO’s environment ensures minimal signal loss due to factors such as low water vapor and oxygen concentrations.
- IIT Madras has achieved a significant milestone by completing a 410-meter test track for the Hyperloop train, marking an important advancement in transportation technology. The project is led by the Avishkar Hyperloop team at IIT Madras and involves a collaboration with TuTr, a startup incubated at the institution. The team comprises 76 undergraduates and postgraduates, working towards revolutionizing transportation with the Hyperloop concept, which was first popularized by Elon Musk in 2012. Hyperloop trains operate in a vacuum-sealed, frictionless environment, allowing them to reach speeds up to 1,100 km/h, with an expected operational speed of 360 km/h. The Mumbai-Pune corridor is slated to be the first full-scale Hyperloop system in India, promising to reduce travel time between the two cities to just 25 minutes.
- Britain has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), becoming the first European nation to do so. This marks the UK’s biggest trade deal since Brexit. The CPTPP is a free trade agreement formed in 2018 that aims to reduce trade barriers among its 12 members, which include countries like Japan, Canada, and Australia. With Britain’s accession, the economic impact is expected to boost the UK economy by £2.0 billion annually. The deal facilitates tariff reductions, stronger commitments to open services, and protection for foreign companies, while countering China’s economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced intentions to implement a four-day workweek for its employees, in an effort to address Japan’s record-low birth rates and assist young families.
- Ireland is providing an intriguing chance for residents with the necessary immigration documents to relocate to its picturesque offshore villages. As part of the ‘Our Living Islands’ initiative, the government is offering major economic incentives to attract people to move to the country’s islands. According to Euro News, this program intends to revitalise Ireland’s offshore communities and secure their long-term survival.
- Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the sea-level hot test of its CE20 cryogenic engine, an indigenous engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of ISRO. The CE20 engine powers the upper stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle and has been qualified to operate at a thrust level of 19 tonnes, successfully supporting six LVM3 missions so far. For the Gaganyaan mission, it was recently upgraded to operate at a thrust level of 20 tonnes, with further enhancement to 22 tonnes for the future C32 stage to improve the payload capacity of LVM3. Notably, the engine features an innovative Nozzle Protection System to address earlier complexities in testing. Key achievements of the recent test include the successful operation of an engine with a nozzle area ratio of 100, the evaluation of a multi-element igniter by activating only the first element, and the confirmation of normal engine and facility performance. This test represents a significant milestone in ISRO’s indigenous engine development, highlighting its capability to overcome complex rocket propulsion challenges and further enhancing its technological edge.
- In a successful conservation initiative, the white-winged wood duck (deo hanh in Assamese), the state bird of Assam, has been spotted in an artificial pond, “Neelmoni Beel,” at Nameri Tiger Reserve (NTR).
- Recently, the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) released highly detailed 3D images of a foetal brain named, Dharini.
- Recently, the exercise Desert Knight was launched over the Arabian Sea to boost military interoperability and enhance defence ties. It is a trilateral air combat exercise between India, France and the UAE.
- The 1,300-year-old Abathsahayeswarar Temple in Thukkatchi, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, has been selected by UNESCO to receive the Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. Built during the reigns of Kings Vikrama Chola and Kulothunga Chola, the temple is a testament to the Chola dynasty’s architectural brilliance and spiritual legacy. Historically, the village was named Vikrama Chozheeswaram and Kulothunga Chola Nallur, honoring these rulers, with Kulothunga Chola installing the idol of Aadhi Sarabeshwarar in the temple. The temple houses multiple deities, including Soundaryanayaki Ambal and Ashtabhuja Durga Parameshwari, and comprises five prakarams (enclosures). The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, established in 2000, recognize efforts by individuals and organizations in restoring, conserving, and transforming heritage structures in the region. These awards encourage private initiatives and public-private partnerships to preserve historic properties, promoting community involvement in conservation projects
