Connect to Current -Daily Current Capsules 04th January 2019

SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

China’s probe lands on far side of moon

Relevance IN – Prelims(factoids) + Mains ( GS Paper III – Awareness in the

field of space)

What’s the NEWS

A Chinese space probe touched down on the far side of the moon

The Chang’e-4 lunar probe, launched in December, made the “soft

landing” and transmitted the first-ever “close range” image of the far side

of the moon

The far side of the moon

The moon is tidally locked to Earth, rotating at the same rate as it orbits

our planet, so most of the far side — or “dark side” — is never visible to

us.

Previous spacecraft have seen the far side, but none has landed on it.

The landing “lifted the mysterious veil” of the far side of the moon and

“opened a new chapter in human lunar exploration

Know! about the probe

The probe, which has a lander and a rover, touched down at a targeted

area near the moon’s south pole in the Von Karman Crater, after entering

its orbit in mid-December.

The tasks of the Chang’e-4 include astronomical observation, surveying

the moon’s terrain, land form and mineral make-up, and measuring the

neutron radiation and neutral atoms to study the environment of its far

side.

In the next phase of China’s lunar programme, the Chang’e 5 and 6

missions will attempt to collect lunar samples and return them to Earth.

Chang’e 5 is due to launch in December next year.

Know! more about the far side of the moon

The geology of the far side is rougher, more cratered and contains more

ancient material than the near side

Tidal forces long ago slowed the moon's rotation so that the less-dense

highlands of the far side face away our planet

This topographic image from Nasa shows the highest elevations in red

and the lowest in blue

China’s Chang’e 4 Moon lander touched down in the Von Kármán

crater within the Aitken basin – the moon’s largest, deepest and oldest

crater

The Aitken basin, where Chang’e 4 has landed, is the Moon’s largest

and oldest impact crater.

Dating when the basin was created could help narrow down the window

for a period of heavy bombardment of the moon and inner planets by

asteroids left over from the formation of the solar system.

Intriguingly, the timing of the heavy bombardment closely coincides with

when life appeared on Earth and scientists are trying to work out the

exact sequence and whether the bombardment by asteroids might have

created the conditions for life.

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Prelims Practise Question

Consider the following statement regarding China’s probe on far side of moon

1. China’s Chang’e 4 Moon lander touched down in the Von Kármán crater

within the Aitken basin

2. The Aitken basin, where Chang’e 4 has landed, is the Moon’s largest and

oldest impact crater.

3. The geology of the far side is rougher, more cratered and contains more

ancient material than the near side

4. The probe, which has a lander touched down at a targeted area near the

moon’s south pole

Find the correct statement

a. 1,2 and 3

b. 2 and 4 only

c. 1,2 and 4 only

d. All of the above

DEFENCE

Improved Light Combat Aircraft gets green light for

production

Delivery of first aircraft expected in October-November 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims(factoids) + Mains ( GS Paper III Achievements of

Indians in science and technology)

What’s the NEWS

Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ quietly progressed towards manufacture in

an enhanced, battle standard format.

A new ‘limited’ clearance from military airworthiness certifier

CEMILAC for the Indian fighter green-lights its production in a superior

lethal version, multiple sources associated with the LCA programme

confirmed.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limted (HAL), which is mandated to produce

the LCAs for the Indian Air Force (IAF), aims to get the first aircraft

out in late 2019 in the just-cleared standard

Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’

The LCA is being designed and developed by the Aeronautical

Development Agency (ADA) in Bengaluru.

The IAF has asked HAL to make 40 LCA aircraft. Of this, 20 will be in

the advanced ‘FOC’ (final operational clearance) format. Another 20

are in the earlier IOC (initial operational clearance) version.

The FOC tag signals that the novice LCA is fully equipped and fit for

battle. It adds many features over the IOC version, which Tejas achieved

in December 2013.

The IOC enabled the IAF to start flying it and in getting acquainted with

its competences. Until then, only test pilots and ADA handled Tejas.

Tejas was expected to be FOC-compliant much earlier, the last two

deadlines being June-end and December-end of 2018.

To get the final of FOC certification, the plane must have battle-time

requirements — such as mid-air refuelling, AESA radar, electronic

warfare suites, a variety of bombs and weapons, among others.

It has passed mid-air refuelling and armament testing, while the full

picture was not immediately available.

The IAF has modified and upgraded its trainer requirement in its old

package order of 40 LCA aircraft.

It has opted to have all eight trainers in the FOC mode, instead of four

each in IOC and FOC standards.

Of the 16 fighters in the IOC version, 11 have been delivered, one is

being flight tested and four are being assembled

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SOCIAL ISSUES

Survey of childcare institutions (CCI)

Relevance IN – Mains (G.S Paper I and II – Indian society, welfare schemes)

What’s the NEWS

A pan-India survey of childcare institutions (CCI) conducted by the

Centre has highlighted poor safety and security measures, inadequate

monitoring of these facilities, and a lack of effort to trace parents of

missing children sent to these homes.

The full report of the survey titled ‘Mapping and Review Exercise of

Child Care Institutions’, conducted between December 2015 and March

2017, was recently made public by the Ministry of Women and Child

Development (MoWCD).

Know! about the report findings

The detailed report shows that only 46.7% of the total homes had

adequate number of caregivers per child and only 28.7% centres were

able to tend to inmates showing signs of hunger or illness and 65.9% of

homes were able to actively supervise children under trauma, according

to the report titled ‘Mapping and Review Exercise of Child Care

Institutions’.

The report also says that the lack of infrastructure facilities is “glaring”

and finds that more than 1,000 homes did not have a dormitory for

children, raising questions about sleeping arrangements made for them.

The report finds that even though there are several mechanisms for

monitoring, regular inspections of these shelters were not being carried

out.

STATE SPECIFIC

Krishak Bandhu scheme

What’s the NEWS

The government of West Bengal has announced the Krishak Bandhu

scheme to address the farm distress in the state.

Know! about the features of the Scheme

The West Bengal government will give annual financial assistance of Rs

5,000 per acre in two instalments, one during Kharif and another

during Rabi season.

The scheme also provides for a life insurance cover of Rs 2,00,000 in

case of death, irrespective of the cause, of an earning family member

(farmer) aged between 18 and 60 years.

Framers are not required to pay any premium to avail the insurance

benefit.

Farmers can also take the financial assistance at one go.

The scheme would cover 72 lakh farmer and share-cropper families in the

State.

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Youth Affairs and Sports

Cabinet approves continuation of Rastriya Yuva

Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme for the Period 2017-

18 to 2019-2020

What’s the NEWS

The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of Rastriya Yuva

Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme for the Period 2017-18 to 2019-

2020

Know! the features

During 12th FYP period the eight schemes were brought under the

umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram as sub-

schemes.

This has helped in achieving better synergies between the Schemes and

thereby, improves their effectiveness and help in achieving better

outcomes with the available resources.

The Scheme beneficiaries are the youth in the age-group of 15-29 years,

in line with the definition of 'youth' in the National Youth Policy, 2014.

In case of programme components specifically meant for the adolescents,

the age-group is 10-19 years.

Following are eight sub-schemes under Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran

Karyakram:

i. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan(NYKS);

ii. National Youth Corps (NYC);

iii. National Programme for Youth & Adolescent Development (NPYAD);

iv. International Cooperation;

v. Youth Hostels (YH);

vi. Assistance to Scouting & Guiding Organizations;

vii. National Discipline Scheme (NDS); and

viii. National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP).

Know! about the scheme

The Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme is an ongoing

Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and has

been continuing since 12th Five Year Plan.

The Scheme aims to develop the personality and leadership qualities of

the youth and to engage them in nation building activities.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES

Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2018

Relevance IN -Prelims(factoids) + Mains (GS Paper II – Government policies

and intervention)

What’s the NEWS

The government has introduced the Aadhaar amendment bill in

Loksabha.

The bill aims to provide legal backing for voluntary seeding of biometric

Aadhaar ID for mobile SIM card and bank account authentication

purposes.

Know! about the features of the Bill

The bill seeks to amend the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial

and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the Indian

Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Prevention of Money-laundering Act,

2002.

The amendment permits children, who would turn 18 years old, to opt out

of the system.

The amendments make sharing of Aadhaar details voluntary for

opening bank accounts, school admissions and procuring mobile SIM

cards.

The bill provides for stiff penalties for violation of norms set for the use

of Aadhaar.

The amendment bill ban storing of core biometric information as well as

Aadhaar number by service providers in cases of individuals who have

voluntarily offered the national ID as a means of authentication.

The bill makes it clear that anyone not offering Aadhaar cannot be denied

any service, be it a bank account or a SIM card.

The bill lays down the procedure for offline verification of an Aadhaar

number holder and confers enhanced regulator-like power on Unique

Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to give directions as it may

consider necessary to any entity in the Aadhaar ecosystem.

Know! about the Supreme Court verdict regarding Aadhaar

The Supreme Court had held struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar

(Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and

Services) Act, 2016 that permitted private entities like telecom companies

or other corporate to avail of the biometric Aadhaar data.

Sources – PIB, The Hindu ,The guardian

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