Connect to Current -Daily Current Capsules 18th January 2019

Science and Technology ISRO To Launch Imaging Satellite Microsat-R and Kalamsat

Relevance IN – Prelims( about microsat- R) + Mains GS III – awareness in the

field of space

What’s the NEWS

The 46th flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44) will launch

Microsat-R and Kalamsat from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan

Space Centre at Sriharikota

Know! more about the upcoming launch

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch an imaging

satellite Microsat-R along with a student payload 'Kalamsat' from its

spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh

The 46th flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44) will launch

Microsat-R and Kalamsat from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan

Space Centre at Sriharikota

Kalamsat, a student payload will be the first to use PS4 as orbital platform.

PSLV-C44 will also carry Microsat-R, an imaging satellite

The country's only spaceport is located at Sriharikota, about 90 km

northeast of Chennai.

New variant of PSLV

The four-stage launch vehicle which has alternating solid and liquid stages,

with two strap-on configuration has been identified for the mission and

configuration designated as PSLV-DL

PSLV-C44 is the first mission of PSLV-DL and is a new variant of PSLV

The fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle will be moved to a higher circular

orbit so as to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments, it

added.

The student payload 'Kalamsat' will be the first to use PS4 as an orbital

platform.

Space UNNATI-- Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training programme of

ISRO

What’s the NEWS

The department of space has inaugurated the UNNATI- (Unispace

Nanosatellite Assembly & Training) programme organized by ISRO in

Bengaluru

Know! all about UNNATI

UNNATI, a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite

development, is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the

50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration

and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE-50).

The programme provides opportunities to the participating developing

countries to strengthen in assembling, integrating and testing of

Nanosatellite.

UNNATI programme is planned to be conducted for 3 years by U.R. Rao

Satellite Centre of ISRO in 3 batches and will target to benefit officials

of 45 countries. The first batch started today in which 30 delegates from

17 countries are participating.

Know! about UNISPACE

Since the beginning of the space age, triggered by the launch of Sputnik I

in 1957, the United Nations has accorded significant importance to the

promotion of greater international collaboration in outer space.

The potentials of space technology for socioeconomic development were

immense and that the best way to reap these benefits were through

international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, facilitated

by the United Nations.

Recognising this immense potential of space technology for

socioeconomic development, the United Nations organized three unique

global Conferences on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer

Space - UNISPACE Conferences - to engage States and international

organizations to further their cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer

space.

UNISPACE Conferences provided a platform for a global dialogue on

key issues related to space exploration and exploitation that have yielded

tremendous scientific as well as economic and societal benefits for

humankind. All three UNISPACE conferences were held in Vienna.

UNISPACE+50

In June 2018 the international community will gather in Vienna for

UNISPACE+50.

UNISPACE+50 celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the first United

Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer

Space.

It will also be an opportunity for the international community to gather

and consider the future course of global space cooperation for the benefit

of humankind.

UNISPACE+50 will consist of two main parts:

A UNISPACE+50 Symposium, aimed at the broader space community

A special UNISPACE+50 High-level Segment of the 61st session of the

Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)

Social Justice & Empowerment Regional Conference on “Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme

(DDRS)”

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about the scheme) + Mains GS paper II – welfare

schemes for vulnerable section)

What’s the NEWS

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of

Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities implements a scheme titled

‘Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)’.

A Regional Conference for the scheme was organized

This is the second of a series of Regional Conferences to be held across

the country and the exercise will culminate in a National Conference in

New Delhi.

NGOs, State Government representatives from four Western States,

namely, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Goa were present at

the conference.

Know! all about DDRS

Under DDRS, Grant-in-Aid is released to about 600 NGOs every year.

About 10% of total NGOs under DDRS, 10% of total grant and 10% of

Special School for Children with Intellectual Disabilities are from

Western Indian States

DDRS is a Central Sector Scheme of Government of India which is

being implemented since 1999 for providing financial assistance to

NGOs working for education and rehabilitation of persons with

disabilities.

This scheme was revised in 2018 and the revised scheme is being

implemented since 1st April 2018.

This Regional Conference was organized in order to disseminate the

provisions of the revised scheme and bring the Department closer to

implementing agencies.

This conference provided a wonderful opportunity for interactions with

all stakeholders from Central Government to implementing agencies.

An in-depth understanding of scheme would enable better outreach in

terms of better facilities to end beneficiaries, i.e. persons with

disabilities.

Internal Security Union Home Minister approves Task Force report on Space

Technology in Border Management

Relevance IN – Mains GS III – security challenges and their management in

border areas

What’s the NEWS

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has approved report of

Task Force created by MHA to identify areas for use of Space

Technology in improving Border Management.

The Task Force headed by Joint Secretary (Border Management) and

having members from BSF, Department of Space and BM Division,

MHA consulted all stakeholders including Border Guarding Forces

(BGFs), ISRO, National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and

Ministry of Defence (MoD) to finalise the report.

Following areas have been identified for use of space technology:

1. Island development

2. Border Security

3. Communication and Navigation

4. GIS and Operations Planning System

5. Border Infrastructure Development

To execute the project in a timebound manner, a short, medium and

long term plan has been proposed for implementation in five years in

close coordination with ISRO and MoD.

Major recommendations of the report are to build capacity in BGFs to

use space resources for Security, operational planning and border

infrastructure development.

In short term, immediate needs of BGFs will be met by procurement of

high resolution imagery and hiring of bandwidth for communications.

In midterm, one satellite is being launched by ISRO for exclusive use of

MHA.

Over the long term, MHA will develop ground segment and network

infrastructure to share satellite resources by user agencies, develop a

Central Archival Facility for storing various imagery resources and

dissemination of the same to user agencies.

Deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in remote areas

will be also coordinated by satellite communications.

Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) -based GPS will

provide navigation facilities for operational parties in high altitude,

remote and difficult borders and Naxal areas.

BSF has been designated as lead agency for implementation of ground

segment and network infrastructure including establishment of Archival

Facility.

With the assistance of Department of Space, MHA would implement the

project. This project will strengthen island and border security and

facilitate development of infrastructure in border/island areas.

Social Issues Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana Achieves one crore

Milestone

Relevance IN – Prelims( about PMRPY) + Mains( GS II government policies

and intervention + welfare schemes)

What’s the NEWS

Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), the flagship scheme

of the Central Government for employment generation has crossed the

milestone of one crore beneficiaries as on January 14, 2019.

Know! all about PMRPY

PMRPY was announced on August 07, 2016 and is being implemented

by Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Employees’

Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).

Under the scheme, Government is paying full employers’ contribution of

12% (towards Employees’ Provident Fund and Employees’ Pension

Scheme both), for a period of 3 years in respect of new employees who

have been registered with the EPFO on or after 1stApril 2016, with salary

up to Rs. 15,000 per month.

The entire system is online and AADHAR based with no human interface

in the implementation of the scheme.

PMRPY has a dual benefit i.e. on the one hand, the employer is

incentivised for increasing the employee base in the establishment

through payment of EPF contribution of 12% of wage, which otherwise

would have been borne by the employer and on the other hand, a large

number of workers find jobs in such establishments.

A direct benefit is that these workers have access to social security

benefit through Provident Fund, Pension and Death Linked Insurance.

Prelims Practise question

Consider the following statement

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44) will will launch an imaging

satellite Microsat-R along with a student payload 'Kalamsat' from its

spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh

Under Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY),Government is

paying full employers’ contribution of 12% (towards Employees’ Provident

Fund and Employees’ Pension Scheme both), for a period of 5 years

Find the correct statement from the option given below

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. both

d. none

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