Current Affairs of 16th June For IAS And WBCS Examination

Science and Tech

Indian Drugs Controller approves first indigenously developed animal-derived tissue engineering scaffold for healing skin wounds with minimum scarring

• Context: Indian Drugs Controller approved the first indigenously developed animal-derived Class D Biomedical Device, Cholederm, that can rapidly heal skin wounds at low-cost with minimum scarring. It can rapidly repair skin wounds at a low cost with minimal scarring.
• Medical devices are categorised into four classes based on their risk level, according to the Medical Devices Rules, 2017: Class A (low risk), Class B (low moderate risk), Class C (moderate high risk), and Class D (high risk).
• Important points regarding development:
• The tissue engineering scaffold was developed by the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• It is India’s first institute to develop Class D medical devices that meet the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation’s (CDSCO) criteria.
• It is a cutting-edge technique for preparing tissue engineering scaffolds from mammalian organs.
• Cholederm, a tissue engineering scaffold, demonstrated the ability to cure various types of skin wounds, including burn and diabetic wounds, quicker than existing solutions on the market in rat, rabbit, or dog models, while minimizing scarring.
• It demonstrated thatgraft-assisted healing was regulated by anti-inflammatory M2 type of macrophages, which helped modulate or mitigate scarring reactions in different tissues.
• The introduction of Cholederm to the Indian market is predicted to reduce treatment costs from Rs 10,000/- to Rs 2,000/-, making it more accessible.
• Furthermore, the technology provides a competitive advantage in the international market and generates revenue.

Geminid meteor shower

• Context: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mission recently revealed new information on the origins of the intense Geminid meteor shower.
• Geminid meteor shower:
• It peaks around mid-December each year and is regarded as one of the best and most consistent annual meteor showers.
• Unlike most meteor showers, which appear to be caused by comets, the Geminid stream appears to be caused by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon.
• Scientists are perplexed by the latest discoveries because asteroids are not generally impacted by the Sun’s heat and should not leave a trail.
• Phaethon is an asteroid, but as it approaches close to the Sun, it appears to be engaging in temperature-driven activity.
• According to the Parker data, the Geminid stream was most likely created by a powerful event such as a high-speed collision or a gaseous explosion.
• 3200 Phaethon:
• It’s an asteroid, and it’s the first one to be found by satellite.
• Due to its close approach to the Sun, it was found on October 11, 1983, using the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and named after the Greek myth of Phaethon, son of the sun god Helios.
• It is blue, which is unusual for an asteroid.
• It orbits the sun every 524 days (1.43 years), getting as close as 0.14 astronomical units (AU) and as far away as 2.40 AU.
• It has an extremely elliptical orbit. Every 3.60 hours, it completes a spin on its axis.
• It has a diameter of around 3 kilometers, making it larger than 99 percent of asteroids.

Defence News

MQ-9B Predator Drone

• Context: MQ-9B Predator Drone: The Defence Ministry recently approved the purchase of 30 MQ-9B Predator drones (SeaGuardian variant) from the United States to crank up the armed services’ surveillance equipment.
• MQ-9B Predator Drone:
• This is a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper”, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations.
• These are high-altitude, long-endurance drones equipped with strike missiles capable of pinpointing enemy targets.
• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) designed it primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF).
• The MQ-9B is available in two variants: SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian.
• Since 2020, the Indian Navy has been using the MQ-9B Sea Guardian.
• It has carrying capacity of 5,670 kg and a fuel capacity of 2,721 kg.
• The drone can fly at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet.
• The Predator has a maximum endurance of 40 hours, making it suitable for long-term surveillance.
• It can be used for land surveillance, maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, strike, electronic warfare, and expeditionary missions.
• It can integrate safely into civil airspace, allowing joint forces and civil authorities to provide real-time situational awareness anywhere in the marine domain, day or night.

Indian Geography

India’s Biggest Natural Arch

• Context: During a coal survey in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, a team from the Geological Survey of India discovered India’s biggest natural arch.
• The state unit of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has proposed declaring the ‘Natural Arch’ in the Kanika range of the Sundargarh forest division a Geo Heritage Site.
• If it is completed, it will be the country’s biggest natural arch to be designated as a Geo Heritage site.
• Aside from the Sundargarh Arch, India has two others: Tirumala Hills in Tirupati and Andaman and Nicobar.
• India’s Biggest Natural Arch:
• The Sundargarh natural arch, found in the ferruginous sandstone of the Upper Kamthi formation, dates back to the lower to middle Jurassic period, around 184 to 160 million years.
• It is an oval-shaped arch that is 30 metres long at the base and 12 metres high.
• The natural arch’s alcove has a maximum height and width of 7 and 15 meters, respectively.
• The natural arch and its surroundings are a storehouse for several primary sedimentary formations such as planner and cross-bedding, as well as occasional current ripples indicating a high energy fluvial environment during deposition.
• The natural arch’s formation could be due to fault activity and the nature of lithotype, both of which have enhanced the  process of sub-aerial weathering over a long period.
• Geo Heritage Sites (GHSs):
• Geoheritage sites are rare and distinctive geological, geomorphological, mineralogical, petrological, and paleontological significance, including caves and natural rock sculptures of national and worldwide importance.
• The GSI designates geo-heritage sites/national geological monuments for protection and maintenance.
• The GSI or the respective state governments take the required measures to safeguard these sites.

International News

Bangkok Vision 2030

• Context: According to the Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit end of this year will adopt a Bangkok Vision 2030.
• BIMSTEC:

• This is a regional multilateral organisation.
• Its members are concentrated in the Bay of Bengal’s coastline and neighboring territories, forming a contiguous regional unity.
• Five of the seven members are from South Asia ,including Bangladesh., Bhutan , India ,Nepal , Sri Lankan and two are from Southeast Asia –Myanmar and Thailand
• BIMSTEC connects not only South and Southeast Asia, but also the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal ecologies.
• Its principal goal is to establish an enabling environment for rapid economic development, expedite social improvement, and foster regional collaboration on issues of mutual concern.
• Objectives:
• Creating an enabling environment for the sub-region’s rapid economic development.
• Encouraging an atmosphere of equality and collaboration.
• Promoting active collaboration and mutual aid among member countries in areas of mutual interest
• Accelerating mutual support in education, research, and technology, among other areas.
• Principles of BIMSTEC:
• Sovereign Equality
• Territorial Integrity
• Political Independence
• No-interference in Internal Affairs
• Peaceful Co- existence
• Mutual Benefit
• Potential of BIMSTEC:
• Serves as a bridge between South and South East Asia and strengthens ties between these nations.
• The Bay of Bengal region has the potential to develop as the  epicentre of the Indo-Pacific idea.
• This is the platform for SAARC and ASEAN nations’ intraregional cooperation.
• With a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 3.8 trillion and a population of over 1.5 billion, or about 22% of the world’s population, BIMSTEC has become a significant engine of economic growth.
• Every year, one-fourth of all traded items in the globe pass through the bay.
• Important connectivity projects:
• Kaladan Multimodal Project, which connects Myanmar and India.
• Through Myanmar, the Asian Trilateral Highway connects Thailand and India.
• The Motor Vehicles Agreement between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN) aims to ensure a seamless flow of passenger and cargo transportation.
• The Importance of BIMSTEC for India:
• Allows India to pursue three major policies:
• Neighborhood First – giving priority to the country’s immediate periphery
• Act East – connecting India with Southeast Asia
• Economic development of India’s northeastern states – by connecting them to the Bay of Bengal area via Bangladesh and Myanmar.
• Enables India to combat China’s escalating influence in countries surrounding the Bay of Bengal.
• With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) becoming ineffective due to disputes between India and Pakistan, India needs a new platform to engage with its neighbors.
• Bangkok Vision 2030:
• Thailand proposed the “BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030,” which aims to create a PRO (Prosperous, Resilient, and Open) BIMSTEC by 2030.
• The Vision establishes a clear direction and priorities for BIMSTEC partnership in addressing challenges and seizing opportunities in the coming decade.
• The purpose of the document is to promote BIMSTEC as a region of peace, stability, and economic sustainability.
• The vision’s goals are also in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and Thailand’s bio-circular-green economic model.

Science and Technology

Enceladus

• Context:NASA’s Cassini spacecraft recently discovered ‘phosphorous on Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
• Enceladus:
• It is Saturn’s second closest regular moon and the brightest of all its moons.
• It was discovered in 1789 by the English astronomer William Herschel and named after one of Greek mythology’s Giants (Gigantes).
• It is an active moon that hides a global ocean of liquid salty water beneath its crust.
• Its icy surface is extremely smooth in some spots and bright white all around, and it is the solar system’s most reflective body.
• Cassini spacecraft:
• NASA launched the project in 1997, and it orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, circling the planet 294 times.
• It measured the structure of Saturn’s atmosphere and rings, as well as their interactions with the planet’s moons.
• It also discovered six named moons and showed Enceladus and Titan as promising locations to search for extraterrestrial life.

Indian Economy

The Maritime India Vision, 2030

• Context: The worldwide acknowledgment of Indian ports’ operational efficiencies is a crucial step in India’s effort to become a  global maritime power as envisaged in the Maritime India Vision (MIV), 2030.
• The Indian maritime/shipping sector has gained international recognition:
• In the World Bank’s Logistic Performance Index (LPI) Report 2023, India rose to 22nd place in the worldwide rankings for “International Shipments” from 44th place in 2014.
• The country is ranked 38th on the LPI score.
• The following are the reasons behind the better performance:
• Dwell time (the amount of time vessels spend in port actively loading or unloading cargo) has reached an optimal level of roughly 3 days only, compared to 7 in the US and 10 in Germany.
• The country’s average turnaround time (TRT) of 0.9 days is among the best in the world (in Germany, it is 1.4 days, and in the United States, it is 1.5 days).
• Large expenditures in infrastructure upgrades in the port and shipping sectors have been made in recent years.As a result, capacity at the country’s 12 major ports has expanded from 871 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2015 to 1,617 MMT in 2023.
• Consistent emphasis on:
•  improving port efficiency and productivity through reforms,
• introducing innovative technologies
• greater emphasis on public-private partnerships (a 150% increase in the value of PPP project implementation),
• Along with the Panchamrit pledges, an overall commitment to ease of doing business and decarbonisation (14-fold increase in the use of renewable energy at key ports).
• Important policy and legislative reforms:
• The Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines: Its goal is to move the paradigm toward safe, efficient, and sustainable ports while implementing sound environmental practices among all stakeholders.
• The National Logistics Portal (Marine) is a digital platform with a single point of contact for all stakeholders, including those involved in cargo services, carrier services, banking and financial services, and government and regulatory organizations.
• The Sagar Setu app allows for a seamless flow of goods and services in ports while significantly improving the ease of doing business.
• The Marine Aids to Navigation Act of 2021: It mandates enhanced safety and efficiency in vessel traffic services, as well as training and certification at par with meets international standards.
• The Indian Vessels Act, 2021 brings uniformity in law and standardised regulations across the country’s inland waterways.
• The Indian Ports Act of 1908: The government is in the process of updating this with legislation that is more in tune with current needs.
• Maritime India Vision 2030:
• It is a ten-year blueprint for the maritime sector which was released by the Prime Minister of India during the Maritime India Summit in November 2020.
• Under the MIV 2030, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has highlighted projects such as developing world-class megaports, transhipment hubs, and port infrastructure modernisation to establish global standard ports in India.
• It anticipates investments in the range of Rs. 100,000-1,25,000 crore for capacity enhancement and the building of world-class facilities at Indian ports.

Government schemes

VAIBHAV fellowships Programme

• Context: The Government of India introduced a new fellowship program to connect the Indian diaspora to Indian academic and research institutions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM).
• VAIBHAV fellowships Programme:
• The fellowship would be provided to excellent scientists/technologists of Indian origin (NRI/OCI/PIO) who are involved in research in their respective countries.
• The VAIBHAV Fellow would choose an Indian institution for partnership and could stay up to two months per year for a maximum of three years.
• Funding: The government provides the researchers with INR 4,00,000 each month for the duration of the project.
• Objective:To improve India’s higher education research environmet by enabling academic and research cooperation between Indian institutions and the best institutions in the world.
• This is accomplished through the mobility of faculty/researchers from other countries to India.
• The fellowship is available for researchers from universities ranked among the top 500 in the QS World University Rankings. The applicant must hold a Ph.D./M.D./M.S. from a recognized university.
• The 75 selected fellows will be assigned to work in 18 specified knowledge verticals, including quantum technology, health, pharmaceuticals, electronics, agriculture, energy, computer sciences, and material sciences, among others.
• It is carried out by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Indian Economy

Consequences of subsidies

• Context: A new World Bank analysis highlights the detrimental repercussions of inefficiently subsidizing agricultural, fishery, and the fossil fuel industries.
• Key points of the report:
• Subsidies in the three categories (usually regarded as bailing out economies in crisis) surpassed $7 trillion, equal to 8% of world GDP.
• Countries spent $577 billion in 2021 to deliberately cut the price of harmful fuels like oil, gas, and coal.
• Farmers receive agricultural subsidies (over $1 trillion globally) for purchasing specific inputs or cultivating specified crops.
• However, these subsidies tend to favour wealthier farmers, even when programs are designed to be targeted to serve the poor.
• Subsidies to the fishing industry total $35.4 billion per year, with around $22.2 billion contributing to overfishing.
• Negative implications of subsidies:
• Exacerbating climate change: For example, fossil fuel subsidies encourage excessive use of fossil fuels, resulting in air pollution and a high health burden.
• Inefficient subsidy use: It is responsible for 17% of all nitrogen pollution in water over the last 30 years – Health impacts reducing labour productivity by up to 3.5%.
• Positive consequences of subsidy reduction: For example, a US$0.10 per litre rise in the average yearly retail price of diesel may be related with a 2.2 g/m3 decrease in the average annual concentration of PM2.5.
• Way ahead:
• These subsidies, which have far-reaching environmental consequences, might be repurposed to finance just transition operations or to improve people’s quality of life.
• Diverting these subsidies to financial allotments provided in support of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
• Subsidy reform can be made more effective by ensuring the availability and affordability of clean technology, resolving information and capacity restrictions, and addressing behavioral biases.

Important One-Liner:

• The International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR) is a globally recognized commemoration established by the United Nations General Assembly and observed annually on June 16th. According to the United Nations, the theme of International Day of Family Remittances 2023 is “Digital remittances towards financial inclusion and cost reduction.”
• The United Kingdom has announced the appointment of senior diplomat Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan, making her the first female British envoy to Islamabad.
• The Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects, and Comics (AVGC) sector in India is set to make a significant impression on the world arena as the country takes part in the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) in France for the first time. An Indian delegation comprised of notable individuals from the animation industry, led by Apurva Chandra, Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, has been actively demonstrating India’s prowess in developing animation and VFX material for global audiences at the AIAF.
• The Asia cup 2023 will be jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Four matches of the Asia Cup will be hosted in Pakistan, while the remaining nine matches will be played in Sri Lanka.
• Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, officially inaugurated the Naval Airfield Integrated Security System (NAISS) and the Naval Anti-Drone System (NADS) at INS Dega in Visakhapatnam, both of which were developed in India.
• RING, an Indian digital credit platform, is collaborating with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to integrate its UPI Plug-in capability into its existing digital services. This agreement will enable RING to provide its customers with a ‘Scan & Pay’ option, as well as attracting new customers who prefer to use UPI for payments.
• The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) researchers have made important progress in the field of air pollution monitoring by establishing a low-cost mobile air pollution monitoring framework. This innovative approach uses data science, Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and low-cost pollution sensors mounted on public transportation vehicles to dynamically monitor air quality at high geographical and temporal resolution. The Kaatru (Tamil for “air”) project intends to alleviate the constraints of traditional permanent monitoring stations while also providing significant information for policy-making and mitigation methods.
• The World Bank (WB) has launched its first-ever project in South Asia dedicated only to road safety, with a USD 358 million financial agreement  signed with the government of Bangladesh in Dhaka.
• Ashwinder R Singh is a well-known real estate expert in India, and his new book, Master Residential Real Estate, is a comprehensive guide to the industry.
• Telangana has received the International Green Apple Awards for Beautiful Buildings in the Urban and Real Estate Sector. For the first time any building or structure in India has received these prestigious awards. The Green Organization, an independent non-profit organization based in London, presents the awards each year to recognize and promote global environmental best practices.Telangana’s five selected buildings and structures are as follows:
• Mozzam-Jahi Market (Heritage category)
•  Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge (Bridge category)
• B R Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat Building falls under the aesthetically designed office and workspace category
• Integrated Command Control Center of Telangana Police is a distinctive type of office.
•  Yadadri Temple (Excellent religious structures category)