Goaltide Daily Current Affairs 2021

Nov 24, 2021

Current Affair 1:
O-SMART Scheme

 

The Ocean Services, Modelling, Applications, Resources and Technology (O-SMART) Scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2018 and is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

There were total 16 objectives mentioned in PIB, we are pasting all of them:

The objectives of O-SMART (Ocean Services, Modelling, Applications, Resources and Technology) scheme of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India are

  1. To generate and regularly update information on Marine Living Resources and their relationship with the physical environment in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
  2. To periodically monitor levels of sea water pollutants for health assessment of coastal waters of India, to develop shoreline change maps for assessment of coastal erosion due to natural and anthropogenic activities,
  3. To develop a wide range of state-of-the art ocean observation systems for acquisition of real-time data from the seas around India
  4. To generate and disseminate a suite of user-oriented ocean information, advisories, warnings, data and data products for the benefit of society,
  5. To develop high resolution models for ocean forecast and reanalysis system,
  6. To develop algorithms for validation of satellite data for coastal research and to monitor changes in the coastal research,
  7. To develop technologies to tap the marine bio resources,
  8. To develop technologies generating freshwater and energy from ocean,
  9. To develop underwater vehicles and technologies,
  10. Establishment of Ballast water treatment facility,
  11. To support operation and maintenance of 5 Research vessels for ocean survey/monitoring/technology demonstration programmes,
  12.  Establishment of state-of-the-art sea front facility to cater to the testing and sea trial activities of ocean technology,
  13. To carryout exploration of Polymetallic Nodules (MPN) from water depth of 5500 m in site of 75000 sq.km allotted to India by United Nations in Central Indian Ocean Basin, to carryout investigations of gas hydrates,
  14. Exploration of polymetallic sulphides near Rodrigues Triple junction (see below map) in 10000 sq. km of area allotted to India in International waters by International Seabed Authority/UN and,
  15. Submission of India's claim over continental shelf extending beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone supported by scientific data, and Topographic survey of EEZ of India.

Current Affair 2:
National Apprenticeship Training Scheme

 

News: Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for continuation of National Apprenticeship Training Scheme for next five years.

The National Apprenticeship Training Scheme in India is a programme equipping technically qualified youth with practical knowledge and skills required in their field of work.

The Apprentices are imparted training by the organizations at their place of work.

Trained Managers with well-developed training modules ensure that Apprentices learn the job quickly and competently.

During the period of apprenticeship, the apprentices are paid a stipend amount, 50% of which is reimbursable to the employer from Government of India.

At the end of the training period the apprentices are issued a Certificate of Proficiency by Government of India which can be registered at all employment exchanges across India as valid employment experience.

The apprentices are placed for training at Central, State and Private organizations which have excellent training facilities. National Apprenticeship Training Scheme is one of the flagship programmes of Government of India for Skilling Indian Youth.

 

Current Affair 3:
PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation)

 

News: Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi chaired the meeting of 39th edition of PRAGATI

About:

It aimed at starting a culture of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation. It is also a robust system for bringing e-transparency and e-accountability with real-time presence and exchange among the key stakeholders. The platform was launched on March 25, 2015.

It is a multi-purpose and multi-modal platform that is aimed at addressing common man’s grievances, and simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important programmes and projects of the Government of India as well as projects flagged by State Governments.

The PRAGATI platform uniquely bundles three latest technologies: Digital data management, video-conferencing and geo-spatial technology.

It also offers a unique combination in the direction of cooperative federalism since it brings on one stage the Secretaries of Government of India and the Chief Secretaries of the States. With this, the Prime Minister is able to discuss the issues with the concerned Central and State officials with full information and latest visuals of the ground level situation.

Current Affair 4:
Yamuna pollution was identified as a threat to the Taj Mahal

 

A new recent study:

Deterioration of metallic and non-metallic structures and monuments is largely controlled by their surrounding environment. The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) world heritage situated in Agra of India built in seventeenth century using white marbles, is famous for its aesthetic look. Gradual yellowing and blackening of the monument are matter of great concern, and if not controlled, the heritage structure may lose its glaze and beauty. Extensive studies available on deteriorating effect of the monument miss a vital point related to the pollutants coming from severely polluted River Yamuna which flows very close to the Taj Mahal.

To ascertain the possible effects of the pollutants carbon steel, copper and zinc samples were exposed for four years at the premise of Taj Mahal. The surface characterization of the exposed metals with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction reveals the formation of respective sulphides of the studied metals.

The findings suggest

The corrosion deformation study was conducted on metals – samples of carbon steel, zinc and copper left exposed at the Taj Mahal premises – and the report concluded that “all evidence suggests that hydrogen sulphide emitted from the polluted Yamuna River flowing very close to the exposure site (the premise of Taj Mahal) has a dominant role on the corrosion rate of metals.”

The finding of this study leads to the conclusion that the fading of white marbles of the Taj Mahal may be due to the corrosive effect of hydrogen sulphide emitted from the polluted Yamuna River.

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