These current affairs are written in a easy to remember format and are useful for competitive exams like - UPSC Civil Services, UPPSC, BPSC, MPPPSC, State PSCs and other competitive examinations.
Guided missile destroyers, Visakhapatnam
The first ship of the four Project-15B state-of-the-art stealth guided missile destroyers, Visakhapatnam, being built at the Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL), is delivered to the Navy.
The overall indigenous content of the project is approximately 75 per cent.
The contract for the construction of the ships was signed in January, 2011 at a project cost of about ₹29,643.74 crore.
The design of the ships has been developed in-house by the Directorate of Naval Design and are a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers.
The four ships are christened after major cities from all four corners of the country - Visakhapatnam, Mormugao (Goa), Imphal (Manipur) and Surat.
These ships are equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and long-range Surface-to-Air missiles (SAM).
Defence
National Unity Day: 31 October
National Unity Day is celebrated in India on 31 October.
It was introduced by the GoI in 2014 to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar patel who had a major role in the political integration of India.
Social Issues
About "Mullaperiyar Dam"
Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Idukki District of Kerala.
It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 by John Pennycuick and also reached in an agreement to divert water eastwards to the Madras Presidency area (Tamil Nadu).
The Periyar National Park in Thekkady is located around the dam's reservoir.
The dam is built at the confluence of Mullayar and Periyar rivers.
The dam is located in Kerala on the river Periyar, but is operated and maintained by the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu.
Social Issues
"Dairy Sahakar" scheme
Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooporation launched the "Dairy Sahakar" scheme at Anand, Gujarat, during the function organised by Amul for celebration of 75th Foundation Year of Amul.
The Dairy Sahakar with a total investment of Rs 5000 crore will be implemented by NCDC under Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India to realize the vision, "from cooperation to prosperity".
Under Dairy Sahakar, financial support will be extended by NCDC to eligible cooperatives for activities such as bovine development, milk procurement, processing, quality assurance, value addition, branding, packaging, marketing, transportation and storage of milk and milk products, exports of dairy products.
Gov. Schemes
Health Insurance for India's Missing Middle
In a report titled "Health Insurance for India's Missing Middle", the NITI Aayog said, the AB-PMJAY launched in September 2018, and State Government extension schemes, provides comprehensive hospitalization cover to the bottom 50% of the population - around 70 crore individuals.
Around 20% of the population - 25 crore individuals - are covered through social health insurance, and private voluntary health insurance.
The remaining 30% of the population is devoid of health insurance; the actual uncovered population is higher due to existing coverage gaps in PMJAY and overlap between schemes.
The report has recommended three models for increasing the health insurance coverage in the country:
1) Increasing consumer awareness of health insurance.
2) Developing a modified, standardized health insurance product like Arogya Sanjeevani.
3) Government subsidized health insurance through the PMJAY scheme to a wider set of beneficiaries.
Arogya Sanjeevani is a standardised health insurance product launched by the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in April 2020.
Gov. Schemes
What is "blue carbon" ?
According to a new assessment in Unesco World Heritage sites - India's Sundarbans National Park is among five sites that have the highest blue carbon stocks globally.
Such "World Heritage forests" are now releasing more carbon than they are absorbing, primarily due to human activity and climate change.
Blue carbon is an organic carbon that is mainly obtained from decaying plant leaves, wood, roots and animals. It is captured and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems.
The other four sites besides the Sundarbans National Park in India are the Bangladeshi portion of the Sundarbans, Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Everglades National Park in the United States and the Banc d'Arguin National Park in Mauritania.
Environment
Tushil - 7th Indian Navy Frigate
The 7th Indian Navy Frigate of P1135.6 class was launched in Oct 2021 at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia, the ship was formally named as "Tushil". Tushil is a Sanskrit word meaning Protector Shield.
Based on an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between the Government of India and Government of Russian for construction of two ships of Project 1135.6 ships in Russia and two ships in India at M/s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), the contract was signed in Oct 2018.
Project 1135.6 is also known as Talwar Class - a class of guided-missile frigates.
These are modified Krivak III-class frigates - India has six Talwar class frigates in service.
Defence
Research Vessel Ship "SagarNidhi"
The Union Minister of Earth Sciences visited the Indian Subcontinent's Pioneer Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) Ship SagarNidhi.
It was commissioned in 2008 for the country's marine research programme and is the third research vessel after Sagar Purvi and SagarPaschimi.
The vessel is capable of carrying out geo-scientific, meteorological and oceanographic research, and is designed for voyages lasting up to 45 days.
MoES has, at present 6 ships, SagarNidhi, SagarManjusha, SagarKanya, SagarSampada, Sagar Tara & SagarAnveshika, which are used for many ocean studies and applications including ocean observations.
Defence
The International Solar Alliance (ISA)
United States of America has become the 101st member country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). India and France ...
Read More: The International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Environment
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) : PFRDA & NPS
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched on June 1, 2015, with the objective of creating a universal social security system for all Indians ...
Read More: Atal Pension Yojana (APY) : PFRDA & NPS
Gov. Schemes
What is "G20 (or Group of Twenty)" ?
The government has appointed Union Minister Piyush Goyal as Sherpa for the G20, replacing former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu. Whi ...
Read More: What is "G20 (or Group of Twenty)" ?
International Relations
26th United Nations Climate Change conference 2021
India will achieve net zero emissions latest by 2070, India would also install 500 Gigawatt of renewable energy by 2030, a ...
Read More: 26th United Nations Climate Change conference 2021
Environment
Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) discussed the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 and reopened it for consultations. In December 2019, Parliam ...
Read More: Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019
Polity
National Unity Day: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
The Ministry of Education launched various initiatives under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) to commemorate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. ...
Read More: National Unity Day: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Social Issues