IIT COUNCIL & MORE ( CURRENT AFFAIRS 23 FEB 2021 )

 IIT COUNCIL

The IIT Council has set up committees to look at greater autonomy for the elite institutions, in line with the National Education Policy recommendations, as well as reform of the academic Senate, grooming faculty to head the IITs, and innovative funding mechanisms.

About:

• The Council also recommended cutting IIT staff strength to lower levels.
  
  
• The IIT Council is headed by the Education Minister and includes the directors of all IITs, and the chairs of each IIT’s Board of Governors.
  
  
• It is meant to advise on admission standards, duration of courses, degrees and other academic distinctions, and also lays down policy regarding cadre, methods of recruitment and conditions of service of employees.
  

GREATER TIPRALAND

Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya has recently announced his new political demand of ‘Greater Tipraland’.

About:

• He claims that this would serve the interest of tribals, non-tribals, Tripuri tribals staying outside Tripura, even those outside India in Bandarban, Chittagong, Khagrachari and other border adjacent areas in Bangladesh.
  
  
• ‘Greater Tipraland’ is essentially an extension of the ruling tribal partner Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura – IPFT’s demand of Tipraland, which sought a separate state for tribals of Tripura.
  
  
• The new demand seeks to include every tribal person living in indigenous area or village outside the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) under the proposed model.
  
  
• However, the idea doesn’t restrict to simply the Tripura tribal council areas, but seeks to include ‘Tiprasa’ of Tripuris spread across different states of India like Assam, Mizoram etc. as well, even those living in Bandarban, Chittagong, Khagrachari and other bordering areas of neighbouring Bangladesh.

NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD)

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that India has become the first country in the world to identify the need for action for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

About:

• He said this while launching the operational guidelines for integration of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with the National Programme for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke.
  
  
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol. As the name implies, the main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells.
  
  
• NAFLD is increasingly common around the world, especially in Western nations.
  
  
• Some individuals with NAFLD can develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an aggressive form of fatty liver disease, which is marked by liver inflammation and may progress to advanced scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure.
  
  
• This damage is similar to the damage caused by heavy alcohol use.
  

VERTICAL LAUNCH SHORT RANGE SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE (VL-SRSAM)

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful launches of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM).

About:

• The launches were carried out from a static vertical launcher from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
  
  
• Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for Indian Navy, VL-SRSAM is meant for neutralizing various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets.
  
  
• The current launches were carried out for demonstration of vertical launch capability as part of its maiden launch campaign.

DUTCH INDIAN WATER ALLIANCE FOR LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (DIWALI)

In order to find solutions for water related challenges a platform called DIWALI has been developed in which India and Netherlands could participate for designing solution for water challenges.

About:

• The consortium of experts from the two counties would explore the potential and sustainability of Dutch Solutions to resolve challenges in specific water challenged sites in India which are scalable, sustainable and affordable.
  
  
• It is being led by
• Dutch consortia titled “Water for Change. Integrative and Fit-for-Purpose Water Sensitive Design Framework for Fast Growing Livable Cities” and
  
  
• IIT Roorkee as lead along with other consortia member named MANIT, Bhopal; CEPT University, Ahmedabad; IIT Gandhinagar; CWRDM, Calicut.

CENTRAL ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION (CERC)

Pravas Kumar Singh took oath as Member of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).

About:

• The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) had been established by the Government of India under the provisions of the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998.
  
  
• CERC is the Central Commission for the purposes of the Electricity Act, 2003 which has repealed the ERC Act, 1998.
  
  
• The Commission consists of a Chairperson and four other Members including Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority who is the ex-officio Member of the Commission.
  
  
• Major functions of CERC under the Act are
  • to regulate the tariff of generating companies owned or controlled by the Central Government,
    
    
  • to regulate the inter-State transmission of electricity and to determine tariff for such transmission of electricity, etc.
    
    
  
  
  
• Under the Act, CERC shall also advise the Central Government on formulation of National Electricity Policy and Tariff Policy.

BIMA JYOTI

Life Insurance Corporation of India has introduced LIC’s Bima Jyoti a Non-Linked, Non-Participating, Individual, Savings Plan, which offers an attractive combination of protection and savings.

About:

• This plan provides guaranteed lumpsum payment at maturity and financial support to the family in case of the unfortunate death of the policyholder during policy term.
  
  
• Guaranteed Additions at the rate of Rs.50 per thousand Basic Sum Assured will be added to the policy at the end of each policy year.
  
  
• On death during the policy term after the date of commencement of risk, “Sum Assured on Death” and Accrued Guaranteed Additions as per policy conditions is payable.
  
  
• The Minimum Basic Sum Assured is Rs 1,00,000/- with no upper limit. The Policy can be taken for a term of 15 to 20 years with premium paying term calculated as Policy term minus 5 years.
  
  
• The minimum age at entry is 90 days completed and maximum age at entry is 60 yrs.

SFURTI CLUSTERS

Union Minister for MSME inaugurated 50 artisan-based SFURTI clusters, spread over 18 States.

About:

• In the 50 clusters inaugurated, over 42,000 artisans have been supported in the traditional segments of muslin, khadi, coir, handicraft, handlooms, wood craft, leather, pottery, carpet weaving, bamboo, agro processing, tea, etc.
  
  
• The Ministry of MSME has funded an amount of around Rs.85 crore for development of these 50 clusters.
  
  
• The Ministry of MSME is implementing a Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) with a view to organize traditional industries and artisans into clusters to make them competitive and increase their income.
  
  
• SFURTI clusters are of two types i.e.,
  • Regular Cluster (500 artisans) with Government assistance of up to Rs.2.5 crore and
    
    
  • Major Cluster (more than 500 artisans) with Government assistance up to Rs.5 crore.
    
    
  
  
  
• The artisans are organized into SPVs which can be
• a Society registered under Societies (Registration) Act, 1860,
  
  
• a Co-operative Society under an appropriate statute,
  
  
• a Producer Company under Section 465 (1) of Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013),
  
  
• a Section 8 Company under the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) or (v) a Trust.
  

PROJECTS IN ASSAM

PM Modi inaugurated important Oil & Gas projects and Engineering Colleges in Assam.

About:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation
  • INDMAX Unit at Indian Oil’s Bongaigaon Refinery,
    
    
  • Oil India Limited's Secondary Tank Farm at Madhuban, Dibrugarh and
    
    
  • a Gas Compressor Station at Hebeda Village, Makum, Tinsukia.
    
    
  
  
  
• He also
• inaugurated the Dhemaji Engineering College and
  
  
• laid the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College in Assam.
  

DEVASTHAL TELESCOPE

The world-class 3.6 meter optical telescope set up at Devasthal has assumed global importance for observing a number of time-critical cosmic explosive events such as Gamma Ray Bursts and Supernovae.

About:

• Devasthal is a mountain peak in Uttarakhand.
  
  
• The world-class 3.6 meter optical telescope set up at Devasthal is the Asia’s largest fully steerable optical telescope, an international facility for and people from different parts of the world compete for observation and machine time by submitting research proposals.
  
  
• It was set up in year 2016 by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous research institute of DST with support from Belgian government and established India’s role as a global player in astronomy research.
  
  
• The technological know-how gained from the development of this telescope and back-end instruments are beneficial for optical facilities planned for future such as the Thirty Meter Telescope – one of the mega projects in which the country is participating.