GS Analyst
Daily Current Affairs

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is aiming to carry out landing experiment (LEX) which will be a critical component of the Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD) programme.

• It will be the second in the series of such experimental flights for the RLV-TD programme.

• In January 2012, the design of ISRO’s reusable launch vehicle was approved by the "National Review Committee" and clearance was granted to build the vehicle.
• The vehicle was named "Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator" (RLV-TD). ISRO aims to bring down the cost of payload delivery to low Earth orbit by 80% from existing $20,000/kg to $4,000/kg.
• The first reusable spacecraft to reach orbit was the Space Shuttle (in 1981), which failed to accomplish the intended goal of reducing launch costs to below those of expendable launch systems.
• During the 21st century, commercial interest in reusable launch systems has grown considerably, with several active launchers.
• The RLV-TD successfully completed its first atmospheric test flight on 23 May 2016, which lasted for 770 seconds and reached a maximum altitude of 65 kilometres (40 mi).
• It was designed to evaluate various technologies, and development of the final version is expected to take 10 to 15 years.
• The fully developed RLV is expected to take off vertically like a rocket, deploy a satellite in orbit, return to Earth, and land on a runway.

About the Experiment

• LEX constitutes the second in the series and subsequent missions include a return flight experiment and a scramjet propulsion experiment.
• RLV-LEX involves taking an unmanned, winged prototype to an altitude of about 2.3 km to 2.4 km on a helicopter.
• The prototype will be released 3.7 km away from the airstrip and it must travel the distance autonomously, gain velocity, maintain control and come in like any typical aircraft, touching down with the rear wheels first.
• Currently, ISRO employs expendable rockets such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) for space missions.
• The height of the prototype has been reduced to maximise velocity.

Benefits

• Cost effective: Cheaper access to space is what makes an RLV attractive. 
• The RLV-TD programme comprises a series of experimental missions aimed at making India's dream of owning a reusable, two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) vehicle.
• Push the space technology: Forced to put off missions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ISRO is aiming to step up the pace in 2022.
• Around ten missions are planned this year, including four flights of the PSLV, and the RLV-LEX.

Other related programmes

• The maiden flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle by ISRO.
• GSLV Mk-III and GSLV Mk-II

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) urged Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to register as overseas electors.

• A proposal on postal ballots for NRIs being contemplated by the government declared from a visit in South Africa and Mauritius by the CEC.

Background

• As of now there are only 1.12 lakh registered overseas electors. 
• Till now, The Election Commission of Indiahas made efforts to ensure that the electors who are unable to come to polling booth/ absentee voters are facilitated to participate in the electoral process.
• The Election commission has urged the Law commission to make laws regarding the NRI voters and system of voting.

Present scenario in India

• Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Senior citizens, Persons employed in essential services e.g., railways, state transport and aviation etc. are allowed to vote through the postal ballot facility.
• There are two aspects of this issue viz., the creation of requisite infrastructure and suitable legal framework to facilitate the process.

Steps taken In India for wider participation

• On the legal note, the Law Commission made a recommendation to the Union Government (Ministry of Law and Justice) on 2nd September, 2019 following which the Government amended the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951 (RP Act), and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
• Salient features of these amendments are as follows:
  • A concept of ‘absentee voter’ has been introduced and defined for the elections;
  • ‘Absentee voter’ means a person belonging to such class of persons as may be notified, under clause (c) of section 60 of the RP Act, 1951 and who is employed in essential services as mentioned in the said notification, and includes an elector belonging to the class of senior citizens or persons with disabilities;
  • ‘person with disability’ means a person flagged as person with disability in the database for the electoral roll;
  • ‘senior citizen’ means an elector belonging to the class of absentee voters and is above 80 years of age;
  • These two categories of voters – ‘senior citizen’ and ‘PwD electors’ can vote either as absentee voter or as a regular voter on the poll day.

Representation of people’s Act, 1951

This act provides for the actual conduct of elections in India. It deals with the following matters:

• Details like Qualification and Disqualification of members of both the Houses of Parliament and the State Legislatures,
• Administrative machinery for conducting elections,
• Registration of Political parties,
• Conduct of Elections,
• Election Disputes,
• Corrupt practices & Electoral offences, &
• By-elections.

The CAG report on the financial statements of the Maharashtra-owned Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Limited, has observed that the company not only failed to comply with the Supreme Court.

• The company was also accused for hiding its own bank account details and submitted the wrong balance sheet details.
• The CAG has ordered for the breach of Privilege motion against the officials of the company.

About the Report

• The officials can be charged under section 143(6)(b) of the Companies Act, 2013, under which order for supplementary audit of the financial statements can be given.
• The report also observed that the apex court had upheld the irregularities in the tender process of the company’s procurement of polio doses in bulk in a case involving Haffkine.
• The company was the Bionet-Asia Co.Ltd and the second lowest bidder Nirlac chemicals.

Role of CAG

• The Constitution of India provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). He is the head of the Indian audit and accounts department.
• He is the guardian of the public purse and controls the financial system of the country both at the central level and state level.

• He audits all transactions of the Central and State Governments related to debts, deposits, funds, etc.
• He audits the accounts of any other authority when requested by the President or Governor. For example, local bodies.
• He advises the President with regard to the prescription of the form as to how the records of Centre and State shall be kept.
• He submits his report relating to the Centre to the President, who then places it before both houses of Parliament.
• He submits his report relating to State to the Governor, who then places them before State Legislature.
• He ascertains and certifies the net proceeds of any tax or duty, and his certificate is final on the matter.
• He submits three audit reports to the President:

1. 1. Audit report on appropriation accounts.
   2. Audit report on financial accounts.
   3. Audit report on public undertakings.

The Perseverance Mars rover belonging to the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has captured Phobos, Mars’ potato-shaped moon or satellite.

• NASA had captured Phobos for the first time in 2004, when the twin rovers ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’ took the lapse photos of Phobos during a solar eclipse.

Outcomes

• These observations can help scientists better understand Phobos’ orbit and how its gravity pulls on the Martian surface, ultimately shaping the red planet’s crust and mantle.
• They captured the eclipse with Perseverance’s next-generation Mastcam-Z camera, it lasted a little over 40 seconds — much shorter than a typical solar eclipse involving Earth’s Moon.
• The Phobos is about 157 times smaller than Earth’s Moon. Mars’ other moon, Deimos, is even smaller.
• Phobos is getting closer to the Martian surface and is destined to crash into the planet in tens of millions of years, 
• Now NASA’s rover has provided the most zoomed-in video of a Phobos solar eclipse yet and at the highest-frame rate ever.

Other Mars missions

• India’s Mars Orbiter mission- The Mars Orbiter Mission(MOM), also called Mangalyaan  is a space probe orbiting Mars since 24 September 2014.
• Nozami- Japan’s mars mission
• Phobos-1, Russia’s Mars exploration.

The Rubber Board has planned to develop Rubber plantations in an area of two lakh hectares across the seven North-eastern States in a span of five years starting from 2021- 22.

• A whopping 51 lakh rubber saplings, sourced from the nurseries across Kerala, will be making their way to plantations across the Northeast and West Bengal.
• The consignment, comprising 36 lakh of rubber stumps and 15 lakh cup plants (root trainer plants), will be sent to Guwahati on board various passenger and special trains.
• To support the project, the agency has also rolled out a credit-linked rubber plantation development plan for the region with the support of the Automotive Tyre Manufactures Association (ATMA) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

Key points                                                        

• About the GM Rubber:
• Genetic modification (GM)technology allows the transfer of genes for specific traits between species using laboratory techniques.
• The GM rubber has additional copies of the gene MnSOD, or manganese-containing superoxide dismutase, inserted in the plant, which isexpected to tide over the severe cold conditions during winter in the northeast.
• The MnSOD gene has the ability to protect plants fromthe adverse effects of severe environmental stresses such as cold and drought.
• Need:
• Natural rubber is a native of warm humid Amazon forestsand is not naturally suited for the colder conditions in the Northeast, which is one of the largest producers of rubber in India.
• Growth of young rubber plants remains suspended during the winter months, which are also characterised by progressive drying of the soil. This is the reason for the long immaturity period of this crop in the region.
• Natural Rubber:
• Commercial Plantation Crop: Rubber is made from the latex of a tree called Hevea Brasiliensis. Rubber is largely perceived as a strategic industrial raw material and accorded special status globally for defence, national security and industrial development.
• Conditions for Growth: It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions, it is also grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas.
• Temperature: Above 25°C with moist and humid climate.
• Rainfall: More than 200 cm.
• Soil Type: Rich well drained alluvial soil

Cheap and adequate supply of skilled labour is needed for this plantation crop.

India’s National Rubber Policy

• The Department of Commerce brought out the National Rubber Policy in March 2019.
• The policy includes several provisions to support the Natural Rubber (NR) production sector and the entire rubber industry value chain.
• It covers new planting and replanting of rubber, support for growers, processing and marketing of natural rubber, labour shortage, grower forums, external trade, Centre-State integrated strategies, research, training, rubber product manufacturing and export, climate change concerns and carbon market.
• It is based on the short term and long term strategies identified by the Task Force constituted on the rubber sector for mitigating problems faced by rubber growers in the country.
• Developmental and research activities for supporting the NR sector for the welfare of growers are carried out through Rubber Board by implementing the scheme Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector in the Medium Term Framework (MTF) (2017-18 to 2019-20).
• The developmental activities include financial and technical assistance for planting, supply of quality planting materials, support for grower forums, training and skill development programme.