Quick Bytes

Geography (GS-I)

Monsoon Trough

The monsoon trough, an elongated low-pressure area that was to the north of its normal position, causing heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, has gradually started moving south, as per the India Meteorological Department.

What is Monsoon Trough?

• Monsoon Trough is an elongated low-pressure area which extends from heat low over Pakistan to Head Bay of Bengal. 
• This is one of the semi-permanent features of monsoon circulation. Monsoon trough may be a characteristic of east west orientation of Himalayan ranges and north south orientation of Khasi-Jaintia Hills. 
• Generally the eastern side of monsoon trough oscillates, sometimes southwards and sometimes northwards.
• Southward migration results in active/vigorous monsoon over major part of India.
• In contrast, the northward migration of this trough leads to break monsoon conditions over major part of India and heavy rains along foothills of Himalayas and sometimes floods in Brahmaputra River.

International Relations

ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA)

India and the ASEAN countries reached an agreement to review their free trade pact for goods and set a 2025 goalpost for concluding the review aimed at addressing the “asymmetry” in bilateral trade.

About AITIGA

• The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was signed in 2009.
• AITIGA is a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India, aimed at promoting trade and economic cooperation between the two regions.
• ASEAN is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten Southeast Asian countries, while India is a South Asian country.
• AITIGA aims to reduce or eliminate tariffs on a wide range of goods traded between ASEAN member states and India.

International Relations

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)

The Ninth Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference, concluded recently.

What is CPA?

• Founded in: 1911
• The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is one of the oldest established organisations in the Commonwealth.
• It is a membership association which brings together Members, irrespective of gender, race, religion or culture, who are united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by the pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy.
• The Association is made up of over 180 Legislatures (or Branches) divided up between nine geographic regions of the Commonwealth.
• The nine Regions of the CPA are: Africa; Asia; Australia; British Islands and Mediterranean (BIM); Canada; Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic (CAA); India; Pacific; and South-East Asia.
• The CPA India Regional Secretariat is based within the Lok Sabha at the Parliament of India.

International Relations

The Spirit of Camp David

US President Joe Biden hosted the first-ever trilateral summit bringing together the leaders of the United States, Japan, and South Korea at Camp David in Maryland.

• The summit resulted in a joint statement dubbed “The Spirit of Camp David”. 

About:

• This is the first stand-alone trilateral summit among the three countries.
• It was hosted by US and countries are intended to imbue the summit with special historic significance and symbolism. 
• Irrespective of Chinese and North Korean posturing, this does not represent the kernel of a “NATO in Asia.”
• The Spirit of Camp David statement issued by the three leaders is a political agreement, rather than a legal one requiring signature, but it nevertheless is a powerful document.
• It represents a major effort to establish precedent, create momentum, and set the course for trilateral security cooperation among the three countries.

Polity and Governance  (GS-II)

Indira Rasois

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurated 1000 new Indira Rasois in the Rajasthan.

About the scheme:

• Background: On 20 August 2020, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched Indira Rasoi Yojana to provide quality nutritious food-- 100 gms of pulses, 250 gms chapatti, 100 gms of vegetables, and pickles-- to poor people at just Rs. 8. It is expected to benefit around 4 crores 87 lakh people of the state.
• The scheme will provide semi-rural rasoi or canteen, which offers a nutritious meal at a throwaway price.
• Today, there are 950 functional Indira Rasois.
• Each plate has 100 grams of dal, 100 grams of seasonal vegetables and six chapatis along with a serving of pickle.
• It costs Rs 17, but a patron pays Rs 8; the government subsidises the remaining amount.

Polity and Governance

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)

Recently, the Republic of Suriname recognised Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IP).

• The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) is officially recognized by five (5) countries: Afghanistan, Ghana, Nepal, Mauritius and the Republic of Suriname.

About:

• Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) is an Autonomous Institution of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India.
• IPC is created to set standards of drugs in the country.
• Its basic function is to regularly update the standards of drugs commonly required for treatment of diseases prevailing in this region.
• It publishes official documents for improving Quality of Medicines by way of adding new and updating existing monographs in the form of Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
• It further promotes rational use of generic medicines by publishing National Formulary of India.
• IP prescribes standards for identity, purity and strength of drugs essentially required from the health care perspective of human beings and animals.
• IPC also provides IP Reference Substances (IPRS) which act as a fingerprint for identification of an article under test and its purity as prescribed in IP.

Polity and Governance

830 minority institutions on scholarship portal are fake

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has found at least 830 minority institutions registered with the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) to be either fake or non-operational.

What are minority Institutions?

• Minority educational institution or “Minority Institution” means a college or institution established or maintained by a person or group of persons belonging to a minority, recognized as such by the concerned State Government/UT Administration.

Constitutional Provisions:

• Right to Education under Article 21A: It describes modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children aged between 6-14 years in India under Article 21 (A) of the Constitution of India (86th Amendment).
• Article 29 and 30 of Indian Constitution contain provisions securing rights of minorities and minority-run institutions.
• Minority institutions have the Fundamental right under Article 30 of the Constitution to establish and administer their educational institutions according to their choice.

Polity and Governance (GS-II)

Adivasi ooru

Though, Kerala was the first State in the country to declare the right to Internet as a basic right, as many as 189 Adivasi ooru (tribal colonies) spread over 12 districts in the State still have no access to Internet and mobile connection, affecting the prospects of over 5,000 tribal students in these colonies.

What are Adivasi ooru?

• En Ooru is a tribal heritage village which showcases the vibrant culture and tradition of tribal communities of the state.
• A cluster of traditional tribal huts roofed with hay and against the backdrop of towering hills has become a major tourist attraction in the region.
• Managed by tribal communities and with the aim of enhancing their livelihood options, the village hosts cafeterias that serve ethnic dishes and a tribal market.
• It is a joint venture of the Departments of Tourism and Scheduled Tribe Development, the village also takes the lead in preserving traditional knowledge on food processing and other related areas, and takes up training in organic farming.

Polity and Governance

Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP)

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has notified the Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) with an outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore to support Research and development (R&D) and innovation in pharma, medical devices and animal health segments.

About the scheme:

• The scheme has two components comprising strengthening of research infrastructure through establishment of seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPERs) as Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in specific specialisations and promotion of research in Pharma-MedTech sector by providing financial assistance for research in six priority areas –
• New chemical and biological entities, and natural products;
• Complex generics and biosimilars;
• Precision medicines; medical devices;
• Orphan drugs; and
• Drug development for antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• The Scheme proposes establishment of CoEs in the seven existing NIPERs at Mohali, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kolkata, Hajipur and Raebareli at a tentative cost of Rs. 700 crore over a period of five years.
• This will help in building specific research capacities in the identified priority areas in a focused time bound programme, tapping industry-academia linkage.
• The CoEs will strengthen the research infrastructure in Pharma-MedTech sectors in the country by providing advanced facilities to conduct research and will also help in nurturing talent pool by promoting industry academia linkage.
• Under the second component of promotion of research in pharma and MedTech sector, the financial assistance will be provided in three categories.
• In the first category (BI), nine established pharma companies may be selected to carry out research in six priority areas with academic collaboration in government institute of national repute.

Science and Technology (GS-III)

Xenotransplantation

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health have transplanted a ‘Pig kidney Xenotransplantation’ that continues to function well after 32 days in a man declared dead by neurologic criteria and maintained with a beating heart on ventilator support.

• This represents the longest period that a gene-edited pig kidney has functioned in a human, and the latest step toward the advent of an alternate, sustainable supply of organs for transplant.

About the Process:

• Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of organs or tissues from an animal source into a human recipient.
• Scientists first attempted xenotransplantation in the early 1900s.
• Researchers have focused on using pigs because primate organs carry infectious disease risks, along with ethical concerns. 
• Also, pig organs are a relatively compatible size for humans.
• Pig tissues and hormones have been used in medicine for years, including for heart valves, insulin, and hormones.

Science and Technology

INS Vindhyagiri

President Droupadi Murmu launched INS Vindhyagiri, an advanced stealth frigate, at the GRSE facility on the banks of the River Hooghly in Kolkata.

About INS Vindhyagiri:

• INS Vindhyagiri is the sixth stealth frigate built under Project 17A at the GRSE.
• After the launch, INS Vindhyagiri will join its two sister ships at the outfitting jetty at GRSE, to progress on remaining activities and equipment trials, in the run-up to their delivery and commissioning.
• This is the third and last stealth frigate that the Kolkata-based warship maker was contracted to build for the Navy under the project.
• The state-of-the-art ship will be fitted with the latest gadgets and undergo extensive trials before being handed over to the Indian Navy for commissioning into service.

Significance:

• The launch of INS Vindhyagiri will boost the defence industrial base in India, reducing India’s dependence on foreign suppliers, promoting self-reliance and fostering a robust defence industrial base.

Science and Technology (GS-III)

Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD)

Chennai-based start-up AgniKul Cosmos recently commenced the process of integrating its cutting-edge Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD) at its private launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota.

About:

• Agnibaan SOrTeD is a single-stage launch vehicle powered by AgniKul’s patented Agnilet engine, which is an entirely 3D-printed, single-piece, 6 kilonewton (kN) semi-cryogenic engine.
• Unlike traditional sounding rockets that launch from guide rails, Agnibaan SOrTeD will lift off vertically and follow a predetermined trajectory to perform a precisely orchestrated set of manoeuvres during flight.
• Features:
• It is a customisable launch vehicle that could be launched in one or two stages.
• The rocket stands 18 metres tall and has a mass of 14,000 kg.
• It is capable of carrying payloads up to 100 kg to an altitude of 700 km in five different configurations.
• The rocket's first stage could have up to seven Agnilet engines, depending on the mission, which are powered by Liquid Oxygen and Kerosene.
• The rocket is also designed for launch from more than 10 different launch ports.
• The Agnilet engine, which powers the entire operation, is the world’s sole single-piece 3D-printed engine.

Science and Technology

Covid variant ‘EG.5’

WHO has classified the EG.5 as a Variant of Interest (VOI).

About:

• 5 is one of three variants on the WHO’s watchlist.
• The other two are XBB.1.5, which is largely circulating in Europe and the Americas, and XBB.1.16, which is predominant in Asia.
• The WHO classified EG.5 as a VOI due to rising infection rates attributed to the variant, the fact that it spreads fast and its ability of so-called “immune escape”.
• 5 is a descendent lineage of XBB. 1.9.2.
• It has an additional spike mutation that may explain why it can escape the human immune system’s response.
• In its EG.5 Initial Risk Evaluation report (August 7, 2023), the WHO said the variant had been sequenced more than 7,350 times, with samples from 51 countries.

Environment (GS-III)

Matti Banana

Tamil Nadu’s Kanniyakumari Matti Banana has finally received the GI tag, making Tamil Nadu the region with the highest number of GI tagged products.

About the variety:

• The banana type known as the “Matti Banana” is widely cultivated in southern India.
• The majority of the time, matti bananas are little and slightly curved in shape.
• When ripe, their unique yellow skin develops brown patches throughout.
• The Matti banana’s creamy white flesh has a tart and sweet flavour.

Benefits of Matti banana:

• Health of the digestive system: The fibre in Matti bananas helps encourage regular bowel movements and lower the risk of constipation.
• Cardiovascular health: Matti bananas’ potassium concentration may help lower blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease.
• The Vitamin C in Matti bananas can assist maintains a strong defence mechanism and lowers the risk of infection.
• Matti bananas include vitamin B6, which aids in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that controls mood and sleep.

Environment (GS-III)

Butterflies of India consortium

Butterflies of India consortium, a collaboration of research institutions, NGOs and citizen science groups anchored the study on India’s butterfly populations.

About:

• The Butterflies of India is a large consortium of amateur and professional naturalists and research scientists.
• The data on this website are contributed by hundreds of contributors, whose butterfly images and other contributions to this national butterfly database should be acknowledged.