GUJARAT
Reliance Jio largest telecom operator in Gujarat
Telecom operator, Reliance Jio, is now officially the market leader with a highest subscriber
base in Gujarat. According to the latest telecom subscription report for December 2020,
released by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Reliance Jio now holds 2.54 crore
mobile subscribers in Gujarat.
The telecom company added 3.36 lakh subscribers in the Gujarat circle in December 2020
alone, and now holds a market share of 37.5% in the state.
INTERNATIONAL
India becomes 1st country in world to identify need for action for Non-Alcoholic Fatty
Liver Disease
Health Minister Dr 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.
He launched 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.
The abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver in the absence of secondary causes of fatty
liver is a serious health concern as it encompasses a spectrum of liver abnormalities.
The vision of the Government is to move from diagnostic cure to preventive health.
NATIONAL
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates 50 artisan-based SFURTI clusters spread over 18 states
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated 50 artisan-
based SFURTI clusters spread over 18 States.
In these clusters, over 42 thousand artisans have been supported in the traditional
segments of muslin, khadi, coir, handicraft, handlooms, wood craft, leather, pottery, carpet
weaving, bamboo, agro processing, tea and others.
These clusters have been inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal.
The MSME Ministry has funded 85 crore rupees for development of these SFURTI clusters.
The Center is implementing the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries
(SFURTI) to organize traditional industries and artisans into clusters to make them
competitive and increase their income.
Highlights of One Nation One Standard Mission
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized the need for " One Nation
One Standard " to achieve uniformity, and said that India's laboratory testing should meet
global standards. The minister said this when reviewing the work of the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS).
The “One Nation One Standard Mission " was first reviewed in September 2019.
In order to ensure high-quality products in the country, the mission is envisaged as
adopting a "One Nation, One Ration Card" scheme.
The purpose is to integrate multiple standards with BIS, which is a recognized national
institution for standardization in India.
The strength and characteristics of a country are usually reflected in the standards it sets
for the quality of products and services.
Realize national unification and standardization in various public procurement and bidding,
and deliver immediately.
A unified national standard will help make it a mandatory standard for more products.
The Ministry Of Agriculture Will Use Drones To Support PMFBY
According to the regulations of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the Ministry of
Agriculture is allowed to use drones for remote sensing data collection.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation have granted
conditional permits to use Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare (MoAFW) will use RPAS to collect remote
sensing data in agricultural areas in 100 districts.
It will be used in production estimates at the gram Panchayat level.
This conditional exemption will be valid for one year from the date of publication, or until
the Digital Sky Platform is put into operation.
The use of drones still requires permission from the local government.
Intensified Mission Indradhanush 3.0 Launched
The Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, launched the Intensified Mission
Indradhanush (IMI) 3.0.
The mission will be divided into two rounds.
The first phase will start on February 22, 2021, and the second phase will start on March 22,
2021.
It will spread across 250 districts or urban areas in 29 States or Union Territories.
In addition, the Minister also launched the IMI 3.0 portal and issued Operational Guidelines
for it.
He also launched promotional materials or IEC packages developed under the campagin.
The Central Government initiated the IMI 3.0 program, which aims to provide free
immunizations for pregnant women and children in India.
This scheme will strengthen and reinvigorate the immunization programme.
This will help quickly achieve full immunization of children and pregnant women.
This mission also aims to reach the unreached population. It will receive all vaccines
available under the Universal Immunization Program (UIP).
Silver Antimony Telluride – A Material That Uses Waste Heat
Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Advanced Scientific Research Center based in Bangalore
have discovered a new material, Silver Antimony Telluride (AgSbTe2), which can help utilize
waste heat generated by various household appliances and industrial equipment and use it
for other useful work.
It is a nano-material compound synthesized from Silver, Copper and Tellurium.
A crystalline solid, which has free electrons that help electricity conduction, but its crystal
lattice (arrangement of atoms) is quite inflexible and vibrates very slowly, thereby inhibiting
the propagation of heat.
Therefore, it is a good conductor of electricity, but a bad conductor of heat, which is
important for the Thermo-electric effect.
There are various potential applications. Industrial processes and power plants and various
household appliances will generate a lot of waste heat, which can be used to do a lot of
work.
