ð Despite sowing cotton on a higher-than-normal acreage, production of the fibre crop in Gujarat is estimated to plummet to a one-decade low in 2018-19, largely on account of a decline in per hectare yield following scanty rainfall in cotton growing regions of the state.

ð The latest crop estimate by the Cotton Association of India (CAI) puts production in Gujarat — the largest producer of the natural fibre in India — at 82.5 lakh bales (one bale is 170kg) in 2018-19. Production was 105 lakh bales in 2017-18.

ð This year cotton production in Gujarat is expected to be the lowest since 2008-19. BT cotton usually needs more water and the lower irrigation availability this year has taken its toll on the yield.

Data from the state agriculture department shows that cotton acreage in Gujarat increased to 27.12 lakh hectare in 2018-19 from 26.02 lakh hectare in 2017-18. Lower production in Gujarat has also brought down overall production in India, which is also estimated to hit a one-decade low at 321 lakh bales in 2018-19 against 365 lakh bales the previous year.

INTERNATIONAL

BSE, India INX become first Indian exchanges to sign MoU with Moscow Exchange

BSE and India International Exchange (India INX) have signed a memorandum of understanding with Moscow Exchange (MOEX).

The MoU has been signed to connect investor community and companies in both countries besides allowing a capital formation platform.

BSE and India INX are the first Indian exchanges to enter into the MoU with Moscow exchange.

The exchange companies have agreed to the secondment of senior personnel to enhance understanding of activities in each other’s market.

Japan space probe drops explosive on an asteroid to make a crater

Japan’s space agency JAXA,has said its Hayabusa2 spacecraft released an explosive onto an asteroid.

The explosive was used to make a crater on its surface and collect underground samples to find possible clues to the origin of the solar system.

Hayabusa2 successfully touched down on a tiny flat surface on the boulder-rich asteroid in February 2019.

NATIONAL

Praful Patel becomes 1st Indian to be elected as member of FIFA Executive Council

Praful Patel is the current president of All India Football Federation (AIFF).
He got 38 out of 46 votes.
His membership in the council will be for four years, from 2019 to 2023.
Patel was accompanied by AIFF general secretary Kushal Das and senior vice-president Subrata Datta.
FIFA Council member election was held during the 29th Asian Football Confederations (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Small tea growers to get app based training

The Indian tea industry in association with Solidaridad, a global sustainability organisation, has launched an app that will act as a digital training tool for these growers while helping establish traceability for the segment, promoting quality and safe-farm practices. The small tea growers’ share in India’s total tea crop is hovering at about 50%.
Digital traceability has already been established for 2,500 such growers in Assam, West Bengal and the southern States. This will now be gradually extended to 70,000 small tea growers by 2019.
Trinitea is an initiative by Indian Tea Association and Solidaridad for small tea growers. It has proposed a Rs.8 crore investment till 2021, in these efforts.

Dhanush Artillery Gun inducted into Indian Army
Dhanush, the first indigenous long-range artillery gun has been inducted into the Indian Army.

The 155 mm calibre artillery gun was manufactured by the Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory.

After the induction of M-777 ultra-light howitzers in November 2018, the country’s first indigenously designed and developed Dhanush gun has been inducted in the Indian army.

This is expected to add more firepower to the armed forces.

Dhanush Gun system can be employed in all types of terrain and is one of the new generations towed artillery gun system better-upgraded features over the existing Bofors.

DRDO says that all low earth satellites are in reach of ASAT missile

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said that the anti-satellite (ASAT) test, Mission Shakti, conducted in the month of March is a “deterrence capability” and the missile can cover all satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
LEO was chosen based on simulations with the primary objective being to minimise debris. It was intentionally done at 280 km altitude so that debris decay fast It also said that the guidance and control algorithm has been developed to do interception at 1,000 km above the earth. The test covered all LEO satellites, including those for military use.
DRDO also reported that NASA is continuing its cooperation with India, including in the manned mission to space.

National Handloom Week observed from 7th April to 14th April

It is a celebration of the country’s 5,000-year old tradition of hand weaving cloths.
On this occasion, a book named ‘The Indian textile Sourcebook’ authored by Avalon Fotheringham and published by Thames and Hudson will be launched on 9th April.
In 2018, the National Handloom Week was observed during December month.
The National Handloom Day is observed on 7th August every year across India. It was on this day that the Swadeshi Movement was launched in 1905.
The First National handloom day was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on August 7, 2015 in Chennai.

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