Kautilya

Launch of India’s New-Age Earth Imaging Satellite by May 15: K Sivan

The launch of the 2,268-kg satellite was earlier aborted in the first half of this month due to a technical glitch.
Indian space research organisation (Isro) chairman K Sivan told TOI, “The technical glitch related to a voltage fluctuation issue in the satellite is being fixed. Thereafter, the satellite will be assembled in the launch vehicle and tested again. All these things will take time and the launch is likely to happen in the first half of next month. The delay in the launch of Gisat-1 by GSLV-F10 and the Covid situation will, however, postpone other launches, including the first test-flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV or mini PSLV), this year.”

S Jaishankar Signals Wider Sphere of Influence for India

In a trilateral discussion with French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Australian foreign minister Marise Payne at the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar described India’s new view of its role as a “return to history”, saying that this placed the country’s neighbourhood across a greater swathe of the globe.

New Electronic Nose with Biodegradable Polymer and Monomer can Detect Hydrogen Sulphide from Sewers

Responding to this challenge, scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bangalore, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, in collaboration with their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, have developed an exceptionally sensitive and selective H2S Gas sensor developed by impersonating the neuron responsible for identification of airborne molecules or olfactory receptor neuron (ORN).

Union Ministry of Agriculture Signs MoU with Microsoft for A Pilot Project in 100 Villages of 6 States

Union Ministry of Agriculture and Microsoft India yesterday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a pilot project in 100 villages of 6 states. On this occasion, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Food Processing Industries Shri Narendra Singh Tomar stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s idea of digital agriculture is now taking shape. After taking over as Prime Minister in 2014, Shri Modi has laid great emphasis on the use of modern technologies in farming sector, so that farmers can get benefitted and enhance their income through it. With the use of technology farming will be a profitable venture for the farmers and the new generation will also get attracted towards agriculture.

Modi Government Simplifies Process for Re-Issue of OCI Cards

With a view to facilitate the OCI cardholders, it has now been decided by the Government of India to dispense with this requirement. A person who has got registration as OCI cardholder prior to attaining the age of 20 years will have to get the OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after his/her completing 20 years of age, so as to capture his/ her facial features on attaining adulthood. If a person has obtained registration as OCI cardholder after attaining the age of 20 years, there will be no requirement of re-issue of OCI card.

NHAI to Make Network Survey Vehicle Use Mandatory for Road Condition Survey

In line with its commitment to provide better roads to commuters, NHAI has decided to deploy Network Survey Vehicle (NSV) to enhance quality of the National Highways. Carrying out road condition survey using NSV on the National Highways has been made mandatory at the time of certifying completion of the project and every six months thereafter. The provision has also been included as a part of the standard bidding document of consultancy services.