About PM internship scheme:
- It is a remarkable initiative launched by the Indian government, designed to provide valuable internship opportunities for the youth of India.
- It aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world experience by offering internships across the top 500 companies.
- The pilot phase targets 1.25 lakh youth, with a five-year goal to facilitate internships for one crore young individuals.
- Through this Scheme, youth will gain exposure to real-life business environment, across varied professions and employment opportunities.
- Under this scheme, interns will be provided monthly financial assistance of Rs 5,000 for 12 months and a one-time grant of Rs 6,000.
Who is eligible for the scheme?
- Candidates aged between 21 and 24 years and who are not engaged in full-time employment.
- Internships are available to those who have passed class 10 or higher.
- Individuals from families with government jobs are excluded.
- It is not open to post-graduates.
- A candidate who graduated from premier institutes such as IIT, IIM, or IISER, and those who have CA, or CMA qualification would not be eligible to apply for this internship.
- Anyone from a household that includes a person who earned an income of Rs.8 lakh or more in 2023-24, will not be eligible.
2. National Green Tribunal (NGT)
About National Green Tribunal:
- It was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
- It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues.
- The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
- The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the case.
- Locations: New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.
Composition of NGT: The Tribunal comprises:
- Chairperson: A retired Supreme Court judge.
- Judicial members: Retired High Court judges.
- Expert members: Professionals with at least 15 years of experience in fields related to environment or forest conservation.
3. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
About Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Pobitora wildlife sanctuary is located in east region of Guwahati, Assam.
- It was established in 1998 with a total area of 48.81 square kilometres.
- The entire region around the sanctuary is a part of Brahmaputra flood plains.
- The Sanctuary consists of the Rajamayong Reserve Forest and Pobitora Reserve Forest.
- It surrounds a number of small hills such as Kasasila hills, Hatimuria hill, Boha hill, Kardia hill, Govardan hill, Panbari hill etc.
- It is known for holding the highest density of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in the country.
- Pobitora also holds the distinction of being the source population of the Indian Rhinoceros Vision, 2020 (IRV), Eight Rhinos were translocated from Pobitora Wild life Sanctuary and introduced into Manas National Park.
- Fauna: The Grasslands of Pobitora offer sightings of the Greater One Horned Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo, Monitor Lizard, Wild Boar etc.
- Flora:
- 72% of Pabitora consists of wet savannah of Arundo donax, Erianthus ravennae, Phragmites karka, Imperata cylindrica, and Saccharum spp.
- Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) is a major problem, especially to waterfowl, as it forms thick mats on the water surface.
4. Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)
About SpaDeX:
- The primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking and undocking of two small spacecraft.
- Other objectives include:
- Demonstration of the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, which is essential for future applications such as in-space robotics,
- Composite spacecraft control, and
- Payload operations after undocking.
- Two small spacecraft- SDX01 (the Chaser) and SDX02 (the Target) will be docked in a 476-km low-Earth circular orbit.
- Weight of two satellites: Approximately 220 kg each.
- Launch Vehicle: PSLV- C60
- The indigenous technology used for this mission is called the "Bharatiya Docking System".
- Significance:
- It will make India the fourth country after USA, Russia and China in the world to achieve the feat.
- SpaDEx mission is expected to be a stepping stone for India’s future endeavours in space exploration which include getting rocks and soil from the moon on Earth, the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station and landing an astronaut on the lunar surface.
World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES)
About WAVES:
- WAVES would be the first-ever global summit covering the entire gamut of Media and Entertainment industry.
- The event will bring together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to discuss prospects, challenges, promote trade to India, and influence the sector's future.
- The Summit will also highlight India's advancements in animation, gaming, entertainment technology and regional and mainstream cinema.
About WAVES-India:
- Vision: To position India as an unparalleled global powerhouse in the dynamic Media & Entertainment landscape while setting new standards of creativity, innovation, and influence worldwide.
- Mission: Empowering global Media & Entertainment leaders with exclusive investment opportunities through the premiere platform of WAVES.
- Objectives:
- Position WAVES as a platform to provoke ideas, fuel conversations, facilitate knowledge exchange and engage in meaningful collaborations with M&E industry leaders from across the globe.
- To drive the country's Creative Economy through IP Creation for India & for the World.
- To position India as a business-friendly investment destination.
- To develop India’s M&E infrastructure and build capacity of the industry to ensure skilled workforce for global needs.
- To embrace and adapt to new trends, technology and transformations in the M&E landscape.
About Norovirus:
- It is a common and highly contagious virus that causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines, a condition known as gastroenteritis.
- It is also sometimes referred to as the ‘stomach flu’ or the ‘winter vomiting bug’.
- People of all ages can get infected and sick with norovirus, which spreads very easily and quickly.
- These viruses are responsible for about 90% of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks and close to 50% of cases across the world.
- You can get norovirus illness many times in your life because there are many different types of noroviruses.
- Transmission:
- They are commonly spread through food or water that is contaminated during preparation or through contaminated surfaces.
- Noroviruses can also spread through close contact with a person who has a norovirus infection.
- Symptoms:
- The initial symptoms of norovirus are vomiting and/or diarrhoea, which show up one or two days after exposure to the virus.
- Patients also feel nauseous, and suffer from abdominal pain, fever, headaches and body aches.
- In extreme cases, loss of fluids could lead to dehydration.
- Treatment:
- No vaccines are currently available to prevent norovirus. Treatment for the infection focuses on relieving your symptoms.
- It is important to maintain hydration in the acute phase.
- In extreme cases, patients have to be administered rehydration fluids intravenously.
Srisailam Temple
About Srisailam Temple:
- Srisailam Temple, or Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, worshipped here in the form of Mallikarjuna Swamy.
- It is located at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.
- It is surrounded by the forests of the Nallamala Hills, overlooking the pristine waters of the Krishna River.
- According to Hindu mythology, the temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, divine manifestations of Lord Shiva spread across India.
- The Goddess Shakti is worshipped as Bramarambha in the temple and has a shrine dedicated to her.
- This ancient temple built in the Dravidian style with lofty towers and sprawling courtyards is one of the finest specimens of Vijayanagara architecture.
- Though the exact origins of the temple are not available, the Satavahanas of the 2nd century AD have referred to it.
- The Kakatiyas and the Vijayanagara kings have made several endowments here.
- The unique feature of this temple is the combination of Jyothirlingam and Mahasakthi (in the form of Bhramarambika) in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind.
- The great religious leader Aadi Sankara is said to have visited this shrine and composed his immortal Sivananda Lahiri here.
INS Sarvekshak
About INS Sarvekshak:
- It is an Indian Navy hydrographic survey ship, based at Southern Naval Command in Kochi.
- It is fitted with state-of-the-art survey equipment like Deep Sea Multi-Beam Echo Sounder, Side Scan Sonars and a fully automated digital surveying and processing system.
- In addition, the ship carries an integral Chetak helicopter, which would be extensively deployed during the survey.
- The ship is the second ship of the Darshak class of ships and has a complement of 15 officers and 175 sailors.
- In the past, INS Sarvekshak has also undertaken foreign cooperation surveys in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania, and Kenya.
What is Hydrography?
- It is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes, and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time.
- This is done mainly with specialised ships and boats operating echo sounders and sonars, but also using survey aircraft fitted with lasers.
- Useful information can also be derived sometimes from satellite observations.
- It also involves measuring the tide and the currents.
What is Bayraktar Akinci?
About Bayraktar Akinci:
- It is a long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar.
- It has been designed to perform various operations supporting fighter jets. It is capable of performing air-to-ground and air-to-air attack missions.
- Features:
- The combat drone has a length of 12.2 m, a height of 4.1 m, and a wingspan of 20 m.
- It stands out for its payload capacity of up to 1,500 kilograms, flight range of 25 hours, and range of 7,500 km.
- It is equipped with dual satellite communication systems, air-to-air radar, electronic support systems, collision avoidance radar, and synthetic aperture radar.
- It is equipped with a triple redundant flight control system.
- The dual artificial intelligence (AI)-powered avionics system integrated into the platform helps in improving signal processing, sensor fusion, and situational awareness in real time.
- The UCAV will be fitted with different weapon payloads such as laser-guided smart munitions, missiles, and long-range stand-off weapons.
- It is also the first drone capable of launching an air-launched cruise missile (ALCM).
Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP)
About Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP):
- SGNP, earlier known as Borivali National Park, is a large protected area near Borivali in the northern part of Mumbai.
- It is situated partly in Thane District and in Mumbai Suburban District of Maharashtra.
- It covers an expansive area of 103 square kilometres, making it one of the largest parks within the city limits.
- The park is known for its dense forests, vast birdlife, butterflies, and small population of tigers.
- The Kanheri Caves in the center of the park were an important Buddhist learning center and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between the 9th and the 1st centuries BCE.
- They were chiseled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping.
- Besides, the park also has two artificial lakes, namely Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake, the deer park, the lion safari, and the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Flora: Kadamba, Teak, Karanj, Shisham, and species of acacia, Ziziphus, euphorbias, etc are found in this National Park.
- Fauna:
- The fauna of the park includes Mongoose, Four-horned antelope, Sambar, Atlas Moth, Wild boar, Languor, Monkey, Magar, and Panthers.
- The park also boasts of 251 species of birds and a large variety of butterflies.