Current Affairs 03 JAN 2021

1. QUANTUM RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR (QRNG)

The DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory for Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT), a DRDO facility based in Mumbai, has developed a Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) which has the ability to detect random quantum events and convert those into a stream of binary digits.

About:

The Laboratory has developed a fibre-optic branch path based QRNG.
Branch path based QRNG is based on the principle that if a single photon is incident on a balanced beam splitter, it will take either of the beam-splitter output paths randomly.
As the path chosen by photon is random, the randomness is translated to sequence of bits.

Significance:

With this development India enters the club of countries who have the technology to achieve the generation of random numbers based on the Quantum Phenomenon.
Random numbers have essential roles in various fields ranging from quantum communication, cryptography applications like key generation, key wrapping, authentication along with scientific simulations, lotteries and fundamental physics experiments.
The generation of perfect randomness is generally considered impossible with classical methodologies.
Quantum mechanics has the inherent potential of providing true random numbers and thus has become the preferred option for scientific applications requiring randomness.

Important Info :

DYSL-QT is one of the five YSLs (Young Scientist Laboratories) of the DRDO which are working on five different technologies.
The other facilities are Artificial Intelligence (DYSL-AI) Bengaluru, Cognitive Technologies (DYSL-CT) Chennai, Asymmetric Technologies (DYSL-AT) Kolkata, Smart Materials (DYSL-SM) Hyderabad.
These five facilities were dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January this year.

Source : Indian Express

2. AIIMS RAJKOT

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of AIIMS Rajkot.

About:

AIIMS Rajkot will boost health infrastructure, medical education and provide employment opportunities in Gujarat.
It will be built at an estimated cost Rs. 1195 crores, and is expected to be completed by mid of 2022. The state-of-the-art 750 bed hospital will also have a 30 bed AAYUSH block. It will have 125 MBBS seats and 60 nursing seats.
In the last 6 years, work on 10 new AIIMS has started and many have been inaugurated.

Source : PIB

3. ETHANOL DISTILLATION CAPACITY

Union Cabinet has approved modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in the country.

About:

This will increase income of farmers as other feed stocks such as cereals (rice, wheat, barley, corn & sorghum), sugarcane and sugar beet to be used for production of ethanol.
For benefiting a large population of farmers, Government is encouraging distilleries to produce ethanol from maize & rice available with FCI.

Important Info :

India is well on the path of achieving a 10% blending target by 2022. This will help increase the income of our farmers and enhance their livelihoods.
Government has fixed a target of 10% blending of fuel grade ethanol with petrol by 2022, 15% blending by 2026 & 20% blending by 2030. Government also planning to prepone achievement of 20% blending target by year 2025.

Source : PIB

4. BUTA SINGH

Former Union Minister Buta Singh passed away at the age of 86.

About:

Buta Singh (1934 – 2021) was an Indian politician and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. He was elected to the Lok Sabha eight-times.
He served as Union Home Minister in 1986 under Rajiv Gandhi Government, Minister for Agriculture, Parliamentary Affairs, Civil Supplies, Housing, Shipping, Transport and Sports.
His term as Home Minister will be remembered for the Rajiv Gandhi government’s decision to allow shilanyas of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya in 1989, and his role in bringing down many elected chief ministers, including in Tamil Nadu.
He was very closely involved with Indira Gandhi in Operation Blue Star and as a minister he oversaw reconstruction of the Golden Temple following that exercise.
He also served as the Governor of Bihar and Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).

Source : Indian Express

5. NATIONAL POLICE K-9 JOURNAL

Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the inaugural issue of the National Police K-9 Journal in New Delhi.

About:

It is the first such publication in the country on the subject of Police Service K9s, Police Dogs.
This is a unique initiative that will further enrich the subjects related to Police Service Dog, K-9, PSK teams in the country.
The journal comprises different sections in Hindi and English. It is a biannual journal which will be released in April and October every year.
The police dog squad can act as a force multiplier to ensure the safety of society, much like the way drones or satellites are being used in the country.

Important Info :

A special Police K9 Cell was established in November last year under the Police Modernization Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs with the mandate of Mainstreaming and Augmentation of Police Service K9s in the country.

Source : All India Radio

6. DRAFT MODEL STANDING ORDERS FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, MINING SECTOR AND SERVICE SECTOR

Pursuant to section 29 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Central Government has published the draft Model Standing Orders for the Manufacturing Sector, Mining Sector and Service Sector in the official gazette. Keeping in view the needs of the services sector, a separate Model Standing Orders for Services Sector has been prepared first time.

The salient features of these Model Standing Orders are as follows:

The model standing orders adopted in respect of an industrial establishment shall also be applicable to all other industrial units of the industrial establishment irrespective of location.
Uniformity has been maintained in all the three Model Standing Orders while providing some flexibility considering the sector-specific requirements.
All the three Model Standing Orders encourage employer for use of information technology in dissemination of information to the workers through electronic mode.
To provide safeguard to IT industry, “Involvement in unauthorized access of any IT system, computer network of the employer/ customer/client” has been prescribed as a misconduct.
The concept of “Work from home” has been formalized in the Model Standing Orders for Service Sector.
“Habitual” with respect to indiscipline has been defined if the worker found guilty of any misconduct three or more times in preceding twelve months.
The Model Standing Orders for Services Sector inter alia provides that in case of IT Sector, the working hour shall be as per agreement or conditions of appointment between employer and workers.
Rail Travel Facility has been extended to the workers in the mining sector. Presently, it is being availed by the workers in coal mines only.

Source : PIB

7. SCHEME FOR REMISSION OF DUTIES AND TAXES ON EXPORTED PRODUCTS (RoDTEP)

Government has decided to extend the benefit of the scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) to all export goods to boost export.

About:

The scheme will refund to exporters the embedded Central, State and local taxes that were so far not being given rebate or refunded.
The refund will be credited in the exporter's ledger account with Customs and used to pay Basic Customs duty on imported goods. The credits can also be transferred to other importers.
The RoDTEP rates will be notified shortly by the Department of Commerce, based on the recommendation of a Committee chaired by former Commerce and Home Secretary Dr. G.K. Pillai. The final Report of the Committee is expected shortly.

Source : All India Radio

8. OIL SECTOR

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas launched the missed call facility for LPG consumers in Bhubaneswar.

About:

Indian Oil LPG customers can now give a missed call to 8454955555 for refill booking for all India and for new connection for Bhubaneswar city.
The missed call service for new connection will soon be expanded to the rest of Odisha and subsequently to the entire country.

Important Info :

XP 100?

The Minister also rolled out the second phase of the world class octane 100 premium grade petrol, under the brand XP 100.
With this Indian Oil's branded XP 100 is being rolled out to seven more cities including Bhubaneswar.

Source : All India Radio

9. COLONEL NARENDRA "BULL" KUMAR

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the demise of Colonel Narendra 'Bull' Kumar.

About:

Colonel Narendra "Bull" Kumar (1933 – 2020) was an Indian soldier–mountaineer.
He is known for his expeditions across various mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and Karakorams, and respective subranges such as the Pir Panjals and Saltoro Mountains.
His reconnaissance efforts on the Siachen glacier were key to the Indian Army's reclamation of the forward posts of the glacier in Operation Meghdoot in 1984.
He was the deputy leader of the first successful Indian Mount Everest expedition in 1965.

Important Info :

Awards and recognition:

He was a recipient of multiple military and civilian honours including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Kirti Chakra, and the Padma Shri.
The Indian Army's Siachen Battalion HQ in the Siachen Glacier is named as "Kumar Base" in his honour; the base is also a logistics forwarding post.

Source : LiveMint

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