About the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS):

• It was set up in March, 1982 with a view to assisting outstanding Sportspersons of yesteryear, living in indigent circumstances, who had brought glory to the Country in sports.
• The scheme as revised in May, 2016 to provide for lump sum ex-gratia assistance to outstanding Sportspersons of yesteryears.
• It extends to the whole of India.
• The scheme promotes the welfare of the sportspersons generally in order to alleviate distress among them and their dependents.
• The scheme can be administered to active sportspersons individually or collectively as a group.
• Benefits:
  • Assistance to sportspersons living in indigent circumstances:
    • A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance subject to a maximum of Rs. 5 lakh.
    • Monthly pension of Rs. 5000/- to those yesteryears meritorious sportspersons now living in indigent circumstances.
  • Assistance for injuries sustained during training for and participation in Sports competitions: A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance subject to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakh.
  • Assistance to Families of deceased Outstanding Sportspersons: A lumpsum ex- gratia financial assistance, not exceeding Rs. 5.00 lakh in each case, may be provided to the families of deceased outstanding sportspersons living in indigent circumstances.
  • Assistance for Medical Treatment: Financial assistance not exceeding Rs. 10 lakh may be provided for medical treatment of an outstanding sportsperson or of any of his/her family members living in indigent circumstances.
  • Assistance to coaches, support personnel, umpires, referees and match officials: Lumpsum financial assistance, not exceeding Rs. 2 lakh, may be provided to coaches and support personnel and to the family members of deceased support personnel who are living in indigent circumstances.
• Eligibility:
  • The applicant must be a Serving or Retired Sportsperson (including sports doctors, sports psychologists, sports mentors, physiotherapists, masseurs, coaches, support personnel, umpires, referees, and match officials).
  • The applicant must have represented India at a National or International Level sports competition.
  • The Annual income of self/family of the applicant (from all sources) must be less than Rs. 4 LPA.
  • The applicant must qualify as one of the following.
    • Injured during the period of their training for competitions and also during the competitions.
    • Disabled as an after-effect of their strenuous training or otherwise.
    • Living in indigent circumstances.
    • Dependent of a deceased sportsperson.

7. Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) portal

The Finance Minister recently launched the Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) manual.

Why in the news?

• The manual provides stakeholders with an in-depth understanding of the WINDS portal's functionalities, data interpretation, and effective utilisation, empowering farmers, policymakers, and various agricultural entities to make well-informed choices.

About the Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) portal:

• It was launched in July, 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to leverage advanced weather data analytics to give stakeholders actionable insight to make informed weather decisions on agriculture.
• Crucial weather-related information and data will be available to the farmers through WINDS.
• The portal also shares the ministry's parametric crop insurance scheme, along with non-scheme parametric insurance industry. programmes for crop risk mitigation and disaster risk reduction and mitigation being run by the insurance industry.
• The WINDS initiative is laying emphasis on setting up a strong network of weather stations.
• Through this initiative, the target is to establish a wide network of weather stations at the block and gram panchayat level.
• This extensive network of weather stations will enable accurate monitoring of weather patterns, effective planning, risk assessment and timely response to meteorological challenges.
• The goal is to bridge the gap in weather information availability and empower decision makers, farmers and stakeholders at the grassroots level.

Source : Govt launches Kisan Rin Portal and weather WINDS manual

8. Brucella canis

Three British citizens have been recently infected with Brucella canis, an incurable dog disease previously unknown in UK canines.

About Brucella canis:

• It is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Brucella canis.
• It is highly contagious between dogs.
• It can cause infertility, mobility issues, and discomfort in affected dogs.
• Different species of Brucella infect sheep, goats, cattle, deer, elk, pigs, and other animals.
• Transmission:
  • Dogs typically contract Brucella canis through contact with infected body fluids, such as urine, vaginal discharge, or reproductive fluids, from other infected dogs.
  • It can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected bodily fluids.
• Symptoms: It can manifest in various ways and may include symptoms such as lethargy, fever, swollen lymph nodes, reproductive problems (such as infertility and spontaneous abortion in females), joint pain, and testicular swelling in males.
• Treatment:
  • In dogs, the disease is untreatable, and government guidelines advocate for euthanasia as the recommended course of action. 
  • Infected dogs are typically isolated to prevent further spread of the disease.
  • Antibiotics may be prescribed to manage symptoms and reduce the bacterial load.
  • However, for humans, effective treatment is available through an extended regimen of antibiotics.

Source : Brucella Canis, Incurable Dog Disease, Spreads To Humans In UK

9. Dhruvastra Missile

India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) recently gave the green light to several capital acquisition proposals, including the indigenous Dhruvastra short-range air-to-surface missile.

About the Dhruvastra Missile:

• It is a helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system.
• It is a short-range air-to-surface missile.
• It was indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Dhruvastra is the Air Force’s version of Helina (Helicopter-launched Nag missile) ATGM.
• Features:
  • It is equipped with Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker and operates in “lock on before launch” mode.
  • The fire and forget missile has a minimum range of 500 metres and a maximum range of 7 kilometres.
  • It can be launched from an altitude of up to 4 kilometres and can hit targets moving at speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour.
  • The missile can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode.
  • It works in all kinds of weather, during the day or night, and in various types of terrain, such as deserts, plains, hills and forests.

What is Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)?

• It is a man-portable version of the Nag missile.
• It was developed by DRDO.
• It can be carried and fired by infantry soldiers. 
• The MPATGM has a range of 2.5 kilometres and can be used for short-range anti-tank missions. 

Source : India's Dhruvastra Missile To Provide Precision Strikes Against Enemy Armor

10. Vanadium

Vanadium, a critical raw material for many industrial applications, has been found recently in sediment samples collected from the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat.

About Vanadium:

• It is a chemical element with the symbol "V" and atomic number 23.
• It is a silver-gray, ductile, and malleable metallic element.
• It is harder than most metals and exhibits good corrosion resistance against alkalis and acids.
• History:
  • It was discovered (1801) by the Spanish mineralogist Andrés Manuel del Río, who named it erythronium but eventually came to believe it was merely impure chromium.
  • The element was rediscovered (1830) by the Swedish chemist Nils Gabriel Sefström, who named it after Vanadis, the Scandinavian goddess of beauty and youth.
  • The English chemist Henry Enfield Roscoe first isolated the metal in 1867 by hydrogen reduction of vanadium dichloride.
• Occurrence:
  • Found combined in various minerals, coal, and petroleum, vanadium is the 22nd most abundant element in Earth’s crust. 
  • It is found in over 60 different minerals, including vanadinite, carnotite, roscoelite, and patronite.
  • The largest resources of vanadium minerals are found in South Africa and Russia.
• Leading Producers:  China, South Africa, and Russia.
• Applications:
  • Alloys:
    • One of the primary uses of vanadium is as an alloying element in steel and other metals.
    • Vanadium steel, for example, is known for its strength, toughness, and ability to maintain hardness at high temperatures. It is commonly used in tools, cutlery, and structural materials.
  • In Vanadium Flow Batteries (VFBs), vanadium is used to create a reliable, safe and stable solution for the storage of renewable energy. 
  • Chemical Catalysts: Vanadium compounds are used as catalysts in various chemical reactions, such as the production of sulfuric acid.
  • Nuclear Applications: Vanadium is used in some nuclear reactors as a structural material and neutron moderator.
  • In the medical sphere, vanadium is used to treat a number of ailments, including diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol.

Key Facts about the Gulf of Khambhat:

• It is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. 
• Earlier, it was known as the Gulf of Cambay. 
• Stretching for about 80 miles, it divides the Kathiawar Peninsula from the south-eastern part of Gujarat.
• Rivers: The Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and Sabarmati rivers drain into it.
• Geography:
  • It is a relatively shallow and enclosed body of water, characterized by its tidal movements and extensive mudflats.
  • It is known for having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, with tides that can rise and fall dramatically.
  • There are some coral reefs around small inlets in the western part of the Gulf.

Source : After lithium in Kashmir, rare metal vanadium, key for batteries, found off Gujarat coast