Prelim Bits 26-04-2018

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0

• The second stage of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan was launched recently.
• It is a flagship program of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, with the intention to enrich Rural India.
• It aims to create a vibrant relationship between the society and the higher educational institutes.
• It is aimed at making higher education institutions provide solutions to problems of villages.
• Providing the knowledge and technology support to improve the livelihoods in rural areas and upgrading the capabilities of both the public and private organizations in the society are the means.
• Both technical and non-technical institutions have been invited to build systems in villages as per their strengths.
• IIT Delhi has been designated to function as the National Coordinating Institute for this program.
• Each selected institute would adopt a cluster of villages / panchayats and gradually expand the outreach over a period of time.
• The key points include

1. helping villages achieve 100% school results
2. creating 25 jobs each in four sectors in each village where work would take place
3. increasing rural incomes
4. providing drinking water and sanitation to villages
5. disposing village garbage, etc

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

• Desertification was addressed for the first time in 1977 in the United Nations Conference on Desertification.
• This was followed by the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Paris on 1994.
• The Convention entered into force in 1996.
• It is one of the three Rio Conventions, along with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• It is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
• The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands.
• This is where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and people can be found.
• India became a signatory to the Convention on 1994 and ratified it on 1996.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal Ministry to co-ordinate all issues pertaining to the Convention.
• The Convention holds a biennial Conference of Parties (CoP) to the Convention and the last CoP was held in China in 2016.

HARIMAU SHAKTI 2018

• Harimau Shakti is a joint training exercise conducted by India and Malaysia in dense forests Hulu Langat in Malaysia.
• The exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation and coordination between armed forces of both the nations.
• It will share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain.
• Indian contingent is being represented by one of the oldest infantry battalions, Grenadiers.
• This is the first instance wherein a joint training exercise of this magnitude involving Indian and Malaysian soldiers is being organized on Malaysian soil.

Bhabha Kavach

• Bhabha Kavach is an armour panel, which gives personal protection against bullets, of different threat levels.
• It is developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
• The jacket was developed at BARC’s Trombay centre in response to a request from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• It was named after nuclear physicist Dr. Homi J. Bhabha.
• It is not only cheaper but also much lighter.
• It is made of boron carbide and carbon nanotube polymer composite.
• BARC has been using boron carbide in the control rods of its nuclear reactors.
• It weighs just 6.6 kg in comparison to the 17-kg jackets in use, and use of boron carbide for jacket is the first in India.
• The imported jacket costs Rs 1.5 Lakhs whereas Bhabha Kavach will cost Rs 60,000-70,000.
• BARC has transferred the technology of Bhabha Kavach to Mishra Dhatu Nigam, Hyderabad, for its large-scale production.

Predicament of Returning Mothers

• The report titled “Predicament of Returning Mothers” highlights the challenges faced by women who are at high risk of dropping out due to pregnancy and child care.
• The following are the key factors that help women return to work post-maternity leave:

1. a strong sense of identity
2. a precedence of women working in family
3. presence of role models that they could relate to
4. support from mothers-in-law, husbands and social circle
5. financial instability at home that drives them to work and earn

• From the employer’s perspective, managers validated that childcare and maternity are the key exit gates for women.
• Also, demotion of returning mothers often leads to dissatisfaction at work and eventually leading to resignations.

Atal New India Challenge

• The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the NITI Aayog will be launching the Atal New India Challenge.
• AIM will invite prospective innovators/MSMEs/start-ups to design market-ready products, using cutting edge technologies or prototypes across identified focus areas.
• Climate Smart Agriculture, Smart Mobility, Predictive Maintenance of Rolling Stock, Waste Management etc. are some of the 17 identified focus areas.
• The winning ideas will be granted up to Rs 1 crore and mentorship through the challenge.

Source: PIB, The Hindu, Business Standard