GS PAPER I NEWS
35 varieties of crops dedicated to the nation
Why in News
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- In an attempt to create public awareness about adopting climate friendly technologies, the Prime Minister introduced 35 varieties of crops with special qualities in an all India program organized in all ICAR Institutes, State and Central Agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) through video conferencing.
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Key point
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- During this program the newly constructed campus of Prime Minister’s National Institute of Biological Stress Management, Raipur was also dedicated to the nation.
- On this occasion, the Prime Minister will distribute Green Campus Awards to agricultural universities. Also interacted with farmers who use innovative methods and addressed the attendees.
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About varieties of crops with special properties
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- Crop varieties with specific traits have been developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address the twin challenges of climate change and malnutrition.
- 35 such crop varieties with special properties like climate resilience and high nutrient content have been developed in the year 2021.
- These include drought tolerant chickpea varieties, wilt and sterility mosaic resistant tur, early maturing soybean varieties, disease resistant rice varieties and biofortified varieties of wheat, millet, maize, chickpea, quinoa, buckwheat, winged bean and faba bean. varieties are included.
- Crop varieties with these characteristics also include those that address anti-nutritional factors found in some crops that adversely affect human and animal health. Examples of such varieties include Pusa Double Zero Mustard 33, the first canola quality hybrid RCH1 containing <2% erucic acid and <30 ppm glucosinolates, and a soybean variety that is free of two anti-nutritional agents called Kunitz trypsin inhibitors and lipoxygenase. it is said. Varieties with specialties have been developed in soybeans, sorghum, and baby corn, among others.
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About the National Institute for Biological Stress Management
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- National Institute of Biological Stress Management has been established at Raipur to conduct basic and strategic research in biological stress, develop human resources and provide policy support. This institute has started PG courses from the academic session 2020-21.
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About Green Campus Awards
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- Green Campus Awards have been instituted to motivate State and Central Agricultural Universities to develop or adopt such habits that make their campuses more green and clean, and to encourage students to use ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’, Join the ‘Waste to Wealth Mission’ and motivate for community engagement as per the National Education Policy-2020.
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GS PAPER II
United Nations General Assembly
Why in News
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- The Prime Minister, during his speech at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), underscored India’s enduring and strong tradition of democracy that has drawn strength from the country’s diversity.
PM’s address to the United Nations General Assembly: Key Points
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- The Prime Minister, in his UNGA speech, said that there is a need to stay away from the race of “expansion and boycott”. He also said that his government’s priority is that development should be all-inclusive, universal and nurturing for all.
- He highlighted some of the major schemes of his government like Ayushman Bharat, PM Awas Yojana, and PM Jan Dhan Yojana and along with it he also emphasized the principle of ‘Antyodaya’.
- PM Modi highlighted the transformative role of technology in people’s daily lives and emphasized diverse, resilient, and expanding global value chains.
- The Prime Minister also mentioned Chanakya, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore during his UNGA speech.
- The Prime Minister emphasized the need to strengthen the United Nations to protect the global order, global laws, and global values, and called on the international community to strengthen the rules-based world order.
- Prime Minister Modi, while speaking on the situation in Afghanistan, said that it is absolutely necessary to ensure that the Afghanistan region is not used for spreading terrorism and terrorist activities.
- He also emphasized that the world should ensure that the soil of Afghanistan is not used to spread terrorism and terrorist attacks.
- PM Modi emphasized that India’s belief of “serving the people” has invited global vaccine makers to come and make vaccines in India. India is working aggressively towards vaccine development and manufacturing.
- India the mother of democracy
- The Prime Minister also said that India is known as the mother of democracy, adding that “our diversity is the hallmark of our strong democracy”.
- He further said that, as India enters its 75th year of independence this year, “Our diversity is the hallmark of our strong democracy. He further added that COVID-19 has taught the world that The global economy should now be more diversified and further added that, in this regard, the expansion of the global value chain is important.
- the shared heritage of the oceans
- PM Modi also highlighted that oceans are a “common heritage” of all of us and that these oceans are also the lifeline of international trade and we have to save them from the race of expansion and exclusion.
- background
- Prime Minister Modi arrived in New York on September 24, 2021 for the last leg of his US visit.
- He arrived in Washington on September 22 for a three-day visit to the country, which began with talks with five global CEOs and US Vice President Kamala Harris.
- He had his first bilateral with US President Joe Biden.
GS PAPER II
India committed to the nuclear weapon free world: India at UNSC
Why in News
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- The Foreign Secretary of India said that his country is in favor of a nuclear-weapon-free world and is also committed to the goal of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.
Key point
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- Harsh Shringla, Foreign Secretary at UNSC said that India is a bane of a nuclear-weapon-free world and completely rejects nuclear weapons. India’s main objective is to eliminate nuclear.
- Foreign Secretary in his address to the UN Security Council on ‘Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty’ said that India has played a leading role in global efforts towards nuclear disarmament. It is also the first country to call for a ban on nuclear testing in 1954 and a non-discriminatory treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1965.
- According to the first special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), it is necessary to completely eliminate nuclear weapons.
- Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that we believe that this goal can be achieved through a set process. Under this, global powers can fulfill their universal commitment by adopting a non-discriminatory multilateral framework.
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
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- India participated in the negotiations on a proposal to ban arms under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). But India cannot be a part of this treaty, because this treaty does not address the original concerns that India has identified.
- India has a voluntary, unilateral ban on nuclear weapons testing and continues to contribute to the global nuclear security framework.
- India is an important partner of global non-proliferation.
International Atomic Energy Agency
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- India participated in the Nuclear Security Summit process and has been a regular participant in international conferences on nuclear security organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
- India is also a member of the Nuclear Security Liaison Group.
- The international community needs to pay more attention to nuclear weapons networks, their delivery systems, illegal dissemination of relevant technologies.
- India has played a key role in the world’s efforts towards nuclear disarmament and was the first country to ban nuclear testing in 1954.
GS PAPER II
Iceland first country to elect women-majority parliament
Why in News
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- Iceland has elected Europe’s first parliament with a majority of women. It is a milestone for gender equality in the island nation of the North Atlantic. Women candidates won 33 seats in Althing, Iceland’s 63-member parliament when the counting of votes was over.
Key point
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- The three parties of the outgoing coalition government led by Prime Minister Katrin Jacobsdatyr won a total of 37 seats in the vote.
- The alliance has got two more seats than the last election and is likely to remain in power.
- The election results are being considered as a milestone for gender equality in the island nation of the North Atlantic.
- Iceland’s coalition government has increased its majority in the country’s 63-seat parliament from 35 to 37 after elections held on September 25.
- According to the report, the election results left open a future cabinet coalition as the success of the coalition parties still remained uncertain. Altogether eight parties were represented in the parliament.
Iceland’s Parliament
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- For the first time, Iceland’s parliament will have more female MPs (33) than male MPs (30).
- Prime Minister Katrin Jacobsdatyr said on 26 September 2021 that negotiations to form the government would be complicated.
- Leaders of the three coalition parties had said before the election that if the government was formed, it would be the first option to discuss the government’s continued cooperation.
- The voter turnout across the country was 80.1 percent, which is slightly less than the last election in 2017.
Opinion polls
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- Opinion polls indicated a victory for Left parties. There was competition for seats between 10 parties. But, the middle right ‘Independence Party’ got the most votes and won 16 seats.
- Women won seven of these 16 seats. The centrist Progressive Party took the biggest lead and managed to win 13 seats. The Progressive Party had won five more seats than last time.
GS PAPER III
Akash Prime Missile
Why in News
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- A new variant of Akash missile- ‘Akash Prime’ has been successfully flight test-fired from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
Key point
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- In a post-improvement test, the missile intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aerial target designed to resemble enemy aircraft in its maiden flight.
- Aakash Prime is equipped with an indigenous Active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for better accuracy as compared to the existing Akash system.
- Other improvements made to the missile also ensure more reliable performance in low-temperature environments at high altitudes.
- A modified ground system of the existing Akash weapon system has been used for the current flight test.
- The range stations of ITR include Radar, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS), and Telemetry Station which monitored the trajectory and flight parameters of the missile.
- Akash Prime system will further boost the confidence of users (Indian Army and Indian Air Force) as Akash missile system is already inducted and is now improving with more lethal missiles