GS PAPER II NEWS
Good governance day
Why in News
- Good Governance Day is celebrated on 25 December on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- This day is completely dedicated to former Prime Minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee.
Key point
- This day was first celebrated in the year 2014. He is considered one of the most influential leaders of Indian politics.
- The day was established to promote awareness among the people of accountability in government. Good Governance Day has been declared as a working day for the government.
Former Prime Minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee: At A Glance
- Former Prime Minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee was born on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
- He became the Prime Minister of the country three times. He became the Prime Minister of the country for the first time in the year 1996.
- He became the Prime Minister for the second time in the year 1998-99. After this, he became the Prime Minister of the country for the third time on 13 October 1999.
- Former PM Atal Vihari Vajpayee has been the first leader to deliver a speech in Hindi at the United Nations. He was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’ award on 27 March 2015.
- He did his graduation from Victoria College (now Laxmi Bai College) in Gwalior. He then did his M.A in Political Science from DAV College Kanpur. Received degree of_.
Objective
- The objective of Good Governance Day is to make people aware of the commitment of the government to provide transparent and accountable administration in the country.
- Good Governance Day is celebrated to enhance the welfare and wellbeing of the people.
- It is celebrated to standardize government functioning and make it highly effective and accountable governance for the citizens of the country.
History
- In the year 2014, the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to celebrate ‘Good Governance Day’ on 25 December every year in honor of Late Atal Vihari Vajpayee.
- It was announced by the Government of India that every year on 25th December (Good Governance Day) all day work will be done.
- Many such works were done during the tenure of Late Atal Vihari Vajpayee, due to which he is always remembered.
- After his death, the central government announced that every year on December 25, a true tribute would be paid to him by celebrating ‘Good Governance Day’.
GS PAPER II
Belgium’s decision to close nuclear plants
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Why in News
- The Belgian government on 23 December 2021 agreed in principle to shut down all its nuclear power plants by the year 2025.
Key point
- The Belgian government has decided that all seven nuclear reactors in the country will be closed by 2025. The country will not say goodbye to nuclear power completely. Work on modern nuclear technology will continue.
- According to the agreement “an investment of about 100 million euros on small modular reactors” will also be made.
- A law was made in the country itself in 2003, under which it is mandatory to completely stop nuclear energy gradually. In October 2020, when the tenure of the present seven-party coalition government started, the government had promised to achieve this goal.
Why have you decided to shut down nuclear plants?
- Belgium has decided to phase out nuclear power plants, while using gas as a sustainable energy source as well as a bridge to new technology nuclear options.
- Not completely nuclear energy, but the coalition had not yet agreed on this issue.
- A law was made in the country itself in 2003, under which it is mandatory to completely stop nuclear energy gradually.
Nuclear power plant in belgium
- Belgium has two nuclear plants with a total of seven reactors. These are run by the French company NG. They account for almost half of the country’s electricity generation.
Countries planning to end nuclear phase by 2030
- Belgium
- Germany
- Spain
- Switzerland
List of countries without nuclear power plants
- Australia
- Austria
- Denmark
- Greece
- Ireland
- Italy
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Philippines
- Portugal
- Serbia
- There is also a split in the rest of the EU member states regarding nuclear energy.
- There is an intense discussion going on in the Union whether nuclear and natural gas should be included in the Union’s list of sustainable sources of energy for investment.
- The list, dubbed the EU’s “taxonomy”, aims to promote environmentally friendly sources and facilitate the transition to a carbon neutral future.
GS PAPER III
James Webb Telescope
Why in News
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- US Space Agency NASA has successfully launched its new James Webb Telescope.
Key point
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- James Webb was launched in collaboration with NASA and the European Space Agency.
- This world’s largest telescope, which has been built for more than two decades and is looking forward to launch, will reveal the secrets of the origin of the universe.
- It will replace the Hubble Telescope, which has provided scientists with pictures and insights of space for more than thirty years.
- Now James Webb is out in search of the secrets related to the beginning of the universe, which are not yet known to humans.
- So far, NASA’s Hubble Telescope sends amazing pictures from space, which will now be replaced by the James Webb Telescope.
10 thousand scientists have contributed in the creation of James Webb.- It is believed that the amazing capability of the Jem Webb Telescope will help solve mysteries such as the origin of the universe and the existence of aliens.
About the James Webb Telescope
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- This telescope was named after James Webb, the head of NASA in the year 2002.
- Webb, who assumed this responsibility in 1961 at the request of US President John F. Kennedy, is known for his notable role in NASA’s crucial Apollo mission.
- Under this Apollo campaign, humans reached the Moon for the first time in the form of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
- The James Webb Telescope took more than 20 years between planning and launch.
- It will be able to start sending data and pictures from space only after about six months from the launch. After launch, it will be ready for work in several phases between reaching orbit.
- After reaching orbit, it will cool down after which the team involved in its operation will open all the equipment and align them with each other.
- This is the first telescope designed to be completely foldable.
- After launch, it will open itself when installed in space. Its lens diameter is more than 21 feet. It will be installed in space at a distance of about 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth.
- In February, it will take the first picture of space after 40 days.
- This telescope is very different from the old Hubble. Unlike Hubble, when a fault occurs, it can be repaired from the earth itself.
- $10 billion (about Rs 73,616 crore) has been spent in the construction of the James Webb Telescope.
- Despite being expensive, its work will be worth the money. This telescope will also be able to see the electromagnetic spectrum, that is, it will be able to see the faint stars and galaxies located very far away.
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GS PAPER III
Mission Sagar
Why in News
- As part of another deployment by the Indian Navy from May 2020 under Mission Sagar, Indian Naval Ship Kesari entered the Port of Maputo in Mozambique on 25 December 2021.
Key point
- This is the eighth such deployment in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the region and is being conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and other agencies of the Government of India.
- These deployments were made in solidarity with India’s extended maritime neighbourhood, and underscore the importance India attaches to these special ties.
- 500 tonnes of food aid has been dispatched by INS Kesari to support the efforts of the Government of Mozambique to meet the challenges of the ongoing drought and pandemic.
- India is also committed to supporting the capacity building efforts of the armed forces of Mozambique.
- For this, INS Kesari is carrying two fast interceptor craft and self-defense equipment to be handed over to the armed forces of Mozambique.
- A Landing Ship Tank (Large) INS Kesari had undertaken a similar mission in May-June 2020 to provide humanitarian and medical assistance to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, including Indian Navy medical aid at various locations. The deployment of support teams was also included.
Background
- Since May 2020, the Indian Navy has deployed ships to 15 friendly countries under the Sagar Mission.
- These deployments, over 215 days at sea, together have provided over 3,000 MT of food support, over 300 MT of LMOs, 900 oxygen concentrators and 20 ISO containers.
- During the conduct of these missions, Indian Navy ships have covered a total distance of about 40,000 nm which is almost twice the circumference of the Earth.
- With a firm intention of timely delivery of such bulk of humanitarian assistance, personnel of Indian Navy ships and shore organizations have invested nearly one million man-hours in providing assistance to our friends abroad.
GS PAPER III
Defense Technology and Testing Center and BrahMos Manufacturing Center of DRDO
Why in News
- Defense Minister laid the foundation stone of Defense Technology and Testing Center and BrahMos Manufacturing Center set up by Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Key point
- A first of its kind Defense Technology and Testing Center (DTTC) spread over 22 acres is being set up in the Uttar Pradesh Defense Industrial Corridor (UP DIC) to accelerate the development of defense and aerospace manufacturing clusters.
- This will include the following six sub-centres:
- Deep-Tech Innovation and Startup Incubation Center
- Design and Simulation Center
- Testing and Evaluation Center
- Industry 4.0/Digital Manufacturing Center
- Skill Development Center
- Business Development Center
Brahmos Manufacturing Center
- The BrahMos Manufacturing Center, announced by BrahMos Aerospace, is a state-of-the-art facility at the Lucknow node of UP DIC.
- It will cover an area of over 200 acres and will produce the new BrahMos-NG (Next Generation) variant, which will carry forward the BrahMos weapon system.
- This new facility will be ready in the next two to three years and will start production at the rate of 80-100 BrahMos-NG missiles per year.
- The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system is one of the most successful missile programs in the world.
- India has jointly partnered with Russia, its closest strategic ally.
- As the world’s best and fastest precision-guided weapon, BrahMos has strengthened India’s defense power in the 21st century.
- Designed and developed by India-Russia joint venture arm BrahMos Aerospace, the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos has evolved into the most versatile weapon in its genre.
- To take this excellence forward, BrahMos Aerospace has started work on a new, more advanced version of the missile – the BrahMos-NG.
- Smaller, lighter and smarter in dimensions, the new missile will be designed for deployment on a wide number of modern military platforms including land, sea, underwater and air.
- It will greatly strengthen the modern warfare capability and resilience of the Indian Army over the next few years.