HysIS Satellite
- HysIS Satellite is India’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite for advanced Earth observation, it was launched with the help of PSLV-C43 launcher.
- HysIS will study the Earth’s surface in visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, with a mission life of about 5 years.
- HysIS will be ISRO’s first full-scale working satellite with this capability.
- A hyperspectral imaging camera in space can provide well-defined images that can help to identify objects on Earth far more clearly than regular optical or remote sensing cameras.
- The technology will be an added advantage of watching over India from space for a variety of purposes such as defense, agriculture, land use, minerals and so on.
PSLV-C43
- PSLV is a four-stage launch vehicle with alternating solid and liquid stages.
- PSLV allows India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun-synchronous orbits.
- PSLV can also launch small size satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
- PSLV-C43, which is the 45th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), it is the lightest version of the launch vehicle.
National Skill Development Corporation
- National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a non-profit public limited company set up by Ministry of Finance as Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
- The Government of India through Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) holds 49% of the share capital of NSDC, while the private sector has the balance 51% of the share capital.
- NSDC aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions.
- Further, the organization provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training initiatives.
- NCDC has a differentiated focus on 21 sectors for understanding of their viability and make every sector attractive to private investment.
Inclusive Wealth Report (IWR)
- IWR is a biennial effort led by the UN Environment, which provides important insights into long-term economic growth and human well-being.
- The Index measures the wealth of nations through a comprehensive analysis of a country’s productive base and the country’s wealth in terms of progress, well-being and long-term sustainability.
- The biennial report finds The Republic of Korea, Singapore and Malta as the nations that have had the most economic growth.
- The report also revealed that carbon damage is relatively larger in high-income countries.
UN Environment
- The United Nations Environment Program (UN Environment) is global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda.
- It promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
- The World Meteorological Organization and UN Environment established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988.
- UN Environment is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, and it is also a member of the United Nations Development Group.
Hog Deer
- Recently searchers reported the presence of a small population of hog deer in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), Manipur.
- The study indicates that the western limit of hog deer is Manipur and not central Thailand as believed earlier.
- Two sub-species of hog deer have been reported from its range.
- The western race is distributed from Pakistan and the Terai grasslands (along the Himalayan foothills, from Punjab to Arunachal Pradesh).
- The eastern race of hog deer is found in Thailand, Indo-China, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
- The species has lost ground in most of its distribution range, a small and isolated population of under 250 was reported from Cambodia.
- The hog deer is an endangered species in the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
Siberian unicorns
- Genetic analyses have shown that the Siberian unicorn was the last surviving member of a unique family of rhinos.
- Siberian unicorn are giant, shaggy Ice Age rhinoceros, and they are extraordinary single horn.
- Weighing up to 3.5 tonnes with a single enormous horn, the Siberian unicornroamed the steppe of Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Northern China.
- The Siberian unicorn was a very close relative of the extinct woolly rhino and living Sumatran rhino.
EX-INDRA 2018
- EX-INDRA is Indo-Russian joint military exercise, which helps in a common understanding of transnational terrorism, interoperability between the participants.
- The exercise aims for a conduct of joint tactical operations controlled by a Joint Command Post working under the aegis of United Nations.
- The participating contingents also carried out specialized joint training on hostage rescue by slithering from MI-17 helicopters.
Source: PIB, the Hindu
