UPSC QUIZ 18.09.2023

Explanation:

• Supreme Court has integrated its case data on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDC).The integration with NJDG as part of an 'Open Data Policy (ODP)' to provide transparent case information to the public.ODP is increasingly a set of policies - that promotes transparency, accountability, and value creation by making government data available to all.

National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)

• The NJDG portal is a national repository of data relating to cases instituted, pending, and disposed of by the courts across the country.
• It is a database of orders, judgments and case details of 18,735 District and subordinate Courts and High Courts created as an online platform under the e-Courts Project.
• Its key feature is that the data is updated in real-time and has granular data up to the Taluka level.
• It was built as part of Phase II of the e-Courts project, which is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Explanation:

• Astronomers have discovered the first bubbles in galaxies, a cosmic structure almost beyond imagination.
• It is believed to be the fossilized remains of the Big Bang site behind our galaxy, or just after the Big Bang.
• The discovered bubble extends for a billion light years, which is 10,000 times wider than the Milky Way.

Key points

• The giant bubble, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, lies relatively close to our galaxy, about 820 million light-years away, in what astronomers call the nearby universe.
• The light year is a unit of length used to estimate astronomical distances. One light-year is equal to approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers.
• According to Daniel Pomarède, an astronomer at France's Atomic Energy Commission, the bubble is being imagined as a spherical shell with a heart.

Explanation:

• India has become an OIML certificate-issuing authority. The Legal Metrology Division, Department of Consumer Affairs, is now authorised to issue OIML certificates.

OIML

• With the addition of India, the number of countries authorised to issue OIML certificates has increased to 13.
• The OIML stands for International Organisation of Legal Metrology. Established in 1955 and headquartered in Paris, the OIML is an international standard-setting body.
• It develops model regulations, standards and related documents for use by legal metrology authorities and industry.
• India became a member of the OIML in 1956. In the same year, India signed the metric convention.

Explanation:

• Government of India gave a significant boost to the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative by approving defense acquisitions worth Rs 45 thousand crore from domestic vendors.
• The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, has granted Approval of Requirement (AoN) for nine capital acquisition proposals.
• These acquisitions will exclusively involve Indian vendors, which will significantly contribute to the growth of the Indian defense industry and align with the objective of achieving self-reliance in defense manufacturing.

Approved acquisitions

• DAC grants AoN for the following purchases:
• Lightly armored multi-role vehicle and integrated surveillance and targeting system.
• High Mobility Vehicle Gun Towing Vehicle for rapid mobilization of artillery guns and radar.
• Next-generation survey ship to enhance hydrographic capabilities of the Indian Navy.
• Dhruvastra short-range air-to-surface missiles for indigenous ALH Mk-IV helicopters.
• 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft with associated equipment from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Explanation:

• Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann laid the foundation stone of Saragarhi Memorial at a formal ceremony in Firozpur, Punjab.
• The Saragarhi Memorial is dedicated in honor of the brave Sikh warriors who sacrificed their lives during the Battle of Saragarhi.
• The memorial is planned to be a state-of-the-art memorial and is expected to be completed within six months.

Historical Battle of Saragarhi

• The Battle of Saragarhi took place on September 12, 1897, near Samana Ridge (Pakistan), in which 21 soldiers of the 36 Sikh Regiment bravely defended their post against about 10,000 Afghan attackers.
• He chose to fight to the death rather than surrender, making this an important chapter in military history.

Firozpur as a tourist centre

• Chief Minister Mann's vision includes transforming Ferozepur district into a major tourist destination in the state.
• The district hosts not only the Saragarhi Memorial but also the Hussainiwala Memorial, where famous freedom fighters Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev and Shaheed Rajguru were martyred.
• It aims to showcase these historically important sites to attract tourists from across the world, highlighting the rich heritage and sacrifices made by Indian heroes.