UPSC EXAM QUIZ 23.07.2024

Explanation:

• Indian government has announced that the e-office platform will be implemented across all attached, subordinate offices and autonomous bodies as part of the 100-day agenda of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• The e-office initiative aims to digitise file handling and receipts across various government bodies.

• This move follows the successful adoption of the e-office in the central secretariat between 2019 and 2024, where 94% of files and 95% of receipts were handled electronically

Explanation:

• Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) recently unveiled the ASMITA Project, aimed at bolstering the availability of educational resources in Indian languages.
• This ambitious project aims to develop 22,000 books in Indian languages over the next five years.
• Under the ASMITA project (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing – ASMITA), study materials in Indian languages will be augmented and preserved through translation and academic writing.
• The project is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which is one of the many initiatives taken by the government to promote Indian languages in India’s current education system.

Explanation:

• Ministry of Defence has notified the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) consisting 346 defence items in a major boost to Aatmanirbharta in defence production.
• This initiative aims to promote self-reliance in defence production and reduce imports by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

Key Highlights of the Fifth Positive Indigenisation List

• Purpose and Scope: The fifth PIL comprises 346 items aimed at advancing Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence and reducing import dependence by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).It ensures that these items are procured exclusively from the Indian industry, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and startups.Items include strategically important Line Replacement Units (LRUs), systems, sub-systems, assemblies, sub-assemblies, spares, components, and raw materials.

Explanation:

• Indian researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru have developed a new online tool to create a comprehensive star catalogue for the Adaptive Optics System (AOS) of the upcoming Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).

Key Features of Thirty Meter Telescope

• It is an ambitious international project coming up at Mauna Kea in Hawaii, involving India, the US, Canada, China, and Japan that aims to advance the understanding of the universe significantly.
• India is a key partner in the TMT project, with India TMT Center at IIA leading the national collaboration.
• The TMT is a next-generation astronomical observatory designed to provide unprecedented resolution and sensitivity with its massive 30-meter primary mirror, advanced adaptive optics system, and state-of-the-art instruments.

Explanation:

• As per a report by financial services company Motilal Oswal, in the next five years, India’s counter-drone market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 28%.
• The counter-drone systems market will reach to Rs 120 billion (approximately $1.6 billion) over the next five years.
• This projection is based on the requirement for nearly 1,200 counter-drone systems, each costing between Rs 80 to 150 million.
• It will create an annual market opportunity of nearly Rs 24 billion.
• The military training simulators market in India is projected to reach between Rs 140 and 150 billion over the next five years.
• The broader defense electronics market in India is expected to reach $7 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of 15.7%.
• At present, 60% of electronic components are supplied by foreign manufacturers.
• The changing nature of warfare, including the increased use of drones for various purposes, is increasing the demand for anti-drone systems.