Daily Current Capsules

17 and 18 October 2023

India’s space exploration endeavours

• Prime Minister of India chaired a high-level meeting to assess progress of India’s Gaganyaan Mission and to outline the future of India’s space exploration endeavours.
• Prime Minister directed that India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
• Prime Minister also called upon Indian scientists to work towards interplanetary missions, including a Venus Orbiter Mission and a Mars Lander.

Gaganyaan Mission overview

• ISRO is going to launch its 2 uncrewed space flights in 2023 and one crewed space flight in 2024.
• ISRO has created an empty module which will be sent to space to test whether Astronauts can be sent or not and to test the empty spacecraft
• The module has been created which will have 2 parts: the crew module and the service module.
• The test for First Flight Mission 2023 will be conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Center in India and will be brought back safely to Earth.
• The main purpose of launching this spacecraft is to check whether we can send Astronauts to space or not. Now the mission will be launched with the hope of safely landing on Earth after 3 days in the Bay of Bengal.
• As of now only the test will be created and the ultimate Mission will be launched in 2024 where 3 Astronauts including 1 female Astronaut will be sent to Space. The Crew module will have the space for the Astronauts and has a proper safety system to splash it in the Indian Ocean.
• The Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of ISRO’s human spaceflight capability by launching a human crew to an orbit of 400 km and bringing them safely back to Earth.
• The first crewed space mission is going to conduct its test on 21 October 2023 where an empty Spacecraft will be sent and its expected landing is within 3 days.
• The module will have its touchdown in the Bay of Bengal and it will be recovered back to Earth.
• The Test Development Vehicle Flight (TV-D1) will be carried at Satish Dhawan Spacecraft Centre in Andhra Pradesh.
• Once the test gets successful, the mission will be accomplished in 2024 where the Astronauts will be sent in this spacecraft.

Global Maritime India Summit 2023

• The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the third edition of Global Maritime India Summit 2023 in Mumbai
• The Prime Minister also unveiled ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, a blueprint for the Indian maritime blue economy.
• In line with this futuristic plan, the Prime Minister inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for projects worth more than Rs 23,000 crores that are aligned with the ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’ for the Indian maritime blue economy.
• The summit provides an excellent platform for attracting investment in the country’s maritime sector.

Know! about Tuna Tekra

• The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 4,500 crores at Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat.
• This state-of-the-art greenfield terminal will be developed in PPP mode.
• The terminal, which is likely to emerge as an international trade hub, will handle next-gen vessels exceeding 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and will act as a gateway for Indian trade via the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
• The Prime Minister also dedicated more than 300 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than 7 lakh crore for global and national partnerships in the maritime sector.

Know! about the Summit

• The summit is the biggest Maritime Event in the country and will witness the participation of Ministers from across the globe representing countries from Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia (including central Asia, Middle East and BIMSTEC region).
• The summit is also to be attended by Global CEOs, Business leaders, Investors, Officials, and other stakeholders worldwide.
• The summit provides an excellent platform for attracting investment in the country’s maritime sector.
• The first Maritime India summit was held in 2016 in Mumbai while the Second Maritime Summit was held virtually in 2021.

Know! about the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor?

• Last month, during the G20 Summit, India, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor will consist of two separate corridors, the East corridor connecting India to West Asia/Middle East and the Northern corridor connecting West Asia/Middle East to Europe.

Indian Coast Guard training Ship

• Defence Ministry signed a contract for the construction of one Training Ship for the Indian Coast Guard with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited at a cost of 310 crore rupees
• It is the first dedicated training platform with integral helicopter capabilities.
• It will provide basic sea training to 70 Coast Guards and other international under-trainee officers to prepare on the multi-dimensional maritime aspects of Coast Guard life.
• This training ship with advanced and modern high-tech surveillance and monitoring systems will provide profound and expertise to the Indian Coast Guard cadets on the challenges at sea.
• he majority of equipment and systems will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers, including MSMEs. The project also envisages to generate significant employment over a period of three years.

Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras

• Prime Minister will launch 511 Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras in Maharashtra on 19th October, 2023
• These Kendras are being established across 34 rural districts of Maharashtra.
• The Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras will conduct skill development training programs across various sectors to provide employment opportunities to rural youth.
• Each Kendra will train about 100 youngsters in at least two vocational courses.
• The training is being provided by empanelled industry partners and agencies under National Skill Development Council.
• The establishment of these Kendras will help the region attain significant strides towards developing a more competent and skilled manpower.

Know! about National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

• It is a not-for-profit public limited company incorporated on July 31, 2008, under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (corresponding to section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013). \
• NSDC was set up by the Ministry of Finance as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• The Government of India through the 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 organisation provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training initiatives.
• Its mandate is also to enable support system which focuses on quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships.
• NSDC acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies, and organizations that provide skill training.

Apna Chandrayaan web Portal

• Union Minister for Education launched a web portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ having activity-based support material such as quiz , puzzles, etc for school students on Mission Chandrayaan-3 developed by NCERT under the aegis of the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, in New Delhi
• He also released 10 special modules on Chandrayaan-3, offering a comprehensive overview of its various facets – including scientific, technological, and social aspects, as well as the emotional journey and team spirit of the scientists involved.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

• Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) inaugurated Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Lab in NIELIT Gorakhpur
• The state-of-the-art RPA lab has been built under the Future Skill PRIME Project funded by MeitY with an objective to upskill/reskill manpower in emerging technology of RPA.
• This is the First-of-its-kind lab in Uttar Pradesh under the FutureSkill PRIME Project, which has been established to bridge the gap between Industry and Academia.

Know! about National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT)

• National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), formerly known as the DOEACC Society, is a society that offers Information Technology and Electronics training at different levels.
• It is an autonomous scientific society under the administrative control of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
• NIELIT currently has 47 centers across the country, with its headquarters at New Delhi.[2][3][4]
• DOEACC (Department of Electronics and Accreditation of Computer Courses) Society was founded on 9th November 1994 by MeitY, later it changed to NIELIT on October 10, 2011

Know! about FutureSkills Prime

• It is a joint initiative by Nasscom & MeitY, aimed at making India a Digital Talent Nation.
• FutureSkills Prime is an innovative and evolutionary ecosystem designed to equip learners with cutting-edge skills essential in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
• Its Nasscom certification programs are aligned with National Occupational Standards (NOS) and National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), enabling learners to acquire in-demand skills that are highly valued by employers.

Fast Track Special Courts

• Ensuring the safety & security of women and girl child, the Department of Justice is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, to set up 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) including 389 exclusive POCSO Courts across the nation for expeditious trials relating to Rape & POCSO Act cases.

Know! about Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs)

• Since October 2019, the Department of Justice is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, to set up 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) including 389 exclusive POCSO Courts across the nation for expeditious trial relating to sexual offences.
• Each court comprises of 1 Judicial Officer and 7 Staff Members.
• Out of 31 States and UTs eligible, 28 have joined this scheme.
• The Scheme was initially for a period of one year spread over two Financial Years 2019-20 and 2020-21 at a total outlay of Rs. 767.25 Cr. with Rs. 474 Cr. as Central Share to be met from Nirbhaya Fund.
• The Cabinet further approved the continuation of the Scheme of FTSCs for two years i.e. up to March, 2023 with a total budgetary outlay of Rs. 1572.86 Cr. with Rs.971.70 Cr. as central share.

Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS)

• NHAI Upgrades ATMS Standards for Enhanced Road Safety and Digital Enforcement
• Harnessing latest advancements in AI technology, the initiative will enhance road safety and digital enforcement on National Highways and Expressways.

Video Incident Detection and Enforcement System (VIDES)

• The enhancements include replacing previous VIDS cameras with the newly introduced Video Incident Detection and Enforcement System (VIDES) to emphasize the digital enforcement of traffic rules.
• VIDES has capability to identify 14 distinct incidents including triple riding, helmet and seatbelt violations, wrong lane or direction driving, presence of animals on the highway, and pedestrian crossings. Depending on the detected incident
• VIDES will alert route patrol vehicles or ambulances, generate e-challans, relay alerts to nearby Variable Messaging Boards, or send notifications through the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile app to nearby travellers.
• For comprehensive coverage, these cameras are slated for installation every 10 km along National Highways, with state-of-the-art Command & Control Centres at every 100 km integrating various camera feeds.
• Apart from this, Vehicle Speed Detection System (VSDS) is now integrated into VIDES, optimizing use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
• ATMS deployment may also play an active role in disaster management by providing inputs for effective planning and implementation.
• It will also provide online sharing of highway status and other important information that will help both the agencies and the highway users.

 IndiaSkills 2023-24

• Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, launched the IndiaSkills 2023-24 and felicitated the World Skills 2022 Winners
• India has secured 11th position in the global competition, the best-ever ranking so far.

Know! about World Skills Competition

• WorldSkills Competition is the largest skill competition in the world, held once every two years.
• It is conducted by WorldSkills International, which has 86 member countries.
• These competitions provide both a benchmark for high performance and an objective way to assess vocational excellence.
• The duration of the competition duration is 4 days spanning 16 to 22 hours.
• WorldSkills competition 2022 was conducted from September to November 2022 across Europe, North America, and East Asia comprising over 1,000 competitors from 58 countries in 61 skills.
• The competition was hosted by 15 countries in more than 20 cities.
• India participated in 50 skills and secured 11th position with 2 Silver Medals, 3 Bronze Medals and 13 Medallions for Excellence at the WSC 2022

Know! about World Skills International

• It is an international charity that organises world and national championships for vocational skills and is held every two years in different parts of the world, and also hosts conferences about vocational skills.
• WorldSkills describes itself as the global hub for skills.
• The aims of the competitions include demonstrating the advantages of learning a vocational skill, and encouraging ‘parity of esteem’ between vocational and academic qualifications
• WorldSkills International, formerly known as the International Vocational Training Organization (IVTO), was founded in the 1940s with the goal of creating new employment opportunities for young people in some of the economies that were devastated by the Second World War

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