Chandrayaan-2 finds abundance of sodium on moon for first time (GS Paper 2, Science and Tech)
Why in news?
- The X-ray spectrometer ‘CLASS’ on the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter has mapped an abundance of sodium on the moon for the first time, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Details:
- Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (C1XS) detected sodium from its characteristic line in X-rays which opened up the possibility of mapping the amount of sodium on the Moon.
- The Chandrayaan-2 mapped the abundance of sodium on the Moon for the very first time using CLASS (Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer).
- Built at the UR Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in Bengaluru, CLASS provides clean signatures of the sodium line due to its high sensitivity and performance.
Sodium atoms on lunar surface:
- The study finds that a part of the signal could be arising from a thin veneer of sodium atoms weakly bound to the lunar grains.
- These sodium atoms can be nudged out of the surface by solar wind or ultraviolet radiation more easily than if they were part of the lunar minerals.
- Also shown is a diurnal variation of the surface sodium that would explain the continuous supply of atoms to the exosphere, sustaining it.
Exosphere:
- An interesting aspect that widens the interest in this alkali element is its presence in the wispy atmosphere of the moon, a region so thin that the atoms there rarely meet.
- This region, termed an ‘exosphere’, begins at the surface of the moon and extends several thousand kilometres merging into the interplanetary space.
Way Forward:
- The new findings from Chandrayaan-2, provide an avenue to study surface-exosphere interaction on the moon, which would aid development of similar models for mercury and other airless bodies in our solar system and beyond.
Cheetah Task Force constituted
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has constituted a Task Force for monitoring Cheetah introduction in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh and other suitable designated areas.
Key Highlights:
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) would facilitate the working of Cheetah Task Force and render all necessary help.
- The Task Force shall be in-force for a period of two years.
- This task force may appoint a subcommittee to regularly visit the Cheetah introduction area as and when decided by them.
Cheetah restoration in India:
- Cheetah restoration is part of a prototype or model for restoration of original cheetah habitats and their biodiversity. This will help to stem the degradation and rapid loss of biodiversity.
- Bringing back a top predator restores historic evolutionary balance resulting in cascading effects on various levels of the eco-system. Bringing the cheetah back is expected to have important conservation ramifications.
- The cheetah has been the evolutionary natural selection force that has shaped the adaptation of high speeds in Indian antelopes and gazelles.
- By restoring cheetah, it would also be able to save not only its prey base comprising certain threatened species, but also other endangered species of the grasslands / open forest eco-systems, some of which are on the brink of extinction.
The Task Force has been constituted to:
- Review, progress and monitor the health status of Cheetah, upkeep of the quarantine & soft release enclosures, protection status of entire area, adherence to the defined protocols by forest & veterinary officials and advice on Cheetah introduction in India to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and NTCA on status of Cheetah with respect to overall health, behavior and their upkeep.
- Monitor hunting skills and adaptation of Cheetahs to the habitat of Kuno National Park.
- Monitor release of Cheetah from Quarantine bomas to soft release enclosures and then to grass land and open forest areas.
- Open Cheetah habitat for eco-tourism and suggest regulations in this regard.
- Suggest and advice on development of tourism infrastructure in the fringe areas of Kuno National Park and other Protected Areas.
- Regularly interact with Cheetah mitras and local communities for their awareness raising and also involvement in protection of Cheetahs in particular & area in general.
The members of the Task Force include:
- The nine member task force will include Principal Secretaries, Forests and Tourism of Madhya Pradesh, and the Inspector General of NTCA, New Delhi Dr. Amit Mallick.
Background:
- Eight cheetahs were brought to India from Namibia on September 172022 on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, 70 years after they were declared extinct in the country and were released in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park in Sheopur and Morena districts.
Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) notified
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Why in news?
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry has notified the establishment of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) for providing credit guarantees to loans extended by Scheduled Commercial Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).
Details:
- CGSS is aimed at providing credit guarantee up to a specified limit against loans extended by Member Institutions (MIs) to finance eligible borrowers viz. Startups as defined in the Gazette Notification issued by DPIIT and amended from time to time.
- The credit guarantee cover under the Scheme would be transaction based and umbrella based.
- The exposure to individual cases would be capped at Rs. 10 crore per case or the actual outstanding credit amount, whichever is less.
Transaction-based guarantee cover:
- In respect of transaction-based guarantee cover, the guarantee cover is obtained by the MIs on single eligible borrower basis.
- Transaction based guarantees will promote lending by Banks/ NBFCs to eligible startups.
- The extent of transaction-based cover will be 80% of the amount in default if the original loan sanction amount is up to Rs. 3 crore, 75% of the amount in default if the original loan sanction amount is above Rs. 3 crore, and up to Rs. 5 crore, and 65% of the amount in default if the original loan sanction amount is above Rs. 5 crore (up to Rs. 10 crore per borrower).
Umbrella-based guarantee cover:
- The umbrella-based guarantee cover will provide guarantee to Venture Debt Funds (VDF) registered under AIF regulations of SEBI (a growing segment of funding in Indian startup ecosystem), in view of the nature of funds raised by them and debt funding provided by them.
- The extent of umbrella-based cover will be the actual losses or up to a maximum of 5% of Pooled Investment on which cover is being taken from the fund in eligible startups, whichever is lower, subject to a maximum of Rs.10 crore per borrower.
Implementation:
- Along with institutional mechanisms for operationalizing the Scheme, DPIIT will be constituting a Management Committee (MC) and a Risk Evaluation Committee (REC) for reviewing, supervising and operational oversight of the Scheme.
- The National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) will be operating the Scheme.
Startup India Action Plan:
- Prime Minister launched Startup India Action Plan on 16th January 2016 to lay the foundation of Government support, schemes and incentives envisaged to create a vibrant startup ecosystem in the country.
- The Action Plan envisaged a Credit Guarantee Scheme to catalyze entrepreneurship through credit to innovators and encourage banks and other member institutions in the ecosystem for providing venture debt to startups.
- A dedicated credit guarantee for DPIIT recognisedstartupswill address the issue of unavailability of collateral free loan and enable flow of financial assistance to innovative startups through their journey to becoming full-fledged business entities.
- The Scheme further reiterates Government’s focus towards promoting innovation and fostering entrepreneurship for making Indian startup ecosystem the best in the world.
Way Forward:
- With the objective of mobilising domestic capital for Indian startups, CGSS will complement the existing Schemes under Startup India initiative viz. Fund of Funds for Startups and Startup India Seed Fund Scheme.
- The framework of CGSS has been prepared in extensive consultations with the stakeholdersover the years with line ministries, banks, NBFCs, venture debt funds, academia and experts from startup ecosystem.
- The Scheme will act as a key enabler and risk mitigation measure for the lending institutionsenabling collateral free funding to startups.
Indian Railways has adopted an integrated approach for a Green Environment
(GS Paper 3, Infrastructure)
Why in news?
- The Government of India, as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), has set a target of 33% emissions intensity reduction, with the transport sector being one of the key sectors with substantial mitigation potential.
- One of the most vital transportation emissions mitigation strategies agreed to by the Government of India was increasing the share of Indian Railways in the movement of freight from the current ~35-36% to 45% by 2030.
Indian Railways has a major role in contributing India’s NDC towards combating Climate Change through several means:
- To enhance the share of the Railways in the overall land based freight transport from present 36% to 45% by the year 2030.
- Indian Railways is setting up Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) across the country. The first phase of the project alone is estimated to reduce emissions by about 457 million ton CO2 over a 30 year period.
- Increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix.
- Railways to further improve its energy efficiency for both diesel and electric traction thereby facilitating the reduction of GHG emissions for the country.
- PAT Scheme to be implemented in railway sector.
- Use of 5% blending of biofuels in traction diesel fuel.
- Improve water use efficiency by 20% upto 2030.
- Tree plantation to increase Carbon sink.
- Waste Management and Pollution control.
- Adopting the good practices on Green Buildings, Industrial Units and other establishments for the management of resources and infrastructure to achieve Environmental Sustainability in growth of IR.
- Contribution in “Swachh Bharat Mission”.
- IR has set a target of becoming a “Net Zero” entity by 2030 by completing electrification of all railway tracks.
The reforms undertaken by Indian Railways since 2014 can be broadly categorized in following areas:
Net-Zero Carbon Emission:-
- IR has planned to gradually reduce its carbon footprint and become Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030. IR will attempt to reduce its carbon footprint primarily through sourcing of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources.
- By 2029-30, expected requirement of installation of renewable capacity would be about 30 GW. IR has installed 142 MW solar rooftop capacity and 103.4 MW of Wind energy till August, 2022.
- Other strategies towards Net Zero emitter includes taking a multi-pronged approach of Electrification of its routes, shifting from diesel to electric traction, promotion of energy efficiency, construction of Dedicated Freight Corridors, Green certification of Railway Establishments etc.
- IR has electrified 52,508 RKM out of total BG network of 65,141 RKM (80.61%).
- With 100% electrification, the demand for electricity will go up to about 72 BUs by 2029-30 from 21 BUs in 2019-20. Carbon emission by 2029-30 as per Business As Usual mode is estimated to be 60 million tons which would be offset by various measures planned by IR.
Issuance of Water Policy 2017 for effective water management:-
- Water Policy 2017 has been issued to all Zonal Railways and Production Units for implementation in Railway Stations, Trains, Railway Colonies etc.
- This is a part of overall efforts to achieve 20% reduction in water consumption by 2020 by the Government of India as part of Nationally Determined Contribution.
- Main objective of this policy are to improve water use efficiency by effective demand and supply management, installing water efficient systems and setting up Water Recycling Plants on railway land.
Creation of Additional Carbon sink by Afforestation:
- Afforestation on vacant railway land and in between sections is carried out by Railway departmentally.
- In pursuance of Railways’ commitment towards environmental improvement and sustainable development, Forest Departments of States are being involved in plantation as well as maintenance and disposal of trees.
- IR has been planting around 1 crore trees annually since 2017 onwards. 72 lakh saplings have been planted during the year 2021-22.
Waste Management:
- Waste to energy/compost/biogas plants/Material recovery facility have been set at more than 250 stations to manage waste.
- Separate bins have been provided for dry and wet waste for waste segregation at source.
Green certification/Consent to operate from State Pollution Control Board since 2015
- Around 700 Railway Stations have been certified for implementation of Environment Management System to ISO:14001
- More than 545 stations have achieved Consent to operate (CTO) from respective State Pollution Control Board.
- 31 railway buildings (including offices, training institutes, hospitals and schools), 32 stations and 55 workshops/PUs have achieved green certification.
Cleanliness of Trains & Railway Stations:-
- Cleanliness of Trains & Railway stations have gained increased thrust in last 08 years with the increasing numbers of mechanized cleaning contracts at stations & Coaches in trains, rag picking & garbage disposal contracts at stations and On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS) increased in number of trains.
Environment friendly Bio–Toilets for Passenger Coaches:-
- Environment-friendly Bio-toilets for passenger coaches have been developed by Indian Railways (IR) jointly with Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO).
- 9,587 bio-toilets were fitted in 3,647 coaches up to March 2014. With the installation of 2,58,990 bio-toilets in nearly 73,110 coaches up to March 2021, the work of fitment of bio-toilets in all the passenger carrying coaches, running on Indian Railways has been successfully completed.
- The direct discharge of human waste from trains has thus been eliminated in line with ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.
Third party Audit/Survey including Passenger feedback on Cleanliness:-
- Third Party audit cum survey on cleanliness of major stations started in 2016 and carried out again in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
- First ever Third Party audit cum survey on cleanliness of important trains was carried out in 2018.
- Such surveys provide independent assessment and also instill a sense of healthy competition in improving cleanliness in passenger interface areas.
