07.11.2023 Current Affairs

1. Indian Heritage
2. Culture
3. Modern Indian history
4. The Freedom Struggle
5. Post-independence
6. Indian Society

–, population and associated issues

– poverty and developmental issues

– urbanization

   7. Geographical features

8. Indian Constitution

9. Polity

Governors delaying crucial Bills a matter of concern, says SC

the Supreme Court on Monday expressed acute displeasure at Governors holding back key Bills, especially in non BJPruled States such as Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana, until State governments approach the top court for judicial intervention.

“This is a serious issue we should look into… Why should parties be made to approach the Supreme Court for the Governors to act. We are a democracy in operation since the birth of the Constitution. These are matters to be sorted out between the Governors and Chief Ministers. We

Twill ensure that the Constitution is complied with,” Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, heading a threejudge Bench, observed.

‘Do soulsearching’

The Chief Justice said it was time everybody, including Governors and Chief Ministers, did “a little bit of soulsearching”.

“The Governors should not be oblivious of the fact that they are not elected by the people,” he noted.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by the Punjab government accusing the Governor of sitting on seven key Bills related to subjects including fiscal and Stateaffiliated colleges.

AAP MLAs on Monday urged Arvind Kejriwal to continue as the Chief Minister even if he is arrested. The ED had summoned him on November 2 in connection with the excise case, but he skipped it. Party leaders have since voiced apprehension about the arrest of Mr. Kejriwal.

Reacting to a video shared by the BJP, in which a man claims that he is the real owner of Mahadev app and had paid ₹508 crore to Bhupesh Baghel, the Chhattisgarh CM has alleged that the BJP is now fighting poll with the help of the 

10. Governance

Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission at a ceremony held today (November 6, 2023) at 1000 hrs at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

How is Central Information Commission constituted

• Under the provision of Section-12 of RTI Act 2005 the Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette,constitute a body to be known as the Central Information Commission.
• The Central Information Commission shall consist of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and such number of Central Information Commissioners not exceeding 10 as may be deemed necessary.

What is the eligibility criteria and what is the process of appointment of CIC/IC

• Section 12(3) of the RTI Act 2005 provides as follows.
  (i) The Prime Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee;
  (ii) The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha ; and
  (iii). A Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
• Section 12(5) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology,social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance.
• Section 12(6) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall not be a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory as the case may be , or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.

Term of office , salaries of the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission

• Term of office —The Chief Information Commissioner, or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, shall hold office for a period of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office.
• Retirement from parent service on appointment —The Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, who on the date of his appointment to the Commission, was in the service of the Central or a State Government, shall be deemed to have retired from such service with effect from the date of his appointment as Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission.
• Pay.—
  • The Chief Information Commissioner shall receive a pay of Rs. 2,50,000 (Rupees two lakh and fifty thousand)(fixed) per mensem.
  • An Information Commissioner shall receive a pay of Rs. 2,25,000 (Rupees two lakh and twenty five thousand) (fixed) per mensem.
  • In case the Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, at the time of his appointment is, in receipt of any pension, the pay of such Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, shall be reduced by the amount of that pension including any portion of pension which was commuted and pension equivalent of other forms of retirement benefits excluding pension equivalent of retirement gratuity;
  • In case the Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, at the time of his appointment, is in receipt of retirement benefits in respect of any previous service rendered in Corporation established by or under any Central Act or State Act or a Government company owned or controlled by the Central Government or the State Government, his pay in respect of the service as the Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioners, as the case may be, shall be reduced by the amount of pension equivalent to the retirement benefits.

What are the powers and functions of Information Commissions

·        Complaints

Section-18. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall be the duty of the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, to receive and inquire into a complaint from any person,—

• (a) Who has been unable to submit a request to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, either by reason that no such officer has been appointed under this Act, or because the Central Assistant Public Information Officer or State Assistant Public Information Officer, as the case may be, has refused to accept his or her application for information or appeal under this Act for forwarding the same to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer or senior officer specified in sub-section (1) of section 19 or the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be;
  • (b) Who has been refused access to any information requested under this Act;
  • (c)Who has not been given a response to a request for information or access to information within the time limit specified under this Act;
  • (d) Who has been required to pay an amount of fee which he or she considers unreasonable;
  • (e) Who believes that he or she has been given incomplete, misleading or false information under this Act; and
  • (f) In respect of any other matter relating to requesting or obtaining access to records under this Act.
• (2) Where the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission,as the case may be, is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to inquire into the matter, it may initiate an inquiry in respect thereof.
• (3) The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall, while inquiring into any matter under this section, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in respect of the following matters, namely:—
  • (a) Summoning and enforcing the attendance of persons and compel them to give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce the documents or things;
  • (b) Requiring the discovery and inspection of documents;
  • (c) Receiving evidence on affidavit;
  • (d) Requisitioning any public record or copies thereof from any court or office;
  • (e) Issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents; and
  • (f) Any other matter, which may be prescribed.
• (4) Notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any other Act of Parliament or State Legislature, as the case may be, the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, may, during the inquiry of any complaint under this Act, examine any record to which this Act applies which is under the control of the public authority, and no such record may be withheld from it on any ground.

·        Appeals : Section-19 –

• (1) Any person who, does not receive a decision within the time specified in sub-section (1) or clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 7, or is aggrieved by a decision of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, may within thirty days from the expiry of such period or from the receipt of such a decision prefer an appeal to such officer who is senior in rank to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer as the case may be, in each public authority:
  Provided that such officer may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of thirty days if he or she is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.
  • (2) Where an appeal is preferred against an order made by a Central Public Information Officer or a State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, under section 11 to disclose third party information, the appeal by the concerned third party shall be made within thirty days from the date of the order.
  • (3) A second appeal against the decision under sub-section (1) shall lie within ninety days from the date on which the decision should have been made or was actually received, with the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission:
    Provided that the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of ninety days if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.
  • (4) If the decision of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, against which an appeal is preferred relates to information of a third party, the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall give a reasonable opportunity of being heard to that third party.
  • (5) In any appeal proceeding, the onus to prove that a denial of a request was justified shall be on the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, who denied the request.
  • (6) An appeal under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be disposed of within thirty days of the receipt of the appeal or within such extended period not exceeding a total of forty-five days from the date of filing thereof, as the case may be, for reasons to be recorded in writing.
  • (7) The decision of the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall be binding.
  • (8) In its decision, the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, has the power to—
    (a) Require the public authority to take any such steps as may be necessary to secure compliance with the provisions of this Act, including—
    (i) By providing access to information, if so requested, in a particular form;
    (ii) By appointing a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be;
    (iii) By publishing certain information or categories of information;
    (iv)By making necessary changes to its practices in relation to the maintenance, management and destruction of records;
    (v) By enhancing the provision of training on the right to information for its officials;
    (vi) By providing it with an annual report in compliance with clause (b) of subsection (1) of section 4;
    (b) Require the public authority to compensate the complainant for any loss or other detriment suffered;
    (c) Impose any of the penalties provided under this Act;
    (d) Reject the application.
  • (9) The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall give notice of its decision, including any right of appeal, to the complainant and the public authority.)
  • (10) The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall decide the appeal in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed.

·        Penalties : Section-20 –

• (1) Where the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, at the time of deciding any complaint or appeal is of the opinion that the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, has, without any reasonable cause, refused to receive an application for information or has not furnished information within the time specified under sub-section (1) of section 7 or malafidely denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information, it shall impose a penalty of two hundred and fifty rupees each day till application is received or information is furnished, so however, the total amount of such penalty shall not exceed twenty-five thousand rupees:
  Provided that the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard before any penalty is imposed on him
  Provided further that the burden of proving that he acted reasonably and diligently shall be on the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer.
• (2) Where the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, at the time of deciding any complaint or appeal is of the opinion that the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, has, without any reasonable cause and persistently, failed to receive an application for information or has not furnished information within the time specified under sub-section (1) of section 7 or malafidely denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information, it shall recommend for disciplinary action against the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, under the service rules applicable to him.

– institutions

– regulatory

– Government policies

– role of NGOs

– measures

11. Social Justice

Vishwakarma Yojana

The program was inaugurated by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, today. During the inauguration, he emphasized the critical components of the PM Vishwakarma Yojana and said, “In the pursuit of building a skilled and empowered workforce, the Master Trainers and Assessors Program under PM Vishwakarma, is a significant step towards equipping our nation with the knowledge and expertise it needs. These Master Trainers, as torchbearers of knowledge and innovation, will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our country.”

“Their dedication and expertise will not only enrich the skill set of our workforce but also contribute to the realization of Prime Minister Vishwakarma’s vision for a self-reliant, technologically advanced, and prosperous India. Together, we will empower our citizens and collectively forge a skilled India for the 21st century,” he further added.

PM Vishwakarma scheme ensures recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificates and ID cards, skill upgrading through skill verification, basic skilling, advanced skill training, entrepreneurial knowledge, toolkit incentives up to Rs. 15,000, credit support up to Rs. 3,00,000, and incentives for digital transactions. The program will also provide marketing and branding support by the National Committee of Marketing (NCM).

Master trainers will be trained to deliver the PM Vishwakarma scheme with a focus on enhancing the quality and expanding the reach of products and services crafted by artisans and skilled craftspeople. Their primary objective will be to ensure the seamless integration of Vishwakarmas into both the domestic and global value chains. The overarching goal of this initiative is to provide comprehensive support to artisans and craftspeople, facilitating their progression up the value chain in their respective trades.

These trainers will receive training on various aspects, including conducting engaging orientation sessions for program beneficiaries, comprehending the scope of their work, and aiding participants in recognizing entrepreneurial qualities through behavioral exercises and real-life case studies. Moreover, the master trainers will be familiarized with a range of government support schemes that Vishwakarmas can leverage for financial assistance. They will also be trained to further train the Vishwakarmas become well-versed in the procedures and formalities associated with bank financing. This training will empower them to comprehend the policies and guidelines followed by financial institutions and lending processes in a structured and methodical manner.

Furthermore, these trainers will be equipped to assist participants in comprehending the different components of a business plan. They will be adept at elucidating the nature of the business, developing a sound sales and marketing strategy, outlining the financial background, and constructing a projected profit and loss statement.

As per PM Vishwakarma Guidelines highlighting the Guru – Shishya Parampara the Master Trainers will be oriented on how to use the trade specific equipments and tools for practical training. Modern training audio-visual tools will supplement the training.  Practical training in the usage of every tool will be provided. Orientation will be given  on how to improve by inculcating modern designs and time optimization.

The Master Trainer would be oriented on how to use the Trainee and Trainer Handbooks created for every Trade. Each trade training will be delivered in classroom mode. Industry experts may be called for a session during trade training.

 

 

– Welfare schemes

– Health

– Education

– Human Resources

– poverty and hunger

12. International relations

the difficult situation in West Asia and Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Prime Minister expressed deep concern at the terrorist incidents, violence and loss of civilian lives. He reiterated India’s longstanding and consistent position on the Israel-Palestine issue

The cult of operational superiority, from Israel to India

srael’s prevailing security policy has collapsed. For decades it projected a mirage of ruthless sophistication, as it repeatedly and confidently cut its Palestinian enemies down to size. But the unspeakable horrors of October 7, 2023 have prompted a visceral retaliation in

Gaza, that brings stillunknown risks of escalation on other fronts, and the unprecedented suffering of innocent civilians that will ricochet through generations. The catastrophe should prompt a fundamental rethink of Israel’s strategic concepts — and carries dire warnings for India, too.

IManaging rather than solving

Every couple of years, starting in 2008, Israel launched limited air campaigns into Gaza, to degrade the military capabilities — from rocket launchers to tunnels — of Hamas and other militants. Every couple of years, it would kill and destroy just enough of Hamas’s people and power to keep the rockets silenced, and the threat contained. A tenuous peace would return to the skies over Israel. This strategic “concept” based on periodic attrition seemed to work. But in fact Israel’s military virtuosity masked the reality that its approach was bereft of a political plan.

Israel was managing, not seeking to solve, the problem of Palestinian resistance, from which its terrorist enemies sprouted.

In parallel with the routine military campaigns, the government of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abandoned the twostate solution and actively undermined it. His cynical ploy was to sabotage politics, by strengthening extremists such as Hamas at the expense of more credible and popular Palestinian forces, especially the Palestinian Authority (PA) that nominally ran the West Bank. Mr. Netanyahu sought to keep the Palestinians hopelessly divided, the PA weak, and to thereby stall the political process for addressing the IsraelPalestine dispute. And he succeeded.

Managing a strategic threat through purely military means can work — until the adversary finds a way in. Israel’s strategic concept of periodic attrition only ever addressed Palestinian groups’ capabilities, never their political intent. It was based on an assumption of unassailable

Indian juggernaut

One did not quite expect such a meek surrender by the South African cricket team to India in Kolkata. The optimism of our players as successful chasers has been established. Immaculate fielding and absolute consistency while batting and bowling have helped them harvest runs. is Research Scholar, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University, U.S.

Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja deserve encomiums for their outstanding bowling. India’s advance to the final seems to be a clear path.

R. Pichumani,

Thippirajapuram, Tamil Nadu

In cricket parlance they say that fast bowlers hunt in pairs, but we seem to have

Israeli power — a belief that operational superiority alone can deliver strategic effects.

Indeed Israel’s operational superiority does provide something of a guarantee — Hamas poses no existential threat to Israel. But short of that, as Hamas showed on October 7, a weaker and highly resolved enemy can still inflict untold physical harm, let alone massive national dislocation. Relying on a cult of operational superiority, while ignoring the problem’s political roots, invites the adversary to hold fast to its unshakeable beliefs, cling to violence as the only mode of politics, and to keep trying until it finally lands a meaningful blow.

This should sound familiar to Indian ears.

India’s handling of Pakistan

For almost a decade, aside from some initial feelers, the Narendra Modi government has treated Pakistan as little more than an irritant to an unstoppably rising India. In defence matters, this has included some commendable efforts. Facing a more urgent threat on the China border, in 2021 India resuscitated the Line of Control ceasefire, and it retasked a dedicated Pakistanfacing Strike Corps to the China border. More could be done to rightsize the military’s focus on Pakistan, which, for decades, has been a sink of resources and military attention.

But India was also seduced by the cult of operational superiority. Just as in Israel’s case, the core of this concept suggests that a more powerful actor can apply periodic attrition to manage its threats. India has procured new technologies such as the SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact, CostEffective) missiles, adopted new punitive attack options such as in Balakot, and may even be involved in the mysterious assassinations of several antiIndia terrorist leaders in Pakistan. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, some or all of these impressive capabilities are products of India’s closer relationship with Israel. They make India stronger; but by themselves they only enable successful tactics, not effective strategy.

Meanwhile, India has rejected the notion of addressing the threat politically. New Delhi abrogated Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomous an Indian pace trio that is hunting in a pack like wolves. The opposition batsmen are not given any breathing space. Mohammed Shiraj, Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are relentless and there is a clinical display of seam and swing bowling by them.

Bal Govind,

Noida, Uttar Pradesh status in 2019, signalling that the Kashmir dispute is now irrevocably nonnegotiable, and maintains that it will not reopen talks with Pakistan as long as crossborder terrorism exists. This seems like a reasonable position. India has a thriving economy, is diplomatically courted by the world, and brims with the promise of technologyfuelled dynamism. Why should it get bogged down in a torturous process, full of spoilers, where any deal may not be enforceable?

The answer lies in Israel. Ignoring the political interests at the heart of a rivalry only invites the adversary to dig in and try harder.

A political process may have dividends

Dialogue will not extinguish the Pakistan Army’s entrenched antiIndia ideology, and even less, the fervour of its terrorist allies. But détente has broken out among inveterate rivals before — including between Israel and its older Arab enemies, most recently Saudi Arabia. Similarly, Pakistan’s Army and political elite could conceivably gain a stake in at least calming tensions with India and distancing themselves from extremist groups. They have incentives in buttressing economic stability, building capacity to counter antistate terrorism, and reducing their dependence on China.

A grand bargain may be elusive, but starting a political process could address a range of pressing issues, from nuclear and missile confidencebuilding measures, to coordination on Afghanistan, and opening the spigot on trade and investment.

We have seen, in the past month, the costs of ignoring politics. A weaker and highlyresolved adversary can still cause untold harm. The cult of operational superiority has produced only more intractable insecurity for Israel, more devastating loss for Gazans, and possibly ripples of war across the region. Next to India, Pakistan is in the midst of seemingly endless internal tumult, and hosts a roiling soup of violent extremism. And it has nuclear weapons. By all means, New Delhi must maintain and reinforce deterrence through the full spectrum of conflict. But managing a strategic threat through purely military means works only until the adversary finds a way in.

Managing a strategic threat through purely military means works only until the adversary finds a way in, as Tel Aviv has learnt and New Delhi must note

India, Bhutan to discuss new routes of regional connectivity

King Jigme Khesar holds talks with PM; the two sides agree to go ahead with the final survey for the 58km crossborder rail link between Gelephu and Kokrajhar in Assam; they will also explore a second rail link between Bhutan and West Bengal ndia and Bhutan agreed to discuss new routes of regional connectivity and upgrade border and immigration posts to support Bhutan’s fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s plans for a smart city at Gelephu on the border between Bhutan and Assam, after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.

While no mention was made of India’s overhanging concerns over Bhutan’s border delimitation agreement process with China, the Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders “held discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and regional and global issues of mutual interest”.

Apart from a decision to go ahead with the final survey for the 58km crossborder rail link between Gelephu and Kokrajhar in Assam to be built by India, the two sides agreed to explore a second rail link for about 18 km between Samtse in Bhutan and Ba

Inarhat in West Bengal tea gardens area. India also agreed to allow Bhutanese trade items to be carried further on from Haldibari in West Bengal to Chilahati in Bangladesh. The rail connectivity could in the future assist air connectivity for Indians in the northeast as well, as Bhutan plans to build an international airport at Gelephu as part of the larger Sarpang district Special Economic Zone, new initiative expected to be announced by the Bhutanese King on December 17.

“[The Bhutanese King] shared valuable perspective and insights on ongoing reforms process under way in Bhutan,” said a joint statement issued by both countries at the end of the meeting. “Prime Minister [Modi] reaffirmed India’s abiding commitment to its unique ties of friendship and cooperation with Bhutan and reiterated continued and full support to the socioeconomic development in Bhutan based on the priorities of the Royal Government and as per the vision of His Majesty,” it added.

Development assistance

The Bhutanese King also thanked the government for its development assis

tance for Bhutan’s 12th FiveYear plan, (20182023) that ended on October 31 this year, and India reiterated its commitment to support the new 13th FiveYear Plan as well.

Apart from the goahead for the two short distance crossborder rail link projects, India and Bhutan agreed to designate the DarrangaSamdrup Jongkhar border crossing between Assam and Bhutan’s less developedSouth Eastern district as an immigration check post, so as to allow third country nationals to enter and exit as well “for enhancing connectivity, and promoting tourism”, the joint statement said.

In particular, the two sides agreed to strengthen trade infrastructure with the upgrade of an existing land customs station at Dadgiri (Assam) to a modernised “Integrated Check Post” (ICP) along with “development of facilities on the Bhutanese side at Gelephu”.

Easing travel between the two countries, and allowing further exchanges to Bangladesh is expected

 

 

 

– India and its neighbourhood

– groupings and agreements

– Indian diaspora

– International institutions

13. Economic Development

World Food India 2023 Drives Industry Collaboration and Investment

The event was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 3^rd November disbursing Seed Capital Assistance for over one lakh SHG members. He emphasized the event’s role in presenting India as the ‘food basket of the world’ and commemorating 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Applauding the technology and startup pavilion and food street, the Prime Minister emphasized their role in shaping the future economy. Recognizing the food processing sector as a ‘sunrise sector,’ he highlighted its attraction of over Rs 50,000 crore in foreign direct investment over nine years. He underscored the impact of the PLI scheme and ongoing projects under the Agri-Infra Fund, emphasizing investments of thousands of crores in processing frastructure for fisheries and animal husbandry.

The Mega Food Event, held with the support of ten Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, six commodity boards, and 25 states, attracted significant attention from international and domestic stakeholders. The event featured a remarkable turnout of 1208 exhibitors, 14 country pavilions, and notable participation from 715 international buyers, 218 domestic buyers, and 97 corporate leaders. Spanning an expansive area of 50,000 square meters across seven exhibition halls, the event provided a comprehensive platform for showcasing the latest advancements in the food processing industry. 14 country delegations, including seven Ministerial delegations participated in the event. The event’s global appeal was further reinforced by the distinguished participation of The Netherlands as the Partner Country and Japan as the Focus Country.

– Government Budgeting

– agricultural produce

– industrial

– Infrastructure

– Investment models

– issues

14. Technology

Newly developed affordable radiative paint can reduce electricity consumption for cooling buildings

A new affordable, eco-friendly radiative cooling paint, specifically engineered to effectively cool structures like buildings, pavers, and tiles in hot weather conditions can diminish electricity consumption and offer essential relief during sweltering summer days.

Cooling technologies are an integral part of human life due to the increased global warming and urban heat island effects. Active cooling devices such as air-conditioners (AC), electric fans, and refrigerators consume enormous electrical energy. Along with this vast energy demand, active cooling devices also emit a large proportion of greenhouse gases, leading to an increase in the earth’s surface temperature. To circumvent these challenges, radiative cooling technology has been developed that provides cool surfaces by emitting thermal radiation directly to the cold universe (around 3K) through the atmospheric transmission window (8 – 13 µm) without electricity consumption. As a result, passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) has drawn much interest recently for many applications such as pavers, tiles, building and automobile cooling, solar cell, and personal thermal management.

At the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru, researchers, led by Professor Bivas Saha in collaboration with Prasanna Das, Sourav Rudra, Krishna Chand Maurya, have introduced a groundbreaking radiative cooling paint. Developed from a novel MgO-PVDF polymer nanocomposite, this low-cost, solution-processed paint demonstrates significant cooling capabilities with an high solar reflectivity and infrared thermal emissivity. The experimental findings by scientists of JNCASR, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have shown that the surface temperature of a treated paver decreases by approximately 10°C under intense sunlight– almost double of the reduction that conventional white paints give.

The researchers developed polymer nanocomposite paint by using a simple solution-processed technique. They used ultra-white and ultra-emissive magnesium oxide (MgO)-polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nano-composite prepared from materials that are earth abundant, cheap, non-toxic and non-harmful. Initially, polymer powders were transformed into a solution using solvent and then, dielectric nanoparticles are dispersed inside the polymer matrix. After preparation, different spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the optical properties of the prepared polymer nanocomposite paint. By measuring the temperature of the paint using a thermocouple, excellent cooling performance was demonstrated under hot sunlight.

The optimized MgO-PVDF with a dielectric nanoparticles resulted in large solar reflectance of 96.3% and a record high thermal emission of 98.5% due to Mg─O bond vibrations, and other stretching/bonding vibrations from the polymer. The nanocomposite paint exhibited water-resistant hydrophobic properties and can be easily coated on pavers, wood sticks and so on with high uniformity and good adhesion.

“Our innovative research has led to the development of a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable paint capable of reducing surface temperatures (including buildings, tiles, pavers, etc.) by over 10°C during hot summer days. With the straightforward application of this paint, we envision it offering significant respite during scorching summer days, benefiting both urban and rural areas alike.” said Prof. Bivas Saha, Associate Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research.

 

15. Environment

 

16. Security

INDIAN NAVY’S PROJECT 15B WARSHIP

 The crest of Surat depicts the famous lighthouse at Hazira (Surat), located at southern entrance of the Gulf of Khambhat. Built in 1836, this lighthouse was one of the first lighthouses in India. The Asiatic lion on the crest, which is also the state animal of Gujarat, symbolises the ship’s majesty and strength. Equipped with the latest advancements in naval warfare technology and combat capabilities, the warship Surat stands as a powerful embodiment of the navy’s commitment to maritime security and national defence. This is well depicted by the wavy sea depicted on the crest. On the threshold of joining the Indian Navy’s fleet, Surat promises to serve as a formidable sentinel, safeguarding the nation’s maritime frontiers and upholding its strategic interests in the region

Named after the vibrant city of Surat, renowned for its rich maritime history and shipbuilding legacy, the warship Surat also embodies the enterprising and self- reliant spirit of its namesake.

The fourth ship of the indigenously designed and constructed Project 15B (Vishakhapatnam Class) destroyers, Surat represents a remarkable leap in naval technology and capabilities. The ship has been constructed using innovative block construction methodology, wherein the ship’s hull has been assiduously assembled at distinct geographical locations before being integrated at the Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. While also highlighting intricate precision and engineering excellence, this methodology underscores the growing refinement of India’s shipbuilding prowess.

Project 15B follows the success of the Project 15A (Kolkata Class) and serves as a testament to India’s steadily growing naval prowess. Construction of the warship Surat exemplifies the nation’s dedication to indigenous cutting-edge maritime technology and commitment to strategic military advancements.