April 20th Current Affairs

1. SpO2 based Supplemental Oxygen Delivery System.

IN NEWS:

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed SpO2 (Blood Oxygen Saturation) supplemental Oxygen Delivery System for soldiers posted at extreme high-altitude areas.

KEY POINTS:

About the System

• The system was developed by the Defence Bio-Engineering and Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL) located in Bengaluru. It operates under DRDO.
• The system delivers supplementary oxygen based on the Blood Saturation levels. This will help soldiers from sinking into a state of Hypoxia. Hypoxia is fatal in many cases.

Supplemental Oxygen Delivery System in COVID-19

• The system shall also be used to provide medical oxygen to COVID-19 patients. India is now on high demand of medical oxygen with COVID-19 cases increasing at great level.
• The Government of India is to establish 162 oxygen manufacturing plants that will provide medical oxygen, especially to hospitals in rural.
• Of these, 100 are to be funded by the PM-CARES fund. Also, India is to import 50,000 tonnes of Oxygen.

What is Hypoxia?

Hypoxia is the state where oxygen reaching the tissues is inadequate. The same condition occurs in COVID-19.

About Supplementary Oxygen Delivery System

• The electronics hardware of the system has been designed to work at extremely low temperature, low humidity and low barometric pressures.
• It reads the SpO2 levels of the person through a wrist worn pulse oximeter. The levels are read through wireless interface.
• Based on the levels of SpO2, the solenoid valve is adjusted to supply oxygen to the person.
• The system supplies oxygen through nasal nares.
• The system is available in different sizes from one litre and one kilogram weight supplying 150 litres of Oxygen to ten litres and ten kilogram weight supplying 1,500 litres of oxygen.
• It supplies oxygen for 750 minutes at a flow rate of two litres per minute.
• It is of low weight.
• The design has been sent for bulk production.

Benefits

The oximeter is completely automatic and thus can be deployed in households. This is because, it gives an alarm for lower SpO2 levels.

SOURCE:PIB

• Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

IN NEWS:

NASA’s miniature robot helicopter Ingenuity performed a successful takeoff and landing on Mars. It was the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

About Ingenuity:

• Ingenuity is the first helicopter to fly on Mars.
• It was carried by NASA’s rover called Perseverance that was launched in July 2020.
• Ingenuity is able to fly using counter-rotating blades that spin at about 2,400 rpm (Rotations Per Minute).
• It has a wireless communication system, and is equipped with computers, navigation sensors, and two cameras.
• It is solar-powered, able to charge on its own.

Mission of the Helicopter:

• The helicopter’s mission is experimental in nature and completely independent of the rover’s science mission.
• It will help collect samples from the surface from locations where the rover cannot reach.

SOURCE:IE

3. Webinar on “Khajuraho – Temples of Architectural Splendour” under Dekho Apna Desh

IN NEWS:

The Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series held its 85th webinar titled “Khajuraho-Temples of Architectural Splendour”on17th April 2021.

KEY POITNS:

• India a land resounds with the riches and glories of opulent dynasties, powerful rulers, flourishing civilisations, and profound history.
• India has a splendid heritage that is reflected in its architecture, monuments, arts, crafts & cultures.
• The forts, ancient temples, monuments, grand palaces etc.testifies the grandeur of time gone by and it acts as inventories of India’s seamless past.
• The magnificence of the structures in the country that UNESCO has identified several of them as World Heritage Sites and among it is one such architectural marvel and that is temples of Khajuraho.Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

About Khajuraho Temples:

• Khajuraho Temples (in Madhya Pradesh) are among the most beautiful medieval monuments in the country.
• Built between 950-1050 AD by the Chandela Dynasty.
• The monuments include Hindu and Jain temples.
• The temple site is situated within Vindhya Mountain range.
• These Temples got the status of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 1986.
• The temples are famous for their Nagara-style architectural symbolism.
• Reported for the first time by Abu Rihan al Biruni in AD 1022 and the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta in AD 1335.

SOURCE:PIB

4.Startup India Seed Fund Scheme:

IN NEWS:
Minister of Railways, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution Shri PiyushGoyal today launched the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

About the Startup seed fund:

• The Fund aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, and commercialization.
• 945 Crore corpus will be divided over the next 4 years for providing seed funding to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India.
• The scheme is expected to support an estimated 3,600 startups through 300 incubators.
• Nodal Department: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Significance:

• The SISFS will Secure seed funding, Inspire innovation, Support transformative ideas, Facilitate implementation, and Start startup revolution.
• The Scheme will create a robust startup ecosystem, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns of India, which are often deprived of adequate funding.

Need for the scheme:

• Easy availability of capital is essential for entrepreneurs at the early stages of growth of an enterprise.
• Funding from angel investors and venture capital firms becomes available to startups only after the proof of concept has been provided. Similarly, banks provide loans only to asset-backed applicants.
• It is essential to provide seed funding to startups with an innovative idea to conduct proof of concept trials.

SOURCE:PIB

5. Cities combating plastic entering the marine environment’

IN NEWS:

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety signed an agreement on Technical Cooperation titled ‘Cities Combating Plastic Entering the Marine Environment’ at a virtual ceremony in New Delhi.

KEY POINTS:

• This project is envisaged under the contours of the Joint Declaration of Intent regarding cooperation in the field of ‘Prevention of Marine Litter’ signed between Republic of India and Federal Republic of Germany in 2019.
• The project, aimed at enhancing practices to prevent plastic entering the marine environment, will be undertaken at the national level (at MoHUA), select states and UTs (Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and in the cities of Kanpur, Kochi and Port Blair for a period of three and a half years.
• The project’s outcomes are completely in line with the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban focusing on sustainable solid waste management.

Effects of marine litter:

• Marine litter threatens ecosystems and adversely affects fishery and tourism industries around the globe.
• It affects public health with increased concerns about micro-plastic and risk of particles entering the food chain.
• It is estimated that 15-20% of all plastics are entering oceans via riverine ecosystems of which 90% are contributed by 10 of the world’s most polluting rivers. Two of these river systems are located in India, namely Ganga and Brahmaputra.

SOURCE:PIB