PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (GS paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) recently.
Details:
- The PSLV-C55 mission will launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. This will be the 57th flight of PSLV and the 16th mission using the PSLV Core Alone configuration.
- The spacecraft will carry two Singaporean satellites into orbit, and an Orbital Experimental module that will conduct tests in the vacuum of space.
What is POEM?
- Dubbed PSLV Orbital Experimental Module, Poem is the spent fourth stage of the launch vehicle that would be used as an orbital platform to carry out scientific experiments through non-separating payloads.
- PSLV is a four-stage rocket, and while the first three stages are jettisoned into the ocean after they push the mission to desired orbit, the four-stage remains in orbit and becomes space junk.
- ISRO is now repurposing this fourth stage to use an experimental platform.
- The mission will carry seven non-separable payloads from ISRO, Bellatrix, Dhruva Space, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics neatly packed on this fourth stage.
How does POEM work?
- The fourth stage or the orbital experimental platform, Poem, is powered by solar panels and is fitted with its own Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) system, which helps in attitude stabilization.
- The payloads will be switched on, once the primary and the secondary satellites from Singapore are deployed in their orbits.
- The solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank will be deployed after confirmation of the stage achieving stabilization.
- The power will be provided to payloads and avionic packages based on their requirements.
Payloads:
- The payloads include PSLV In orbitaL Obc and Thermals (PiLOT), an OBC package and an Advanced Retarding Potential analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS-2) experiment from IIST, HET-based ARKA200 Electric Propulsion System from Bellatrix, DSOD-3U and DSOD-6U deployer units along with DSOL-Transceiver in S- & X- bands from Dhruva Space; and Starberry Sense Payload from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IAP).
- The Starberry has been developed to accurately identify and measure star positions in space.
Govt launches fifth round of regional air connectivity scheme 'UDAN 5.0'
(GS paper 3, Infrastructure)
Why in news?
- Under the fifth round of Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) or Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the focus will be on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and Category-3 (more than 80 seats).
Key Highlights:
- Under UDAN 5.0, viability gap funding (VGF) will be capped at 600 kilometres stage length for both priority and non-priority areas, which was earlier capped at 500 km.
- The earlier stage length cap of 600 kilometres is waived and there is no restriction on the distance between the origin and destination of the flight.
- Besides, no pre-determined routes would be offered. Only network and individual route proposals by airlines will be considered.
- This new and stronger version of the scheme will raise the momentum, connecting new routes and bring us closer to the target of operationalising 1,000 routes and 50 additional airports, heliports and water aerodromes in the near future.
New norms:
- Under UDAN 5.0, airlines would be required to submit an action/business plan after two months from the issuance of LoA (Letter of Acceptance), wherein they submit details about their aircraft acquisition plan/availability of aircraft, crew and slots at the time of the technical proposal.
- The same route will not be awarded to a single airline more than once, whether in different networks or in the same network.
- Further, exclusivity will be withdrawn if the average quarterly PLF (Passenger Load Factor) is higher than 75 per cent for four continuous quarters to prevent exploitation of the monopoly on a route.
- Airlines would be required to commence operations within four months of the award of the route. Earlier, this deadline was six months.
- The 25 per cent of the performance guarantee amount will be encashed for each month of delay up to four months to further incentivise quick operationalisation of routes.
About UDAN:
- Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) was launched as a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2016.
- It was formulated based on the review of The National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP)-2016 and it was planned to remain in force for a period of 10 years.
- Under this Scheme, Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) was created, which funds the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) requirements of the scheme through a levy on certain domestic flights.
- VGF means a grant one-time or deferred, provided to support infrastructure projects that are economically justified but fall short of financial viability.
Launch of the Inclusive Development (Samaveshi Vikaas) campaign
(GS paper 2, Governance)
Why in news?
- The Prime Minister will launch nine campaigns under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav-Inclusive Development (Samaveshi Vikaas) theme led by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Details:
- He will launch these nine campaigns under the theme Inclusive Development as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on the 24th April 2023 during the National Panchayati Raj Day at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.
- He will also launch the Website and Mobile App “Samaveshi Vikaas” on the same day.
Campaigns under the Ministry of Rural Development:
- India is observing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) till August, 2023. One of the themes under AKAM is Inclusive Development (Samaveshi Vikaas).
- Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is the lead Ministry for the same, with four other supporting Ministries/Departments of the Government of India.
- Out of the nine campaigns under this theme, five are under the Ministry of Rural Development viz.,
- Samagra Awaas under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G),
- Financial Literacy at District Level,
- Promoting Digital Transaction at Gram Panchayat Level and
- Social Mobilisation of Eligible Rural Women into Self Help Group (SHG) Network,
- Plantation Drive on River Banks under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Four other Campaigns are being led by the partnering Ministries/Departments viz.,
- Swastha Mahila- Samriddha Samaj (SMSS)- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
- Pashudhan Jagriti Abhiyan Intensive Awareness Campaign in Aspirational Districts-Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying,
- SVAMITVA, Meri Sampatti, Mera Haq- Ministry of Panchayati Raj and
- Natural Farming with SHG Women campaign-Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.
Inclusive Development theme:
- Under the Inclusive Development theme, the selection of the campaigns is focused on high-impact value and high Jan-Bhagidari potential. The campaigns are designed to have a “whole of society approach”, ensuring 100% outreach to the beneficiaries of the campaigns.
- The entire campaign is termed “Samaveshi Vikaas ”, which finds its foundation rooted in the concept of “Convergence” and “Reaching the last mile”.
- It aimed at targeted interventions through all States/UTs, districts and gram panchayats, focusing on selected campaigns in the areas of employment generation, health, social inclusion, social security and livelihood creation by each of the participating ministries/departments.
Brief about the individual Campaigns:
Samagra Awas-Convergence under PMAY-G:
- In this campaign, a sanction of additional 45 lakh PMAY-G houses over and above 2.50 Crore already sanctioned will be ensured along with the saturation of benefits provided in convergence with Schemes providing electricity, LPG, water connections and toilets in all PMAY-G houses.
Financial Literacy at District Level:
- The main purpose of this campaign is to create awareness and increase the outreach of various banking & financial services and social security schemes. The campaign will be carried out in 500 districts and is expected to provide need-based training and awareness to 2.0 crore SHG members.
- Through village-level awareness programme, about 2.5 crore SHG members will be enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and 3.0 crore under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).
- During the campaign period, 750 SAKSHAM Centres will be established across states as a one-stop solution for financial awareness, service delivery and basic grievances redressal.
Promoting Digital Transaction at GP level:
- The main purpose of this campaign is to create awareness and increase the outreach of various digital modes of transactions among women SHG members and their households.
- The nationwide campaign will be carried out to create awareness to 50,000 Gram Panchayats with 3.0 Crore number of transactions and deployment of 20,000 SHG Members as Business Correspondents Sakhi /Digipay Sakhi/ Paypoints.
Social Mobilisation of Eligible Rural Women in SHG Network:
- This Campaign aims to motivate eligible rural women to join the SHG Network, to bring eligible SHGs into VOs (Village Organisations) fold, to bring eligible VOs into Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) fold and to release capitalisation support to eligible SHGs.
- The campaign aims to mobilise a total of 10 crore rural households by end of the FY 2023-24 with an objective to bring all vulnerable and marginalised rural households under SHGs and draw benefits provided through this Government initiative.
Plantation Drive on Riverbanks:
- Under this campaign, plantation drive under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA will be conducted on the riverbanks.
- During the campaign period, around 4.0 crore plants will be planted in around 20,000 km of river banks.
Swastha Mahila Samriddha Samaj:
- This campaign is led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), which will promote health as a Credit-plus activity among Women SHGs in villages for making ‘Wellness’ a people’s movement and lay emphasis on prevention and control of cancer in women – focus on screening for breast cancer and cervical cancer.
Natural Farming with SHG Women:
- This campaign will be led by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW). The campaign will ensure the restoration of soil health, including the capture of atmospheric carbon to mitigate climate change, reversal of biodiversity loss at the farm and local ecosystem levels and maintain/recycle scarce farm resources.
Pashudhan Jagriti Abhiyan- Intensive Awareness in Aspirational Districts:
- This Campaign is being led by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DoAH&D).
- In this campaign, efforts will be made to effectively transform the 112 most under-developed districts across the country by organising around 16,000 village-level camps to spread awareness on entrepreneurship and other schemes of the Department, Scientific Management of Disease and Conducting Animal Health Camps at Aspirational districts ensuring the Jan Bhagidari.
SVAMITVA-Meri Sampatti, Mera Haq:
- This Campaign is led by Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR). The campaign aims to provide ‘Record of Rights’ to property owners in inhabited area (abadi) of a village by the use of latest drone-based survey technology under SVAMITVA Scheme.
- It aims to generate 1.50 crore “Records of Rights”/ Property Cards under SVAMITVA Scheme by August 2023.
