SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Book by BestCurrentAffairs.com for IAS Prelims 2020 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL BestCurrentAffairs.com DEVELOPMENTS The new Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy unveiled in 2013 includes a thrust for innovations in science and technology sector. Science, research and innovation system for high technology led path for India (SRISHTI) is the main policy goal. Department of Science & Technology has already established a dedicated Policy Research Cell.  The research and development in frontier areas of science and engineering has received an overwhelming support with the establishment of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).  Several new initiatives have been launched by the Board recently to reverse the brain drain at different stages of scientific careers such as Early Career Research Awards (ECRA) for young faculty for setting up laboratory facilities for quick launching of research by new faculty, around 300 candidates will be supported annually under ECRA.  A National Postdoctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) scheme will allow the best of 3000 scientists to stay in India to serve and strengthen R&D institutions, industry and universities.  A scheme for funding High Risk-High Reward Research to work on cutting-edge innovative science rather than incremental science has been launched to support upto 10 projects per year costing about ₹ 20 crores per project.  Innovation in science pursuit for inspired research (INSPIRE) is an ongoing initiative for attraction of talent for science and research.  Department of Science and Technology launched several initiatives for women in science under its flagship scheme namely KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing). Through this unique initiative, DST provides opportunity to women scientists who had break in their career, primarily due to family reasons, to pursue research in physical & mathematical sciences, chemical sciences, life sciences, earth & atmospheric sciences and engineering technology.  National Mission of Nano Science and Technology - an umbrella programme-was launched in 2007 to promote R&D in this emerging area of research in a comprehensive fashion.  National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and National Mission for Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change (NMSKCC) launched under National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) are under implementation by the Department. As part of deliverables of these national missions, six major research programmes have been initiated and supported.  National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) has been evolved as an umbrella scheme for a seamless innovation ecosystem booster.  The specific components of NIDHI are - grand challenge and competitions for scouting innovations; promotion and acceleration of young and aspiring innovators & startups (PRAYAS) - support from idea to prototype; entrepreneur in residence (EIR) - support system to reduce risk; startup-NIDHI through innovation and entrepreneurship development centres (IEDCs) in academic institutions for encouraging students to promote start-ups; start-up centre in collaboration with MHRD - inculcating a spirit of entrepreneurship in national institutions of higher learning; technology business incubator (TBI) - converting innovations to startups; accelerator-fast tracking a start-up through focused intervention; seed support system (SSS) - providing early stage investment; centres of excellence (COE) - a world class facility to help startups go global and/or scale up.  Survey of India (SOI), the national survey and mapping organisation under the Ministry of Science and Technology, was set up in 1767. The primary responsibility of SOI is to maintain topographical map coverage on 1:250K, 1:50K and l:25K scales. The topographical map coverage on l:250K and 1:50K scales covering the entire country has been completed and the map sheets are being updated at regular intervals to depict latest spatial information. Surveys on 1:25K scale were taken up as national requirement keeping in view the priorities indicated by the central/ state governments and other user agencies. It has also been called upon extensively to deploy its expertise in the field of geodetic and geophysical surveys, study of seismicity and seismotectonics, glaciology, participation in Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica and projects related to digital cartography and digital photogrammetry, etc., to provide basic data to keep pace with Science and Technology Department.  The Survey of India also provides support to other countries e.g., Nigeria, Afghanistan, Kenya, Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Bhutan, Mauritius, etc., in the field of mapping, survey education, transfer of technology, and various other surveying technologies under bilateral arrangements. Under UN mandate, Survey of India also provides support to countries in Asia-Pacific region for capacity building in spatial data infrastructures.  Survey Training Institute, Hyderabad established under UNDP assistance is a premier institution for training in various disciplines of surveying and mapping to the trainees sponsored by the Department, other state/central government organisations and neighbouring countries.  Keeping in view a new National Map Policy announced in May, 2005, Open Series Maps based on UTM projection and WGS-84 datum which is compatible with the coordinate system of GPS, used in all activities of surveying and mapping, are being published for users community. Defence Series Maps based on-Lambert

Conformal Conic Projection and WGS-84 datum are being published for defence forces which are declared as classified.

Book by BestCurrentAffairs.com for IAS Prelims 2020  While Survey of India meets the national needs in cartography, some specialised thematic maps required to meet the needs of the specific users are taken care of by the National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO) operating under the Department. BestCurrentAffairs.com The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, (CSIR) constituted in 1942 is an autonomous body which is known for its cutting edge R&D knowledge base in diverse S&T areas. Having pan-India presence, CSIR has a dynamic network of 38 national laboratories, 39 outreach centres, 3 innovation complexes and 5 units.  CSIR is the nation‘s custodian for measurement standards of mass, distance, time, temperature, current, etc. CSIR has created and is the custodian of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) which is a powerful weapon against unethical commercial exploitation of Indian traditional knowledge. It maintains Microbial Type Culture Collection (MTCC) and Gene Bank.  The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), established in 1954 is engaged in the development of nuclear power technology, applications of radiation technologies in the fields of agriculture, medicine, industry, and basic research.  The Heavy Water Board has contributed successfully to the first stage of Nuclear Power Programme by producing heavy water for all Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors in a cost effective manner. Presently, the Board is not only self-sufficient in meeting the domestic demand of heavy water, but is also geared up to supply heavy water for the future PHWRs and AHWRs as per the envisioned nuclear power programme of DAE. Over a period of time, HWB has emerged as the largest global producer and a trusted supplier of this strategic material.  In the area of solvents, both the industrial facilities at HWP, Baroda and Talcher for production of TBP (Tributyl Phosphate) and D2EHPA have performed very well.  Developmental efforts have already been put in place at HWP, Tuticorin in the Versatile Solvent Synthesis Pilot Plant (VSSP) in campaign mode for special and futuristic solvents like D2EHPA-II, TiAP, DHOA and TAPO for collection of data for industrial level production of these solvents.  HWB has initiated setting up of Solvent Production Plant (SPP) for industrial scale production of these solvents with an objective to achieve self-reliance.  HWB is also planning to take up synthesis of some special solvents viz. DGA, Calixarene etc. based on collaborative efforts with DAE units as requested by them.  To support the second stage of NPP, HWB has successfully delivered the entire quantity of enriched boron for the 1st core of PFBR.  Sodium is another important input for FBRs, used as coolant in the reactor.  HWB has developed indigenous and safer closed electrolytic cell technology for production of nuclear grade sodium.  Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) continued the accelerated pace of exploration activities. This resulted in the augmentation of additional uranium oxide (U3O8) reserve of over 15,775 tonnes in the areas of Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.  Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) manufactures and supplies fuel bundles for Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) of NPCIL. Highest ever production of PHWR fuel bundles, PHWR fuel tubes, niobium metal and SS tubes & job orders was achieved during the period.  The research and development support to the Nuclear Power Programme is provided by the research centers of DAE. The fuel utilization in Indian Pressurised Water Reactor equilibrium configuration was enhanced to get a discharge burn-up of 45 GWd/T with a profiled fuel assembly of average 235U content of 4.22 per cent.  NPCIL has recorded about 430 reactors of safe operation of reactors by the end of December 2015.  At all operating stations of NPCIL certified Environmental Management System (EMS) as per (SO14001: 2004 and Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) as per IS-18001: 2007 are maintained and regular audits (internal, external and management) were carried out for continual improvement.  An online thoron monitoring network was installed and made operational at PRTRF at Trombay.  Internal exposure assessment of occupational workers from various facilities of BARC at Mumbai and Tarapur was carried out by whole body/lung counting and bioassay (urine/fecal) sample analysis. All the plants of Heavy Water Board are certified for ISO Quality Management System, Environmental Management System and OSHA System.  For the second stage of the Nuclear Power Generation Programme, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is pursuing development of sodium cooled fast breeder reactors and associated fuel cycle technologies. Breeder reactors produce more fuel than they consume. The Fast Reactor Programme of IGCAR is supported by its research and development endeavour. The Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), operating at Kalpakkam for over 25 years, also caters to technology development related to fast reactors.  World resources of thorium are larger than those of uranium. Thorium, therefore is, widely viewed as the ‘fuel of the future‘.  The Indian Nuclear Power Programme Stage-3 aims at using thorium as fuel for power generation on a commercial scale. In the thorium fuel cycle, thorium 232 is transmuted into the fissile isotope uranium 233 which is a nuclear fuel. As a part of this programme, BARC has been developing a 300 MWe Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). Fuelled by thorium and using light water as coolant and heavy water as moderator, this reactor will have several advanced passive safety features.  Kamini reactor was operated successfully for neutron radiography of various pyro devices for Department of Space.  Dhruva operated at rated power of 100 MWt at a high safety level and availability factor.  BARC, RRCAT, VECC and BRIT are also engaged in the development of radiation technologies.  The Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) continued to remain engaged in the design and development of electronic equipment for the Atomic Energy, Defence, Aerospace, Security, Information India Year Book 2020 Synopsis [BestCurrentAffairs.com] Page No.100 © BestCurrentAffairs.com. All Rights Reserved. [For IAS Prelims 2020]

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Technology and e-Governance sectors. Some of the new products introduced during the year were Uranium

Analyser; Solid State Digital Video Recorder System; Radar Target Echo Simulator; High Power Solid State

Switches; TDM Signal Analyser and De-multiplexer and Linux based ECSCADA Server Software. BestCurrentAffairs.com A robot based frameless stereotactic system is developed at BARC for performing neurosurgery. It automates the frameless stereotaxy using a high precision robot (Parallel Mechanism based Robot). A 4 DOF (Degrees of Freedom) Surgical Coordinate Measuring Mechanism (SCMM), a 6 DOF Parallel Kinematic Mechanism (6DPKM) based robot and the visualization display to aid the surgeon during neurosurgery are the major components of the system.  A cryogenic system consisting of cryogen distribution lines for liquid helium and liquid nitrogen, subatmospheric vacuum jacketed lines for helium, warm helium lines between the helium buffer tanks and compressors, and a 500 watt helium liquefier is being set-up for the superconducting electron and heavy-ion linacs at VECC.  Radioisotopes are produced in the Dhruva Research Reactor at Trombay, accelerator at Kolkata and the various nuclear power plants of NPCIL.  The Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT) produced and supplied a wide range of radioisotope products.  The Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) accredited as a deemed university by Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) completed ten years of its existence.  BARC Training School, AMD Campus, Hyderabad continued its activity in the sixth year by imparting induction training to Trainee Scientific Officers (TSO) in geology and geophysics.  The Administrative Training Institute (ATI), with the motto ―Prashikshaneshu Dakshprayate-Training Empowers‖ made its presence at national level by bagging the National Award for Excellence in Training.  Space activities in the country were initiated with the setting up of Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. In the same year, work on Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near Thiruvananthapuram was also started. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established in August, 1969. The Government of India constituted the space commission and established the Department of Space (DOS) in 1972 and brought ISRO under DOS in 1972.  Space Commission formulates the policies and oversees the implementation. DOS implements these programmes through, mainly, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), North Eastern-Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC) and Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL). Antrix Corporation, established in 1992 as a government owned company, markets the space products and services.  The establishment of space systems and their applications are coordinated by the national level committees, namely, INSAT Coordination Committee (ICC), Planning Committee on National Natural Resources Management System (PC-NNRMS) and Advisory Committee for Space Sciences (ADCOS).  Twelve launch vehicle missions were successfully accomplished that included seven PSLVs, two GSLV-Mk II and one GSLV-MKIII from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota while the ten ISRO satellites, four student satellites and 152 foreign satellites were launched by these missions. India‘s communication satellites GSAT-18 and GSAT-17 were also successfully launched from French Guiana. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) had the unique distinction of launching 104 satellites in a single mission while also demonstrating its capability to place satellites in two different orbits in a single mission.  ISRO also demonstrated new technologies in the launch vehicle programme. The Reusable Launch VehicleTechnology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) and SCRAMJET Engine Technology Demonstrator had their successful maiden test flights. This apart, the launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle - Mark II (GSLV- Mk II) became the third consecutively successful launch of GSLV carrying the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS). Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft of India completed two years in its orbit around mars while Astro Sat, India‘s multi-wavelength observatory, successfully completed one year in orbit.  PSLV, the Indian operational launcher, completed its thirty-eighth launch (PSLV-C36). It was the thirtyseventh consecutive successful mission, proviing the reliability of this vehicle in its class. GSLV (Mk-II), equipped with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), successfully launched the country‘s latest weather satellite, INSAT-3DR, on September 08, 2016. This mission (GSLV-F05) further demonstrated the realibility of CUS engine and stage developed by ISRO. This was the fourth flight of GSLV to use the indigenous CUS.  GSLV-MkIII-D1, the first development flight with new version of Indigenous Cryogenic Engine, was successfully launched. This is a major step towards enhancing our launch capability upto 4-tonne class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).  Successful launch of IRNSS-1F and 1G, the sixth and seventh satellites of the IRNSS Constellation, onboard PSLV-C32 and PSLV-C33 signifies the completion of IRNSS constellation, which was dedicated to the nation. IRNSS satellites employ the standard 1-1K structure with a power handling capability of around 1660 W and a lift-off mass of about 1,425 kg. Like their five predecessors, both IRNSS-1F and 1G carry a navigation payload as well as a ranging payload. In Orbit Tests (IOT) of navigation payload, ranging payload and TT&C transponder of IRNSS-IF and IG were successfully completed during the year and the satellites were cleared for navigation activities.  Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), India‘s first inter-planetary mission, completed two years in its orbit around Mars.  Remote sensing applications projects at national, state and local levels are being carried out throught National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) in the country.  The Disaster Management Support (DMS) programme of ISRO continues to provide space based data and information as well as communication means for the efficient management of disasters. The Decision Support

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Centre (DMS-DSC) established at National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is engaged in monitoring natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, landslides, earthquakes and forest fires.  Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the Department of Space, is marketing the Indian space products BestCurrentAffairs.com and services in the global market. Under commercial contracts with Antrix, 209 international customer satellites have been successfully launched by PSLV so far.  ISRO signed cooperative agreements with the French, UAE, Japanese, US, Vietnamese, Afghanistan and Russian agencies as well the US Geological Survey.  Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), a deemed university, was established at Thiruvananthapuram in 2007.  Under the Monsoon Mission, operational dynamical model systems have been implemented for extended range and seasonal forecasts. For the first time, forecasts on different time scales during the hot weather season (April to May) including heat waves were issued by the India Meteorological Department.  The Ministry in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) provides the Agromet Advisory Services (AAS) for the benefit of farmers.  MoES for the first time started issuing forecasts for heat waves over the country.  The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) provides PFZ advisories to 2.75 lakh fishermen on a daily basis.  The ocean state forecasts were also provided before and during the launch day of Re-usable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).  The ocean forecast services were extended to two other Indian Ocean Rim Countries, namely Sri Lanka and Seychelles on various parameters viz., winds, waves, currents and temperature in map form served under the umbrella of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for Afro-Asian Region.  The Indian Tsunami Warning System established by the Ministry at the Indian Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad has been recognized as the Regional Tsunami Service Provider (RSTP) for the Indian Ocean region by UNESCO to provide warning to countries of the Indian Ocean. This includes the service of level-2 tsunami advisories for the Indian Ocean.  The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) kept the watch of all tsunamigenic earthquakes in and around the Indian Ocean.  In 2016, INCOIS deployed 23 ARGO floats in the Indian Ocean having sensors to collect the physical parameters, of which 11 were equipped with both physical and biogeochemical sensors.  An open sea cage culture mooring system was designed and developed for commercially important marine finfishes suitable for Indian sea conditions to meet this demand with available marine engineering and biological expertise.  Indigenously developed 500m depth rated shallow water/polar remotely operated vehile (PROVe) was successfully deployed, in the Andaman coral islands.  National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa established a high altitude research station in Himalaya called HIMANSH (literally meaning, a slice of iece), situated above 13,500 ft (>4000 m) at a remote region in Spiti Himachal Pradesh. This station is equipped with instruments such as, automatic station, water level recorder, steam drill etc. Water level recorders were installed at five locations along with a stretch of 130 km of Chandra river in western Himalaya for hydrological balance/modeling. Glaciers were monitored for mass balance, dynamics, energy balance and hydrology.  The national seismological network consisting of 82 observatories has been functioning smoothly.  Scientific deep drilling in Koyna which started in 2016 is aimed at setting up of borehole observatory (s) at depth for directly measuring the in-situ physical properties of the rocks.  Government set up a multi agency board namely National Biotechnology Board (NBTB) way back in 1982 with participation of DST, UGC, ICMR and CSIR to promote activities in biotechnology. Subsequently, the National Board was upgraded to a fully fledged Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1986.  From the setting up of a National Biotechnology Board in 1982, to a full-fleded Department in 1986, the DBT had attained several milestones in its 30 year journey.  DBT being a visionary in biotech research and promotion established 16 autonomous institutes for pursuing research: 1. National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi 2. National Centre for Cell Sciences (NCCS), Pune 3. Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad 4. Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneshwar 5. National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar 6. National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Delhi 7. Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram 8. Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal 9. Centre of Innovative and Applied Bio-processing (CIAB), Mohali 10. National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani 11. Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad 12. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad 13. National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad 14. Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Bangalore 15. National Agri Food Biotechnology Centre (NABI), Mohali 16. International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Delhi

Book by BestCurrentAffairs.com for IAS Prelims 2020  Today, India is among the top 12 biotech destinations in the world and ranks third in the Asia-Pacific region.

India has the second-highest number of US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) -approved plants, after the USA and is the largest producer of recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine. BestCurrentAffairs.com Bangalore Life Science Cluster for Multi-scale Basic and Applied Research in Biological Sciences (B-Life), Bengaluru is established to promote research and technology development. The cluster partnering institutes are: Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), and Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB).  NCR Biotech Science Cluster is established by involving five autonomous institutes of DBT (NII, NIPGR, NBRC, THSTI and RCB).  As an interface agency Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has been set up to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Biotech Ignition Grant (BIG) scheme under BIRAC is encouraging scheme for the young investigators for entrepreneurial and managerial development of SME‘s in biotechnology through incubators.  The Department is also having two PSUs namely Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). BIBCOL is a leading biotechnology company based in Uttar Pradesh, India, currently manufactures and produces a range of pharmaceutical products such as Oral Polio Vaccines (OPV Vaccine), zinc tablet and diarrheal management kit, etc.  BIRAC is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by DBT, Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs.