PIB Summary- 13th January, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Light Combat Aircrafts (LCA) ‘Tejas’

Context: Cabinet approves the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircrafts (LCA) ‘Tejas’ from HAL for IAF.

Details

• The procurement includes 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircraft at the cost of Rs. 45,696 Crore along with Design and Development of Infrastructure sanctions worth Rs.1,202 Crore.

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme was started by the Government of India in 1984 when they established the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme. 

• LCA Tejas was designed and developed by India’s HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited). 
• It replaced the ageing Mig 21 fighter planes. 
• It was in 2003 that the Light Combat Aircraft programme was named ‘Tejas’ (meaning radiance in Sanskrit) by the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. 
• It is the second supersonic fighter jet that was developed by HAL (the first one being HAL HF-24 Marut). 
• LCA Tejas is a single-engine multirole light combat aircraft. 
• It is the lightest and smallest multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft in its class. 
• It is designed to carry a range of air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided, and standoff weaponry. 
• Tejas has a single-engine, compound Delta wing, and has a tailless design. 
• The idea behind the LCA programme was to expand and develop India’s indigenous aerospace capabilities. 
• Since the 1970s, the MiG 21 planes were the mainstay of the Indian Air Force. The primary goal of the LCA programme was to replace the ageing MiGs. 
• The secondary goal was the advancement of indigenous domestic aviation capabilities. 

HAL plans to deliver 123 Tejas aircraft to the Indian Air Force by 2024-25.

Planned Variants of Tejas
The following table provides details of the variants of the LCA Tejas planned by HAL.

LCA Tejas Specifications
Tejas has a maximum payload capacity of 4000 kg. It is a single pilot single-engine aircraft that has a maximum takeoff weight of 13,300 kg. It can attend the maximum speed of Mach 1.8. It has a general range of 850 km and a combat range of 500 km.
Tejas is a low-cost aircraft with a simple design. Hence, it is very attractive to cost-conscious nations in Asia.
Although currently, HAL is not sold to other countries, Singapore, Egypt, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Turkmenistan, and Malaysia have expressed interest in acquiring this aircraft.

Tejas LCA Mk.1A (Light Combat Aircraft) – Latest news

• As per recent media reports, the Government of India may soon give go-ahead for the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk.1A. 
• The size of the deal is likely to be more than $ 5 billion. 
• The manufacturer of Tejas LCA Mk.1A will be Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). 
• Tejas LCA Mk.1A will be superior over previous variants of LCA Tejas, in terms of avionics, performance, and weapons capabilities. 
• Tejas LCA Mk.1A will be able to fire different types of Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles. This proves LCA Tejas Mk.1A will be flexible enough for smooth hardware and software integration, that would be required for carrying a variety of BVR missiles, which are available in the inventory of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

MoU between India and UAE

Context: Cabinet approves MoU between India and UAE for Scientific and Technical Cooperation. 

Details

• The MoU was signed between the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) of India. 
• The MoU provides for sharing of knowledge, data and operational products for meteorological, seismological and oceanic services, such as Radar, Satellite, Tide gauges, seismic and meteorological stations. 
• The MoU provides for: 
  • Exchange of visits of scientists, researchers, etc. for research, training, consultation, etc. 
  • Exchange of scientific and technical information. 
  • Organization of bilateral scientific and technical seminars/workshops/conferences and training courses. 
  • Deployment of meteorological observation networks on a mutual agreement over ocean waters. 
  • Cooperation in the development of special capacities of tsunami models researches for faster and more reliable forecasts of tsunamis; and in other areas of tsunami forecasting. 
  • Cooperation in the field of seismology. 
  • Cooperation in Early warnings of sand and dust storms.

Veterans’ Day

Context: Indian Armed Forces celebrate Veterans’ Day on 14 Jan 2021. 

What is Veteran’s Day? 

• Every year, 14^th January is observed as Veterans’ Day. 
• It was observed for the first time in 2017. 
• The day 14^th January was chosen in honour of Field Marshal KM Cariappa, OBE (the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army) who retired on this day in 1953.
• ‘Wreath Laying Ceremonies and Veteran’s Meets’ are organised in various Military Stations to mark solidarity towards the Next of Kin (NoK) of the country’s brave hearts and towards our veterans as a mark of respect to their selfless duty and sacrifices towards the nation.

CollabCAD Software

Context: NIC and CBSE to launch CollabCAD Software. 

About CollabCAD

• National Informatics Centre (NIC), MeitY along with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Ministry of Education is jointly launching CollabCAD Software, a collaborative network, computer-enabled software system, providing a total engineering solution from 2D drafting & detailing to 3D product design for students and faculty of Engineering Graphics Curriculum. 
• This initiative aims to provide a great platform to students across the country to create and modify 3D digital designs with a free flow of creativity and imagination. 
• This software would also enable students to collaborate over designs across the network and concurrently access the same design data for storage and visualization. 
• CBSE will introduce CollabCAD Software for Engineering Graphics at the Senior School Level for Class XI and XII. 
• CollabCAD software will be used for practical assignments as part of the subject curriculum for making different types of 3D designs and 2D drawings. 
• Students from around 140 plus schools across the country and the schools in the Middle East (affiliated with CBSE, New Delhi) will have access to this software which can be used for practical projects and understanding concepts of Engineering Graphics.

Ease of doing business reforms

Context: Kerala becomes the 8^th state to complete ease of doing business reforms. 

Details

• Kerala has become the 8th state in the country to successfully undertake “Ease of Doing Business” reform stipulated by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
• Thus, the state has become eligible to mobilise additional financial resources of Rs. 2,261 crore through Open Market Borrowings.
• Kerala has now joined the seven other states namely, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, who have completed this reform. 

Background

• The ease of doing business is an important indicator of the investment-friendly business climate in the country.
• Improvements in the ease of doing business will enable faster future growth of the state economy.
• Therefore, the government of India had in May 2020, decided to link the grant of additional borrowing permissions to states who undertake the reforms to facilitate ease of doing business.
• The reforms stipulated in this category are: 
  • Completion of first assessment of ‘District Level Business Reform Action Plan’ 
  • Elimination of the requirements of renewal of registration certificates/approvals/licences obtained by businesses under various Acts. 
  • Implementation of computerized central random inspection system under the Acts wherein allocation of inspectors is done centrally, the same inspector is not assigned to the same unit in subsequent years, prior inspection notice is provided to the business owner, and inspection report is uploaded within 48 hours of inspection. 
• To meet the challenges posed by the pandemic, GOI had enhanced the borrowing limit of the states by 2 percent of their GSDP.
• Half of this special dispensation was linked to undertaking citizen-centric reforms by the states.
• The four citizen-centric areas for reforms identified were: 
• Implementation of One Nation One Ration Card System (done by 10 states) 
• Ease of doing business reform (done by 8 states) 
• Urban Local body/utility reforms (done by 4 states) 
• Power sector reforms

ICT Grand Challenge

Context: Grand Challenge for Development of “Smart Water Supply Measurement and Monitoring System” launched. 

Details

• National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology launched an ICT Grand Challenge, for development of a ‘Smart water supply measurement and monitoring system’.
• User agency of the challenge: Jal Jeevan Mission
• Implementing agency: C-DAC, Bangalore
• More than 200 applications were received for the challenge from LLP companies, Indian tech start-ups, individuals, etc.
• The jury selected ten applicants who have been selected for ideation to prototype stage and each is being supported with Rs. 7.50 Lakhs.
• Currently, the prototypes are being developed which are going to be evaluated in January.
• Best four techno-economically viable prototypes shall be selected for product development and each team will receive Rs. 25 Lakh to build their solution as per the need of the user agency.
• This would be followed by field trial, testing & deployment and demonstration at about 25 locations across the country as identified by Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Based on the evaluation, one winner and two runners-up will be selected and supported by 50 Lakh (winner) and 20 Lakh each (runners-up).