PIB Summary- 18th August, 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Graphene-Aurora Program

Context
Recently, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary launched the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’ at a function in Maker Village Kochi, Kerala.

Graphene-Aurora Program

• The Graphene-Aurora Program is set to be executed by Digital University Kerala.
• Joint funding will come from the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), the Government of Kerala, and industry partners.
• Carborundum Pvt Limited has emerged as a prominent industry participant.

Objectives

• The program aims to foster the growth of deep/emerging Graphene technology and innovation ecosystem.
• It envisions providing guidance, development, implementation, and support to SMEs and startups in the commercialization of graphene technologies.

Significance

• By establishing a commercialization eco-system for graphene, India seeks to establish a prominent position in the global market for new materials.
• The program aims to facilitate the scale adoption of developed graphene technologies, contributing to India’s prominence in the emerging technology landscape.

Graphene: Remarkable Properties and Characteristics

• Graphene is derived from graphite and consists solely of carbon atoms.
• It’s a fundamental element present in everyday items, such as pencil lead.

Exceptional Attributes

• Acknowledged as the thinnest material globally, it boasts incredible strength and exceptional conductivity in both heat and electricity.
• Surpasses copper in electrical conductivity, making it an outstanding conductor.
• Remarkably, it is 200 times stronger than steel while being six times lighter.

Transparency and Impermeability

• Graphene exhibits near-perfect transparency, permitting only a mere 2% light absorption.
• It possesses unparalleled gas impermeability, even blocking gases as lightweight as hydrogen and helium.

A-HELP Programme

Context
Recently, the Union Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairying unveiled the ‘A-HELP’ (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme in the State of Gujarat.

A-HELP’ Programme: Empowering Women for Livestock Assistance

• Jointly introduced by the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and the Ministry of Rural Development.
• The program entails community-based women activists known as ‘A-HELP’ (Animal Health Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Promotion).
• ‘A-HELP’ members collaborate with veterinarians and actively engage in local departmental activities to aid livestock farmers.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Supporting Livestock Farmers: ‘A-HELP’ women assist livestock farmers in securing loans for entrepreneurial ventures.
• Administrative Assistance: They facilitate paperwork, application completion, ear tagging of animals, and registration in the INAF portal.
• Scheme Implementation: These activists play a crucial role in executing various schemes, offering valuable information to grassroots-level farmers.
• Disease Prevention and Animal Care: They contribute significantly to preventing infectious animal diseases, conducting artificial insemination under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), tagging animals, and promoting animal insurance.

About the Rashtriya Gokul Mission

• The Rashtriya Gokul Mission was launched in December 2014.
• It has been extended as part of the Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojana from 2021 to 2026.

Mission Objectives

• Enhancing Productivity: The mission aims to boost the productivity of indigenous bovine breeds while ensuring sustainability. It leverages advanced technologies for this purpose.
• Increased Milk Production: One of its goals is to facilitate a significant increase in milk production through efficient bovine management practices.
• High-Quality Breeding: The mission advocates the use of high genetic merit bulls for breeding, contributing to the improvement of cattle genetics.
• Widening Insemination Coverage: Strengthening the breeding network and making artificial insemination services easily accessible to farmers is a key objective.
• Holistic Conservation: The mission is dedicated to the scientific and comprehensive conservation of indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds.