Prelim Bits 18-01-2019

UNNATI - Unispace Nano-satellite Assembly & Training program

It is a capacity building program on Nanosatellite development.
It is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the first UN conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE-50+).
The program provides opportunities to the participants from developing countries to strengthen in assembling, integrating and testing of Nanosatellite.

Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC)

It was established as a Society in 1994 and it is celebrating silver jubilee this year.
It is an Autonomous Society promoted by Ministry of Agriculture.
It was established to facilitate agri-business ventures by catalyzing private investment through Venture Capital Assistance Scheme.
It is the pioneer in organizing small and marginal farmers as Farmers Interest Groups, Farmers Producers Organization and Farmers Producers Company for increasing their bargaining power and economies of scale.
It provides a platform for increased accessibility and cheaper availability of agricultural and in establishing forward and backward linkages in supply chain management.
It is also the lead agency for implementing eNAM

e-Nam Inter State Trade

The e-NAM is a pan-India e-trading portal to network the existing physical regulated wholesale market (APMC market) through a virtual platform.
It aims to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
It promotes better marketing opportunities for the farmers to sell their produce through online, competitive and transparent price discovery system and online payment facility.
Initially, only inter-mandi trade within the state was allowed.
Recently, inter-state trade was started.
The first inter-State trade on e-NAM was carried out between UP and Uttarakhand followed by that between AP and Telengana.

Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)

It is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under MoSJ.
The objectives of the scheme are

To create an enabling environment to ensure equal opportunities, equity, social justice and empowerment of PwDs.
To encourage voluntary action for ensuring effective implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.

It is being implemented since 1999 for providing financial assistance to NGOs working for education and rehabilitation of PwDs and was revised in 2018.
According to Census 2011, there were about 2.68 crore persons with disabilities in India, constituting 2.21% of the total population.

Losar Festival

It is the Tibetan New Year.
The structure of the Tibetan calendar is based simultaneously on the cycles of the sun and the moon.
The Tibetan year begins the day of the new moon following the entry of the sun in the constellation of the Ram.
It generally falls on February.
The Tibetan year is composed of twelve “lunar” months.
Lunar month is the period between two new moons i.e begins the 1st day following the new moon to finish with the following new moon.
Lunar months consist of 30 lunar days and 1 lunar day = 0.984 solar day (24 hrs).
So 1 lunar month lasts approximately 29,5 solar days.
Thus, a Tibetan year, is composed 354 solar days.
Therefore, they add a 13th lunar month approximately every 30 months in order to catch up with the Western year.
The calendar is known as “lunisolar”, as it catches up with the solar calendar by adding one month.
Given its Tibetan population, Ladakh also celebrates this festival with much excitement,

Vulture and Raptor survey

The first-ever vulture and raptor survey was held in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
It recorded 24 species of raptors and four species of vultures.
It was organized by the Forest and Wildlife Department, and the South and North Wayanad Forest Divisions.
A raptor is a bird that hunts and kills other animals for food. e.g Eagles, Falcons, Hawks etc
They come under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and have apex predator status in an ecosystem.
Indian vulture, White-rumped vulture, Red headed vultures were also spotted.

Source: PIB,The Hindu