PSLV C-40
- ISRO is planning to launch 31 satellites, including India’s Cartosat-2 series earth observation space craft, in a single mission using PSLV C-40 in January, 2018.
- The mission will be the first PSLV mission after the unsuccessful launch of the navigation satellite IRNSS-1H.
- The mission consists of 28 nano satellites from abroad, including Finland and the U.S., one micro and one nano satellite from India along with one Cartosat satellite.
- The satellites will be launched from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
- Earlier this year, PSLV-C37 launched the first Cartosat-2 series satellite along with 103 co-passenger satellites in a single flight.
- Click here to know about Cartosat-2 satellite.
Siang River
- The Siang River flows for about 1,600 kilometres as Tsangpo River through the Tibet plateau, before entering India in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The river becomes Brahmaputra after it flows into Assam near Sadiya.
- In recent days, Siang which flows through Arunachal Pradesh has unusually turned muddy and darkened.
- This has firmed up the suspicion that China may have begun construction of the world’s longest tunnel upstream.
- The 1000 km long tunnel will divert water from the Brahmaputra River in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh to the parched Xinjiang region.
Siang River
Financial Stability and Development Council
- The 18th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) has recently been held in New Delhi.
- FSDC was established in 2010 with Union Finance Minister as its Chairman.
- It was to solve the regulatory tussle between SEBI and IRDA on the regulation of Unit Linked Life Insurance Plan (ULIP).
- Its members include
- the heads of financial sector regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDA)
- Finance Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs
- Secretary, Department of Financial Services
- Chief Economic Adviser
- FSDC has two core functions:
- to perform as an apex level forum to strengthen and institutionalize the mechanism for maintaining financial stability
- to enhance inter-regulatory coordination and promote financial sector development in the country
- It will focus on financial literacy and financial inclusion.
- It will monitor macro-prudential supervision of the economy and also assess the functioning of the large financial conglomerates.
- FSDC sub-committee is chaired by the Governor of RBI.
Blue Flag
- The 'Blue Flag' is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach, sustainable boating tourism operator, meets its stringent standards.
- Union Environment Ministry has launched a pilot project for beach clean-up and development and is also striving for the 'Blue Flag' certification for such identified beaches.
- Under the project, each state or UT has been asked to nominate a beach which will be funded through the ongoing Integrated Coastal Management Programme.
FEE
- Foundation for Environmental Education is a non-governmental organization promoting sustainable development through environmental education.
- It was formed in 1981 and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- The Blue Flag was originally a symbol of an environmental awareness initiative in France in 1987.
- It was later adopted as a programme by FEE, followed by other initiatives like adoption of the Eco-Schools and Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE).
Garbage Emergency
- Bali has declared a “garbage emergency” across a six-kilometer stretch of coast.
- Indonesia is the world’s second biggest contributor to marine debris after China.
- Indonesia is one of the nearly 40 countries that are part of the UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign.
- The campaign aims to halt the tide of plastic trash polluting the oceans, boost recycling services, curb the use of plastic bags, launch cleanup campaigns and raise public awareness.
- As part of its commitment, the government has pledged to reduce marine plastic waste by 70% by 2025.
Source: The Hindu, PIB
