Prelim Bits 30-07-2018

Deep Ocean Mission

The Central government has drawn up a 5-year plan to explore the deep ocean.
Ministry of Earth Sciences has been tasked with coordinating the exercise.
The ministry has recently unveiled the blueprint of "Deep Ocean Mission".
The mission proposes to explore the deep ocean similar to the space exploration started by ISRO about 35 years ago.
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) allotted to India (2.2 million sq.km) in the international waters will be covered under this mission.
The focus will be on technologies for deep-sea mining, underwater vehicles, underwater robotics and ocean climate change advisory services.
Under this mission, the key deliverables are

Offshore desalination plant that will work with tidal energy, and
Developing a submersible vehicle that can go to a depth of at least 6,000 metres with three people on board.

India and Central Indian Ocean Basin

India has exclusive right to explore deep sea mineral - polymetallic nodules from seabed in Central Indian Ocean Basin.
A long–term Polymetallic Nodules programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
This right in the international water is allocated by International Seabed Authority (ISA).
ISA is a UN body set upto regulate the exploration and exploitation of marine non-living resources of oceans in international waters.
It is headquartered at Kingston, Jamaica.
In 2016, India was re-elected as a member of Council of ISA.

National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System

India is planning to procure National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAM - II) from U.S.
It is an advanced air defence system.
It is the state-of-the-art defense system that has ability to quickly identify and destroy enemy aircraft, UAV or emerging cruise missile threats.
NASAMS-II is an upgraded version of the NASAMS and features new 3D mobile surveillance radars and 12 missile launchers for quicker reaction.
It is proposed to be deployed to protect national capital region.
It will help in preventing 9/11-type attacks in Delhi.

Advanced Air Defence systems in India

India is deploying a multi-tiered air defence network to fully secure its airspace from incoming fighter aircraft, missiles and UAV.
An indigenous two tired defence shield known as "Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)", to destroy enemy ballistic missiles is being developed.
The BMD consists of two interceptor missiles,

The Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) for exo-atmospheric (high) altitudes of 50–80 km and
The Advanced Area Defence (AAD) missile for endo-atmosphere (low) altitudes of 15-30 kilometers.

India is also in an advanced stage of talks with Russia for the procurement of very long range S-400 air defence systems.

Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)

TESS is NASA's latest satellite to search for planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets.
The mission will spend the next two years monitoring the nearest and brightest stars for "Transits".
Transits are events which denote a periodic dips in light of the star when a planet pass in front of it.
It was launched in April this year and it has now started its search for planets around nearby stars.
It is expected to transmit its first series of science data back to Earth in August, and thereafter periodically every 13.5 days.
It is the next step in the search for planets outside of our solar system, including those that could support life.

National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) for Women

A permanent campus of National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) for Women is going to be built at Mohali, Punjab.
This is the first NSTI Institute for Punjab and only one of its kind in India which is exclusively for women.
It is launched under "Skill India" Mission.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK)

PMKK is established by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) across India.
It aims to provide skill training for unemployed youth through its short-term training (STT) module and contribute to the capacity building of municipal employees through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program.
PMKK for differently abled person is going to be launched in Mohali.
It is also a first of its kind in India.

FASTag

A FASTag is a reloadable tag that automatically deducts toll charges and allows a vehicle to pass through a toll gate without stopping for the payment.
It uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to make cashless payments through a prepaid account linked to it.
The tag is fixed to the windscreen of a vehicle and an RFID antenna in the canopy of the toll gate scans the QR code and lifts the barrier to allow a vehicle to pass through.
The tag is valid for five years.
It is coded in 7 different colors, each is assigned to a particular category of vehicles.
It is mandatory for cars and trucks sold after December 1, 2017 to be fitted with a FASTag.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also proposed to make FASTag compulsory for all commercial vehicles seeking a national permit.
National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has a mobile application for FASTag that allows users to buy and recharge these tags as well as seek information on toll rates on different routes.
It also allows the cab operators to track the movement of their vehicles as they receive SMS alerts.
Users are refunded 5% of the total toll paid by them in a given month.

Source: The Hindu, PIB