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.
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.
