UPSC Daily Current Affairs : 10-June-2020

Topic Covered :

Private sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities
MHRD directs IoE to submit three-year vision plan
Send home migrants in 15 days, SC tells Centre, states
Nepal MPs unanimously approve new map
Saturn's moon Titan drifting away 100 times faster than thought
North Korea cuts off all communication with South

PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BE ALLOWED TO USE ISRO FACILITIES AND OTHER RELEVANT ASSETS TO IMPROVE THEIR CAPACITIES

Why in news?

Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that private sector will be allowed to use Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities.

Highlights:

Private companies to be provided level playing field in satellites, launches and Space based services.
Future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel will be open for private sector.
This would help in achieving Atma nirbhar Bharat.
This comes at a time when Elon Musk’s SpaceX successfully helped in transporting astronauts to ISS.

MHRD DIRECTS IOE TO SUBMIT THREE-YEAR VISION PLAN

Why in news?

Following a review meeting chaired by HRD minister Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ with the directors and vice chancellors of Institutes of Eminence (IoE), MHRD has directed these institutes to submit three-year vision plans.

Highlights:

The institutes had already submitted the vision plans while sending the proposals but a fresh plan needs to be submitted for the ministry to compare it with the original proposal.
The global perception and dipping rankings emerged as one of the major issues and the minister said that a team of IIT directors may be constituted to help improve the perception of Indian institutions.
Indian institutions are not ranked highly in global rankings, not because they lack quality but the reason is lack of proper international outlook.
India is yet to be recognised as a global study hub. The institutes collaboratively will launch a long-term campaign to build Study in India scheme as a brand

Source : TOI ( https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/mhrd-directs-ioe-to-submit-three-year-vision-plan/articleshow/76280532.cms )

SEND HOME MIGRANTS IN 15 DAYS, SC TELLS CENTRE, STATES

Why in news?

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that all migrant workers willing to travel to their native places should be sent back within 15 days and Shramik Special trains should be arranged for them by the Railways within 24 of demand being made.

Highlights:

All migrant workers have to be identified and registered for sending them back home.
States and union territories need to submit schemes to give employment to migrant workers.
States need to establish (a) helpdesk which will help migrant labourers to avail of employment opportunities
The top court ordered setting up counselling centres to help migrant workers who have returned home find employment. If they wanted to travel back for employment, states should facilitate the process, it added.
The court asked states to consider withdrawal of cases filed against migrant workers for violating the lockdown under NDMA, if any, for violation of COVID-19 lockdown.
Directing states to collect village-wise and block-wise data, the top court said states should map out skills of migrant workers and help them to get reemployed.
The Bench issued the directions after taking note of the submissions of the Centre, states and union territories on steps taken to mitigate misery of migrants stranded across the country due to COVID-19 lockdown.

NEPAL MPS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE NEW MAP

Why in news?

The Nepal House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously approved a Constitution Amendment Bill to change the country’s political map in the coat of arms.

Highlights:

The altered map will include Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura areas about which the Ministry of External Affairs says “lie completely within the territory of India”.
Nepal's Parliamentarians have 72 hours at their disposal to propose an amendment.
The approval by the House of Representatives does not mean the amendment process has been completed.
India has refused to be drawn into Nepal’s proposal for a meeting between Foreign Secretaries under the overhang of the resolution, but highly placed sources have expressed the hope that the situation can be turned around provided it is “handled well from here”.

Source : Tribune India ( https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/nepal-mps-unanimously-approve-new-map-96783 )

SATURN'S MOON TITAN DRIFTING AWAY 100 TIMES FASTER THAN THOUGHT

Why in news?

The findings may help address an age-old question about the formation of the planet's rings and its system of more than 80 moons.
Using data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, scientists have discovered that Saturn's moon Titan is drifting a hundred times faster than previously understood — about 11 centimetres per year.
While scientists know that Saturn formed 4.6 billion years ago in the early days of the solar system, there's more uncertainty about when the planet's rings and its system of more than 80 moons formed.
Titan is currently 1.2 million kilometres from Saturn.
The revised rate of its drift suggests that the moon started out much closer to Saturn, which would mean the whole system expanded more quickly than previously believed.
As the moon orbits, its gravity pulls on the planet, causing a temporary bulge in the planet as it passes. Over time, the energy created by the bulging and subsiding transfers from the planet to the moon, nudging it farther and farther out.
Our own Moon drifts 3.8 centimeters from Earth each year.

Source : Tribune India ( https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/schools/saturns-moon-titan-drifting-away-100-times-faster-than-thought-96787 )

NORTH KOREA CUTS OFF ALL COMMUNICATION WITH SOUTH

Why in news?

North Korea said it was cutting off all communication channels with South Korea on Tuesday, a move experts say could signal Pyongyang has grown frustrated that Seoul has failed to revive lucrative inter-Korean economic projects and persuade the U.S. to ease sanctions.

Highlights:

When South Korean officials tried to contact their North Korean counterparts after the North’s announcement on Tuesday, the North Koreans didn’t answer, according to the South Korean government.
In its announcement, North Korea said Tuesday’s move was a response to South Korea’s failure to stop activists from floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets across their border.
The South Korean authorities connived at the hostile acts against (North Korea) by the riff-raff, while trying to dodge heavy responsibility with nasty excuses

Source : NY Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/world/asia/north-korea-south-korea-communitcations.html )

De Facto IAS