ISRO Partners with AIIMS for Space Medicine Research
- Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for cooperation in space medicine and research.
- According to the ISRO, the MoU aims to promote joint research with a objectives of advancing human health, performance and safety during human space missions.
- “This cooperation is targeted to conduct ground and space-based studies to develop multidisciplinary space medicine expertise, medical devices, procedure and protocols to maintain health and performance under extreme environments as well as advance healthcare for the nation”.
Kisan Credit Card
- Context: The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) provides timely, affordable, and collateral-free credit to farmers, including small, marginal, tenant farmers and SHGs/JLGs.
About Kisan Credit Card
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- The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme, launched in 1998, was created to make it easier and faster for farmers to obtain short-term institutional credit for agricultural production.
- The scheme offers financial assistance for working capital and investment in allied agricultural activities.
- It also supports expenses related to post-harvest processes and marketing, thereby providing farmers with broader financial backing to improve their agricultural income.
- Under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), the maximum loan limit has been increased to ₹5 lakh, while the amount of collateral-free credit available to each borrower has been raised to ₹2 lakh.
PM-SETU Scheme
- Context: Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has set up a National Steering Committee (NSC) as the highest decision-making body to oversee and guide the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability through Upgraded ITIs (PM SETU) Scheme.
- The main objective of this scheme is to strengthen the country’s skill development system by modernizing and upgrading Industrial Training Institutes and improving employment opportunities for trainees.
Current Facts- India, with the fifth-largest coal reserves and being the second-largest consumer, heavily depends on coal.
- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
About PM-SETU Scheme- The Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme introduced to improve and strengthen India’s vocational training system.
- The scheme focuses on modernizing the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) network by upgrading 1,000 government ITIs across the country into advanced training centres that are better aligned with industry requirements.
Implementation
- The program follows a hub-and-spoke model, where 200 ITIs will function as hubs connected to 800 ITIs acting as spokes.
- The hub institutions will be provided with modern infrastructure, innovation and incubation facilities, production units, trainer training centres, and placement support services.
- The spoke ITIs will help expand access and extend the reach of training opportunities.
- Financial Outlay– The scheme has a total allocation of ₹60,000 crore for a five-year period.
- Nodal Ministry– It is implemented under the supervision of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Bug Bounty Programme- Context: Unique Identification Authority of India has introduced its first organized Bug Bounty Programme to enhance the cybersecurity framework of the Aadhaar ecosystem.
About the Bug Bounty Programme
- A Bug Bounty Programme is a cybersecurity initiative in which organizations invite ethical hackers and security experts to detect weaknesses in their digital systems.
- These participants are given incentives for responsibly reporting vulnerabilities before they can be misused by cybercriminals.
Aim
- To improve the security of digital platforms by identifying potential vulnerabilities in advance.
- To encourage responsible reporting of security issues and strengthen public confidence in digital infrastructure such as the Aadhaar system.|
Current Facts
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is a statutory body established in 1986 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023
Key Features- The programme includes 20 selected ethical hackers and cybersecurity specialists with significant experience in identifying digital security flaws.
- Participants will examine important UIDAI digital platforms such as the UIDAI official website, the myAadhaar portal, and the Secure QR Code application to identify potential vulnerabilities.
- Security flaws will be classified into Critical, High, Medium, and Low categories, and rewards will be provided according to the seriousness of the vulnerability discovered.
- The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with ComOlho IT Private Limited, a firm specializing in cybersecurity solutions.
- This programme adds an extra level of protection to existing security practices, including security audits, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and continuous monitoring.
India’s First Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre
- Context: India has initiated the establishment of the country’s first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre in Andhra Pradesh.
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- This facility is being developed by the company ‘Sagar Defence Engineering’.
- It is situated at the Juvvaladinne fishing harbour in Andhra Pradesh.
- This project marks a significant milestone in strengthening India’s maritime and defense manufacturing capabilities.
- It will support the development of indigenous autonomous maritime technologies.
