16-17.01.22

State has 2nd largest area under tree cover, Maharashtra tops list

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With 8,733sqkm of forests,Rajasthanhas the second-largest area under tree cover in the country, says the recently released forest survey report.Maharashtratops the list with 12,108 sqkm of tree cover. While tree cover is significant in Rajasthan, it is only 2.5% of the total geographical area of 3,42,239 sqkm.

The mandates that 33% of the geographical area of India should be under forest or tree cover. FSI has been assessing forest cover since 1987 and tree cover since 2001. For this purpose, isolated trees and small patches of trees which are less than 1 square-hectare in area and found outside recorded forest areas (RFA) are considered for assessment.
The total tree cover of the country has been estimated at 95,748 sqkm. There has been an increase of 721 sqkm in tree cover compared to the previous assessment of 2019.

Tree Cover andTrees Outside Forest(TOF) are two different entities but are closely related.TOFrefers to all trees outside RFA irrespective of size of the patch.
Tree cover, on the other hand, means patches of trees as well as isolated trees outside RFA on areas less than one hectare. TOF of Rajasthan has been calculated at 12,828 sq km.

National E-Governance Conference

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The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), of Telangana, and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will host the 24th National E-Government Conference.

The conference will happen at Madhapur, Hyderabad, at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

“India’s Techade: Digital Governance in a Post-Pandemic World” will be the theme of the conference.

Emerging technologies, universalization of public Services, ease of life through Good Governance, universalization of public services, innovation platformization, government re-engineering, and citizen participation in government processes are the subtopics.

Cryogenic Engine Test for Gaganyaan

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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the qualification test of cryogenic engine for Gaganyaan programme on January 12, 2022.

The test was conducted for 720 seconds atISROPropulsion Complex, in Mahendragiri, Nadu.

Performance of the engine met with the test objectives and parameters of the engine closely matched with predictions during entire duration of the test.

This engine will be tested for four more times, for a cumulative duration of 1810 seconds.

Following this, one more engine will undergo two short-duration tests and one long-duration test, in a bid to complete cryogenic engine qualification for Gaganyaan Programme.

Payload under the Gaganyaan mission consists of:

Digital Agristack

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The Government of India is working on creating a digital stack of agricultural data. That is storing data related to farmers. Apart from farmer details, the digital agristack also holds all information about which seeds to buy, weather updates, what manures and Fertilizers to use, Insurance, best agricultural practices to maximize the yield.

Agristack has unique number for every farmer in the country. This numbered file will hold personal information of the farmer. This includes his financial data as well. Apart from farmer details, agri stack will also hold information about weather, agricultural commodity prices in the country and abroad, new science and research techniques, agricultural regulation and permissions.

Russia: White Swan Strategic Missile Bomber

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The Russian DEFENCE forces recently unveiled a new Tupolev Tu-160M. It is a missile bomber. It is also known as White Swan.

The White Swan can fly at an altitude of 600 metres. The bomber has been designed to carry nuclear war heads. It is one of the most heaviest supersonic miliary aircraft.

The White Swan has been unveiled while Russia NATO tensions are at the peak due to Ukraine crisis.

It can carry 34 tonnes of load. The bomber can deliver 24 cruise missiles. It can trace 14,000 km without refuelling.

The machine can be in the sky for more than a day during combat duties.

It is capable of delivering largest payload. They have the longest range. The heavy bombers were superseded by the strategic bombers in the latter half of 20thcentury.

Discovery of New Strange Metal

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Scientists have recently discovered a new group of metals. The newly discovered Metal group is called as New Strange group of metals. The characteristics of metals like copper or iron are predictable. That is, their melting point, reaction nature, malleability, ductility are known to human. The characteristics of this new group of metals are yet to be deciphered. They still remain a puzzle. Thus, these metals have been classified as strange metals.

The strange metals are also called non Fermi liquids. They do not follow the traditional rules of metals. Their behavior was first discovered in cuprates, that is, copper oxides. These cuprates are high temperature super Conductors.

The strange metals do not conduct electricity as that of metals. In metals, the electrical charge is carried by electrons. In strange metals, the electrical charge is carried by Cooper pairs. These cooper pairs take the charge in wave like pattern. Electrons belong to fermion. The cooper pairs act as bosons.