1. World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2018)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the World Sustainable Development Summit 2018 in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan. Organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the three-day summit will see participation from over 41 countries, bringing together different stakeholders in the fields of sustainable development, energy and environment sectors. The event was also attended by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minster for Industries and Commerce, Suresh Prabhu, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri HardeepPuri, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Shri Jayant Sinha and other key leaders.
About TERI:
The Energy and Resources Institute (formerly, Tata Energy Research Institute—TERI) is a research institute based in New Delhi, established in the year 1974. It conducts research work in the field of energy, environment and sustainable development with focus on developing solutions to important environmental issues.
2. ISRO planning to launch Chandrayaan-2 mission around April this year (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch Chandrayan-2 Mission around April this year. Chandrayaan-2 is the country's second mission to the moon, he added. Chandraayan-2 is a challenging mission as for the first time we will carry an orbiter, a lander and a rover to the moon. He said that it is a matter of pride that ISRO is launching Chandrayaan-2, which will place India at a new height in space technology.
Chandrayaan-2 Chandrayaan-2 is India’s second lunar exploration mission after Chandrayaan-1. The mission is planned to be launched to Moon by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV MK II. It includes a lunar orbiter, lander and rover, all developed by India. India is planning to launch Chandrayaan-2 by 2018.
The wheeled rover will move on the lunar surface and will pick up soil or rock samples for on-site chemical analysis. The data will be relayed to Earth through Chandrayaan-2 orbiter.
1. Design of the Launch Vehicle: The mission is planned to fly on a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV Mk II with an approximate lift-off mass of 3,250 kg (7,170 lb), from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota Island.
2. Orbiter: The orbiter will orbit the Moon at an altitude of 100 km. The Lander will come out of orbiter.
3. Lander: Unlike Chandrayaan-1’s Moon Impact Probe, which impacted the Moon’s surface, the lander will make a soft landing to deploy the rover. The lander will not perform any scientific activities. The approximate mass of the lander and rover together is about 1,250 kg.
4. Rover: The rover’s mass is about 20 kg and it will operate on solar power. The rover will move on wheels on the lunar surface, pick up samples of soil or rocks, perform on-site chemical analysis and send the data to the orbiter above, which will relay it to the Earth station.
The initial plan for the rover was to be designed in Russia and fabricated in India. However, Russia gave up its plan on designing the rover in May 2010. Subsequently, ISRO decided on designing and fabricating the rover. IIT Kanpur is developing the subsystems of rover. Comparison with Chandrayaan-1: Chandrayaan-1 was India’s first lunar probe. It was launched by ISRO in October 2008, and operated until August 2009. The mission included a lunar orbiter and not a rover. India launched the spacecraft using a PSLV-XL rocket.
3. I&B Ministry, Prasar Bharati in tussle over appointment of director (Relevant for GS Mains Paper II)
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) and the board of Prasar Bharati are at loggerheads over the appointment of a director in the governing board.
View of Prasar Bharati:
Sources aware of the development said that discontent is brewing at the top level of Prasar Bharati over a ministry instruction to appoint a serving IAS officer as Member (Personnel) of Prasar Bharati. Member (personnel) is responsible for all human resources and administrative decisions of the body and has a representation on the board. The controversy stems from the fact that Prasar Bharati Act 1990 doesn’t allow a serving bureaucrat to be appointed permanently in core management positions which are CEO, Member (finance) and Member (personnel) and are full-time positions.