Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and European Union on water cooperation

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and European Union in the field of water resources. The MoU envisages strengthening technological, scientific and management capabilities of India and EU in field of water management on basis of reciprocity, equality and mutual benefit.

Key Facts

The MoU aims to identify key environmental issues and approaches to sustainable development in the field of water management between EU and India. Under it, exchange of experiences and cooperation will take place between India and EU to strengthen and further develop cooperation in the field of water management. It provides technical exchange on water issues including on integrated water resource management plans within river basins and through study visits. It envisions sustainable management of water resources in India for tackling challenges posed by water management in the context of a changing climate, growing population, and competing water demands. Under the MoU, a Joint Working Group will be formed to monitor the activities to be carried out for its fulfillment.

Background

The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging bilateral cooperation with other countries in the field of water management and resources development. India has decided to benefit from experience and expertise from EU keeping in view of their success in distribution of water resources, water pricing and water use efficiency The EU member states have adopted water pricing policies to provide adequate incentives for users to use water resources efficiently thereby contributing to environmental objectives.

Sushil Chandra appointed as Chairman of CBDT

The Union Government has appointed senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sushil Chandra as the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Decision in this regard was taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Sushil Chandra is IRS officer of 1980 batch. Prior to this appointment he was serving as member of CBDT. He will succeed Rani Singh Nair, who will retire on October 31, 2016.

About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

CBDT is nodal policy-making body of the Income Tax (IT) department under the Union Finance Ministry. It is a statutory authority established under The Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963. It is also the supreme body in India for framing policies related to direct taxes. The composition of CBDT includes Chairman and six members.

CCEA approves OVL’s proposal to buy 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given approval ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) proposal to buy 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft. OVL will buy this stake in JSC Vankorneft from Rosneft Oil Company (Rosneft), National Oil Company of Russia which operates Vankor oil fields. OVL will pay US 930 million dollars for acquiring 11% stake in Vankorneft. This acquisition is also in line with ONGC’s stated objective of adding high quality international assets to India’s Exploration and Production (E&P) portfolio for augmenting India’s energy security. 

Benefits 

Provide OVL 3.2 Million Metric Ton of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) by 2017. Provide opportunity to Indian Oil and Gas companies especially PSUs to acquire new technologies from Rosneft.

Background

Earlier in May 2016, OVL had completed the formalities on acquisition of 15% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of US 1.284 billion dollars which gave OVL 4.11 MMTOE. Besides, consortium of Indian oil companies comprising of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Oil India Limited (OIL) and Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL) had acquired 23.9% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of US 2020.35 million dollars which gave them 6.56 MMTOE.

India’s communication satellite GSAT-18 successfully launched from French Guiana

India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-18 was successfully launched from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana. The satellite was launched on board of heavy duty Ariane-5 VA-231 rocket of Arianespace. It was successfully injected into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSAT-18 was the 20th satellite from ISRO to be launched by the European space agency and overall 280th mission of the Arianespace rocket launcher family. 

Key Features of GSAT-18 

GSAT-18 is indigenously built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It weighs around 3,404 kgs at lift-off. It has a mission life of about 15 years. It carries 48 communication transponders including Ku-band beacon for accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite. These transponders will provide services in Upper Extended C-band, Normal C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum. GSAT-18 will provide services like television, telecommunication, VSAT and digital satellite news gathering. The satellite will play important role in strengthening ISRO’s current fleet of 14 operational telecommunication satellites. It will also enable continuity of vital communication services by replacing ageing satellites of ISRO. Master Control Facility (MCF) of ISRO at Hassan, Karnataka will control the satellite.

Jean-Pierre Sauvage, J Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L Feringa win 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Trio of Jean-Pierre Sauvage, J Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L Feringa have won the prestigious 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has chosen them for this award for their individual efforts in developing molecular machines. These three laureates will share the 8 million Swedish kronor (around $933,000) prize equally.

What are molecular machines?

Molecular machines or nanomachines are the world’s smallest machines. Their working is inspired by proteins that naturally act as biological machines within cells. Molecular machines are discrete number of synthetic molecular components fused together. They produce quasi-mechanical movements in response to specific external stimuli such as light or temperature change. Molecular machines can be put to work as tiny motors, pistons ratchets or wheels to produce mechanical motion and can move objects many time their size. Future Potential Applications: Molecular machines can be developed to function as artificial muscles to power tiny robots or even prosthetic limbs in case of Bionics. They may lead to developments like new sensors, materials and energy storage systems. They can be used to deliver drugs within the human body directly to target a specific area of tissue to medicate or cancerous cells. They can be used to design of a molecular computer which could be placed inside the body to detect disease even before any symptoms are exhibited. Contributions of Jean-Pierre Sauvage (France): He had taken first step towards a molecular machine in 1983, after he successfully linkied together two ring-shaped molecules to form a chain. J Fraser Stoddart (Britain): In 1991, he threaded a molecular ring onto a thin molecular axle and successfully demonstrated that the ring was able to move along the axle. Bernard L Feringa (Netherlands): He is the first person to develop a molecular motor. In 1999 successfully designed molecular rotor blade to spin continually in the same direction. He also had designed nanocar using molecular motors.

Nayanjot Lahiri wins 2016 John F Richards Prize

History writer Nayanjot Lahiri has won the prestigious 2016 John F. Richards Prize for her book Ashoka in Ancient India. The prestigious prize will be bestowed upon her at the American Historical Association (AHA’s) 131st Annual Meeting to be held in Denver, Colorado in January 2017. Her book Ashoka in Ancient India has been critically acclaimed for its riveting account of an emperor Ashoka. She had deftly adjudicated between textual, archaeological, and geographical evidences to offer a dazzling interpretation of Ashoka and the ancient world.

About Nayanjot Lahiri 

Nayanjot Lahiri is an eminent historian and archaeologist of ancient India. Currently, she is teaching at the newly created Ashoka University. She has several research papers and publications to her credit. Her research interests mostly include Indian archaeology, heritage studies, archeological theory and ancient India. For her work in archaeology, she was bestowed with the 2013 Infosys Prize in the humanities.

About John F. Richards Prize 

The John F. Richards Prize is awarded annually by the American Historical Association (AHA). The award has been named after John F. Richards (November 1938 to August 2007) who was eminent historian of South Asia and in particular of the Mughal Empire. It recognizes the most distinguished work of scholarship or book on South Asian history published in English

British trio David Thouless, F Duncan M Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz win 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics

British trio of physicists David Thouless, F Duncan M Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz have won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics. They will share the 8 million Swedish kronor prize. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has selected them for their individual researches on theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.

Key Facts

Their research work centres on Topology, a branch of mathematics involving step-wise changes like making a series of holes in an object. For example when matter goes from solid to liquid to gas different phases are obvious, but materials can also undergo topological step changes which affect their electrical properties. Such changes can be seen in a superconductor, which at low temperatures conducts electricity without resistance. These trio physicists had worked in the field of condensed matter physics and have discovered totally unexpected behaviours of solid materials. Based on their individual discoveries they came up with a mathematical framework in the field of topology to explain these weird properties. The discoveries have paved the way for designing new materials with all sorts of novel properties that have significant potential revolutionize advances in electronics and future quantum computers. About Awardees David J Thouless: He is Emeritus Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, US. Duncan M. Haldane: He is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics at Princeton University, US. J Michael Kosterlitz: He is the Harrison E. Farnsworth Professor of Physics at Brown University, US.