Prelims Focus 17th June 2024

Kheer Bhawani Mela

In News: Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits recently converged at the Kheer Bhawani temple to attend the annual festival of Zeisht Ashtami.

• • It is located in Tulmulla area of Ganderbal district in Jammu and Kashmir, amid chinar trees.
  • The temple is constructed above a sacred spring, that is stated to change its colors. 
  • Goddess Ragnya Devi – an incarnation of Goddess Durga – is the presiding deity of this temple. 
  • Maharaja Pratap Singh constructed this temple in 1912, which was later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. 

• Kheer Bhawani Mela

• • The annual Kheer Bhawani Mela, celebrated on Zeisht Ashtami, is being held on the shrines of Tulmulla in Ganderbal, Tikker in Kupwara, Laktipora Aishmuqam in Anantnag, Mata Tripursundri Devsar and Mata Kheer Bhawani Manzgam in Kulgam.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

In News: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has sent a proposal to the government to amend Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rules in the Companies Act (2013) to include donations made by companies through Social Stock Exchanges (SSEs)

• Current CSR guidelines mandate businesses to spend as a minimum 2% in their average net profit over the last three years on any social welfare sports listed in the Companies Act, 2013.
• All firms listed on SSEs perform within the equal domain names of social welfare stated within the Companies Act, 2013.
• Currently, companies can donate to non-profit corporations out of doors of SSEs under their CSR activities.
• They cannot, but, fund non-earnings enterprises via SSEs to fulfil their CSR mandate.
• For the above, an amendment in Schedule VII of the Companies Act (2013) is required.
• Schedule VII of the Act lists the activities that businesses undertake for CSR.

Microalgae

In News:  CSIR-IICT scientists have identified microalgae, specifically ‘Chlorella sorokiniana’, as a promising protein supplement for food and feed applications. The research highlights the Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), which offers a protein-rich extract from the algae that surpasses those in commercially available soy meal in terms of high-quality protein and essential amino acids. 

• Microalgae are tiny, photosynthetic organisms found in aquatic environments. 
• They are classified into three main categories: Rhodophyta (red algae), Phaeophyta (brown algae), and Chlorophyta (green algae). 
• Microalgae are unicellular, microscopic, and can be either prokaryotic (like cyanobacteria) or eukaryotic (like green algae).
• Microalgae are a promising source of renewable bioproducts, with significant potential for sustainable food and feed applications, as well as for biofuels and biotechnology.

Nagastra – 1

In News: The Indian Army has received its first batch of “Nagastra-1” suicide drones, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to achieve self-reliance in defense technology.

• About Nagastra – 1:

• • Nagastra-1 is India’s first indigenous suicide drone, developed by Solar Industries Nagpur. It is a man-portable system designed to neutralize enemy threats with high precision. Key features include:
  • Precision Strike Capability: Nagastra-1 can carry out precision strikes with GPS-enabled accuracy, achieving an accuracy of up to 2 meters in “kamikaze mode.”
  • Endurance and Range: The fixed-wing electric UAV can operate for 30 minutes, with a man-in-loop control range of 15 kilometers and an autonomous mode range of 30 kilometers.
  • Surveillance Equipment: It is equipped with day-night surveillance cameras and a warhead capable of defeating soft-skin targets.
  • Recovery Mechanism: The drone has an abort, recover, and reuse feature, allowing it to be called back and safely landed using a parachute system if the target is not detected or the mission is aborted.
  • Indigenous Development: Over 75% of the Nagastra-1’s components are indigenously developed by a collaborative effort between Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL) and Z-Motion Autonomous Systems Pvt Ltd.
  • Nagastra-1 is designed to be silent due to its electric propulsion and low acoustic signature, making it ideal for infantry operations. It can be used to target enemy training camps, launch pads, and infiltrators, reducing the risk to soldiers. The drone’s ability to abort and recover makes it a cost-effective solution for targeting lower-end threats

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