IAF all set to create a new weapon systems branch

• New branch will lead to unification of all weapon system operators under one entity
• he move will save the exchequer as much as ₹3,400 crore
• The government has approved the creation of a Weapon System branch for officers in the Indian Air Force (IAF) which will bring all weapon systems operators of the force under one roof.
• This is the first time since Independence that a new operational branch is being created
• The IAF also unveiled a new digital camouflage uniform for its rank and fi
• This will essentially be for manning of four specialised streams of Surface to Surface missiles, Surface to Air Missiles, Remotely Piloted Aircraft and weapon system operators in twin and multi crew aircraft

History of Indian Airforce ;

• • 1933: First operational squadron.
  • 1940s: After participation in World War 2 (1939-45), the Air Force in India came to be called the Royal Indian Air Force.
  • 1950: It became the Indian Air Force after the republic came into being.

 Present Fact ;

• • India Air Force is the fourth largest in the world after the USA, China and Russia.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Motto of the IAF is ‘Touch the Sky with Glory’ and it was taken from the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
  • The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the air force.
  • The Chief of Air Staff, an air chief marshal is responsible for the operational command of the air force.

Operations of Indian Airforce

• • • After independence, IAF took part in wars with Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China.
    • Operation Meghdoot :  It was on 13^th April in 1984 when the Indian Army along with the Indian Air Force and paramilitary Forces  launched the ‘Operation Meghdoot’ to secure the control of the heights predominating the Siachen glacier.
    • IAF took part in relief operations during natural calamities such as Gujarat cyclone in 1998, the tsunami in 2004, etc.
    • IAF works with the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions.

A tiger, which had claimed nine lives was shot dead in Valiki Tiger reserve area

• A tiger, which had claimed nine lives in the last 26 days in Bihar’s West Champaran district, was shot dead on Saturday by a team of sharp shooters and forest officials who were on the hunt for him.
• A shoot-at-sight order had been issued against the wild cat on October 7 by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

About  Valmiki Tiger Reserve

• The Valmiki Tiger Reserve is the only tiger reserve in Bihar, which forms the easternmost extent of the Himalayan Terai forests in India.
• Situated in the Gangetic plains bio-geographic region, the vegetation of this Tiger Reserve is a combination of Bhabar and Terai regions.
• According to the Tiger Census, 2018, the number of tigers in Valmiki Tiger Reserve is 32.
• According to the Forest Survey of India Report 2021, 85.71% of its total area is covered by forest cover.
• Wild mammals found in the forests of Valmiki Tiger Reserve include tiger, sloth bear, leopard, wild dog, bison, wild boar etc.

About National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• It was established in 2005following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
• It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it.

 About Project Tiger

• Project Tiger is an ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change providing central assistance to the tiger States for tiger conservation in designated tiger reserves.
• India now has as many as 2,967 tigers in the wild, with more than half of them in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, according to the latest tiger estimation report for 2018.
• The population of tigers have increased by 33%since the last census in 2014 when the total estimate was 2,226.

Chandrayaan-2 mapped out the global distribution of sodium on the Moon’s surface

• Scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have mapped out the global distribution of sodium on the Moon’s surface.
• They used the CLASS instrument (Chandrayaan2 large area soft Xray spectrometer) carried by the second Indian Moon mission, Chandrayaan2.
• Xray fluorescence is commonly used to study the composition of materials in a nondestructive manner.

About Chandrayaan – 2

• Chandrayaan 2 Mission was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space on July 22, 2019, by GSLV Mk III-M1.
• The main aim of Chandrayaan 2 was to trace the location and abundance of lunar water on the moon’s surface.

Highlights of Chandrayaan – 2

• Chandrayaan 2 fostered the findings of Chandrayaan 1 as reported by the ISRO.
• The mission targeted the “South Polar region” of the Moon which was completely unexplored.
• The mission focused on the extensive mapping of the lunar surface for studying variations in its composition and tracing the Moon’s origin and evolution.
• Chandrayaan 2 was considered as a challenging mission as the South Polar Region of the Moon was totally unexplored by any space agency before.

 Components of Chandrayaan – 2: Launch Vehicle

• S200 solid rocket booster
• L110 liquid state
• C25 Upper stage

The Chandrayaan-2 mission consisted of three main modules:

1. lunar orbiter
2. Vikram lander (named after Vikram Sarabhai, the late father of India’s space program)
3. lunar rover named Pragyan

Huge improvement in Early warning for heatwaves system

• Heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather with above normal temperatures that typically last three or more days.
• In India, heat waves are generally experienced during March June.
• On an average, Two three heat wave events are expected every season.
• Heat waves are predominantly observed over two areas, central and northwest India and another over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, supported by favourable atmospheric conditions.
• Total duration of heat waves has increased by about three days during the last 30 years and a further increase of 1218 days is expected by 2060.
• In future climate, heat waves will be spread to new areas including southern parts of India. Climate change is causing heat waves more frequently, and they are much stronger and can last for more days.

Caused fatalities

• Heat waves have multiple and cascading impact on human health, ecosystems, agriculture, energy, water and economy.
• The recent 2022 heat wave in India and Pakistan in March April made devastating impacts.
• It is estimated to have led at least 90 deaths across India and Pakistan. It also triggered an extreme Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in northern Pakistan.

India emerges as the world’s largest producer and consumer of  Suger  

• India overtakes other countries to become the world’s largest producer, consumer of Sugar, and second largest exporter of sugar.
• A record amount of sugarcane—more than 5000 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT)—was produced in the nation during the sugar season Oct. to Sep. (2021–22), of which around 3574 LMT was crushed by sugar mills to make about 394 LMT of sugar (Sucrose).
• Out of this, 359 LMT of sugar was produced by sugar mills, while 35 LMT of sugar was diverted to the manufacturing of ethanol.
• As a result, India has surpassed all other countries to become the world’s largest producer and consumer.

Key Points related to India as the largest producer of Sugar

• During this season all records of sugarcane production, sugar production, sugar export, came to produce, cane dues paid and ethanol production were made.
• In 2020-21, India made records with the highest exports of about8 LMT with no financial assistance.
• The sugar exports from India earned foreign currency of about Rs 40,000 crore for the country.
• This achievement of the sugar industry was possible with the help of the Central and State Governments, Farmers, Sugar Mills,
• During the Sugar season, Sugar mills produced sugarcane worth more than Rs 1.18 lakh crore and released a payment of more than Rs 1.12 crore with no financial assistance.

 UP formed its first all women Provincial Armed constabulary Battalions

• Uttar Pradesh government announced the creation of the first three all-female Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) battalions in the state.
• Veer Naris inspired the naming of the brigade. In accordance with the policy, 20% of the state’s police force was set aside for the appointment of women in order to empower them while also providing protection.
• In honour of the state’s valiant and gallant women, three Provincial Sashastra Seema Bal PAC lady battalions are being formed.
• These three battalions are being called in honour of the Indian liberation fighters Rani Avantibai Lodhi, Uday Devi, and Jhalkari Bai.
• They are establishing themselves in Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Badaun.
• One women’s battalion of the PAC is now in the process of posting 1262 positions.
• There are also positions for a shivirpal, nine assistant senanayaks, three deputy senanayaks, 24 inspectors, 108 head constables, 842 scavengers, and cooks.

Caption Ibrahim Troore has been named as President of Burkina Faso

Location of Burkina Faso

• Burkina Faso (formerly known as Upper Volta; French: Haute Volta) is a landlocked country located in the middle of West Africa’s “hump.”
• The northern part lies geographically in the Sahel zone, the transition zone between the Sahara Desert in north and the tropical savanna in south.

India’s first Green technology incubation facility opened at NIT Srinagar

• India’s first Green Technology incubation facility: At NIT Srinagar, a Green Technology incubation facility called the “Greenovator Incubation Foundation” will soon open.
• All of the money required to establish the Green Technology incubation facility centre will be provided by the Department of Science and Technology. Startups will have access to the co-working space, which includes conference spaces, a prototype lab, and other amenities.
• In addition to office space, financial support in the form of seed money would be provided on an individual basis with equity in accordance with DST criteria.
• Saad Parvez, the center’s CEO, described the forthcoming centre as the first of its type in the area and claimed that it would foster ideas that would lead to entrepreneurship and self-employment.
• Saad Parvez continued by saying that this will be India’s first green technology incubation centre. Aside from the softer aspects of GreenTech that fit with the theme of the valley, the proposed incubator would address some of the issues that have the potential to alter the socioeconomic standing of the valley and produce innovations that could be applied to other markets, increasing the likelihood of interstate trade and commerce.
• AgriTech, EnviroTech, and AlterTech are some of the key topics on which the centre will concentrate

Rest of India team wins the Irani trophy

• The Hanuma Vihari-led The Rest of India’s side won the Irani Cup title after beating the Ranji Trophy Champion of 2019-2020 Saurashtra by eight wickets in Rajkot.
• Rest of India (ROI) chased down the 105-run target

Key Points about the Math

• Kuldeep Sen took most of the wickets in the first innings against
• ROI dominated Saurashtra from the opening day when they clean-bowled the opposing team for 98.
• The eight-wicket partnership of Jaydev Unadkat and Prerak Mankad, however, Kuldeep Sen changed the game in the favor of

 About Irani Trophy

Irani Trophy is also known as Mastercard Irani Trophy. It is a test match format cricket tournament in India. It is played annually between the incumbent Ranji Trophy winners and the Rest of the India Cricket Team. It is organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).