10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #75 January 30, 2020

Explanation: The Spitzer Space Telescope is a space-borne observatory, one of the elements of NASA’s Great Observatories that include the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray. Using different infrared wavelengths, Spitzer was able to see and reveal features of the universe including objects that were too cold to emit visible light. Apart from enabling researchers to see distant cold objects, Spitzer could also see through large amounts of gas using infrared wavelengths to find objects that may otherwise have been invisible to human beings. These included exoplanets, brown dwarfs and cold matter found in the space between stars.

Explanation: Critically concerned for the state of their beloved natural environment, dedicated conservationists, philanthropists and animal-lovers John and Alice Tyler were desperate to make a difference. President Ronald Reagan, then Governor of California, helped inaugurate the John and Alice Tyler Prize in 1973. The goal was to create an international award that would recognize those working to preserve and enhance our world, and inspire others to understand the importance of the environment. Together, the Tylers established the international Tyler Ecology Award as an inspiration to the global community in understanding the importance of environmental conservation. Renowned Indian environmental economist and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador Pavan Sukhdev has won the 2020 Tyler Prize, regarded as the “Nobel Prize for the Environment” for his groundbreaking “green economy” work.

Explanation: Indian Navy on January 28 launched ‘Operation Vanilla’ in support of the national disaster in flood-hit Madagascar and diverted a large amphibious ship to provide assistance. Madagascar has been hit by a cyclone and there has been heavy flooding and landslips since last week causing loss of lives and displacement of a number of people. According to reports, more than 92,000 people have been affected. “As the first respondent, it has been decided to immediately divert INS Airavat, enroute to Seychelles, to Madagascar. The ship is carrying five pallets each of victualing, clothing and naval stores along with three pallets of medicines,” official sources said. It is expected to reach Madagascar by January 30.

Explanation: For better planning and monitoring of government projects, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the Bhuvan Panchayat web portal’s version 3.0. For the first time, a thematic data base on a 1:10,00 scale for the entire country is available with integrated high resolution satellite data for planning. In the project that will last for at least two years, ISRO will collaborate with the gram panchayat members and stakeholders to understand their data requirements. The third version of the portal will provide database visualisation and services for the benefit of panchayat members, among others. The project is meant to provide geo-spatial services to aid gram panchayat development planning process of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The Web Geo portal is an easy to use Geo portal developed for database visualization, data analytics, generation of automatic reports, model based products and services for the benefit of Gram Panchayat members and other stake holders. The targeted audience for this portal is Public, PRIs and different stakeholders belonging to the gram panchayats.

Explanation: In 1996, a first funding mechanism was created in SAARC, ‘South Asian Development Fund (SADF), merging the SAARC Fund for Regional Projects (SFRP) and the SAARC Regional Fund. SADF objectives were to support industrial development, poverty alleviation, protection of environment, institutional/human resource development and promotion of social and infrastructure development projects in the SAARC region. A primary reason for establishing SDF was that the existing South Asian Development Fund (SADF) was found to be inadequate i.e. in terms of required quantum of funds and its limited scope of work. In order to avoid proliferation of funds, the SAARC Financial Experts (September 2005) looked at the entire gamut of issues relating to funding of SAARC projects and programmes; and, amongst others, agreed that in lieu of proliferating sectorial financing mechanisms, the SADF be reconstituted into the SAARC Development Fund (SDF). The Thirteenth SAARC Summit (Dhaka, 12-13 November 2005) finally decided to reconstitute the SADF into SDF to serve as the “umbrella financial mechanism” for all SAARC projects and programmes. SDF which was established by the heads of the eight SAARC Member States in April 2010 with the aim to:
•promote the welfare of the people of SAARC region,
•improve their quality of life, and
•Accelerate economic growth, social progress and poverty alleviation in the region.
SDF have three Windows. They are Social, Economic and Infrastructure Windows.