PUNJAB
Punjab Govt to provide grant to open & run senior citizen homes in 16 districts
Punjab Government has decided to provide grant-in-aid to the eligible NGOs for establishing or running the ‘Senior Citizen Homes’ in 16 districts of the State.
“Fulfilling its commitment for the well being of all sections of the society, the State Government has made arrangements to establish and run Senior Citizen Homes in all the districts under ‘The Punjab Management of Senior Citizen Homes for Elderly Persons Scheme 2019’,” said the state Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Aruna Chaudhary.
The Minister said that a grant-in-aid worth Rs 3.84 crore was released to such NGOs in Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Ferozepur districts for the senior citizen homes during the previous financial year 2020-21. Now in this financial year, applications have been invited from NGOs for grant-in-aid for opening or running old age homes in the remaining 16 districts — Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Moga, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Patiala, Rup Nagar, SAS Nagar, Sangrur, and Tarn Taran.
INTERNATIONAL
First Human Case of Monkey B Virus
China has reported the 1st human infection case with the Monkey B virus (BV). Monkey B virus is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic (endemic) in macaques, and it was initially isolated in 1932.
Highlights:
Alphaherpesviruses are pathogens or neuroinvasive viruses that establish lifelong infections in the peripheral nervous system of humans and many other vertebrates.
B virus is commonly referred to as herpes B, herpes virus simiae, and herpesvirus B.
B virus can survive for hours on surfaces, exceptionally when moist.
Updation of Motto of the Olympics
The Motto of Olympics was updated to Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together from Faster, Higher, Stronger, on 20th July 2021. Motto updation was done to show solidarity around the globe at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the change.
The Olympic motto was Citius, Altius, Fortius (in Latin) or Faster, Higher, Stronger (in English), from 1894, when it was adopted at the suggestion of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
Citius, Altius, Fortius, Communiter is the Latin version of the new motto.
Ski mountaineering was approved as an extra sport for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games which is to be in 2026. Ski mountaineering sport involves climbing mountains either by carrying the skies or on them and then descending on skies. Ski mountaineering is a prevalent sport in Italy. Five medal events for this category were planned at the 2026 Games.
NATIONAL
New Generation of Akash Surface-to-Air missile
The DRDO successfully flight-tested a new generation of Akash surface-to-air missiles from an integrated test range off the coast of Odisha, enhancing air defence capabilities. Compared with the original version, the new variant of Akash-NG has a slightly better range and can strike targets at a distance of about 25 kilometers. During testing, the missile demonstrated the high manoeuvrability required to eliminate rapid and agile aerial threats.
Akash is India’s first indigenously manufactured medium-range Surface-to-Air missile capable of engaging multiple targets from multiple directions.
It is capable of being launched from mobile platforms such as battle tanks or wheeled trucks. It has a kill probability of nearly 90%.
The missile is aided by an indigenously developed radar known as ‘Rajendra,’ which is capable of handling multiple targets from multiple directions in group or autonomous mode.
Indigenously Developed MPATGM for Minimum Range
In a major push for AatmaNirbhar Bharat and the strengthening of the Indian army, DRDO successfully conducted flight tests on the indigenously developed low-weight, firepower and forget Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).
The test successfully validated the minimum range.
The maximum range of the missile has already been successfully flight tested.
The missile is equipped with the most advanced miniature infrared imaging seeker and advanced avionics.
The test made the development of an indigenous third-generation MPATGM nearly completed.
Sero Survey – Population Affected by Covid
Antibodies against the coronavirus are present in two-thirds of India’s population. 67.6 percent of adults were seropositive, and more than 62 percent were unvaccinated. Around 400 million of India’s 1.4 billion people do not have antibodies
About the Sero Survey:
♦ Sero studies are often called sero surveys, which check how many people in the population are infected with COVID-19.
The sero survey roughly shows the following points:
♦ The percentage (%) of the population that has been infected with the virus.
♦ Which groups have more exposure or higher infection rates
♦ The progress of the infection rate in a specific area.
♦ How close are we to herd immunity
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