PUNJAB
Ludhiana’s rank improves by 15 slots in world pollution chart, better air quality
At a time when Ludhiana has witnessed the worst times (loss of lives, huge setbacks for industries) on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, city’s air that was also among the most polluted in the world has somewhat become a bit cleaner.
According to a report prepared by IQAir, a Swiss organization, Ludhiana’s ranking among the major cities across the world has dropped by 15 places in 2020 as compared to previous years.
In the report, IQAir has data of cities of more than 105 countries. Out of the 30 most polluted cities globally, 22 are Indian cities.
As per the report, Ludhiana is at 142nd spot among the cities of the world. Of the eight cities of Punjab that feature in the list, Ludhiana is at 5th position whereas Fatehgarh Sahib is number one in Punjab with a rank of 38. Patiala is at the bottom with a rank of 181.
The report revealed that over the past three years, Ludhiana’s ranking on air pollution had come down among major cities of the world. While city was 95th in 2018, it’s position dropped to 127 in 2019 and 142 in 2020.
The report said whereas yearly average PM 2.5 in Ludhiana was 55.1 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) in 2018, it dropped to 49.3 µg/m3 in 2019 and then to 45.2 µg/m3 in 2020, a fall of 8.3% in PM 2.5 in 2020 as compared to 2019.
INTERNATIONAL
Defence Acquisition Councils Plans-US
The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) will undertake multi-billion dollar deals for armed drones from the United States and advanced submarines under the Project-75I. Highlights:
India has been seeking to purchase 30 armed drones from the United States, each serving 10, but this process has been repeatedly delayed in the past few years.
Although the Navy has urgent requirements for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, in view of the high cost of the platform, its practicality in the Army and Air Force is still in doubt.
The Navy has introduced two MQ-9B Sea Guardian unarmed drones purchased from the United States. Project-75I:
The 75I-class submarine is the successor to the 75-class Kalvari-class submarine of the Indian Navy.
This project is being processed through the Strategic Partnership (SP) model of the Defense Procurement Procedure.
This project is part of a 30-year plan for the construction of indigenous submarines and was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1999. About Defence Acquisition Council:
The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) is the highest decision-making body in the Ministry of Defense, responsible for determining new policies and new capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.
The Minister of Defence 
is the chairman of the Defense Acquisition Council.
It was established in 2001 after the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on “Reforming the National Security System”, that is, after the Kargil War (1999).
NATIONAL
GI Tag for Pochampally Ikkat
Pochampally Ikkat has been granted Geographical Indiaction (GI) Status. Pochampally Ikkat: Pochampally Ikat or resist dyeing involves a sequence of tying and dyeing the bundled yarn parts into a predetermined color scheme before weaving. During the Nizam era, they were exported to Myanmar (Burma), West Asia and East Africa, where they are called Asian rumors. The word “Ikat” is derived from the Malay-Indonesian mangikat, which means to bind, tie or entangle.
DRDO conducted Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Test
DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet. Highlights:
The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet is a missile propulsion technology jointly developed by India and Russia.
DRDO successfully conducted a flight demonstration of SFDR technology from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, on the coast of Odisha.
The successful test of SFDR technology has provided Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with technical advantages, enabling it to enhance long-range air-to-air missiles.
Currently, this type of technology is only available in a few countries in the world.
Establishment of Techbharat
The Union Health Minister announces the establishment of Techbharat in 2021 Highlights:
This is an e-conference center that brings together stakeholders from the HealthTech and Edutech departments.
This is the second e-conference organized by Laghu Udyog Bharati and the IMS Foundation.
Techbharat promotes interaction and discussion among thousands of domestic and foreign participants, including policy makers, government representatives, industry members, investors, and start-ups to build resource-rich partnerships and boost growth in the sectors.
Ease of Living Index released by MoHUA
Recently, Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 was released. Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Highlights:
Aim of EoLI: To measure the well-being of Indian citizens in 111 cities under the pillars of Quality of Life, Economic capacity and Sustainability
“Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020” also added a “Citizen Perception Survey” to the index, with a weight of 30%.
Published rankings of cities with a population of more than one million and cities with a population of less than one million.
Bangalore placed in the Best performer in the “Million+” category.
Shimla placed in the Best performer in the “Less than a Million” category.
Experts said there is overall fall in air pollution in 2020, because of Covid-19.
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