Ending Manual Scavenging: A Ministry of Social Justice study analyzed 54 hazardous cleaning deaths linked to manual scavenging (out of 150 nationwide) across 8 States/UTs during 2022–2023. In 90% of cases (49 out of 54), no safety equipment was provided. The rest had minimal protection—gloves in 5 cases and gloves with gumboots in 1. Most […]
Category: Science and Technology Current Affairs
Bharat NCX 2025
Bharat NCX 2025: Bharat NCX 2025, India’s premier national cybersecurity exercise ( 21st July– 1st August, 2025), was inaugurated with the theme ‘Enhancing the Operational Preparedness of Indian Cyberspace’. Conducted by National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in collaboration with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU). Objective is to Strengthen cyber resilience through real-world attack simulations (critical infrastructure […]
Launch of Samudra Prachet
Launch of Samudra Prachet: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched ‘Samudra Prachet’, the final of two indigenous Pollution Control Vessels (PCVs), on July 23, 2025, at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL). This vessel will play a crucial role in enhancing India’s oil spill response capabilities within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), supporting the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat […]
Winter Fog Experiment
Winter Fog Experiment: The Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX), has completed a remarkable milestone of ten successful years of dedicated research into North India’s dense winter fog. It was launched in the winter of 2015 at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi. It was led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the […]
Ambrosia beetle
Ambrosia beetle: Rubber plantations in Kerala have been under threat since an ambrosia beetle-fungus alliance has been attacking trees, causing severe leaf fall and rapid drying. Ambrosia beetles get their name from the ambrosia fungi that call the beetle their home. The name ‘ambrosia’ is not taxonomic but ecological. These beetles are native to Central […]
Fungus Fighting Pineapple
Fungus Fighting Pineapple: Indian researchers at Bose Institute have developed a fungus-resistant pineapple by overexpressing the AcSERK3 gene, offering a sustainable solution against Fusariosis, a devastating fungal disease. A genetically modified pineapple variety engineered to resist Fusarium moniliforme, a fungus causing Fusariosis, which destroys stems, leaves, and fruits. Developed by Bose Institute (DST) scientists Prof. […]
India’s Achieved 6 Crore Sickle Cell Anemia Screening under the National Mission
India’s Achieved 6 Crore Sickle Cell Anemia Screening under the National Mission: India has achieved a major public health milestone by completing 6 crore screenings under the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission, launched to combat the genetic blood disorder predominantly affecting tribal populations. The mission is a cornerstone in India’s health policy framework aimed […]
Meri Panchayat App
Meri Panchayat App: The mobile application “Meri Panchayat” has been internationally recognized with the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award. Meri Panchayat App is designed to provide a unified digital governance platform for rural areas, catering to residents, functionaries, and stakeholders of the Panchayati Raj Institution system. This platform […]
AdFalciVax for Malaria
AdFalciVax for Malaria: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing a novel chimeric malaria vaccine AdFalciVax. AdFalciVax is a multistage malaria vaccine targeting two key stages of Plasmodium falciparum (pre-erythrocytic stage (liver) and sexual stage (that allows transmission via mosquitoes) using Lactococcus lactis (a safe, food-grade bacterium). It aims to protect individuals and […]
Chikungunya
Chikungunya: The Ministry of Health in China recently initiated an emergency campaign to safeguard those at risk of Chikungunya fever illness. It is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV). It causes fever and severe joint pain. The word comes from the African Makonde language and means “bent over in pain.” It […]
