Government constitutes new science and technology council to advise PM

  • The Union Government has constituted a 21-member science and technology council to advise PM Narendra Modi on matters related to science, technology and innovations.
  • The council is headed by K Vijay Raghavan, who is the principal scientific adviser to the Union Government.
  • The council is named Prime Minister’s Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Committee (PM-STIAC).

ISRO to outsource production of PSLVs and SSLVs to private industries

  • The ISRO will outsource the production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) to private industries.
  • Private industries will play a major role in capacity building for the ISRO.
  • Dr. K Sivan is the chairman of the ISRO, which stands for Indian Space Research Organisation.

Centre asks states to ban manufacture, sale of e-cigarettes

  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory to state governments to stop the manufacture, sale and import of electronic nicotine delivery systems or ENDS (commonly referred to as e-cigarettes).
  • Presently, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Karnataka, Mizoram, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh prohibit the sale, manufacture, distribution and import of e-cigarettes.

India, ADB sign $375 million loan to improve irrigation efficiency in Madhya Pradesh

  • The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $375 million loan agreement to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh.
  • The agreement will expand irrigation networks and system efficiency in the state.
  • The Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project will develop 1.25 lakh hectares of irrigation networks.
  • The aim is to improve water use efficiency in more than 400 villages in Madhya Pradesh.

More on Current Affairs

To stay up to date with current affairs and to test your general knowledge, check out our latest Current Affairs quiz.