Muntra, India's first unmanned tank

Developed by: DRDO

Three variants: Muntra-S, Muntra-M, Muntra-N

Muntra-S: For unmanned surveillance

Muntra-M: For detecting mines

Muntra-N: For areas where there is nuclear radiation or bio-weapon risk

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana

PMVVY is a Pension Scheme announced by the Government of India exclusively for the senior citizens available from 4th May, 2017 to 3rd May, 2018; The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation of India

Following are the major benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY):

1. Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30% p.a. effective) for 10 years.
2. Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase.
3. The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST.
4. On survival of the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years, Purchase price along with final pension installment shall be payable.
5. Loan upto 75% of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the liquidity needs). Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension installments and loan to be recovered from claim proceeds.
6. The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded.
7. On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the Purchase Price shall be paid to the beneficiary.

Minimum / Maximum Purchase Price and Pension Amount:

Global Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons

A global treaty banning nuclear weapons was adopted at the United Nations on July 7 despite opposition from nuclear powers. The treaty was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour with one country, NATO member, The Netherlands voting against. Singapore abstained.

None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons viz. the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel, took part in the negotiations or the vote. Even Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic attacks, in 1945 boycotted the talks as did most NATO countries.

The treaty will be open for signature to all States at UN Headquarters in New York on 20 September 2017, and enter into force 90 days after it has been ratified by at least 50 countries.

National Biopharma Mission

National Biopharma Mission is the first ever Industry-Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India. The program named Innovate in India (i3) will witness an investment of USD 250 million with USD 125 million as a loan from World Bank and is anticipated to be a game changer for the Indian Biopharmaceutical industry.

India has been an active player in the pharmaceutical industry and has contributed globally towards making life saving drugs and low cost pharmaceutical products accessible and affordable for those in need. Be it the Rotavirus vaccine, heart valve prosthesis or affordable insulin, India has been a forerunner in these and many more. Despite, these advances Indian biopharmaceutical industry is still 10-15 years behind their counterparts in the developed countries and faces stiff competition from China, Korea and others. The lacuna primarily exists due to disconnected centers of excellence, less focus on translational research and staggered funding. There was an immediate need felt to focus on consolidated efforts to promote product discovery, translational research and early stage manufacturing in the country to ensure inclusive innovation.

i3 is committed to addressing these gaps with a Mission to make India a hub for design and development of novel, affordable and effective biopharmaceutical products and solutions. The aim of the Mission is to Enable and nurture an ecosystem for preparing India’s technological and product development capabilities in biopharmaceuticals to a level that will be globally competitive over the next decade, and transform the health standards of India’s population through affordable product development.

The Mission to be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology will bring together expertise from national and international corridors to provide strategic guidance and direction to move promising solutions through the product development value chain. The program thereby stands unique in its approach as it becomes a cradle to innovate, co-create and co-facilitate scientific discoveries and offers young entrepreneurs an avenue to engage with the best in the industry.

Books in News

Pranaber Preyosi - Sangeeta Ghosh

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness - Arundhati Roy (featured in Man Booker Prize 2017 long list)