Current Affairs 5th February 2019

Current Affairs 5th February 2019 - Important Points

• Indian Space Research Organisation forms Human Space Flight Centre for ‘Gaganyaan’ mission on - 31st January 2019
• Special workshop organised for past victims of communal violence on - 4th February 2019
• Ladakh now connected to National Grid; Srinagar-Alusteng-Drass-Kargil-Leh Transmission Line launched on -  3rd February 2019
• US, Russia suspend -  INF Treaty
• West Bengal Government presents Rs 2.37 lakh crore state budget in - States’ Budget 2019
• President Ram Nath Kovind to confer Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for Year 2017 on - 6th February 2019

Current Affairs 5th February 2019 - Details

Indian Space Research Organisation forms Human Space Flight Centre for ‘Gaganyaan’ mission on - 31st January 2019

The Indian Space Research Organisation on January 31st, 2019 unveiled its Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at Indian Space Research Organisation HQ campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka for its maiden manned space mission “Gaganyaan”.
The space flight centre was initiated by K Kasturirangan, earlier Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman, in the presence of K Sivan, present Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman & Secretary, Department of Space.
Importance
Indian Space Research Organisation is gearing up for its maiden manned mission “Gaganyaan”, which is deliberate for end of 2021. The scheme is to have the 1st unmanned mission in December 2020 & the 2nd one in July 2021. Once the both unmanned missions are finished, the manned mission will occur in December 2021.
Key Highlights

• The Human Space Flight Centre shall be accountable for execution of “Gaganyaan” project which consists end-to-end mission planning.
• The centre shall be accountable for the development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew selection & training & also pursue activities for sustained human space flight missions.
• It will have the support of current Indian Space Research Organisation centres to execute the 1st development flight of “Gaganyaan” under the human spaceflight program. 
• S Unnikrishnan Nair is the founder Director of Human Space Flight Centre, while R Hutton is the project director of “Gaganyaan.” 

Special workshop organised for past victims of communal violence on - 4th February 2019

The National Foundation for Communal Harmony on February 4th, 2019 arranged a special workshop for 42 youth, who have been victims of communal violence earlier, under the Know My India Program in Bengaluru. 
Objective
The main aim of the program consists to support the children deal with post-traumatic stress, provide them life tools to manage their emotions & eradicate disturbing impressions of past events.
It goals to benefit them experience deep relaxation & peace, providing them a broader & more inclusive view of the world & how respectively individual is linked with the others beyond social identities.
Important Highlights

• The contestants include youth, who are under the age group of 15-22 years.
• They belong to Six different states together with J&K, Manipur, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Bihar & Gujarat. They were present at the workshop along with Ten official mentors.
• The contestants, through fun interactive processes, were taught various body-breath processes & practical tools of wisdom.
• The main exercise consists of the powerful rhythmic breathing practice known as Sudarshan Kriya, whose systematic practice is known to knowingly decrease stress hormones, recover the clarity of mind & upsurge one’s happiness quotient.

Ladakh now connected to National Grid; Srinagar-Alusteng-Drass-Kargil-Leh Transmission Line launched on -  3rd February 2019

PM Narendra Modi on February 3rd, 2019 dedicated the 220 KV Srinagar-Alusteng-Drass- Kargil–Leh
Transmission System to the nation, a step that would make sure quality power supply to Ladakh region of J&K round the year.
The National Grid is maintained, operated, & sustained by state-owned ‘Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd’-POWERGRID, a Navratna Company under the Union Ministry of Power.
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd is one of the world’s biggest power transmission utility, & has a widespread network of 150874 circuit kms transmission lines with 238 sub-stations.
More about Srinagar- Alusteng - Drass - Kargil - Leh Transmission Line Project

• The foundation stone for the Srinagar-Alusteng-Drass-Kargil-Leh Transmission Line was laid by the Prime Minister Modi on August 12th, 2014. 
• This project has been finished by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd within 4.5 years.
• Constructed at a height of approximately 3000-4000m, this transmission line is about 335 kilometres long.
• Under this project, four new modern Gas Insulated Sub-station of 220/66 kV were constructed at Drass, Kargil, Khaltsi & Leh to support ensure 24x7 quality power in all-weather conditions. 
• It took capital of Rupees 2266 crore to accomplish the project. These assets were provided by the Central Government & J&K Government in the ratio of 95:05, correspondingly.
  Importance
• The project will result in diminishing the massive usage of diesel generaters during winters, & thus will benefit in protection of beautiful environment of Ladakh.
• It will deliver grid connectivity &reliable quality power supply to the Ladakh region including defence launches in the area.
• This will not only assist evacuate power of Kargil &Leh Hydel stations in summers, but will also deliver power to the region in winters when temperatures decreases & hydro electricity generation do not match up. 
• The project will see the power demand of Ladakh region at cost-effective rates.

US, Russia suspend -  INF Treaty

With the official announcement by the USA about the withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, Russia has shadowed the suit & announced the suspension of the treaty. Defence analysts fear about the weapons race due to the postponement of the treaty.
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

The features of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty inked by President Ronald Reagan &
Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in December 1987 were:
The treaty banned the USA & the Soviet Union from possessing, testing & arranging ground-launched cruise & ballistic missiles of ranges between 500 & 5500 kms.
The treaty consists all types of ground-launched cruise & ballistic missiles whether their payload is
conventional/nuclear.
The treaty excused the air-launched & sea-based missile systems in the same range.
Under the treaty, both United States & Russia had devastated 846 &1846 missiles respectively.

West Bengal Government presents Rs 2.37 lakh crore state budget in - States’ Budget 2019

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on 1st February 2019 presented the Union Interim Budget 2019-20 with an estimate of revenues and expenditure of the Government during a financial year 2018-19. On the similar lines, various state governments have started presenting the budget of their respective states.
Important Highlights

• The Budget increases the monthly wages for contractual workers and data entry operators by Rs 2000 and Rs 500 for Asha & Anganwadi workers.
• It has proposed an increase of ex-gratia payment to contractual workers to Rs 3 lakh from Rs 2 lakh.
• It is offering Rs 1 lakh financial assistance to unemployed youth.
• The annual grants of Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,000 have been announced for farmers with one acre and less than an acre of land, respectively.
• The full exemption on education cess and rural employment cess for tea gardens has been extended for  another two years.
• The budget has been allocated Rs 9,556 crore for the healthcare sector in 2019-20.
• The tax collection of state tax grew to Rs 57,700 crore in the financial year 2018-19.
• Bengal government has been giving more emphasis to boost the MSME sector in the state.
• The credit flow to this sector achieved 13 percent growth of Rs 20,287 crore during  the period of April-September 2018.
• Over 9.08 lakh jobs were created in the state and 8.82 lakh people were benefited by Khadya Sathi Scheme of the state.

President Ram Nath Kovind to confer Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for Year 2017 on - 6th February 2019

The President, Ram Nath Kovind will  be conferring the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the year 2017 on 6th February 2019 at Rashtrapati Bhawan during a special investiture ceremony. 

The General Council of the Sangeet Natak Akademi selected 42 artists from the field of Music, Puppetry, Dance, Theatre and Overall contribution or scholarship in the Performing Arts for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2017at its meeting in Imphal, Manipur that was held on 8th June 2018.

More about Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards

The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are conferred every year by the Sangeet Natak Akademi which is the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama and  is an autonomous body of the Union Ministry of Culture.
Established in 1952, the Akademi Award not only symbolise the highest standard of excellence and achievements, but also recognise the sustained individual contribution and work. 
The award will be carrying a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000, a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.