Halwa Ceremony: The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Union Budget 2023-24, was held recently.The Union Budget 2023-24 is to be presented on 1st February, 2023. It is a customary ceremony in which traditional dessert ‘halwa’ is prepared and served to officials and staff members of the finance ministry. It is performed every year before the “lock-in” process of Budget preparation begins.The custom has been part of the Budget tradition for decades.
Lock in Period: All the officials involved in the Budget preparations will stay at the North Block. This is done to make sure that the secrecy of the Union Budget is maintained. The moment the Finance Minister tables the Union Budget in Parliament, the lock-in period will conclude.
Artificial Brain like Computing: A team of scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have used scandium nitride (ScN) and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility to develop brain-like computing.This invention can provide a new material for stable, CMOS-compatible optoelectronic synaptic functionalities at a relatively lower energy cost and hence has the potential to be translated into an industrial product.
How it works:Scientists used ScN to develop a device mimicking a synapse(connection between two neurons) that controls the signal transmission as well as remembers the signal.
An artificial optoelectronic synapse with ScN thin films that can mimic synaptic functionalities like short-term memory, long-term memory, learning–forgetting etc.
Green Railway Station Certification: Visakhapatnam railway station of East Coast Railway has been awarded the ‘Green Railway Station Certification with highest rating of Platinum’ by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). Green Railway Station Certification is a rating system developed by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Indian Green Building Council with the support of the Environment Directorate of Indian Railway.It is a voluntary and consensus-based programme.This is the first of its kind holistic rating in India to address environmental sustainability in Indian railway stations.
Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0: Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) launched a massive District Outreach Progarmme in all the Districts of the country through a revamped Nidhi Aapke Nikat programme. The Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0 is a grievance redressal platform and information exchange network for the employers and the employees and also a platform for exchange of information with the district level authorities of various State and Central Government departments.The aim of the programme is to reach out to all the districts in the country on the same day every month. The Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0 will be conducted on 27th of every month starting from January 2023.
Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS):FCI sells surplus stocks of wheat and rice at predetermined prices through e-auction in the open market from time to time to enhance the supply of food grains.The purpose of OMSS is to dispose of surplus stocks of wheat and rice held by FCI, and to regulate the prices of wheat in the open market. FCI conducts weekly auctions for the OMSS for wheat on the platform of the NCDEX. The State Governments/ UTs are also allowed to participate in the e-auction, if they require wheat and rice outside TPDS.
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