1) Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS): Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has replaced the Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES) with SCoS.
- SCoS will have a broader mandate to review the framework and results of all surveys conducted under the National Statistical Office.
- It has 10 official members and four non-official members who are eminent academics.
- Its terms of reference include finalisation of survey results and better use of administrative data. Apart from survey design improvements, SCOS will identify data gaps and strategies to plug them.
- National Statistical Commission will have ultimate authority to approve the publication of survey results.
2) PM Mega Integrated Textile Sector and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks: PM MITRA Textile Park has been launched in Maharashtra’s Amravati.
- PM MITRA Parks are aimed at creating world-class industrial infrastructure that would attract large-scale investment including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and encourage innovation and job creation within the sector.
- It is inspired by the 5F vision i.e., Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
- It reduces logistics costs by housing the entire value chain at one location.
- Special Purpose Vehicles owned by the Centre and State Government jointly to be set up for each park which will oversee the implementation of project.
3) Sand and Dust Storms (SDS): UN has observed the first-ever International Day of Combatting SDS on 12th July 2023 to increase cooperation to manage and mitigate the effects of SDS.
- SDS occurs when strong winds meet bare or dry soil, lifting large amounts of sand and dust into the atmosphere.
- Around 2 million tonnes of sand and dust enter the atmosphere annually.
- Primary hotspots are the Sahara Desert, the Middle East, the Taklamakan Desert in northwest China, southwest Asia, etc.
- SDS can cause crop damage, affecting food security; inhalation of fine particles carried by these storms can lead to respiratory issues, allergies etc.
4) Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC): At the 12th MGC meeting, India and its partner countries decide to establish Mekong Ganga Cooperation Business Council to expand exchanges in agriculture & water resource management
- MGC initiative comprising six countries – India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam – was launched in 2000.
- It aims to boost cooperation in a range of areas including connectivity, education, tourism and culture.
5) Nomadic Elephant – 2023: It is a joint military exercise between India-Mongolia.
6) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM): North Korea has tested Hwasong-18 ICBM. Hwasong-18 uses solid propellants that allow it to fire faster and accelerate more quickly at liftoff.
- ICBMs are ballistic missiles that have a range of over 5,500 km and have nuclear weapons delivery technology.
- Presently, in addition to North Korea, Russia, the U.S., France, the UK, China, India, and Israel have documented land-based ICBMs.
- Agni-5 is the ICBM of India. It was developed under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
