1) Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal: it is a proposed 214-kilometer long canal to connect the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers. However, the proposal met obstacles and was referred to the Supreme Court.
- The creation of Haryana from the old (undivided) Punjab in 1966 threw up the problem of giving Haryana its share of river waters.
- To enable Haryana to use its share of the waters of the Sutlej and its tributary Beas, a canal linking the Sutlej with the Yamuna, cutting across the state, was planned.
- A tripartite agreement was also negotiated between Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan in this regard.
2) Iskander-M missile system: Russia has promised its ally Belarus delivery of nuclear- capable missiles in the coming months to take on an “aggressive” West.
- Codenamed “SS-26 Stone” by NATO, Iskander-M is a term used by Russia to define both the transporter-erector launch system and the short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) it fires. The system can also fire ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCMs)
- The Iskander-M system has been exclusively used by the Russian military, whereas Iskander-E is the one meant for export.
- The Iskander-M missile has a range of 500 km and it can carry a payload of up to 700 kg. It is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
3) Performance Grading Index: released by Education Ministry, it measures the performance of states in school education. The Education Ministry released the first PGI in 2019 for the reference year 2017-18.
- It assesses states’ performance in school education based on data drawn from several sources.
- Parameters: States are scored on a total of 1,000 points across 70 parameters, which are grouped under five broad categories:
- Access (eg. enrolment ratio, transition rate and retention rate); Governance and management; Infrastructure; Equity (difference in performance between scheduled caste students and general category students); Learning outcomes.
- Grading & not ranking: States are graded and not ranked to discourage the practice of one improving only at the cost of others.
4) STEM education: it is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in 4 specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.
- India is one of the countries that produce the highest number of scientists and engineers, the growth of STEM has picked up significantly over the last few years.
5) Kandeleru Dam: it is an irrigation project built on the Kandaleru River in Andhra Pradesh. The project is part of the Telugu Ganga project that supplies drinking water to Chennai city from the Srisailam reservoir on Krishna River. Kandaleru reservoir is mainly fed by a link canal from Somasila Dam.
- The Srisailam Dam is constructed across the Krishna River and is the 2nd largest capacity working hydroelectric station in the country.
Leave a Comment