The Border Security Force, BSF launches Operation Sard Hawa. Under the operation, the BSF increases the surveillance in the Pakistan border. It is usually launched in the Rajasthan border, especially in the Jaisalmer region. It is a regular annual exercise. It is launched in the month of January.

About the operation

• The Operation Sard Hawa is conducted during winters and Operation Garam Hawa is conducted during summers. These operations are held to control the infiltration in the borders. During winters thick fog blocks the vision in the border area. This scenario is highly advantageous for the terrorists to cross the border. It is essential for the security forces to stay alert during this season. The BSF conducts Operation Sard Hawa during winter for this reason. This year, the Operation Sard Hawa is to be conducted between January 23 and January 28.
• The Operation is also launched to keep a hawk’s eye and enhance the security before republic day celebrations.

How is Operation Sard Hawa conducted?

The officers and personnel stay close the border. Frequent patrolling are conducted. The intelligence wing is kept on active mode during the operation. The number of soldiers deployed in the border is increased. The soldiers patrol the areas near police stations with advanced weapons. Also, the Jawans monitor the border areas in camels, foot point trekking. They also check on pedestrian intruders.

Significance

The cease fire violations have dipped in the borders recently. During such times, the Pakistan army uses proxy wars to attack India. Therefore, it is essential for the border security force to stay on high alert. This is why Operation Sard Hawa is important.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India, SEBI launched the Saarthi mobile application. The application provides information about security markets. It is highly useful for investors.

About the application

• The application provides explanation about mutual funds, its working, trading and settlement, KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, developments in the market, etc. Also, the application includes grievance redressal mechanism.
• The application uses both Hindi and English. It is available for both iOS and android users. In future, the app will be made available in local languages as well.

Why was the application launched?

Recently, the number of individual investors entering the market is increasing. The app was launched to help these individual investors. Also, the new investors are using smart phones to do trading. Thus, they are being assisted through mobile apps.

The Streets for People Challenge is an online event organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The results of the event were announced recently. The Streets for People challenge along with the India Cycles4 challenge brought in changes to make the roads cycle friendly, walking friendly and child friendly. The streets for people challenge focuses on making the streets walking friendly.

Results

Around eleven cities have won the “Streets for People Challenge Award”. They are Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Kochi, Nagpur, Pimri chinchwad, Pune, Udaipur, Kohima, Ujjain, and Vijayawada. Ten cities have won the “Nurturing Neighbourhood challenge” award. They are Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Indore, Jabalpur, Kakinada, Kochi, Kohima, Rourkela, Vadodara, Warangal.

Nurturing Neighbourhood challenge

The Nurturing neighbourhood challenge focuses on creating a childhood friendly neighbourhood. These cities will now enter into the next level. In the next level, the projects under taken by the cities will be scaled up. Around 60 city agencies participated in the challenge. It aims at improving physical and psychological health of the infants. It created public places such as parks, public toilets, improved the outdoor waiting spaces, amenities for caregivers, nursing cabins, play areas, gardens, etc.

Second season

While announcing the results, the ministry also launched the second season of streets for people challenge and India cycles4change. Also a book titled “Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge: Stories from the field” was launched. The book consists of case studies. In the second season, cities that are not in the top eleven winner list can participate. Cities with more than five lakh population shall alone apply.  In season 2, the cities will work and adopt parking policies, healthy streets, on-street parking management.

Smart City Mission

The challenges were anchored by the Smart City Mission. They are in line with the National Urban Transport Policy 2006. It focuses on shifting the trends of city roads from car – centric to people – centric.

What is Streets for People Challenge?

New innovative plans were created by the participating cities. The plans focused on prioritizing pedestrians. More than 1800 designers participated in the challenge. The winning cities received fifty lakh rupees. The Institute for Transportation and Development provided technical support to the participating cities.

The scheme was launched by the Telangana Government. It is a welfare scheme launched for mother and child.

About the Scheme

After deliver, the mother is provided with the KCR kit. The kit consists of 16 items that are essential to keep the new born clean and hygienic. The kit supplies would suffice the needs of the baby for three months. The kit has diapers, napkins, toys, mosquito nets, baby powder, baby oil, baby soaps, and clothes. It was launched in 2017 by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao. In 2017, the State Government of Telangana allocated Rs 605 crores for the scheme.

Corruption

The scheme has been facing accusation of corruption lately. The implementing officers have fraudulently included private hospital births under the scheme. The scheme is only for babies born in government hospitals and has not been extended to private hospitals.

Why was the scheme launched?

The scheme aims to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate in the state. The current IMR of Telangana is 28 deaths per 1000 live births. The state uses Aadhar based Mother and Child Tracking System to track the health of mother and child. They are tracked at every stage of pregnancy.

On January 27, PM Modi will host India – Central Asia Summit. The five central Asian presidents will attend the summit. They are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz republic.

About the summit

• This is first India – Central Asia Summit. The summit is to be held virtually. India has been planning to hold the summit since Modi’s visit to these central Asian countries in 2015.
• During the summit, the leaders re expected to exchange their views on international and regional issues. They are expected to mainly focus on security issues.

Significance of the Summit

• The countries share their boundaries with Afghanistan. Afghanistan was taken over by Taliban after the US left Afghan soil in August 2021. This left Indian developmental works in Afghanistan incomplete. Also, the Indian investments made towards the development of Afghanistan went in vain.
• Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz republic share their boundaries with China. India is now involved in 21 – month standoff with China.

Inference

The summit reflects the growing engagement of India with the central Asian countries. They are extended neighbourhood of India.

A group of scientists recently discovered a new planet. The planet is of the size of Jupiter. The new planet is 379 light years away from the earth. It is 105 times denser than the earth. The planet is named TOI-2180 b.

About the planet

It takes 261 days for the planet to orbit its star. Its surface temperature is 76 degrees Celsius. It is not only denser than the earth, but also denser than the Jupiter.  The planet is made of helium and hydrogen. The planet has rings and moons. It dims by half a percent in 24 hour period.

Gas giant exoplanet

The new planet discovered is a gas giant exoplanet. In our solar system, the Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus and Saturn are the gas giants. Now, Uranus and Neptune are classified as ice giants for their heavily volatile materials. The gas giant planets are made of hydrogen and helium. The gas giants do not have any solid matter. It is full of swirling gases.

Why is the new planet unique?

The new planet takes 261 days to revolve around its star. This long period of revolution is not usually found in exoplanets. Also, the revolutionary period is shorted for its size. The planet is three times the size of the Jupiter. Jupiter takes twelve earth years to complete one revolution around the sun! And Saturn takes 29 earth years to complete one revolution. Also, the new planet is warmer than the outer planets in our solar system. However, as compared to the other exoplanets discovered so far, it is abnormally chill.

Who discovered TOI-2180?

Tom Jacobs. He discovered the exoplanet with the help of NASA telescope. Tom also used the help of TESS to discover the planet. TESS is Transitioning Exoplanet Survey Satellite. It is an explorer programme of NASA.