Correct Answer :   National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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NASA's Curiosity Mars rover recently spotted distinctive hexagonal mud cracks on Mars that scientists speculate may offer the first evidence of wet-dry cycles on the planet.


About Mars Curiosity Rover :

* It is a U.S. robotic vehicle designed to explore the surface of Mars.
* It was launched aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on Nov. 26, 2011, and landed on Aug. 5, 2012, after taking eight months and 10 days to reach the Red Planet.
* The rover is currently roaming Mars' landscapelooking for signs of life and learning about the Red Planet's unique environment.
* The rover is part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission which tested a novel landing method that saw the spacecraft descend on a parachute before its landing system fired up its rockets and hovered as the rover was lowered down onto the surface.

Features :

* It is about 3 metres long and weighs about 900 kg.
* It does not rely on solar cells for its energy needs but rather draws its electric power from a thermoelectric power generator, with the heat source being the radioactive decay of plutonium and the heat sink being Mars’s atmosphere.
* According to NASA, Curiosity has fourmain science goals in support of the agency's Mars exploration program:

What is NASA’s Perseverance rover?

* It is a robotic explorer to land on Mars as part of NASA’s ongoing Mars 2020 Mission.
* Main Job:Seek signs of ancient life and collect samplesof rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.
* The rover will collect samples of rock and soil, encase them in tubes, and leave them on the planet's surface to be returned to Earth at a future date.
* Launch: It was launched on July 30, 2020 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
* Landing: Successfully landedon the surface of Mar's Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021.

Features :

* It is about 3 metres long, 2.7 metres wide, and 2.2 metres tall.
* It is about the size of a car, but weighs only about 1,025 kilograms with all instruments on board.
* Power source :Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). Converts heat from the radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity..

Source : Latestly

Correct Answer :   3.7%

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India’s industrial production growth declined to a three-month low of 3.7% in June 2023 mainly due to poor showing by the manufacturing sector, according to the official data released on Friday (11th August 2023).

The factory output growth measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) stood at 12.6% in June 2022 on account of a lower base effect.

The previous low of IIP was at 1.9% in March 2023. Thereafter, it rose to 4.5% in April and further to 5.3% in May.

During the first quarter (April-June) of 2023-24, the IIP growth works out to be 4.5%, down from 12.9% in the corresponding period a year ago. “The growth rates over corresponding period of previous year are to be interpreted considering the unusual circumstances on account of COVID 19 pandemic since March 2020,” an official statement said.

As per the IIP data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the manufacturing sector’s output grew 3.1% in June 2023 against a 12.9% a year ago.

Power generation rose 4.2% in June 2023 compared to 16.4% a year ago. Mining output rose by 7.6% during the month under review against 7.8% in the year-ago period.

As per use-based classification, the capital goods segment grew 2.2% in June this year compared to 28.6% a year ago.

Consumer durables output during the month declined by 6.9% against a 25.2% growth in the year-ago period. Consumer non-durable goods output increased by 1.2% compared to a growth of 2.9% a year earlier. Infrastructure/construction goods posted a growth of 11.3% over a 9.4% expansion in the same period a year ago.

The data also showed that the output of primary goods logged 5.2% growth in the month against 13.8% in the year-ago period.

The intermediate goods output in June rose 4.5% compared to a 10.5% growth during the corresponding month last year 2022...

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Madhya Pradesh

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A seven-month-old female tiger cub was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh

About Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve :

Location :

* It is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh.
* It is spread over the Vindhya hills.
* Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger Reserve in 1993.
* It derives its name from the most prominent hillock in the area, which was said to be given by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch on * Lanka. Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit: Brother's Fort).
* It is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India as well as in the world.

* Topography : Varies between steep ridges, undulating forests and open meadows.


Flora :

* The vegetation of Bandhavgarh is specially filled with Sal forest in the valleys, and Bamboo stretches on the lower slopes of the region.

* Some of the most famous floral species include Saj (Terminaliatomentosa), Dhaora (Anogeissus latifolia), Tendu, Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Amla (Emblica officinalis), Palas (Butea monosperma) etc.


Fauna :

* The important prey species consists of chital, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, langur and rhesus macaque.

* Dependent upon them are the major predators like tiger, leopard, wild dog, wolf and jackal..


Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Jio Haptik

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Jio Haptik has been honored with the Tech Startup of the Year (Artificial Intelligence) award at the prestigious 13th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards.

Swapan Rajdev, Haptik’s co-founder & CTO, received the award as the ceremony organized by Entrepreneur India, in media partnership with Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur.com, was held at the Hotel JW Marriott, Aerocity, New Delhi.

Jio Haptik emerged as the winner of the Tech Startup of the Year in AI from 1000 other entries for the same award, highlighting the company’s distinctive contribution to the technology landscape. It is testament to Jio Haptik's commitment to developing groundbreaking AI-driven solutions that set the industry benchmark for innovation and transformation.

Aakrit Vaish, CEO and co-founder of Jio Haptik, was elated as he said: “We are humbled and thrilled to be named the Tech Startup of the Year in Artificial Intelligence. At Jio Haptik, we believe in driving change through AI, and this honor fuels our passion to continue advancing in our mission to redefine the way technology and human interaction converge. We are very excited about the enormous potential of Generative AI to revolutionize business functions and change the way businesses engage with customers.”

The Entrepreneur India Awards recognize and celebrate the country's most innovative entrepreneurs and businesses across various sectors. The accolade of being named the “Tech Startup of the Year in AI" marks a significant milestone in Jio Haptik’s journey.

Jio Haptik is grateful to Entrepreneur India, the esteemed jury, and all those who contributed to this significant achievement. The company reaffirms its dedication to forging new paths in artificial intelligence and is excited about the future of technology..

Source : ANI

Correct Answer :   Kerala

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The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday (9th August 2023) unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central government to officially change the name of the State from Kerala to Keralam.

* Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented the contents of resolution in the House under Rule 118 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

* While Keralam is the accepted and common usage in Malayalam, the State is generally referred to as Kerala in official records, especially those in English. The First Schedule of the Constitution also specifies the name of the State as Kerala.

* The name of our State is Keralam in Malayalam language. States were formed based on language on November 1, 1956.

* Kerala Day is also on November 1. The need to unite Kerala for the Malayalam-speaking communities has been strongly evident since the time of the national freedom struggle.

* However, the name of our State is listed as Kerala in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This Assembly unanimously requests the Union government to take immediate steps to amend it to Keralam under Article 3 of the Constitution, says the resolution.

* Article 3 deals with the formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States.

* The resolution also urges the Centre to change the usage as Keralam in all languages mentioned under the Eighth Schedule..

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Manoj Sinha

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Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday (10th Aug 2023) inaugurated the ninth India International MSME Expo and Summit 2023 in New Delhi.

In his address on the occasion, the Lt Governor commended the MSME Development Forum for its endeavours to bring together policymakers and entrepreneurs for the promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

"Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises are accelerating India's economic growth and powering Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji's vision of 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," Sinha said.

Initiatives such as MSME Expo, trade fairs provide an important platform to spread awareness about government schemes, policies and to explore new business opportunities in the sector, he added.

At the expo, L-G Sinha shared the key interventions of the Union Territory administration to facilitate the growth of MSMEs in J&K.

"MSMEs are the backbone of industrial growth and equitable development. Our commitment to industries, small and medium enterprises and institutional support as well as infrastructural facilities in J&K is showing results," the Lt Governor said.

Highlighting the immense potential of the MSME sector in Jammu & Kashmir, Sinha said that as many as 2.81-lakh MSMEs have been registered on the Udyam portal in last three years, reflecting the sector's remarkable growth trajectory.

Correct Answer :   Kupwara

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INDIA’S ‘first’ Post Office bearing PIN code 193224 is located on the banks of the Kishanganga river, the de facto Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s "Kupwara" district with Pakistan-occupied territory just across the stream at a stone’s throw.

It was known as the last Post Office of the country until recently, when the signboard near it described it as the “First Post Office of India”, as it is the first one from the LoC or border in terms of distance.

Abdul Hamid Kumar, Superintendent Post Offices, Baramulla Division, said, “Earlier it was known as the last post office as we cannot deliver beyond it. Then, the Army changed it to the first Post Office as it is the first Post Office from the LoC or the border in terms of distance.”

The residents of this apparently sleepy hamlet said the Post Office has been functional even before India got Independence or Pakistan came into existence. It has not stopped delivering mail even at peak hostilities in 1965, 1971 or the frequent cross-border shelling incidents that had become regular occurrences after eruption of Pakistan-backed militancy in 1990.

Kupwara Deputy Commissioner Ayushi Sudan said the communication connectivity issues were being addressed and an optical fiber cable project should be completed by the end of this year (2023).

“We already have a connectivity project in the pipeline. The OFC link we hope will be completed by the end of this year,” she said.

Tufail Bhat operates a camping site for tourists outside the post office and a souvenir kiosk where the people can make memories.

“With increasing tourism flow in Keran, the Army helped me in an adventure course. Now I have started my own camping site here,” he said. Referring to the Post Office, he said it was becoming an attraction for the tourists. “This is the first Post Office of the country and it is still active and with increasing tourism here, this also got popular. Post Office vans come here with posts and parcels.”..

Source : The Hitavada

Correct Answer :   North Korean

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The Supreme Leader of North Korea leader "Kim Jong Un" has replaced a high-ranking military official and ordered intensified military training and weapon production, according to reports from the country's state media KCNA. The move comes amidst escalating tensions and as South Korea and the United States prepare for joint military drills.

Leadership Reshuffle :

Kim Jong Un's latest move involves the dismissal of General Pak Su Il, the Chief of the General Staff of North Korea, who had been in the position for about seven months. The decision to remove Gen. Pak was announced during a Central Military Commission meeting, where plans to counter potential threats were discussed. Gen. Pak's replacement is General Ri Yong Gil, a seasoned military figure who previously served as the nation's defense minister and supreme commander of its conventional forces.

Heightened War Preparations :
Kim Jong Un's directive to intensify military training and weapons production was issued "in an offensive way," as the North Korean leader called for comprehensive war preparations. State media images depicted Kim engaged in discussions with uniformed top generals, pointing at maps and discussing "major military actions" against South Korea. This move follows Kim's recent inspection of key arms factories, further indicating North Korea's focus on bolstering its military capabilities.

Joint Drills and Regional Implications :
The timing of Kim Jong Un's military reshuffle and heightened war preparations coincides with upcoming joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. North Korea has historically viewed these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion and has warned of potential retaliation. The situation raises concerns about regional stability, as experts analyze the implications of these developments..

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Tamil Nadu

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The Centre has approved the establishment of a new spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, for carrying out the launches of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

* The Indian Space Policy 2023 has the provision for utilisation of a spaceport for carrying out launch activities by Non-Government Entities (NGEs), subject to technical feasibility and range safety constraints.

* The Policy has been approved and released into public domain. The Policy opens up the sector for enhanced participation of NGEs across the entire value chain of the space economy, while clearly delineating the roles of various stakeholders like IN-SPACe, ISRO, NewSpace India Limited and Department of Space.

* Singh said that the the Government has set up the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) as a single-window agency for promotion and authorisation of space activities.

The budget allocations for IN-SPACe are :

* 2023-24 ₹95 crore
* 2022-23 ₹33 crore
* 2021-22 ₹10 crore.

LIGO-India project approved :

The minister also informed that the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India) project has been approved by the Government of India at an estimated cost of ₹2,600 crore, with Department of Atomic Energy as the Lead Agency. He said, after completion of the project, the LIGO-India will be operated as a national facility for detecting Gravitation Waves and Research in related areas of Astronomy.

Kulasekarapattinam will be used by private companies to launch small satellites into orbit.

On the new launch pad that ISRO is building at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district along the coast in Tamil Nadu, SIRO Chairman S Somanath said that nearly 99 per cent of the 2,000 acres has been transferred to ISRO by the Tamil Nadu government.

“It takes at least two years to become fully functional after the commencement of the construction work. However, we will be able to conduct some sub-orbital launches there,” he added.

Space Industrial Park :

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to set up Space Industrial Park and Propellants Park near Thoothukudi to take advantage of the Centre’s move to build the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport.

Srinath Ravichandran, Co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos, in November told businessline that Kulasekarapattinam is a sweet spot for launching small satellites. “There is no land between that place and Antarctica, it’s a beautiful belt for launches. The rule is that you cannot fly over a land mass if you are not in orbit. By the time you are flying over Antarctica, you are in orbit.”

A cargo truck and four caravans are all that are required to launch small satellites, and Kulasekarapattinam is an ideal spot, he said..


Source : The Hindu Businessline

Correct Answer :   ISB

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The Indian School of Business’ (ISB’s) Bharti Institute of Public Policy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Goa government to commence a knowledge partnership with a focus on evidence-based policy formulation and its impact in the State.

According to the MoU, Bharti Institute will facilitate furthering the State government’s objectives to improve the social and economic prosperity indicators through evidence-based public policy interventions, capacity-building workshops, and citizen-centric governance-based initiatives as a knowledge partner.

It will collaborate with the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (GIPARD) to conduct workshops for officials of State services.

Bharti Institute will also develop the Goa Open Data Portal in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology, Goa, that will serve as a ‘one-stop destination’ for citizens to access digital services.

To tap into the bioenergy reserves of the State and empower forest-based communities with secure tenure, Bharti Institute will coordinate activities across departments and agencies in the State to attract private investment and will support in enabling the required framework of secure forest tenure, building women-led and community-owned enterprises, delivering digital and mechanical interventions for efficiency and scale, besides providing market linkage.

To strengthen and enhance the capacity of the Legislative Assembly of Goa, a Legislative Support Programme will be initiated under the newly formed partnership. As part of the programme, a Legislative Research Fellowship will also be initiated, and fellows with diverse backgrounds will be selected from the State.

The knowledge partnership will also extend to the Department of Education, Higher Education and Technical Education, Government of Goa, wherein Bharti Institute will extend its support and resources to improve the quality of education via effective leadership training, fostering positive learning environments, and empowering education officials, including principals and heads of institutes.

ISB’s Bharti Institute has been engaging with the State governments of Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, per a release..

Source : The Hindu Businessline