U-20 World Athletics Championships: Indian mixed 4x400m relay team wins bronze

•The Indian mixed 4x400m relay team on August 18, 2021, won a bronze in the U-20 World Athletics Championships. This is India’s fifth medal.

•The Indian quartet comprising Bharath S, Summy, Priya Mohan, and Kapil timed 3.20.60 seconds to come third in the finals.

•Nigeria won the gold with a timing of 3.19.70 seconds and Poland won the silver with a timing of 3.19.80 seconds respectively.

•India reached up to finals as the second-best team overall with a record timing of 3.23.36 seconds in the heat races held before in the morning.

Govt proposes amendment to Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge) Rules, invites public comments

•Ministry of Power has floated a draft Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge) Amendment Rules, 2021, to increase transparency and reduce the burden of distribution licensee by incorporating the principle of ‘first in, first out’ for payment by distribution licensees.

•The draft Amendment Rules, 2021, are available on the website of Power Ministry for public comments.

•The power Ministry stated that the amendments proposed will benefit the electricity consumers and the power sector of India overall. The power-generating companies will be presented with an option to sell power to third parties and recover their cost.

Defence Minister launches Defence India Startup Challenge 5.0

•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on August 19, 2021, launched the 5th edition of the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC 5.0).

•Singh said that the DISC 5.0 will aid in achieving the goal of self-reliance. Rs 500 crores will be spent on innovation and promoting 300 startups in the next 5 years.

•Singh noted that several issues faced by the Defence PSUs, Services, and Ordinance Factory Boards are being assessed and will be presented to entrepreneurs, start-ups, innovators, and MSMEs in the form of DISC to resolve them.

•Singh said the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) has been successful at bridging the gap. iDEX4fauji, a similar initiative provides the service personnel with the opportunity to showcase their talent.

DRDO develops Advanced Chaff technology for Indian Air Force

•Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) laboratory has developed in Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard the fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) against hostile radar threats.

•Defence Laboratory Jodhpur, a DRDO lab in collaboration with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), developed the advanced Chaff material and chaff cartridge 118/I to meet the qualitative requirements of IAF.

•Chaff is a critical Defence technology that protects fighter aircraft from hostile radar threats. The significance of this technology is that a very less quantity of chaff material is required as decoys to deflect enemy’s missiles.

•Indian Air Force has begun the process of inducting the Chaff technology after successful trials. Defence Minister termed this indigenous development by DRDO, IAF, and the industry as a step towards ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’ in strategic Defence technologies.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to inaugurate India’s first smog tower on August 23

•Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will inaugurate India’s first smog tower on August 23, 2021, at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, informed Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on August 19, 2021.

•The smog tower will clean 1,000 cubic meters of air every second and reduce PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels in Delhi, said Rai.

•The smog tower has been built for Rs 20 crores. If the smog performs satisfactorily, then similar smog towers will be set up throughout Delhi.

•The scientists at the Delhi Pollution Control Committee will accordingly assess the tower’s performance and submit a monthly report.

•The Central government is also building a similar tower in Anand Vihar. These towers are being set up after the Supreme Court ordered both the Delhi govt and Central govt to immediately install smog towers in Delhi.

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