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Farzad B Gas Field Iran gave the Farzad B gas field to a domestic gas producer in a setback move to India. Farzad B Gas Field Farzad-B is an off-shore natural gas field 20 kilometres off Farsi Island in Iran. The gas field was discovered in 2008 by a consortium of three Indian companies, led by the state-owned ONGC Videsh with a 40% stake; the other companies were Indian Oil Corporation (40%) and Oil India (20%). Deal soured after US sanctions Negotiations between the consortium and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to develop the gas field stalled due to secondary sanctions against Iran by the US and the European Union in the early 2010s. Following the lifting of sanctions after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed in July 2015 the consortium was close to an agreement to invest $US5 billion to develop the gas field. After the United States withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018, and the reinstatement of U.S. sanctions against Iran, the negotiations between the consortium and NIOC broke down. Consider the question "Balancing the contrasts has been the basis of India's relations with Iran. Comment." 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁 Join >> @dailynewscom

👨‍🌾Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi : • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana is a central sector scheme (fully funded by the Union government). • It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare. • PM-KISAN scheme was first implemented as the Rythu Bandhu scheme by the Government of Telangana where a certain amount was handed directly to the eligible farmers. Later, on 1 February 2019, during the 2019 Interim Union Budget of India, Piyush Goyal announced the implementation of this scheme as a nationwide project. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-KISAN scheme on 24 February 2019 in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. • The scheme provides income support to the farmers and their families. Under this scheme, all small and marginal farmers having cultivable land upto 2 ha will be provided with income support of Rs.6,000 per year in three instalments which will be deposited directly to their bank accounts. • The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiary farmer families rests with the State/UT Governments. • The direct transfer of funds is one of the biggest advantages of this scheme. The money is directly transferred to the farmers. • All the records related to farmers is registered officially on a digital platform which has made the registration and fund transfer easy. The digitalised records have brought about a new start to this welfare scheme. • The PM-KISAN Mobile App developed and designed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been launched. The farmers can view the status of their application, update or carry out corrections of their Aadhaar cards and also check the history of credits to their bank accounts.

📰News : ICMR drops plasma therapy from COVID treatment norms.

📰News : DRDO's drug launched for emergency use.

India Myanmar Relations Background:  Aftter the British conquest over Myanmar under British India Myanmar was separated in 1935 under the govt of India Act. India and Myanmar relationship officially got underway after the Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1951, after which the foundation for a more meaningful relationship was established during Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit in 1987. Importance of Myanmar: •Myanmar is the only Southeast Asian country that shares a land border with northeastern India, stretching some 1,624 kilometers. •Myanmar is the only country that sits at the intersection of India’s “Neighborhood First” policy and its “Act East” policy.Myanmar is a part of BIMSTEC as well as ASEAN. •Critical For India’s National Security Interests: North-eastern states in India are affected by left-wing extremism and narcotics trade routes (golden triangle). To counter these threats, the Indian and Myanmar armies have carried out many joint military operations like Operation Sunshine. Economic & Military Cooperation: •Many Indian companies made significant economic and trade agreements in infrastructure and other areas. Some other Indian companies such as Essar, GAIL, and ONGC Videsh Ltd. have invested in Myanmar’s energy sector. •Kaladan Multi Model Project and Thailand, Myanmar India Trilateral Highway for trade perspective. •India sees Myanmar as an efficient buyer of made in India defence equipments Issues: Military Coup in Myanmar Rohingya Immigration from Myanmar Way Forward: •India’s “Buddhist Circuit” initiative, This could build up India’s diplomatic reservoir of goodwill and trust with Buddhist-majority countries such as Myanmar. •Infrastructure projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport (KMMTT) should be financed into fruition expeditiously. •Finally, cooperation in different multilateral forums such as ASEAN and BIMSTEC strengthens the relationship between the two countries. Join >> @dailynewscom

Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2021-22 Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Economy In news The Central Government in consultation with the RBI, has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds. Key takeaways The Sovereign Gold Bonds will be issued in six tranches from 17th May to September 2021. The Bonds will be sold through Scheduled Commercial banks (except Small Finance Banks and Payment Banks), Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL),designated post offices, and National Stock Exchange of India Limited and Bombay Stock Exchange Limited. The minimum permissible investment will be one gram of gold. Investors will be compensated at a fixed rate of 2.50% per annum payable semi-annually on the nominal value. The Bonds will be restricted for sale to resident individuals, Hindu Undivided Families, Trusts, Universities and Charitable Institutions. The tenor of the Bond will be for a period of 8 years with exit option after 5th year to be exercised on the next interest payment dates. 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁 Join >> @dailynewscom

Species in news: Red-Eared Slider Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Biodiversity In news A American turtle popular as a pet is threatening to invade the natural water bodies across Northeast India. Northeast India is home to 21 of the 29 vulnerable native Indian species of freshwater turtles and tortoises. Key takeaways Between August 2018 and June 2019, a team of herpetologists from the NGO ‘Help Earth’ found red-eared sliders in the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ugratara temple pond — both in Guwahati, Assam The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) derives its name from red stripes around the part where its ears would be and from its ability to slide quickly off any surface into the water. It is native to the U.S. and northern Mexico. This turtle is an extremely popular pet. They grow fast and virtually leave nothing for the native species to eat. It has already affected States such as Karnataka and Gujarat, where it has been found in 33 natural water bodies. Preventing this invasive species from overtaking the Brahmaputra and other river ecosystems in the Northeast is crucial because the Northeast is home to more than 72% of the turtle and tortoise species in the country, all of them very rare. 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁 Join >> @dailynewscom

Elephant Casualties On Railway Lines Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment In news According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), a total of 186 elephants were killed after being hit by trains across India between 2009-10 and 2020-21. Assam accounted for the highest number of elephant casualties on railway tracks (62), followed by West Bengal (57), and Odisha (27). Uttar Pradesh saw just one death. Measures taken to avoid elephant casualties on railway lines A Permanent Coordination Committee was constituted between the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) and the MoEFCC for preventing elephant deaths in train accidents. Clearing vegetation along railway tracks to enable clear view for loco pilots. Setting up underpass/overpass for safe passage of elephants. Regulation of train speed from sunset to sunrise in vulnerable stretches Regular patrolling of vulnerable stretches of railway tracks The MoEFCC released ₹212.49 crore to elephant range States under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) of Project Elephant to protect elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address man-elephant conflicts, and for the welfare of captive elephants, between 2011-12 and 2020-21. 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁 Join >> @dailynewscom

Israel 🇮🇱 Hamas Conflict by Israeli Diplomat: https://youtu.be/olrbqt6eIPg

Israel’s Iron Dome rocket defence system Context Amid the Israel-Palestine conflict, the night sky over Israel has been ablaze with interceptor missiles from Iron Dome shooting down the incoming rockets in the sky. What is Iron Dome? Iron Dome is a multi-mission system capable of intercepting rockets, artillery, mortars and Precision Guided Munitionsas well as aircraft, helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) over short ranges of up to 70 km. It is an all-weather system and can engage multiple targets simultaneously and can be deployed over land and sea. Iron Dome is jointly manufactured by Rafael Advanced Systems and has been in service with Israeli Air Force since 2011. The radar system was developed by Elta. Working of Iron Dome An Iron Dome battery consists of a battle management control unit, a detection and tracking radar and a firing unit of three vertical launchers, with 20 interceptor missiles each. The interceptor missile uses a proximity fuse to detonate the target warhead in the air. One of the system's important advantages is its ability to identify the anticipated point of impact of the threatening rocket, to calculate whether it will fall in a built-up area or not, and to decide on this basis whether or not to engage it. This prevents unnecessary interception of rockets that will fall in open areas and thus not cause damage, the paper states. The system has intercepted thousands of rockets so far and, according to Rafael Advanced Systems, its success rate is over 90%.  Limitations of the system The system can see limitations when it is overwhelmed with a barrage of projectiles. The system has a 'saturation point'. It is capable of engaging a certain number of targets at the same time, and no more. One of the possible limitations is the system's inability to cope with very short range threats as estimates put the Iron Dome's minimum interception range at 5-7 kilometres.  🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁 Join >> @dailynewscom

📓Parts of Indian Constitution :

📰News : What's Iron Dome system?

📰News : U.S. slider turtles pose a threat in Northeast. IUCN Status : Least concern.