1.BiPAP Non-Invasive Ventilator

Why in News?

• CSIR – National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) Bangalore, a constituent lab of CSIR has developed a Non Invasive BiPAP Ventilator – SwasthVayu, in a record time to treat COVID-19 patients.

Highlights:

• BiPAP Non-Invasive ventilator is a microcontroller-based precise closed-loop adaptive control system with a built-in biocompatible “3D printed manifold & coupler” with HEPA filter (Highly Efficient Particulate Air Filter).
• These unique features help to alleviate the fear of the virus spread.
• It has features like Spontaneous, CPAP, Timed, AUTO BIPAP modes with provision to connect Oxygen concentrator or Enrichment unit externally.
• The system has been certified for safety and performance by NABL accredited agencies. The system has undergone stringent biomedical tests and beta clinical trials at NAL Health Centre.
• The Major Advantage of this Machine:
• It is simple to use without any specialized nursing, cost effective, compact and configured with a majority of indigenous components.
• This is ideal for treating COVID -19 patients in Wards, Makeshift Hospitals, dispensaries and homes in the current Indian COVID 19 Scenario.
• CSIR-NAL is in process of taking it forward with the regulatory authorities for approval and expected to get shortly. CSIR-NAL has already initiated dialogue with major Public/Private Industries as a partner for mass production.

2.Atal Pension Yojana: Marking 5 Years of Implementation

Why in News?

• The flagship social security scheme ‘Atal Pension Yojana’ (APY) has completed five years of successful implementation.
• Five years of successful implementation of APY is a significant feat. A statement-based Prelims Question on terms of enrolment of the APY can be asked.

Atal Pension Yojana:

• APY is a Government-Backed Pension scheme, Primarily Targeted at the Unorganised sector.
• It is a social Security scheme launched by the Government on 9^thMay 2015 to provide a defined pension between Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.
• It aims of delivering old Age Income Security Particularly to the workers in the unorganised sector with a Guarantee of Minimum Pension after 60 years of age.

Terms of Enrolment:

• APY can be subscribed by any Indian citizen in the age group of 18-40 years having a bank account and its uniqueness is Attributable to three distinctive benefits.

1. 1.First, it provides a minimum guaranteed pension ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 on attaining 60 years of age,
2. 2.Secondly, the amount of pension is guaranteed for a lifetime to spouse on death of the subscriber.
3. 3.And lastly, in the event of the death of both the subscriber and the spouse, entire pension corpus is paid to the Nominee.

Success of the Scheme:

• The Scheme has now 2.23 Crores Enrolment.
• Apart from remarkable enrolments, the scheme has been implemented comprehensively across the country covering all states and UTs with male to a female subscription ratio of 57:43.

PFRDA:

• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the statutory authority established by an enactment of the Parliament.
• It aims to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the National Pension System (NPS) and pension schemes to which this Act applies.
• NPS was initially notified for central government employees recruits w.e.f. 1st Jan 2004 and subsequently adopted by almost all State Governments for its employees.
• NPS was extended to all Indian citizens (resident/non-resident/overseas) on a voluntary basis and to corporates for its employees.

3.Maharana Pratap

Why in News?

• The Prime Minister and Vice President of India has recently paid tributes to Maharana Pratap on his 480^thbirth Anniversary.

About Maharana Pratap:

• He is also known as Rana Pratap Singh was born on May 9^th1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan.
• He was the 13th King of Mewar and was the eldest son of Udai Singh II
• The Maharana Udai Singh II ruled the kingdom of Mewar, with his capital at Chittor.
• The Udai Singh II was also a founder of the city of Udaipur (Rajasthan).
• The Battle of Haldighati, was fought in 1576 between Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber who was the general of the Mughal emperor Akbar.
• It is said that Maharana Pratap’s loyal horse named Chetak,  gave up his life as the Maharana was leaving the battlefield.After 1579 when the Mughal pressure relaxed over Mewar and Pratap recovered Western Mewar including Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur and Gogunda. During this period, he also built a new capital, Chavand, near modern Dungarpur.

4.National Technology Day

Why in News?

• National Technology Day is observed in India on May 11 every year to Commemorate the nuclear testing conducted at the Pokhran Test Range in 1998.
• To read more about Pokhran II nuclear tests, check This Day in History Dated 11^th

Highlights:

• A high-level digital conference on ‘Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology and Research Translations titled RESTART’ will be organised by the Technology Development Board (TDB), a statutory body of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on the 2020 National Technology Day.
• The conference will bring together scientists, technocrats, government officials, diplomats, WHO officials and dignitaries from national and international industry, research institutions and academic institutions on a single platform to share their insights on the role played by S&T in the global healthcare crisis.

• The conference also aims to discuss possible solutions that not only address the current pandemic but will also help humanity in facing future challenges.
• TDB, on behalf of the Ministry of Science & Technology, celebrates May 11 every year as National Technology Day to commemorate achievements of innovations and technological excellence in the Country.
• The day has a historical perspective as it was on May 11, 1998, that India achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully carrying out nuclear tests at Pokhran.
• Further, the first indigenous aircraft “Hansa-3” was test flown at Bangalore on this day.
• India also performed successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day.
• Since 1999, the day is being celebrated as National Technology Day.
• The celebration of Technology Day symbolizes India’s quest for scientific inquiry, technological creativity & innovations, and the integration of these developments into national socio-economic benefits and global presence.

5.Toda Embroidery

Context:

• Recently, Toda artisans from the Nilgiris have come forward to use their traditional skills in making face-masks and to help people ward off the infection and also provide Todas with livelihood.

About Toda Tribe:

• It is a pastoral tribe of the Nilgiri Hills of southern India.
• They speak Toda language, which is Dravidian but is the most unusual and different among the languages belonging to the Dravidian family.
• They live in settlements of from three to seven small thatched houses.
• They traditionally trade dairy products, as well as cane and bamboo articles, with the other Nilgiri Peoples.

About Toda Embroidery:

• It is called Pohor in the Toda language
• The traditional Toda dress is a distinctive shawl which is called Putukuli.
• It is considered a grand garment, it is only worn for special occasions like visits to the temple, festivals and finally as a shroud.
• It is done by Toda women and has distinctive red and black (and occasionally blue) thread work in geometric designs on unbleached white cotton fabric.
• It has got a Geographical Indications (GI) Tag.