TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 5th BIMSTEC Summit
2. MATLAB
3. UMMID (Unique Methods for Management of Inherited Disorders)
4. LIGO India

1. 5th BIMSTEC Summit

Syllabus: GS II, Regional groupings involving India

Prelims: About BIMSTEC

Mains: Significance of BIMSTEC to tackle the economic and developmental consequences of the pandemic and the ongoing geopolitical tensions. 

Context: The Prime Minister of India participated in the 5th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation

Points of essence:

• The summit was hosted in virtual mode by Sri Lanka, which is currently the chair of BIMSTEC. 
• Before the 5th BIMSTEC summit, there were preparatory meetings held at the Senior Officials and Foreign Minister levels in Colombo. 
• It was themed “ Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People”. 
• The adoption and signing of the BIMSTEC charter has been a landmark outcome of the 5th BIMSTEC Summit.
• The BIMSTEC charter will lead to the formalisation of the grouping into an organisation that is composed of member states that are littoral to and dependent upon the Bay of Bengal. 
• Progress in the sphere of the BIMSTEC connectivity agenda was witnessed with the adoption of the ‘Master Plan for Transport Connectivity’ aiming to improve connectivity in the region. 

Explore BIMSTEC by following the provided link.

2. MATLAB

Syllabus: GS III, Achievements of Indians in science and technology and developing new technology

Prelims: Facts related to MATLAB, I-STEM

Mains: Facilities available for the improvement of learning in the field of science, technology and engineering in India.

Context: The MATLAB software has been launched through the Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) enabling free of cost access to academic researchers.  

Details: 

• The software suite (MATLAB) is hosted on the cloud server of I-STEM to ensure user-friendly access across the country. 
• MATLAB is a proprietary multi-paradigm programming language and numeric computing environment developed by MathWorks. 
• This software is used globally for matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces and interfacing with programs written in other languages. 
• The MATLAB software in the national portal is expected to extend assistance to many students and researchers, thereby promoting R&D throughout the country. 
• The Indian Science Congress 2020 witnessed the inception of the I-STEM portal as a national web portal for sharing R&D facilities, strengthening the research ecosystem. 
• I-STEM is an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under the guidance of the PM Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM STIAC). 
• I-STEM provides R&D facilities through authentic information regarding databases of facilities available across the country. It also enables the researcher to search the facility and book it online as per the desire. MATLAB software is a welcoming addition to further the progress of research in the country. 
• The portal also features the Digital Catalogue of Indigenously developed technologies and products. 

Read more about I-STEM in the linked article.

3. UMMID (Unique Methods for Management of Inherited Disorders)

Syllabus: GS II, Issues relating to health

Prelims: About the UMMID scheme 

Mains: Government interventions to tackle and treat genetic disorders

Context: In order to combat genetic disorders in the country, the government has established NIDAN Kendras (National Inherited Disorders Administration Kendras) in five government hospitals in four states under the provisions of the UMMID scheme, an initiative of the Department of Biotechnology. 

Important Points:

• Under the initiative of UMMID, clinician training is an area that is provided enormous attention. 
• The clinicians in the government hospitals will be trained in biochemical genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, clinical genetics and comprehensive clinical care. 
• This will help in the development of a holistic understanding of genetic disorders, their transmission and treatment. 
• The NIDAN kendras will be responsible for activities like testing for genetic disorders, newborn screening for relatively common treatable genetic metabolic disorders and genetic counselling for pregnant mothers with a high risk of genetic disorders. 

Image Source: https://dbtindia.gov.in

Read more about UMMID Scheme in the linked article

4. LIGO India

Syllabus: GS III, Science and Technology – Development and their applications 

Prelims: Facts related to LIGO India 

Mains: Discussing India’s development in the field of astronomy. 

Context: It was discussed in the Parliament that India has accorded in-principle approval for Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory. 

LIGO India Project:

• This project is an outcome of an MoU between the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the National Science Foundation of the USA. 
• Under this collaborative initiative, a LIGO detector will be set up in India as a part of the Global Network of Gravitational Wave Detectors. 

Know everything about the futuristic LIGO  India Project by following the link.

Read previous PIB here.

March 30th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here