Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Fossil finger points to early humans entering Saudi Arabia

News

• An ancient human finger bone found in Saudi Arabia provides a new clue about when and how our species migrated out of Africa.

Beyond News

• Researchers say it shows hunter-gatherers had reached that area by 85,000 years ago.
• Previously discovered human fossils show an earlier human presence in Israel and possibly China.
• Scientists believe early people left Africa more than once after evolving there at least 300,000 years ago. The bone, from an adult and most likely a middle finger, was found in 2016 about 340 miles (550 kilometre) southeast of the Sinai Peninsula.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Transgenders to be recognised as independent gender category in PAN form

News

• The government has amended Income Tax rules that will now allow transgenders to be recognised as an independent category of applicants for obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN) for their tax-related transactions.

Beyond News

• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which frames policy for the department, issued a notification that provides a new tick box for the transgenders to apply for the PAN.
• The notification, issued under sections 139A and 295 of the Income Tax Act, specifies the new application process for obtaining a PAN number by an individual.
• So far only male and female gender categories were available to be chosen on the PAN application form.
• The amendment will now be reflected in Form 49A (PAN application form for Indian citizens) and 49AA (PAN application form for individuals not a citizen of India), the official added.
• PAN is a 10-digit unique alphanumeric number alloted by the I-T department to individuals and entities.
• The government has now made quoting of Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns (ITRs) as well as obtaining a new PAN.
• Section 139 AA (2) of the Income Tax Act says that every person having PAN as on July 1, 2017, and eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate his Aadhaar number to the tax authorities.
• As per updated data till March 5, over 16.65 crore PANs, out of the total about 33 crore, have been linked with Aadhaar. The deadline to link these two has been extended recently till June 30 by the CBDT.

Army to get 1.86 lakh bulletproof jackets

News

• After years of delay and much public criticism, the government has concluded a major contract for purchasing almost two lakh bulletproof jackets for the Army.

Beyond News

• Army said in a statement that, a major contract through capital procurement route, for procurement of 1,86,138 Bullet Proof Jackets (BPJs) has been signed.
• Over the past several years, many of the fatal Army injuries have been blamed on lack of modern BPJs for the soldiers. The Army has a total projected requirement of 3.53 lakh jackets. In March 2016, Army had procured 50,000 jackets on an urgent basis.
• Late last year, all three bidding Indian companies qualified the field trials. The procurement is worth over ₹1000 crore.
• The jackets have modular parts, which will provide immense protection and flexibility to soldiers operating in different operational situations ranging from long distance patrolling to high risk room intervention scenarios.
• The new BPJs will provide 360 degree protection to the soldier in combat, including from latest hard steel core bullets, it said.
• The contract has been processed under ‘Buy Indian’ category.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Sun shines on SCR: solar panels help save ₹2.28 cr.

News

• The South Central Railways (SCR) has improved its revenue over the past year by 18% ₹426 crore in 2017-18 as against ₹357.85 crore in 2016-17.

Beyond News

• It also earned ₹11.59 crore by selling scrap as against ₹8.37 crore in the previous financial year — a 38% rise.
• The division has also improved its services, an official release informed. The SCR closed 15 unmanned level crossing gates and five manned level crossing gates to avert accidents.
• The division saved 28.59 lakh units of electricity valued at ₹2.28 crore by improving solar capacity and installing LED lights in stations and level crossing gates.
• In the previous year, it offered amenities, including WiFi services at 18 stations and Ola parking and pre-paid autorickshaws at Kachiguda station.

World’s first microfactory to help tackle e-waste hazard

News

• An Indian-origin scientist in Australia has launched the world’s first microfactory that can transform the components from electronic waste items such as smartphones and laptops into valuable materials for re-use.

Beyond News

• According to a professor at the University of New South Wales, the e-waste microfactory has the potential to reduce the rapidly growing problem of vast amounts of electronic waste causing environmental harm and going into landfill.
• It can also turn many types of consumer waste such as glass, plastic and timber into commercial material and other products.

Green manufacturing

• For instance, from e-waste, computer circuit boards can be transformed into valuable metal alloys such as copper and tin while glass and plastic from e-devices can be converted into micromaterials used in industrial grade ceramics and plastic filaments for 3D printing.
• The modular microfactories can operate on a site as small as 50 square metres and can be located wherever waste may be stockpiled.
• A microfactory is one or a series of small machines and devices that uses patented technology to perform one or more functions in the reforming of waste products into new and usable resources.

Pvt. companies to install solar panels on water bodies, dams

News

• In a desperate attempt to boost the dwindling production of solar energy in the State, Maharashtra will allow private players to install panels on water bodies, rivers and dams.

Beyond News

• The ‘floating’ policy for solar panels is aimed taking the State’s power generation from solar sources from the current 624 mega watts (mw) to about 3,200 mw or 40% of the total renewable energy production of 7,839 mw.
• Senior officials said the government is short of land to construct solar plants, and constructing massive solar plants on water bodies is already a nascent global trend.
• According to the policy, clean energy companies will also be allowed to use wetlands, canals and ponds for a project up to 2,000 mw capacity.
• The renewable sources other than solar are wind, bagasse, small hydro projects, biomass, urban solid waste and industrial waste among others.

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