1.Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill Passed in Parliament
• The Bill seeks to reduce the time period for supersession of the Medical Council of India (MCI) from three years to two years, with effect from 26th September, 2018, during which the government-constituted Board of Governors will exercise the powers and functions of MCI as assigned under the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1956.
• The Bill also increases the strength of the Board appointed by the central government, from seven members to 12 members.
• The Medical Council of India (MCI) was set up under the Medical Council Act 1956, for setting standards for medical professionals, new medical colleges and revision of curriculum, among others.
2.Budget 2019 envisions India as a global hub for manufacturing electric vehicles
• Under Phase-II of the FAME Scheme, only advanced battery and registered e-vehicles will be incentivized, with greater emphasis on providing affordable and environment friendly public transportation options for the common man.
• The main objective of the Scheme is to encourage faster adoption of electric vehicles through upfront incentive on purchase of such vehicles and also by establishing the necessary charging infrastructure for the same.
• Phase II of FAME has an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore for a period of 3 years, and has commenced from 1st April, 2019.
3.New Space India Ltd. Incorporated
• Public Sector Enterprise viz. New Space India Limited (NSIL) has been incorporated as a new commercial arm of Department of Space to tap the benefits of the Research & Development carried out by ISRO.
• The Company will spearhead commercialization of various space products including production of launch vehicles, transfer to technologies and marketing of space products.
• The Budget Estimates for Department of Space for FY 2019-20 is Rs 12,473.26 crore as compared to the RE of Rs 11,200 crore in FY 2018-19.
4.Telangana government introduced “Miyawaki” method
• Telangana government has introduced the Japanese “Miyawaki” method of forestation to grow urban forests and expand the green cover as well as to meet the stipulated plantation target under the Telanganaku Haritha Haaram (TKHH).
• Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build dense, native forests in a short time.
• It is a method that help to grow a forest in about 20 to 30 years, however, conventional methods takes generally 200 to 300 years to grow a forest.
5.NASA to Launch Deep Space Atomic Clock
• The Deep Space Atomic Clock, created in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is an ultra-precise device that is about 50 times more stable than your average GPS satellite clock.
• The device, which uses mercury ions, will help spacecrafts navigate more autonomously by allowing the spacecraft to receive signals from Earth.
• Space X Falcon Heavy Rocket will take off with this deep space atomic clock.
