Current Affairs

ISRO to Launch INSAT-3DS

• INSAT or the Indian National Satellite System is a series of multipurpose Geo-stationary satellites.
• They are launched by ISRO to satisfy the telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue needs of India.
• INSAT is the largest domestic communication system in the Asia Pacific Region More
• It is the third in a series of INSAT 3D satellites.
• Its predecessors were INSAT-3D (launched in 2013), and INSAT-3DR (2016).

About INSAT-3DS:

• It is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning.

Launch Details:

• INSAT-3DS mission is to be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• Funding: fully funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). Collaboration: ISRO and the India Meteorological Organisation (IMD).
• Launch Vehicle: Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F14). The GSLV aims at deploying the INSAT-3DS into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• Augmentation: The satellite will augment the Meteorological services along with the presently operational INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR satellites.

Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC):

• Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, the Spaceport of India, is responsible for providing Launch Base Infrastructure for the Indian Space Programme.
• The Centre has two launch pads from where the rocket launching operations of PSLV and GSLV are carried out.
• It has a separate launch pad for launching sounding rockets.

Aim of the Mission:

• To monitor Earth’s surface, carry out Oceanic observations and its environment in various spectral channels of meteorological importance.
• To provide the vertical profile of various meteorological parameters of the Atmosphere.
• To provide the Data Collection and Data Dissemination capabilities from the Data Collection Platforms (DCPs).
• To provide Satellite Aided Search and Rescue services.

INSAT 3DS Payload:

• Imager Payload: INSAT-3DS Satellite carries a multi-spectral Imager (optical radiometer) capable of generating images of the Earth and its environment in six wavelength bands.
• Sounder Payload: Sounder will provide the information on the vertical profiles of the Atmosphere – temperature, humidity etc.
• Data Relay Transponder (DRT): Receives globally Meteorological, Hydrological and Oceanographic data from automatic Data collection platforms/Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) from multi-user and relays back to the user terminal.
• Satellite-aided Search and Rescue (SA&SR) Transponder: Relays a distress signal/alert detection from the beacon transmitters for Search and Rescue purposes.

GSLV-F14

• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is a three-stage launch vehicle having a liftoff mass of 420 tonnes.  GSLV can be used to launch a variety of spacecraft capable of performing communications, navigation, earth resource surveys, and any other proprietary mission.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO):

• Transfer orbits are a special kind of orbit used by the satellites to get from one orbit to another.
• GTO provides satellites a halt before they can be placed in their destination orbit.
• The launchers do not have to directly place a satellite into GEO. Instead, it can first make use of GTO.

Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO):

• It makes satellites placed in it appear ‘Stationary’ as their orbital period is the same as the earth’s rotation period.
• The GEO satellites are directly overhead at the Earth’s equator.
• ISRO’s Indian National Satellite System [INSAT] is placed in GEO. This is because it is easy for the Earth antennas to track the communication satellites without rotation.

Lentil Production India

• As per the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, India is set to become the world’s largest producer of lentils (masoor) during the 2023-24 crop year on account of higher acreage.
• The country's lentil production is estimated to touch an all-time high of 1.6 million tonnes in the 2023-24 rabi season on higher acreage.
• According to official data, in the 2022-23 crop year, the country’s lentil production stood at 1.56 million tonnes.

Lentils About:

• Lentil is a bushy annual herbaceous plant of the legume family.
• These are edible legumes, known for their lens-shaped, flat disced seed.
• Lentil plants are typically short, and bear self-pollinated flowers.
• Lentil grains are excellent sources of energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibers, phosphorus, iron, zinc, carotene, vitamins, and antioxidants. Climatic Condition:
• Lentil is primarily grown as a rainfed crop.
• It requires cold temperature during its vegetative growth and warm temperature at the time of maturity.
• Lentil is grown during rabi season.

Soil Types:

• Lentils can grow on various soil types, from sand to clay loam, growing best in deep sandy loam soils with moderate fertility.
• A soil pH around 7 would be the best. Lentils do not tolerate flooding or water-logged conditions.

Lentil Growing Region:

• It is mainly cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
• The Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is considered as lentil bowl which contributes nearly 25% to the total lentil production in the country.
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world top lentil growers in 2022 were Canada, India, Australia, Turkey, and Russia.
• Despite being the second largest producer of lentil, India has so far been relying on imports to meet its domestic requirements, buying mainly from Australia, Canada, Russia, Singapore, and Turkey. Status of Pulse Production in India India is the largest producer (25% of global production), consumer (27% of world consumption) and importer (14%) of pulses in the world.
• Pulses account for around 20% of the area under foodgrains and contribute around 7-10% of the total foodgrains production in the country.
• Gram is the most dominant pulse having a share of around 40 % in the total production followed by Tur/Arhar at 15 to 20 % and Urad/Black Matpe and Moong at around 8-10 % each.
• Though pulses are grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons, Rabi pulses contribute more than 60% of the total production.
• Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are the top five pulses-producing states.

Trade Deficit:

• A trade deficit is an amount by which the cost of a country's imports exceeds its exports.
• The trade deficit in goods shows a rise of demand in the economy.
• It is a part of the Current Account Deficit.

Current Account Deficit About:

• Current account deficit (CAD) is when the value of a country's imports of goods and services is greater than its exports.
• CAD and fiscal deficit together make up twin deficits that can impact the stock market and investors.
• Fiscal Deficit is the gap between the government’s expenditure requirements and its receipts. This equals the money the government needs to borrow during the year.

Implication:

• The CAD is significant because it affects the economy, stock markets, and people's investments.
• A lower CAD can boost investor sentiment and make the country's currency more attractive to investors.
• A surplus in the current account indicates that money is flowing into the country, which can boost foreign exchange reserves and the value of the local currency.

Negative Effects of CAD on Economy:

• Weaker Currency: When a country's imports exceed its exports, it can cause a decrease in demand for its currency, leading to a weaker currency value (depreciation).
• This can make imports more expensive, leading to higher inflation and a reduction in purchasing power.
• Debt Accumulation: If a country is unable to finance its current account deficit with foreign investment, it may need to borrow to cover the gap.
• This can lead to an increase in debt levels, which can further harm the economy.