Current Affairs

1. DELHI EXCISE POLICY CASE –

• Recently, a Magistrate Court in Delhi has sent the Chief Minister of Delhi to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED’s) custody in connection with the Excise Policy Case. The CM of Delhi is accused by the ED of b eing the “kingpin and key conspirator” of the Delhi excise scam.
• The Delhi Excise Policy Case refers to a case surrounding the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. This policy, which came into effect in November 2021, was subsequently scrapped in July 2022 due to allegations of procedural lapses, corruption, and financial losses to the exchequer.
• The Delhi Chief Secretary’s report highlighted arbitrary and unilateral decisions made by Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister and Excise Minister, which allegedly led to financial losses estimated at over Rs 580 crore.
• The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that the new excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to provide a 12% profit margin to certain private companies in the alcohol business. It’s alleged that a 6% kickback was involved in this arrangement.

 

2. THE INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION’S (IAU) WORKING GROUP FOR PLANETARY SYSTEM NOMENCLATURE RECENTLY APPROVED THE NAME ‘STATIO SHIV SHAKTI’ FOR THE LANDING SITE OF CHANDRAYAAN-3 –

• Statio Shiv Shakti’ is located at 69.373°S 32.319°E, between the lunar craters Manzinus C and Simpelius N.
• The term ‘Shiv Shakti’ represents nature’s masculine-feminine duality, embodying strength and resolution, and has a deep connection to India’s diverse cultural environment.
• Previous Names of Crash Sites
• Tiranga Point: The PM previously named the Chandrayaan-2 crash site ‘Tiranga Point’
• Jawahar Point: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam proposed ‘Jawahar Point’ for the Chandrayaan-1 impact probe landing location.

 

3. ARMY DEPLOYS ADVANCED ANTI-DRONE     DEFENSE       SYSTEMS ALONG CHINA BORDER –

• In response to escalating tensions along the northern borders with China, the Indian Army has initiated significant enhancements to its air defence capabilities. Central to this strategic maneuver is the deploym ent of cutting-edge Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction Systems (IDD&IS), developed domestically in collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics.
• Jointly developed by DRDO and Bharat Electronics, the Mark-1 variant IDD&IS represents a milestone in India’s indigenous defence technology.
• These systems offer a multi-layered defence mechanism against hostile drones, combining jamming technology with “hard kill” measures using lasers, thus ensuring comprehensive protection.
• Capable of disrupting drones within a radius of 2 to 5 kilometers, providing immediate countermeasures against potential threats. Employing high-energy lasers, the system can neutralize drones from distances exceeding 800 meters, ensuring robust defence capabilities.