2023 SEMICON INDIA

 

Setting: The Prime Minister launches SemiconIndia 2023 in Gujarat, highlighting India’s potential to develop into a major global semiconductor centre and its dedication to technological advancement.

 

Define Semicon India.

The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) hosts this yearly conference with the main goal of fostering the expansion and development of India’s semiconductor sector.

 

Objectives:

It aims to promote networking and knowledge sharing among participants while showcasing India’s capabilities in semiconductor design and manufacture.

 

How do semiconductors work?

They are materials with distinctive electrical properties that are essential in the creation of many different electronic devices and have a big impact on modern technology.

ISM stands for India Semiconductor Mission.

Concerning the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)

The ISM, a comprehensive programme for the development of a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in India, was introduced in 2021 under the supervision of the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).

To offer financial assistance to businesses that invest in the manufacturing of semiconductors, displays, and design ecosystems. ISM wants to act as the central organisation for the projects’ effective, well-coordinated, and seamless execution.

Components Scheme for Establishing Semiconductor Fabs and Display Fabs in India (financial Support to Eligible Applicants for Establishing Semiconductor Fabs); Scheme for Establishing Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics etc. Scheme for Design-Linked Incentive (DLI)

 

Why Does India Need a Semiconductor Sector?

As the source of energy for electronic devices and gadgets, semiconductors are essential to modern economies. These integrated circuits (ICs), commonly referred to as microchips, are mostly constructed of silicon and germanium. By 2026 and 2030, respectively, it is expected that India will consume more than USD 80 billion and USD 110 billion of semiconductors. These chips are mostly produced in the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the Netherlands, among other nations.

Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) Modernization, Compound Semiconductors Support, Production Linked Incentives (PLI), and Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme are more initiatives linked to semiconductors.

 

 

GOVERNMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES

 

The introduction of many citizen-focused initiatives helped the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) mark its 17th anniversary of being founded.

These programmes seek to improve weather services, spread knowledge, and advance ocean-related services and biodiversity.

 

Launched major initiatives

  • Imphal (Manipur), Kohima (Nagaland), Aizawl (Mizoram), and Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar) all welcomed new meteorological centres.
  • A new website that will provide notifications for weather forecasts and advisories at the block level for the benefit of our agricultural community, which includes farmers, fishermen, and livestock owners. You can view the website at https://www.greenalerts.in/.
  • The IMD created the Rainfall Atlas of India (1971–2020) using data from 4389 rain gauges, and it is intended to serve as a resource for a variety of organisations, academics, and operational meteorologists.
  • The Indian Ocean Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS) is a web resource that offers details on marine species found in the Indian Ocean as well as the biodiversity within the region’s exclusive economic zone.

 

The MoES:

The India Meteorological Department, the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, the Earth Risk Evaluation Centre, and the Ministry of Ocean Development were combined to form the Ministry of Earth Sciences on January 29, 2006 (headquarters: New Delhi). It is essential for offering services in the fields of weather, climate, oceanography, hydrology, and seismology.

 

 

THERE IS A RISK THAT ANCIENT GERMS RELEASED BY MELTING ICE WILL DEVASTATE THE EARTH.

 

Context: In reaction to global warming, the essay examines the possible dangers of ancient germs being released from melting glaciers.

  • One such instance is the recent discovery of a 30,000-year-old virus in Siberian permafrost, and the connection between an anthrax outbreak and the thawing of spores in western Siberia.
  • The melting of ice is being accelerated by the changing climate, especially in colder areas like the Arctic, which could result in the release of numerous microbes, including ancient pathogens. The precise risk that these viruses pose to contemporary ecosystems is still unknown.

In a recent study, the ecological dangers of releasing antiquated pathogens were calculated using simulations and published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology. The findings demonstrated that even 1% of simulated releases of a single latent virus could result in considerable environmental harm and widespread host organism loss on a global scale.

  • Even while the threat posed by a single disease may appear to be negligible, the sheer volume of ancient germs being released raises the total risk.
  • These diseases might become a powerful driver of ecological change and possibly result in the extinction of species if they were to establish themselves in contemporary habitats.

There is fear that these “time-traveling” infections could infect humans through zoonotic pathways, similar to how viruses like SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, and HIV probably emerged from animal hosts, despite the fact that the study did not model the possible risk to humans.