Monsoon tracker LIVE: Cloudburst floods hotels, houses in Pahalgam; heavy to very heavy rain lash parts of India
Distilled Policy Brief
- The Indian government has issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall across various parts of the country, triggering landslides and flash floods in 32 villages.
- The current monsoon spell, which began in early July, has resulted in damages worth millions of rupees to roads and infrastructure, with nearly 10 houses in Shimla's Sanjauli area facing an immediate threat of collapse due to landslips.
- Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has reviewed the state's monsoon preparedness and is taking necessary measures to mitigate the impact of the heavy rainfall, which is expected to continue in the coming days.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the bilateral research and industrial cooperation engagements between India and Germany, consider the following statements: 1. Roundtables held with German research organizations, such as the Fraunhofer Institutes, prioritized key fields including microelectronics, power electronics, and smart manufacturing. 2. Expanding industry-academia innovation networks and collaboration in battery technologies form key components of the enhanced strategic cooperation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Both statements are correct. High-level roundtables with German research institutes, including Fraunhofer Institutes, focused on microelectronics, power electronics, smart manufacturing, battery technologies, and logistics. Furthermore, the engagement emphasized strengthening industry-academia innovation networks, science and technology cooperation, and advanced manufacturing capabilities between India and Germany.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.