UPSC: SAMRIDH Scheme, Agni-4, Anoles, and More

Table of Contents

UPSC GS 2

News: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently launched the second cohort of SAMRIDH.
SAMRIDH Scheme:
- - The SAMRIDH (Startup Accelerator of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development, and Growth) is a flagship programme launched by the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under the National Policy on Software Products – 2019.
  - It was initiated in August 2021 with the objective of accelerating software product startups in India.
  - The programme aims to support 300 startups over a period of 4 years, with a total outlay of ₹99 crore.

Key Objectives:
- - Startup Acceleration: Supports existing and upcoming accelerators to select and scale potential IT-based startups.
  - Growth Opportunities: Focuses on providing startups with connections to customers, investors, and international markets.
Eligibility Criteria for Accelerators:
- - Legal Status: Should be a registered Section-8 company/Society, [Not-for-Profit Company (eligible to hold equity)] operating in India.
  - Experience: The accelerator and its team should have over 3 years of startup experience and should have supported more than 50 startups.
  - Investment Success: At least 10 startups supported by the accelerator must have received investment from external investors.
  - Cohort Experience: The accelerator must have experience running startup program cohorts with activities desirable under the SAMRIDH program.
Support Provided:
- - Services Offered: Accelerators provide startups with services like product-market fit, business plan development, investor connections, and international expansion.
  - Funding Support: MeitY provides matching funding of up to ₹40 lakh to assist startups.
Implementation:
- - Responsible Bodies: The scheme is implemented through MeitY Start-up Hub (MSH) and Digital India Corporation (DIC).
  - Nationwide Implementation: It is executed through potential and established accelerators across India.

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News: A successful launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-4, was carried out from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha recently.
Agni Missiles:
- - The Agni missile series is developed indigenously by DRDO.
  - The Agni missiles are long-range, nuclear weapons capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.
The Agni-IV:
- - It is an Indian solid-fueled intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a range of up to 4,000 km.

Key Features:
- - Class: Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM)
  - Range: Up to 4,000 km.
  - Payload: 1,000 kg.
  - Launcher: Road-mobile.
  - Previous Tests: Covered 3,000 km in 20 minutes (2012).
  - Launch weight: 17,000 kg
  - Warhead: Nuclear or conventional
  - Propulsion: Two-stage solid propellant

News: In the wake of the devastating landslides that recently struck Kerala’s Wayanad district, a crucial conversation has emerged around whether entities can seek compensation through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s Loss and Damage Fund (LDF).
Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) Overview:
- - The Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) was established at the 2022 UNFCCC Conference (COP27) held in Egypt.
Aim:
- - It is designed to offer financial support to regions experiencing both economic and non-economic losses due to climate change.
Purpose:
- - Economic Loss and Damage: Provides support for losses that can be assigned a monetary value. Examples include:
  - Costs of rebuilding infrastructure damaged by floods.
  - Loss of revenue from crops destroyed by drought.
  - Non-Economic Loss and Damage: Addresses impacts that are difficult or infeasible to quantify in monetary terms. Examples include:
  - Trauma from experiencing natural disasters such as tropical cyclones.
  - Loss of community due to displacement.
  - Loss of biodiversity.

Key Features:
- - Support for Vulnerable Nations: Designed to aid countries most affected by climate-related challenges.
  - Financial Assistance: Provides grants and concessional financing to eligible countries.
Governance and Management:
- - Governing Board: Oversees the allocation and disbursement of the fund’s resources.
  - Interim Trustee: The World Bank serves as the interim trustee for a period of four years, managing the fund’s operations.
Funding Contributions:
- - Voluntary Contributions: Encourages contributions from developed countries.
  - Inclusive Participation: Also invites contributions from developing countries to support the fund.

News: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, has officially announced the launch of the India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (IGEIC), a key initiative under the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
Definition:
- - The Indian Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (IGEIC) is a pioneering non-profit, Section 8 company established to advance graphene technology commercialization.

Objectives:
- - Graphene Technology Commercialization:
  - Aims to bridge the gap between research and development (R&D) and commercialization.
  - Focuses on creating a hub of excellence in graphene technology.
Ecosystem Development:
- - Works to build a comprehensive graphene ecosystem in India.
  - Engages with startups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), academia, industry, and government.
Global Initiative:
- - Supports bilateral collaborations and forms part of a broader international effort.
Location and Facilities: Situated in Trivandrum, Kerala.
Historical Context: Follows the launch of the India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG) in Kerala, which was India’s first graphene center.

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News: Florida’s battle with invasive species has taken a new turn, as the population of the non-native brown anole lizard — a key host for disease-carrying mosquitoes is declining.
Anoles (Genus Anolis) Overview:
Family:
- - Anoles are species of small tree-dwelling lizards related to iguanas (family Iguanidae).
Evolutionary Significance:
- - Anoles are a diverse group of lizards that serve as a model system for studying evolutionary biology.
  - They are particularly significant for research on adaptive radiation and island biogeography.

Geographic Distribution:
- - Primarily found in the Americas, with a notable presence in the Caribbean islands.
  - Native to both the Neotropical and Nearctic regions.
Adaptive Radiation:
- - Anoles are a classic example of adaptive radiation, a process where a single ancestral species evolves into many descendant species, each adapted to different ecological niches.
Characteristics:
- - Anoles are vertebrate (an animal with a spine or backbone).
  - Anoles are cold-blooded.
  - Males are slightly larger than females.
  - Males have a bright pink dewlap (flap of skin) that hangs beneath the neck.
  - The green anole is often called ‘chameleon’ because of their ability to change colors from bright green to brown.