Daily Current Affairs and GK | 22 January 2025

Topic: Space and IT

1. A demo of restarting the Vikas liquid engine is carried out by ISRO.

• A demonstration of restarting the Vikas liquid engine was successfully carried out by the Indian Space Research Organisation at a test facility at the Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri.
• The Vikas engine is the engine that powers the liquid stages of its launch vehicles.
• The test, which took place on January 17, is a milestone in the development of technologies for recovery of stages, which will lead to reusability in future launch vehicles.
• Several tests are being conducted to confirm the engine restartability under different conditions.
• In this test, the engine was started for 60 seconds, after which it was turned off for 120 seconds, and then restarted and ran for seven seconds duration.
• Apart from this, the Core Liquid Stage (L110) of ISRO's LVM3 launch vehicle was flagged off by ISRO Chairman V Narayanan for the launch complex at Sriharikota.
• The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) designed and developed the stage during the development of the LVM3 launch vehicle and powered it with twin Vikas engines, featuring a propellant loading of 110 tonnes.

Topic: Important Day

2. Statehood day of Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya: 21 January

• Every year on January 21, the Statehood Day of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura is celebrated.
• PM Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on their 53rd Statehood Day.
• The three states that attained statehood under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act of 1971 celebrated their 53rd anniversary of statehood this year.
• North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act of 1971 became effective on January 21, 1972.
• Manipur and Tripura were princely states, which were included in India in October 1949. Then the states were given the status of union territories.
• In 1970, Meghalaya became an autonomous state within Assam.
• In 1972, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Manipur were given full statehood by the North Eastern Reorganization Act, 1972.

Topic: International News

3. US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border.

• Donald Trump announced several restrictions on immigration and asylum in the United States.
• He said that troops would be sent to the US-Mexico border and would end birthright citizenship.
• He will seek to revoke the right of US nationality to anyone born in America.
• The emergency on the US-Mexico border will give special presidential powers.
• Under these powers, Donald Trump could use federal funding for border wall construction and could deploy the military and National Guard to the border.
• He also signed an order declaring Mexican drug cartels terrorist organizations.

Topic: State News/ Haryana

4. Haryana government notified the Vehicle Scrappage and Recycling Facility Incentive Policy 2024.

• The main aim of the initiative is to ensure the proper disposal and recycling of old vehicles, promoting environmental sustainability by reducing pollution.
• The initiative will enable proper disposal and recycling of old vehicles.
• The number of scrapped vehicles is continuously increasing after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) fixed the life of old diesel vehicles to 10 years and 15 years for petrol vehicles.
• Under this policy, vehicle owners will also get financial benefits and public will get relief from junk vehicles parked on roads, streets and other public places.
• The government will offer capital subsidies or state GST reimbursement to new industrial units.
• The government will develop a 10-year land leasing module through the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC).