Important Facts For Prelims (7th May 2019) | 07 May 2019

Honey Mission

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has distributed more than one lakh bee-boxes among farmers and unemployed youths across the country in less than two years under its 'Honey Mission' initiative to increase honey production and farmers’ income.

• Under the Honey Mission, KVIC provides awareness, training and ‘Bee Boxes’ along with Bee Colonies to the farmers.
• The mission was launched in August 2017 in line with the ‘Sweet Revolution’.
  
  • The 'Sweet Revolution' was launched in 2016 to promote beekeeping and associated activities.
• According to the KVIC, the Mission has created more than 10,000 new jobs, besides creating around 25,000 additional man-days through the fabrication of bee boxes and honey extractors.

Fourth Scorpene class Submarine Vela launched

• The Scorpene-class submarine “Vela”, the fourth of six underwater warships being built in India with French collaboration, has been launched in Mumbai, with an aim to boost Indian capability to defend and secure the strategic sea lanes.
  • INS Vela was first commissioned on August 31, 1973 in the Indian Naval Service and continued to serve for 37 years. It was the country’s oldest submarine when it was decommissioned on June 25, 2010.
  • A new Vela with modern machinery and technology to guard the seas, has been launched.
• The State-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) has entered into a contract for construction and transfer of technology for six Scorpene-class submarines with French collaborator Ms Naval Group (formerly DCNS).
  • Before Vela, MDL launched Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj submarines.
  • While Kalvari has been commissioned, the others are at various levels of trials and tests.

Varuna

• 'Varuna', the 17^th edition of a joint exercise of navies of India and France, currently underway off the coast of Goa, is the largest ever joint exercise undertaken by the two navies yet.
  

Significance and scope :

It represents the strengthened maritime co-operation between India and France. With 11 of the two countries’ modern units, including the western fleet’s Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya and French Navy’s aircraft carrier FNS Charles De Guelle, the exercise will focus on interoperability between the two sides.

About Varuna:

• It is an annual exercise.
• It is held in either the Indian Ocean or in the Mediterranean Sea.

Other Joint exercises between and India and France:

• Shakti: Army (Land)
• Garuda: Air force

GRIHA for Existing Day Schools

Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Council recently released a rating tool ‘GRIHA for Existing Day Schools’ to evaluate the environmental performance of existing schools across India.

Key highlights

• The rating familiarises the students with the concepts of sustainability by involving them in evaluating the environmental impact of schools on the environment.
• It will help students and teachers in establishing contact with nature and with each other using the approach of co-creation and understanding.