Current Affairs in Short: 10 August 2021

Govt approves Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN manufacturing facility in Gujarat’s Ankleshwar

•Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on August 10, 2021, announced that the Government has approved Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN manufacturing facility in Ankleshwar, Gujarat.

•Bharat Biotech stated in a press release that Ankleshwar-based vaccine manufacturing facility will produce additional 200 million doses of COVAXIN.

•The current vaccine production capacity is 25 million doses per month, which will be maintained till August-September 2021. The facility is expected to begin rolling out the vaccine doses from the fourth quarter of 2021.

Deep Ocean Mission to be implemented by Ministry of Earth Sciences for 5 years

•Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences informed that the Ministry of Earth Sciences will implement ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ at Rs 4,077 crores for 5 years. The mission is scheduled to begin in 2021.

•Deep Ocean Mission is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme that emphasizes on developing deep-sea technology, including the development of manned submersible, the acquisition of a research vessel for exploring the ocean, and capacity building in Marine Biology.

•The manned submersible will go up to a depth of 6,000 metres in the ocean with three people aboard. The submersible will be equipped with technologies such as scientific sensors, and tools for deep-sea mining, exploration of deep-sea marine biodiversity and mineral resources.

•A preliminary study indicated 380 million metric tonnes of polymetallic nodules comprising Manganese, Cobalt, and Copper in the Central Indian Ocean basin, Singh added.

IAF constructs one of world’s highest mobile Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers in Ladakh

•The Indian Air Force (IAF) has constructed one of the world’s highest mobile Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers at the Advanced Landing Ground in the Ladakh region.

•The Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers to aid in control operations of the fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters operating in the eastern Ladakh region.

•India is also deliberating into multiple options to develop airfields in eastern Ladakh, including Nyoma, Fukche, and Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO).

•IAF has already deployed the Igla man-portable air defence missiles to counter any aerial attack by any opponent aircraft.

•IAF has also been deploying fighter aircraft including MiG-29s and Rafale in eastern Ladakh.

BCCI invites application for role of NCA cricket head

•The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited applications for the post of Cricket Head at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Currently, Rahul Dravid is the NCA Head.

•The NCA Cricket Head will get a two-year contract and will report to the Secretary of BCCI. The Head will supervise 25-30 people and 12 of them will report directly to the Head. All applications are to be submitted by August 15, 2021, by 11:59 pm IST.

•The NCA Cricket Head will look after running all Cricket Coaching programs at the National Cricket Academy, Bangalore (NCA), developing emerging youth cricketers within the female and male player development programs, and preparation, development, and performance of all cricketers attending training at the Academy.

•The remit will include India A sides, under 23, 19, and 16 team players as well as state association players who train and upgrade skills at NCA.

•The candidate for the Cricket Head at NCA should have an outstanding track record of cricket coaching of a minimum of 5 years of an International, India A, India U-19, India Women, IPL team, and represented India in a minimum of 25 Test matches.

Former New Zealand All-Rounder Chris Cairns on life support

•Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns is currently on life support at a Canberra hospital. 51-year-old Cairns experienced an aortic dissection in the heart last week.

•Cairns has played 215 ODIs, 62 Test matches, and two T20Is for New Zealand between 1989 and 2006.

•In Test matches, he took 218 wickets at an average of just over 29 and accumulated 3,320 Test runs at an average of over 33 and. In ODIs, he took 201 wickets at 32.80 and accumulated 4,950 runs at 29.46.

•In 2000, Cairns was named as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year.