Morning Current Affairs: 12 December 2017

Union Government accords high priority to homoeopathy development
Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik on 11 December 2017 accorded high priority to the development of homoeopathy along with other traditional systems of medicine. This was announced at the foundation day of the National Institute of Homoeopathy in Kolkata.

The Ministry allocated Rs 60 crore for the first phase of expansion of the institute and Rs 30 crore each for the second and third phases.

Homoeopathy has been prominent as a system of medicine and has gained profound popularity throughout the country after Independence.

ISRO developing compact launcher for small satellites
Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have initiated the preliminary work to design and develop a low-cost small satellite launcher. This was announced by K Sivan, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO’s rocket development node.

Its design will enable engineers to assemble the launcher within a week. The launcher will be capable to put satellites of up to 500-600 kg in orbits close to the Earth.

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has designed the vehicle using its rocket technology and is awaiting ISRO’s approval.

Father of DNA fingerprinting in India Lalji Singh passes away
Eminent scientist and father of DNA fingerprinting in India Lalji Singh passed away on 10 December 2017 following a heart attack. He was 70.

Singh was instrumental in making DNA fingerprinting mainstream in India. The techniques advanced by him led to DNA profiling to establish parentage as well as solve some high profile crime cases in India.

Based on his work,  he was asked to establish the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) with a mandate of making it a nodal centre for DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics for all species and several diseases.