current affairs 21 february 2021

1. India successfully test-fires Helina, Dhruvastra anti-tank guided missiles in Pokhran

The defence ministry described the missiles as one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. The missiles were test-fired at Pokhran deserts in Rajasthan.

Gates Foundation and CSIR will work together to identify opportunities to initiate scientific and technological collaborations.These will focus on developing and testing new preventions, therapies and interventions that can help to solve major health concerns that affect India and other developing countries.
As per the MoU, areas of research collaboration would include genetic diseases that impact infant and neonatal mortality; new diagnostics and devices for infectious disease and environmental surveillance; development of cost-effective processes for drug, vaccines, biologics, and diagnostics manufacturing; novel microbiome-directed foods; socio-economic impact of science and technological tools; and other areas of health and development.

The new payment system of RBI will replace the existing system for the purpose of government payments. All types of government payments including employee’s salaries and pensioner’s pensions would be done through RBI’s e-Kuber

India and Ethiopia agreed on expanding the bilateral agenda especially on economic, defence, digital, Science and Technology, and cultural cooperation.

The Union Minister also launched the IMI 3.0 portal and released the Operational Guidelines for IMI 3.0 and the awareness material/IEC package developed as part of the campaign.
Focus of the IMI 3.0 will be the children and pregnant women who have missed their vaccine doses during the COVID-19 pandemic. They will be identified and vaccinated during the two rounds of IMI 3.0