News in Shorts: 23 July 2024

Appointment of RSS-affiliated persons to govt jobs

• Recently , the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued an order lifting the restriction on government employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)

Court Judgement:

• Judgement: The top court ruled that denying employment based on past political affinities violates Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, unless such affinities impact service integrity and efficiency.

Pralay Missiles

• Armenia’s interest in acquiring India’s Pralay missile presents a notable opportunity for India.

Pralay Missiles:

• About: The ‘Pralay’ is a short-range, quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile with a range of 350-500 km. It has a payload capacity of 500-1,000 kg and is powered by solid fuel.
• Developed by: Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile addresses India’s defense needs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC).
• Features: The Pralay missile maintains an atmospheric flight and follows a flat trajectory. 
  • It is propelled by a solid propellant rocket motor and uses inertial guidance for navigation, allowing for control throughout its flight.
  • For terminal guidance, it employs a radio frequency Digital Scene-Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC) seeker and is equipped with an indigenously developed Fused Silica Radar Dome (RADOME).

Olympic Order

• Olympic gold medal winning shooter Abhinav Bindra was awarded the Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Olympic Order:

• About: The Olympic Order is the highest award of the IOC, given for distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement. 
• Awarded: It is awarded to recognize an individual who has illustrated the Olympic ideal through his/her action, has achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world, or has rendered outstanding services to the Olympic cause, either through his own personal achievement or his contribution to the development of sport. 
• Nominations: Nominations are proposed by the Olympic Orders Council and decided upon by the Executive Board.