New START (for Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)

New START (for Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation with the formal name of Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. It was signed on 8 April 2010 in Prague, and, after ratification, entered into force on 5 February 2011. It is expected to last at least until 2021. New START replaced the Treaty of Moscow (SORT), which was due to expire in December 2012.

Tissue Culture

Tissue culture is a technique applied to grow the tissues of plants and animals by in vitro culture. ‘In vitro’ culture means culturing the tissues outside the body of living organisms i.e. in the laboratory.

Plant tissue culture is developed based on a principle called‘totipotency’. Totipotency is the inherent capacity of a living plant cell to develop into a complete plant of the same variety. It is a peculiar character of plants. According to this technique, if a living plant cell is isolated from a plant and introduced in the standard culture medium, it grows into a mass of undifferentiated cells called ‘callus’. When the callus is introduced into another culture medium with plant growth hormones such as auxinsand cytotkinins, it grows into a complete plant with root and shoot systems. This plant is genetically same to the plant from which the cell is taken.

Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP) in India

In 1983-84, National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) was made the nodal agency by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, for planning, co-ordination, guidance and evaluation of Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP).

At the beginning of the Programme i.e. in 1984, about 40,000 GW cases were reported annually in 12,840 guinea worm endemic villages across 89 districts of the then endemic states, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The State of Tamil Nadu remained free from GW disease since 1982. The last case from Maharashtra occurred in 1992 and in 1994 in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat reported their last cases in 1990. The last guinea worm case was reported in July 1996 Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

Top facts about RISAT-1, India’s own ‘spy satellite’

• India successfully launched its own ‘spy satellite’ RISAT-1 (Radar Imaging Satellite). It was powered by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C19) from Sriharikota at 5.47 on April 26, 2012.

• Weighing at 1858 Kg, RISAT-1 is the heaviest satellite ever launched by India.

• It was powered by a 321 tonne rocket, the most powerful Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

• This is the third time that ISRO used a PSLV-XL (Extra Large) rocket. It was first used in October 2008 to put Chandrayaan-1 in orbit and again in July 2011 during the communication satellite GSAT-12 launch.

Tamil Nadu ICDS Recruitment 2012 of Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper

Tamil Nadu Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), Chennai District invites applications from eligible candidates for the post of Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper.

Name of the Post	No of Posts	Age Limit	Pay Scale
Anganwadi Worker	105	25-35 years	Rs.2500-5000 Grade pay Rs. 500 & other allowances
Anganwadi Helper	152	20-40 years	Rs. 1300-3000 Grade Pay Rs. 300 & Other allowances

Educational Qualifications: Anganwadi Worker - 10th Pass (SSLC pass), Anganwadi Helper - To know to read and write.

How To Apply: Applications are invited from the local women resident for appointment. Last date for receipt of filled in applications in  respective Child Development Project Offices:08.06.2012.

Details: http://www.tn.gov.in/seithi_veliyeedu/pr21May12/pr210512_e_301.pdf