Using data from a NASA radar that flew aboard India’s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, scientists have detected ice deposits near the moon’s north pole. NASA’s Mini-SAR instrument, a lightweight, synthetic aperture radar, found more than 40 small craters with water ice. The craters range in size from 1 to 9 miles (2 to15 km) in diameter. Although the total amount of ice depends on its thickness in each crater, it’s estimated there could be at least 1.3 trillion pounds (600 million metric tons) of water ice.

The Feb. 27 magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Chile may have shortened the length of each Earth day,said NASA press release.

JPL research scientist Richard Gross computed how Earth’s rotation should have changed as a result of the Feb. 27 quake. Using a complex model, he and fellow scientists came up with a preliminary calculation that the quake should have shortened the length of an Earth day by about 1.26 microseconds (a microsecond is one millionth of a second).

The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2006 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on the 27th February, 2006. The Bill seeks to amend section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950) to enable Indian citizens who are absent from their place of ordinary residence in India owing to their employment, education or otherwise outside the country, to get their names registered in the electoral rolls of the constituency of their place of ordinary residence in India to be able to cast their votes in the Parliamentary/State elections, in case they happen to be in their constituency at the time of polls.

The Bill was referred to the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, and Law & Justice on the 26th March, 2006 for examination and report.

The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Earth Sciences has indigenously designed developed and demonstrated the desalination technology for conversion of sea water into potable water based on Low Temperature Thermal Desalination System (LTTD).  One LTTD plant with a capacity of 1lakh liter per day production of fresh water was developed and installed in May 2005, at Kavaratti, Lakshadweep Island.

The Prime Minister’s justification of the hike in indirect taxes on diesel and petrol in the Union Budget in terms of taking a “long-term view” reflects a flawed economic thinking and insensitivity to the sufferings of the people due to price rise.

The fifth Quarterly Quick Employment Survey was conducted during October to December, 2009 by Labour Bureau to assess the impact of economic slowdown on employment in India.

In the survey, a fresh sample of units / establishments has been drawn to assess the employment trends. The information has been collected from 2,953 units / establishments by covering 21 centres spread across eleven States and union territory.

The Union Budget for 2010-11 marks a significant stage in Indian economy’s growth rebound, enabling Government to make a calibrated exit from stimulus measures taken earlier to weather the global crisis, advance further the inclusive development processes, and, at the same time, resume the path of time-bound fiscal consolidation. The pragmatism underlying the budget would enhance the rating India enjoys globally as a fast-growing economy and an attractive destination for investors. Also, the budget makes new reform openings. The Rs. 11,08,749-crore Budget, presented to Parliament by Finance MinisterPranab Mukherjee on February 26,  envisages GDP growth at 8.5 per cent in fiscal 2011, given the renewed momentum in the manufacturing sector and prospects of significant private investment to become a principal driver of growth. Economy had recovered to 7.2 per cent in current year. Higher levels of public expenditures will provide strong support to infrastructure and social development, accounting for 46 and 37 per cent respectively of the total plan outlay for 2010-11. Priority is accorded to Agriculture. Rural employment guarantee and other flagship programmes have been well-funded.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully conducted the first developmental flight of an Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV-D01) at 8.30 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district on 3^rd March 2010.

According to the Shar officials, ATV is a high performance sounding rocket offering cost-effective test bed for demonstrating “air breathing propulsion.” The rocket, which is 10.3m tall and weighs 3,050 kgs, is the biggest and heaviest sounding vehicle that been developed by Isro till date.

As per 2001 census, the total number of child labour in the country was 1.26 crore., The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) has estimated the child labour in the Country at 0.89 crore during 2004-05. However, the next Census figure of working children will be available after the 2011 census.

India is in process of setting up a new research station on Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica, to carry out scientific studies on atmospheric, biological, earth sciences etc.

About 25 scientists/technicians will be stationed at this new station.