Notes-Class 9-History-Chapter-7-Science and Technology-Maharashtra Board

Various set up for atomic energy programme :

• Department of Atomic Energy was set up in 1956.
• First nuclear reactor 'Apsara' became functional in 1956.
• Atomic power station was set up at Tarapur in 1969.
• A Reactor Research Centre was set up at Kalpakkam. It successfully used Thorium for generating atomic power.
• Factories manufacturing heavy water needed for the generation of atomic power were set up at Vadodara, Talcher, Tutikorin and Kota.
• Heavy Water Projects was set up to carry out research on manufacturing heavy water within the country. It was later renamed ‘Heavy Water Board’.

Effects of nuclear test :

• In 1974 when India carried out her first nuclear tests at Pokharan, the
• U.S.A. refused to give India the technology for defence related fields such as space research, communications and missile development.
• As a result, India adopted a policy of developing its own missile development programme without depending upon the U.S.A.
• Thus, India joined the rank of nations like the U.S.A, the U.S.S.R, France, China and Germany who had their own missile programmes.
• USA imposed economic sanctions on India immediately after second nuclear test.

Prithvi Missile :

In 1988, India successfully tested the missile Prithvi.

• Prithvi-1, a surface to surface ballistic missile was given to the Army.
• Prithvi-2 was air to surface missile, given to the Air Force.
• Prithvi-3 was given to the Navy.
• Prithvi had the capacity to carry nuclear weapons of 500-1000 kg.
• Prithvi could travel a distance of 150-300 km due to the nuclear ballistic missile.

Agni :

• Agni-1 was developed in 1989. Had a range of 700 km.
• In order that China and Pakistan get an idea of India’s missilestrength and secure India's borders Agni-1 was tested.
• Later, Agni-2 and Agni-3 were also produced.

Akash and Nag missiles :

• Akash, a land to air missile was developed in 1990.
• It has capacity to carry 720 kilogram explosives at supersonic speed at a range of 30 kilometres.
• he missile Nag was made in order to destroy the enemy tanks. It is of the ‘fire and forget’ type.

Thus, India has become militarily secure due to the production of the missiles.

Indian Satellites launched in space :

(i) Aryabhatt : First lndlan Satellite launched in 1975 with the help of the USSR.

(ii) Bhaskar :

• India launched remote sensing experimental satellite Bhaskar-1 from the Soviet Union in 1979 in order to observe various things on the surface of the earth by remote sensing technology.

• Useful for the development of oceanography, water bodies, finding mineral deposits and forecasting weather.
• Photographs with its help are important for exploring the bowels of the earth, environment, forests, etc.
• In 1981, ‘Bhaskar-2’ was launched from Soviet Union.

(iii) APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment) :

• The first completely indigenously built satellite by ISRO in India.
• Launched on 19th June 1981 from the French Guiana.
• Beneficial for education and emergency telecommunication services.

(iv) Indian National Satellite (INSAT):

• In August 1983, the satellite INSAT 1-B was launched in space.
• A major revolution came about in the areas of telecommunication, television, radio, weather forecasting and space research.
• INSAT, 207 helped Akashwani, Radio stations to connect each other.
• Beneficial in rescue operations in shipwreck and airplane accidents, telemedicine and education.
• Public Primary Health Centers in villages are connected with superspecialty hospitals through INSAT.

Technological Progress in Railways :

• Chittaranjan Locomotive Works was set up at Chittaranjan in Bardwan District in West Bengal.
• Steam engines, electric engines, engines running on diesel were manufactured here.
• The first diesel engine was manufactured at the Diesel Locomotive Works at Varanasi.
• India exports railway engines to Sri Lanka Bangladesh, Tanzania and Vietnam.
• Metro train service was launched in Kolkata in1984.
• Konkan Railway started in 1998 is a spectacular achievement of India's railway technology.

Telex service :

• The Department of telecommunications started the telex service in 1963 to transmit typed messages from one part of the country to another rapidly.
• In 1969, the telex service started in Devanagari script in Delhi.
• This service began to be used in different fields.
• After 1990 significance of this service reduced with the rise of internet.

Postal Service -Pincode :

• Post and Telegraph Department started the six digit Pincode system in the country from 15 August 1972.
• The Postal Index Code (Pincode) was brought to distribute the mail efficiently.
• The first digit of the code indicates region, the second indicates sub-region and the third indicates the main disbursement district.
• The remaining three digits show the location of the local post office.
• For Maharashtra 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 are the first two digits. .
• The Speed Post Service was started in 1986 to send postage rapidly.

International Subscriber Dialling Telephone Service (ISD) :

In 1972, Overseas Communication Service was established in Mumbai for the management of international telecommunication service.

• International Subscriber Dialled Telephone Service was started in 1976.
• It connected Mumbai and London directly on phone. Telex, teleprinter and radio images were also started.
• Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) provided telephone service in big cities.
• In 1990, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) became the main internet service provider in India.
• The contribution of Mr. Sam Pitroda in this field is significant. On 22nd August, 1994 the mobile phone service started in India.

Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) :

• In 1956, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission(ONGC) was established.
• Its objectives were to search for mineral oil and natural gas deposits and increase their production.
• After Digboi in Assam, mineral oil deposits were found in Ankieshwar and Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat.
• Extraction of oil and natural gas in ‘Bombay High‘ was started by drillship called Sagar Samrat in 1975.
• More than 8500 oil wells and 33 natural gas wells are dug by ONGC.
• ONGC contributes 38% of total oil production and meets 14% demand for crude oil in the country.