Q. What is the news?A. Indian women and children are overwhelmingly anaemic, according to the National Family Health Survey 2019-20 released earlier this month, and the condition is the most prevalent in the Himalayan cold desert. Q. What is anaemia?The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity of haemoglobin. It can make one feel tired, cold, dizzy, irritable and short of breath, among other symptoms. A diet which does not contain enough iron, folic acid or... Read More...
Q. What is the news?Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has launched a a web based application Digital Ocean to share information on marine data and forecast services.Indian National Centre for Ocean Information provides ocean information and advisory services to various stakeholders including data based on oceanographic research, advisory services such as fishing zone advisories, ocean state forecast, high wave alerts, tsunami early warnings, storm surge and oil... Read More...
Q. What is this news? Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections in December (for sales in November) rose 11.6 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1.15 lakh crore, the highest level since the July 2017 rollout of the indirect tax regime.The Finance Ministry said this has been the highest growth in monthly revenues in the last 21 months. This has been due to the combined effect of the rapid economic recovery post-pandemic and the nationwide drive against GST evaders and fake bills along with many systemic changes introduced recently, which have led to improved complianc... Read More...
Q. What is the news? India’s urban mass rapid transit will mark a milestone on December 28 when Prime Minister is scheduled to flag off the country’s first ‘driverless’ metro in Delhi.The first ‘driverless’ train will roll out on the 38-km Line 8 or Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro, which has a 390-km-long network spread across the national capital and adjoining cities such as Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Bahadurgarh.Delhi Metro, now the country’s largest urban mass rapid transit ... Read More...
Q. What is the news?The government has recently used financial innovation to recapitalise Punjab & Sind Bank by issuing the lender Rs 5,500-crore worth of non-interest bearing bonds valued at par. The funds raised through issuance of these instruments, which are a variation of the recapitalisation bonds issued earlier to public sector banks, are being deployed to capitalise the state-run bank.Though these will earn no interest for the subscriber, market participants term it both a ‘financial illusion’ and ‘great innovation’ by the government where it is using R... Read More...
Q. Why is this in news? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under open market operations (OMOs) for Rs 10,000 crore each on January 7.The decision was taken after a review of current liquidity and financial conditions, the RBI said in a statement.Q. What are Open Market Operations? Open market operations are the sale and purchase of government securities and treasury bi... Read More...
Q. What are Gram Nyayalayas? Gram Nyayalayas are established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 for speedy and easy access to justice system in the rural areas of India . The Law Commission of India in its 114th report recommended the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas for providing speedy, substantial and inexpensive justice.Subsequently, the Parliament of India passed the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 providing for its establishment. Read More...
Q. What is this scheme? Central Government has launched a scheme PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), on June 01, 2020, to empower Street Vendors by not only extending loans to them, To empower street vendors by not only extending loans to them but also for their holistic development and economic upliftment.The PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme, is a micro-credit facility that provides street vendors a collateral-free loan of Rs 10,000 with low rates of interest for a period of one ... Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?Gram Sabhas will have more power in the management of community forest rights (CFR) and habitat rights, according to new guidelines drafted by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in December 2020. An increased representation of various user groups such as the graziers, minor forest produce collectors, women and other groups dependent on forest including hamlets also find mention in the two drafts.The drafts were prepared by the two committees formed by MoTA in February 2020. Read More...
Q. Why in News? Recently, the National Water Mission (NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti in collaboration with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have launched the ‘Catch the Rain’ Awareness Generation Campaign.Q. What are its aims? To nudge all stake-holders to create Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) s... Read More...
Q. Why is this in news? Recently, the government has notified the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, which would allow consumers in India to access a continuous supply of reliable electricity.Q. What is its coverage?The rules cover various aspects of power supply to consumers in the country, including obligations of distribution licensees, metering arrangements, the release of new connections, modifications of existing connections, grievan... Read More...
Q. What is the news? Recent data from National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) shows that India's population is stabilising as the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is on decline.Q. What were findings of NFHS – 3 and 4?During NFHS-3 and 4, conducted between 2005 and 2016, there was a decline in the use of modern methods of contraception (oral p... Read More...
Q. What is the news? Recently Covid 19 Vaccine candidates like , Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine has been approved for emergency use by the UK, Bahrain, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The company has also applied for emergency use approval in India. The emergency use approval has been based on safety and efficacy data from limited follow-up. Vaccines tested and manufactured in India would take a little longer to reach the stage where data are available to support emergency use approval. Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?A. Andhra Pradesh last year become the first state in the country to introduce reservation in the private sector. Besides Andhra Pradesh, there is a law in Maharashtra that if any industry that gets an incentive from the State Government, then 70% of people at a particular level (basically unskilled workers of that industry) have to be locals.Recently, Haryana Assembly has passed the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 ... Read More...
Q. What are Fast Track Courts? Fast Track Courts: Fast track courts (FTCs) are special courts for speedy trials. Fast track courts deal with speedy disposal or solution of cases to make the judiciary more effective and to avail justice as fast as possible.The Fast Track Courts (FTCs) were established in Indian in the year 2000 with an aim to clear the long pending Sessions and other lower judicial cases.They are ‘special court’ is one which ... Read More...
Q. What is the news? Good Governance Day is observed in India annually on the 25th December, the birth anniversary of former-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Good Governance Day was established in 2014 to honor Prime Minister Vajpayee by fostering awareness among the Indian people of accountability in government. The aim is to create awareness of accountability in government among the citizens of India.Q. What is Governance?... Read More...
Q. Why is this in news? Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had cautioned individuals and small businesses against falling victim to the mushrooming unauthorised digital lending platforms and mobile applications on promises of getting loans in quick and hassle-free manner , all this in the backdrop of as recently , a woman employee of Telangana Agriculture Department and a software engineer committed suicide after they were humiliated and blackmailed by tele-callers and recovery agen... Read More...
Q. What is the news? The ‘SolarWinds hack’, a cyberattack recently discovered in the US, has emerged as one of the biggest ever targeted against the US government, its agencies and several other private companies.It is likely a global cyberattack.It was first discovered by US cybersecurity company FireEye, and since then more developments continue to come to light each day. The sheer scale of the cyber-attack remains unknown, although the US Treasury, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Commerce, parts of the Pen... Read More...
Q. What is the news?Recently , a woman employee of Telangana Agriculture Department and a software engineer committed suicide after they were humiliated and blackmailed by tele-callers and recovery agents of a mobile app instant loan company. Their personal details were posted by the company on social media and labelled them defaulters and used abusive language.Q. What is the instant loan apps case? Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?The Tamil Nadu government has revently permitted jallikattu to be held across the State during the coming Pongal season. However, the bull-taming sport , jallikattu would be now subject to fresh restrictions in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.This time not more than 300 bull tamers would be allowed to take part in a jallikattu, ‘manjuvirattu’ or ‘vadamadu’ event. All the spectators would have to undergo thermal screening before entering the venue.To ensure adherence to physical distancing n... Read More...