Some speaking factsIn 2018, India suffered over 2,081 deaths from climate-triggered extreme weather events, with an economic loss of over $37.8 billion (about three times the losses of 2017).Parts of cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Surat and Kakinada are at risk of being under water by 2050. (Climate Central, 2019). Read More...
What ?A composite indicator which provides a reflection of national social health.It is a feature of the World of Work Report (by ILO) since 2011. It measures the frequency of events that create unrest, like demonstrations and strikes. There was an increase in both at the global level and in 7 out of 11 regions between 2009 and 2019.How is it measured? Read More...
Why in new?The government has amended the minimum land requirement from 500 to 50 hectares and categorization of special economic zones. The new rules will now enable co-existence of any SEZ from any sector with others. The steps may help unlock the potential of SEZs to attract investments and boost exports.What is a special economic zone?A Special ... Read More...
Discuss the long standing India Nepal border dispute near Kalapani.Kalapani is a valley that is administered by India as a part of the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. It is situated on the Kailash Mansarovar route.The Kali River in the Kalapani region demarcates the border between India and Nepal.The Treaty of Sugauli signed by the Kingdom of Nepal and British India (after Anglo-Nepalese War) in 1816 located the Kali River as Nepal's western boundary with India. The discrepancy in locating the source of the river led to boundar... Read More...
What is aim of ALCP?ALCP aims to protect and conserve the world’s last ranging free population of Asiatic Lion and its associated ecosystem.It will strengthen the ongoing measures for conservation and recovery of Asiatic Lion with the help of state-of-the –art techniques/ instruments, regular scientific research studies, disease management, Modern surveillance/ patrolling techniques. ALCP will be funded from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wil... Read More...
What is aim of ALCP?ALCP aims to protect and conserve the world’s last ranging free population of Asiatic Lion and its associated ecosystem.It will strengthen the ongoing measures for conservation and recovery of Asiatic Lion with the help of state-of-the –art techniques/ instruments, regular scientific research studies, disease management, Modern surveillance/ patrolling techniques. ALCP will be funded from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-DWH)What is historical and current range of Asiatic li... Read More...
What is GEMINI?Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information. It is low cost satellite-based communication device for ocean states forecast and mapping potential fishing zones. It will provide seamless and effective dissemination of emergency information and communication on disaster warnings, Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) and Ocean States Forecasts (OSF) to fishermen.Why do we need GEMINI when we have mobile phones and VHF radio?Though the advisories and forecasts are disseminated through multiple comm... Read More...
What is PM VDY?Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is a Market Linked Tribal Entrepreneurship Development Program for forming clusters of tribal SHGs (Van Dhan Vikas Kendras) and strengthening them into Tribal Producer Companies has been launched with participation from all the 27 States from the Country.Tribal producer companies are similar to Farmer producer companies in their conception, aim is to increase bargaining power and income of primary producer through value addition and larger share in value chain through enhanced bargaining power. Read More...
About?The Indian government announced the ‘Make in India’ initiative to encourage manufacturing in India and galvanise the economy with dedicated investments in manufacturing and services in 2014. What were its objectives and How it has Performed? Read More...
Why in news?Government of India decided to establish the first National Maritime Heritage Museum at Lothal, a Harappan site on the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat. What is purpose of Maritime museum?The museum will act as an independent research center for archaeology of boat building, reconstruction of maritime history and materials traded. It will hold display of salvaged materials from shipwreck sites in Indian Ocean waters. Lothal Maritime Heritage Complex once completed, will showcase the mar... Read More...
What is it?Adopted in Union Budget 2017-18, Mission Antyodaya is a convergence and accountability framework aiming to bring optimum use and management of resources allocated by 27 Ministries/ Department of the Government of India under various programmes for the development of rural areas. It is envisaged as state-led initiative with Gram Panchayats as focal points of convergence efforts.What is the annual survey?Annual survey in Gram Panchayats across the country is an important aspect of Mission Antyodaya framework. It is ... Read More...
What is Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS)?Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) is an acronym for the combined economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Economists at Goldman Sachs originally coined the term BRIC (without South Africa) in 2003. Analysts speculated that, by 2050, these four economies would be the most dominant. South Africa was added to the list on April 13, 2011 creating "BRICS".What is significance of BRICS?These five countries are considered among the f... Read More...
What is Indian cooling action plan?Indian cooling action plan is a long-term vision to address the cooling requirement of country across sectors and lists out actions which can help reduce the cooling demand. Cooling requirement is an essential part for economic growth. Cooling is required across different sectors of the economy such as residential and commercial buildings, cold-chain, refrigeration, transport and industries.Why is there a need for Indian cooling action plan?India’s cooling energy demand is projected to gr... Read More...
Why in news?The first Indigenous High Temperature Fuel Cell System has been developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries under India’s flagship program named “New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI).” A unique example of Public-Private Partnership (PPP).What is a fuel cell? Read More...
What is Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) about?The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) was passed by the Parliament in December 2019. It amended the Citizenship Act of 1955 by providing relaxations to Indian citizenship law for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian religious minorities that had fled persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 2014.Muslims were not given such eligibility. The act was the first time religion had been overtly used as a criterion for citizenship under I... Read More...
(Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Assessment) What?SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region. According to this vision, India would do everything to safeguard its mainland and islands and defend its interests. Further, India will also work to ensure a safe, secure and stable Indian Ocean region (IOR). Read More...
Why in the News?The Prime Minister of India attended the 16th India-ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand on November 03, 2019.What are the highlights?Along with this Summit, the other summits that took place in Thailand are- Read More...
What does the Act say?The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 prohibits insult to the country's national symbols, including the National Flag, the Constitution, the National Anthem and map of India. This act is applied in a case of insult, public or not, as well as intentional or otherwise. Whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view shows disrespect shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. Read More...
PM Modi embarks on two-day visit to Saudi Arabia (October 2019): India and Saudi Arabia signed a raft of key pacts to significantly ramp up ties in several key sectors including oil and gas, renewable energy and civil aviation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to the Gulf nation. India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer, imports 83 per cent of its oil needs. Read More...
The Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2019 to increase the strength of the Supreme Court to thirty-three (33), excluding the Chief Justice of India, from the previous sanctioned strength of 30 judges and CJI.It was passed as a money bill.It was an amendment to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.Why is the amendment being made to raise the strength?It is to deal with the constant rise in the pendency of cases. Read More...