Q. Why is this in news?A. The government has launched the second phase of the Ujjwala gas connection scheme for the poor. Q. What is Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, aim/features and target ?A. Launched in May 2016.Aim: To provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to poor households.Key features: A deposit-free LPG connection is given to the eligible household with financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection by the Centre.Target:&nb... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News?A. The India Plastics Pact, the first in Asia, will be launched in September in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).Recently, a report published on closing the plastic circular Gap, suggested that there is a dire need to make large scale global interventions to manage plastic waste.Q. What are Plastic Pacts?A. The Plastics Pacts are business-led initiatives and transform the plastics packaging va... Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?A. In a bid to prevent suicides triggered by mental health issues in prisons across the country, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, has recommended the “Gatekeeper Model”.Q. What is the ‘Gatekeeper Model’?A.It is a model where selected inmates, trained to identify prisoners at risk of suicide, would refer them to treatment or supportive services.Prisoners with mental disorders will be regularly assessed for the severity of the suicidal risk and also put on regular and supervised medication.To addres... Read More...
Today's Current Affairs Question:How do the Abraham Accords bring India and Israel closer? Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?A. The Minister of Mines and Coal has provided useful information regarding gold reserves in India.Q. Where are the Gold Reserves in India?A. As per National Mineral Inventory data, the total reserves/resources of gold ore (primary) in the country have been estimated at 501.83 million tonnes as of 2015.Out of these, 17.22 million tonnes were placed under the reserves category and the remaining 484.61 million tonnes were under the remaining resources category.In India, the largest resources of gold ore (primary) are located in Bihar (44%) follow... Read More...
Today's Current Affairs Question:What is the content and rationale of the vehicle scrappage policy of Government of India? Read More...
Today's Current Affairs Question:Write on the need for National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) scheme. Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?A. The Union Ministry for Science & Technology has released “Biotech-PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) Guidelines” developed by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).Q. What is Biotech-PRIDE?A.These guidelines aim at providing a well-defined framework and guiding principle to facilitate and enable sharing and exchange of biological knowledge, information and data.They will facilitate this and enable the exchange of information to promote research and innovation in different research groups across the country.They w... Read More...
Today's Current Affairs Question:Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the financial inclusion index (FI-Index) this week. Discuss its relevance. Read More...
Q Why is it in News ? A According to a recent report, fossil fuel electricity generation has peaked worldwide as emerging markets seize the opportunities of low-cost renewables.The Report was published by India’s Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the financial think tank Carbon Tracker (both are not-for-profit organisations).Q What are some key findings of the report ? A Emerging Market are Key to Global energy Transition:Emerging markets are key to the global energy transition, ac... Read More...
Q Why is it in News ?A Recently, the Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers has reviewed the initiatives of the Department of Fertilisers for making India Atmanirbhar in Fertilisers.The Government is planning to liberalise Market Development Assistance (MDA) policy to promote the use of alternative fertilisers.Q What is Market Development Assistance (MDA) Policy ? A MDA policy was earlier limited to city compost only.There were demands to expand this policy by incorporating organic was... Read More...
Today's Current Affairs Question:What implications does the fall of Kabul have for India? What is India’s response? Read More...
Q Why is it in News ? A Recently, the Minister of Tribal Affairs reviewed various initiatives under ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi-Mission Vand Dhan’, by TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India).Q What is TRIFED and what are some of its main functions ? A The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987.It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.The&nbs... Read More...
Q Why is it in News ?A Recently, Zika Virus Disease (ZVD) was reported for the first time in Kerala.Q What is Zika Virus Disease ? A Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys. It was later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.Q How does it transmits ? A ZVD is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes (AM), mainly Aedes aegypti.This is the same... Read More...
Today's Current Affairs Question:Encouraging GM crops is sure to doubling farmers’ incomes and relieving rural distress. Comment. Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?A. Recently, two cases of the Kappa variant of Covid-19 have been recorded in Uttar Pradesh (UP).According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Kappa is one of the two Covid-19 variants, the other being Delta, first identified in India.Earlier a new variant Lambda was reported from Peru.Q. What is this variant?A. As India raised objection over the B.1.617.1 mutant of the novel coronavirus being termed an “Indian Variant”, t... Read More...
Q. Why is this in news?A. Recently, the Union Cabinet approved some modifications in the Central Sector Scheme of Financing Facility under ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund’.Launch: It was launched in 2020 as a part of the Rs. 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced in response to the Covid-19 crisis.Q. What is the aim of this scheme?A. To provide medium-long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harve... Read More...
Q. What is the news?A. Experts have warned of the adverse impacts on health and livelihoods because of Food Fortification.Q. What’s the issue?A. Centre has plans to mandatorily fortify rice and edible oils with vitamins and minerals.But, experts say adding a few synthetic micronutrients could harm the health of consumers.Instead, dietary diversity and higher protein consumption can solve the undernutrition problem in India.Q. What is the background of it?A. 1... Read More...