LPG consumption in Indian households saw an absolute reduction in 2023

What’s the news? For the first time, LPG consumption in Indian households saw an absolute reduction in 2023 (minus 0.5% versus FY22) after years of steady growth. Central idea Over the past 15 years, the Government of India has endeavored to replicate the urban success of LPG adoption in rural and poorer households. The Grameen… Continue reading

WorldCoin: Building a Global Digital Network with Biometric Identity

Central Idea OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently reintroduced Worldcoin, a project that was previously overshadowed by the popularity of ChatGPT. What is WorldCoin? The Worldcoin venture involves a unique model where individuals have their eyes scanned to establish their human uniqueness. In return for the eye scan, participants receive cryptocurrency and a World ID, forming… Continue reading

Potential of Cell-Free DNA (cfDNA) in Disease Research

Central Idea Researchers worldwide are increasingly using Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as a valuable tool to better comprehend human diseases, improve diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis. What is Cell-free DNA? CfDNA refers to small fragments of nucleic acids that are released from cells and found outside the cell in body fluids. Its discovery dates back to the… Continue reading

Israel Judicial Reform Explained: What is the crisis about?

Central Idea On July 24, the governing coalition in Israel’s Parliament (Knesset) passed a critical part of its judicial overhaul plan, aimed at curbing the Supreme Court’s oversight powers over government decisions. This has sparked months of protests against the right-religious government’s plans to transform the judiciary. Judiciary Overhaul: The Crisis Trigger Abolishing the “Reasonability… Continue reading

BPaL Trial yields 85% TB Cure Rate

Central Idea The interim results of a randomized phase-3/4 trial conducted in India to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of BPaL Regimen, an all-oral, short-course treatment are promising. BPaL is administered for individuals with pre-XDR TB or treatment-intolerant/non-responsive MDR pulmonary TB What is BPaL? The trial uses only three drugs—Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, and Linezolid (BPaL). The… Continue reading

Mapping India’s Chip Design Ecosystem

Central Idea The Indian government is considering a proposal to pick an equity stake in domestic chip design-making companies as part of the second phase of the Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme for the semiconductor industry. The aim behind the scheme is to establish a stable ecosystem and promote the growth of “fabless companies” in India—entities… Continue reading

Need for Overhaul in UDAN Scheme

Central Idea Union Civil Aviation Ministry inaugurated a new phase of the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme, or UDAN 5.2, to improve last-mile connectivity in remote regions of the country through small aircraft. There have been aspersions regarding the success of the UDAN regional connectivity scheme (RCS) since ONLY 11 of the 74… Continue reading

In news: International Tiger Day

Central Idea July 29th was celebrated the world over as International Tiger Day in a bid to raise awareness on various issues surrounding tiger conservation. India’s tiger population has witnessed significant growth over the past decade, owing to successful conservation efforts under the Project Tiger initiative. About International Tiger Day It was first instituted in… Continue reading

Hurdles to overcome before becoming ‘Digital India’

Central Idea The digital payments landscape in India has experienced a remarkable transformation in recent years, with the United Payments Interface (UPI) playing a pivotal role in this revolution. With every neighborhood kirana store now equipped with a QR code scanner, the popularity of digital transactions has soared. Modes of payment and their growth trends… Continue reading

China’s Use of Stapled Visas and its Implications for India

Central Idea The issuance of stapled visas by China to Indian nationals from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir has been a contentious issue between the two countries. What is Stapled Visa? A Stapled Visa is an unstamped piece of paper attached to the passport, different from a regular visa that is affixed and stamped.… Continue reading

Festivals in news: Muharram and Ashura

Central Idea For the first time in over three decades, the Jammu and Kashmir government permitted a Muharram procession in Srinagar, drawing thousands of Shia mourners on the 8th of Muharram. The decision has been widely hailed. What is Muharram? Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and it holds significant religious… Continue reading

What is Offer-for-Sale (OFS)?

Central Idea The government’s stake sale in Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) through an offer-for-sale (OFS) received an enthusiastic response from institutional investors. About Offer for Sale (OFS) OFS is a method of share sale introduced by India’s securities market regulator SEBI in 2012. The primary aim was to facilitate promoters of listed companies to… Continue reading

Free Movement Regime along India-Myanmar Border

Central Idea The ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur is further complicated by the issue of illegal migration of tribal Kuki-Chin people into India from Myanmar. Amid this charged and sensitive debate, questions have been raised on the Free Movement Regime (FMR) that allows tribes along the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB) to… Continue reading

Supreme Court concerns over Persistent Lynchings and Mob Violence

Central Idea The Supreme Court asked the Centre and six States to respond to a plea concerning the alarming incidents of lynchings and mob violence. It highlighted the need for the government machinery to be held accountable for protecting the lives of victims, including members of the minority community. Presently the National Crime Records Bureau… Continue reading

Controversy associated with the term Anthropocene

What’s the news? Recent proposals to set the starting year of the Anthropocene at 1950 have been met with criticism due to their purportedly flawed representation of the true culprits behind ecosystem damage and climate change. Central idea The term Anthropocene was first proposed by the Nobel laureates, chemist Paul Crutzen and biologist Eugene Stoermer,… Continue reading

Enhancing connectivity and regional integration: The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project

Central idea On the sidelines of the recently concluded 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting in Bangkok on July 16, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met with his Myanmar counterpart U Than Swe to discuss regional connectivity initiatives, with particular emphasis on expediting the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMT-TH) project. What is the India-Myanmar-Thailand… Continue reading

Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC)

Central Idea The Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC) was launched with 39 multinational corporations committing to resource efficiency and circular economy principles. What is RECEIC? Foundation: The RECEIC, conceived during India’s G20 Presidency, is an industry-led initiative with a global focus on promoting resource efficiency and circular economy practices Objectives: It aims to… Continue reading

In news: Maitree Super Thermal Power Project

Central Idea Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), a state-owned engineering firm, achieved a major milestone in Bangladesh. The 660-MW Unit-2 of the 1,320-MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project (STPP) was successfully synchronized with the electricity grid in Bangladesh. Maitree Super Thermal Power Project Location: The Maitree STPP is a 1,320-MW power plant situated at Rampal, Mongla,… Continue reading

[pib] Hematene Nanoflakes

Central Idea Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery of nanoflakes of a material known as hematene, extracted from iron ore. These nanoflakes have demonstrated exceptional capabilities in withstanding and shielding against high laser intensities. What is Hematene? Hematene is a novel 2D material that has been derived from hematite (common iron ore). It is a… Continue reading

Silvopasture Systems for Local Climate Resilience

Central Idea Amidst the global decline of natural resources and forests, silvopasture systems emerge as a relevant solution to counter deforestation trends. What is Silvopasture? Silvopasture is a sustainable land management practice that integrates trees, forage crops, and livestock grazing on the same parcel of land. The term “silvopasture” is derived from the Latin words… Continue reading

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