China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

India has severely criticized the reported move by both China and Pakistan for third-party participation in some projects on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) The CPEC, one of the most ambitious components of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was announced to great fanfare in… Continue reading

India adds five more Ramsar Sites

India has added five more Ramsar sites, or wetlands of international importance, bringing the number of such sites in the country to 54. Newly added Ramsar Sites Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest and Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu, Sakhya Sagar in Madhya Pradesh Pala Wetlands in Mizoram What are Wetlands? A wetland is… Continue reading

Generation of Unique Disability IDs ramped up

The generation of unique disability IDs (UDIDs) had increased from an average of 5,000 a day to an average of 7,000 to 9,000 daily during the 90-day Azadi Se Antodaya Tak campaign. Why such a move? According to the 2011 Census, there were 2.68 crore people with disabilities. What is Unique Disability IDs (UDIDs)? “Unique… Continue reading

Reforms needed in the next stage of GST

Context India has completed five years under the GST regime. How GST has performed so far Before the GST, there were multiplicity of the Centre and state levies that masked the actual incidence of tax on products, the debilitating effects of the entry tax and the uncertainty of tax rates. Today, in contrast, we have… Continue reading

Only 4 States adopt Model Tenancy Law

More than a year since the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry circulated the Model Tenancy Act (MTA), only four States had revised their tenancy laws to be in line with the MTA. What is the Model Tenancy Act? MTA is aimed at opening up of the vacant housing stock for rental housing purposes and… Continue reading

Who was Raja Ravi Varma?

Ahead of the 175th birth anniversary fete of the legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma, erstwhile royal family of Kilimanoor has urged the Union government to posthumously confer the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, on him. Raja Ravi Varma Raja Ravi Varma was born in April 1848 in Kilimanoor, Kerala, to a family which… Continue reading

Tribal Revolts President Murmu invoked in her inaugural speech

Addressing the nation after being sworn in, President Murmu invoked four tribal revolutions that she said had strengthened tribal contribution to the freedom struggle. [1] Santhal revolution On June 30, 1855, over 10,000 Santhals were mobilised by their leaders — Kanho Murmu, Chand Murmu, Bhairab Murmu and Sidho Murmu – to revolt against the East… Continue reading

IIT-Bombay to help treat Mumbai’s Sewage with new tech

To prevent sludge and sewage from stormwater drains from flowing into the sea, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned in-situ treatment of sewage from the drains with the help of N-Treat Technology developed by IIT-B. What is N-Treat technology? N-Treat is a seven-stage process for waste treatment that uses screens, gates, silt traps, curtains of… Continue reading

Weighing in on India’s investment-led revival

Context The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, said recently that India’s long-term growth prospects are embedded in public capital expenditure programmes. She added that an increase in public investment would crowd in (or pull in) private investment, thus reviving the economy. Significance of public investment-led economic growth Public investment-led economic growth forms a credible strand of… Continue reading

A new global standard for AI ethics

Context Artificial intelligence (AI) is more present in our lives than ever. From predicting what we want to see as we scroll through social media to helping us understand weather patterns to manage agriculture, AI is ubiquitous. Issues with AI and it why it matters to India Bias and discrimination: The data used to feed into… Continue reading

ICJ’s latest judgment on Rohingya Genocide

Judges at the United Nations’ highest court have dismissed preliminary objections by Myanmar to a case alleging for genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority. Who are the Rohingyas? Rohingya Muslims comprise one million out of the 53 million people that live in Myanmar, forming the world’s largest stateless population in a single country. Universally reviled… Continue reading

Monkeypox is ‘Public Health Emergency’

The World Health Organization’s Director-General has declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) July 23, 2022. What is PHEIC? Definition: Under the International Health Regulations (IHR), a public health emergency is defined as “an extraordinary event which is determined, as provided in these Regulations: to constitute a public health risk to other… Continue reading

[pib] Anushilan Samiti

Union Education and Skill Development Minister has urged NCERT and the Education fraternity to include enough information about Anushilan Samiti, especially in the upcoming National Curriculum Framework Anushilan Samiti Anushilan Samiti was an Indian fitness club, which was actually used as an underground society for anti-British revolutionaries. It was founded by Satish Chandra Pramatha Mitra,… Continue reading

Why is Karnataka opposing Centre’s draft Eco-Sensitive Area norms for Western Ghats?

The Union Environment Ministry’s latest draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats is facing stiff opposition in Karnataka. What is the news? The MoEFCC had issued a draft notification that demarcated large parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra as eco-sensitive areas. Among these states, Karnataka contains the largest geographical… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Mudda Aapla: Culture of Freebies

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context With the poll season round the corner, political parties are busy planning to lure the electorate with their promises which also include freebies. Over the years the politics of freebies has become an integral part of the electoral battles and the… Continue reading

What is Transition Tax Credit?

Taxpayers who had missed out on getting the benefit of transitional tax credits during India’s switchover to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime five years ago, will now get a fresh window to avail them. What is Transitional Tax Credit? A tax credit is a component of a company’s tax payment that can be… Continue reading

Droupadi Murmu elected 15th President of India

Former Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu was elected the 15th President of India, the first (santhal) tribal woman to be appointed to the position and the youngest as well. Here’s a look at some interesting facts about the past Presidents of India: * Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India. He is also the only… Continue reading

Women have Right to Safe Abortion: SC

Denying an unmarried woman the right to a safe abortion violates her personal autonomy and freedom, the Supreme Court held in an order. What did the SC say? A woman’s right to reproductive choice is an inseparable part of her personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. She has a sacrosanct right to bodily… Continue reading

Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022

The Lok Sabha deferred the consideration and passing of the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 as the Opposition benches were empty due to the ongoing protests outside of Parliament. Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 Aims and objectives: To provide for national measures to protect the Antarctic environment and associated ecosystems and to give effect to the Antarctic… Continue reading

Karnataka tops India Innovation Index List

Karnataka has bagged the top rank in NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index, 2022, which determines innovation capacities and ecosystems at the sub-national level. India Innovation Index (III) The release of the second edition of the index—the first was launched in October 2019—demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to transforming the country into an innovation-driven economy. The… Continue reading

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