Tiger Density in India

Preliminary findings of a study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) suggest that the density of tigers in the Sunderbans may have reached the carrying capacity of the mangrove forests, leading to frequent dispersals and a surge in human-wildlife conflict. Tiger Density of India In the Terai and Shivalik hills habitat — think Corbett… Continue reading

Ex Vayu Shakti 2022

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to postpone its firepower demonstration, Ex Vayu Shakti, scheduled in the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan. Exercise Vayu Shakti It is conducted once in three years which is participated by fighters, helicopters, force enablers and support systems. The aim of the exercise is to detect and identify targets and… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Perspective: Cost of Free Power

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Ongoing assembly elections in five states have seen a flurry of promises from political parties. The prominent one amongst these is the promise of free or subsidised power for farmers and domestic consumers. Also read: The Lure of Free Electricity Free… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Age of Cyber Warfare

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context The war between Russia and Ukraine is not only being fought on the ground, but also in cyberspace. Cyberattacks on state-owned digital assets, including websites and banking services, have gradually increased in both frequency and sophistication, beginning with Distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks… Continue reading

What is ‘General Consent’ for CBI?

Meghalaya has withdrawn consent to the CBI to investigate cases in the state, becoming the ninth state in the country to have taken this step. General Consent Unlike the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is governed by its own NIA Act and has jurisdiction across the country, the CBI is governed by the Delhi Special… Continue reading

What is ‘Front-of-Pack Labelling’ (FoPL)?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will soon start labelling the front of packaged food products with Health Star Rating (HSR). What is FoPL? In India, packaged food has had back-of-package (BOP) nutrient information in detail but no FoPL. Counter to this, FoPL can nudge people towards healthy consumption of packaged food.… Continue reading

Kavach: the Indian technology that can prevent collision of Trains

Kavach, this indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection System is earmarked for aggressive rollout on 2,000 km in 2022-23, according the Budget proposals. What is Kavach? It is India’s very own automatic protection system in development since 2012, under the name Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which got rechristened to Kavach or “armour”. Simply put, it… Continue reading

Hike in crude oil prices and its impact on India

Context The Russia-Ukraine conflict will impact India’s economy through several channels. The first order impact, emanates from the negative terms of trade shock from higher commodity prices, particularly oil. Crude prices have surged well past a $110/barrel and there is a growing expectation that, as the conflict gets more entrenched, crude could remain elevated for… Continue reading

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) said it was putting on hold and reviewing all projects in Russia and Belarus. About AIIB The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia, began operations in January 2016. It aims to stimulate growth… Continue reading

What is Agni Kandakarnan Theyyam?

Ritual dance Agni Kandakarnan Theyyam performing at the Kaliyattam festival has begun in Kannur, Kerala. What is Theyyam? Theyyam is a popular thousand-year-old ritual form of dance worship in Kerala and Karnataka, India. The people of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a channel to a god and they thus seek blessings from Theyyam. There… Continue reading

What is WHO’s Pandemic Treaty?

Members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) held the first round of negotiations towards the pandemic treaty on February 24, 2022. What is the Pandemic Treaty? In December 2021, the World Health Assembly agreed to start a global process to draft the pandemic treaty. The need for an updated set of rules was felt after… Continue reading

New Rules for Deputation of DIGs

After its proposal to amend the All India Service Rules that would allow it to call any IAS, IPS or IFoS officer on central deputation with or without the state’s consent, the Centre has issued another order on central deputation of Deputy Inspector General-level IPS officers. What is the order? The Department of Personnel and… Continue reading

Egypt hikes Suez Canal transit fees for ship

Cash-strapped Egypt increased transit fees for ships passing through the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most crucial waterways, with hikes of up to 10%. Suez Canal The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez; and dividing Africa and Asia.… Continue reading

Back in news: Visva-Bharati University

The stalemate continues in Visva-Bharati University as students demand the reopening of hostels and conducting of online examinations. Visva-Bharati Visva-Bharati is a central research university and an Institution of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it Visva-Bharati, which means the communion of the world with… Continue reading

GST revenues cross 1.3 lakh crore in Feb

The Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue in February was 26% higher than the pre-pandemic levels at ₹1,33,026 crore. What is GST? GST is an indirect tax that has replaced many indirect taxes in India such as excise duty, VAT, services tax, etc. The Goods and Service Tax Act was passed in Parliament on… Continue reading

Kuki Insurgency in Manipur

Just before the first of the two phases of the Assembly Elections went underway in Manipur, all insurgent groups associated with the Kuki tribes in Manipur said they will vote for a particular political party. Who are the Kukis? The Kukis are an ethnic group including multiple tribes originally inhabiting the North-Eastern states of India… Continue reading

[Yojana Archive] Swadeshi Entrepreneurship

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Inception of the idea The idea of ‘economic swadeshi’ emerged by the second half of the 19th century. Thanks to the writings of R C Dutt, Dadabhai Naoroji, and M G Ranade, the new western-educated middle class was well aware of the… Continue reading

Controversy around the $500 million MCC grant to Nepal

Nepal’s House of Representatives has ratified 500 million US Dollar grant assistance-Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) pact along with the “interpretative declaration”. What is Millenium Challenge Corporation? The MCC was founded in 2004 as a US foreign aid agency that acts in accordance with governments that have demonstrated a commitment to good governance, economic freedom, and… Continue reading

Land protests over Deocha Pachami Coal Block

The West Bengal government’s ambitious Deocha Pachami coal block mining project in Birbhum district has run into hurdles over land acquisition and other issues. Deocha Pachami Coal Block The State government is planning to start mining at the Deocha Pachami coal block, considered to be the largest coal block in the country with reserves of… Continue reading

What is the International Court of Justice?

Ukraine has filed an application before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), instituting proceedings against the Russian Federation for committing Genocide. International Court of Justice The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April… Continue reading

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