Highlights of State of the World’s Birds Report

The State of the World’s Birds, an annual review of environmental resources has revealed that the population of 48% of the 10,994 surviving species of birds is declining. State of the World’s Birds The report is published by the Manchester Metropolitan University. It gives an overview of the changes in the knowledge of avian biodiversity… Continue reading

Places in news: Martand Sun Temple

After Prayers held at the ruins of the eighth-century Martand Sun Temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag is deemed to be a violation of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rules. About Martand Sun Temple The Martand Sun Temple is a Hindu temple located near the city of Anantnag in the Kashmir Valley. It dates… Continue reading

Pulitzer Prize and the Indians who have won it

A team of four Indian photographers have won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography for their coverage of the Covid-19 crisis in India. About Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer is the most coveted award for journalists from across the world. It is announced by America’s Columbia University and bestowed on the recommendation of the Pulitzer… Continue reading

Literacy and delivery of services, not religion, influences fertility

Context The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 report that was awaited for nearly six months is finally out. And it provides a heartening outlook. About NHFS Started in 1992-93, it has culminated in the fifth round 2019-21. The NFHS is a large, multi-round survey that, inter alia, provides information on fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of… Continue reading

The importance of emigrants

Context Though the phenomenon of Indian-origin executives becoming CEOs of top U.S. companies highlights the contribution of Indian talent to the U.S. economy, the role played by Indian semi-skilled migrant labour in the global economy is no less illustrious. Destinations of Indian migrants Every year, about 2.5 million workers from India move to different parts… Continue reading

Union Finance Ministry revises MPLADS Rules

At a time when MPs have been asking for an increase in the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund, the Union Finance Ministry has ordered revised rules, under which the interest that the fund accrues will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India. What is the MPLAD scheme? The Members of Parliament Local… Continue reading

In news: Tropical Cyclone Asani

Severe cyclonic storm ‘Asani’, packing winds above 105 kmph and setting off heavy rain, is likely to make landfall on the eastern coast of India. What are tropical Cyclones? A tropical cyclone is an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain. Cyclones are formed over slightly warm ocean waters.… Continue reading

Extreme Poverty down in India

Context A recent World Bank Report has shown that extreme poverty in India more than halved between 2011 and 2019 – from 22.5 per cent to 10.2 per cent. The reduction was higher in rural areas, from 26.3 per cent to 11.6 per cent. What explains the reduction in poverty? Poverty has reduced significantly because… Continue reading

Rakhigarhi skeletons’ DNA samples sent for analysis

DNA samples collected from two human skeletons unearthed at a necropolis of a Harappan-era city site in Rakhigarhi, Haryana have been sent for scientific examination. Why in news? DNA analysis might tell about the ancestry and food habits of people who lived in the Rakhigarhi region thousands of years ago. About Rakhi Garhi The ancient… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Perspective: Semiconductor Industry & India

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context Semiconductors are essential to almost all sectors of the economy including aerospace, automobiles, communications, clean energy, information technology and medical devices etc. Demand for these critical components has outstripped supply, creating a global chip shortage and resulting in lost growth and… Continue reading

Highlights of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 Part: II

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), the average number of children per woman, has further declined from 2.2 to 2.0 at the national level between National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 4 and 5. What is NFHS? The NFHS is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. The IIPS is the… Continue reading

What is Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)?

The Punjab government recently announced Rs 1,500 incentive per acre for farmers opting for Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR), which is known for saving water. What is DSR technique? In transplanting, farmers prepare nurseries where the paddy seeds are first sown and raised into young plants. These seedlings are then uprooted and replanted 25-35 days… Continue reading

ISRO’s goal for Venus Mission

India’s Venus mission has been conceived. The project report for ‘Shukrayaan-I’ – the name given to ISRO’s Venus mission About Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is Earth’s closest planetary neighbor. It’s one of the four inner, terrestrial (or rocky) planets, and it’s often called Earth’s twin because it’s similar in… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] National Language Debate

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context With over twenty regional languages, each with its own culture and history, language was always going to be a tricky issue for India. Remarks by a notable Hindi actor to the effect that Hindi is the national language of India has… Continue reading

Let’s make GST a good and simple tax

Context The GST has been a remarkable achievement and a unique experiment in cooperative federalism. In this, both the Union and the state governments gave up their tax autonomy in favour of harmonising domestic trade taxes. Multiple rates: A major shortcoming in the structure of GST One of the most important shortcomings in the structure… Continue reading

How India’s new VPN rules change the Status Quo?

Recently, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In) issued new directives that require Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers to store user data for five years. What is VPN? VPN describes the opportunity to establish a protected network connection when using public networks. It encrypts internet traffic and disguise a user’s online identity. This makes it… Continue reading

President has no role to play in Perarivalan’s plea: SC

The Supreme Court has disagreed with the Central government’s suggestion that the court should wait till the President took a call on former PM’s assassination case convict A.G. Perarivalan’s mercy plea referred to him by the Tamil Nadu Governor for a decision. Why in news now? The Bench of the Supreme Court said that the… Continue reading

GST Compensation dues

The West Bengal CM has said that slashing State levies on petrol and diesel will be possible only if the Centre clears its outstanding dues of over ₹97,000 crore, which includes compensation for implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST). What is GST? GST launched in India on 1 July 2017 is a comprehensive indirect… Continue reading

Civil Registration System Report, 2020

The Civil Registration System (CRS) report 2020 was released at least a month before its schedule. What is Civil Registration System (CRS)? The CRS collates data on all births and deaths registered with local authorities across India. The CRS report is released by the Registrar-General of India. It releases its report around 18 months after a… Continue reading

India-Germany relations

Context Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Berlin for the sixth Indo-German Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) is significant for its timing and substantial results. Strategic and economic importance of India-German ties The timing of the IGC, which Germany chose not to delay, showed outreach to India and the Indo-Pacific. Impact of pandemic on economy: The pandemic… Continue reading

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