Put out the data, boost the dose of transparency

Context The Government must make COVID-19 data including that for vaccine regulatory approvals and policy available. Kay decisions On December 25, the Prime Minister of India announced two key decisions. Vaccination of children: All children in the 15-17 age bracket will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines from January 3, 2022. Third shot: All health-care… Continue reading

SEBI tweaks share sale norms for IPOs

The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved amendments to a slew of regulations to tighten the Initial Public Offering (IPO) process and norms governing the utilization of IPO proceeds by promoters. What is an IPO? Every company needs money to grow and expand. They do this by borrowing or by issuing shares.… Continue reading

Places in news: Konark Sun Temple

The Archaeological Survey of India is working on a preliminary roadmap to safely remove sand from the interiors of Odisha’s Sun Temple, which was filled up by the British 118 years ago to prevent it from collapsing. Konark Sun Temple Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE Sun temple at Konark about 36 kilometres northeast… Continue reading

Plea seeks GI tag for Arunachal Apatani textile product

An application seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Arunachal Pradesh Apatani textile product has been filed by a firm. Apatani textile The Apatani weave comes from the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh living at Ziro, the headquarters of lower Subansiri district. The woven fabric of this tribe is known for its geometric and… Continue reading

Supreme Court clarifies on abuse linked to Dowry Deaths

Dowry death can be presumed if the wife was harassed, mentally and physically close before her death in the marital home, the Supreme Court has held. Section 304B, IPC A Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana was interpreting Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code (dowry death). The provision mandates that the… Continue reading

Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in India

Six Maoists including four women cadres were killed morning in an “exchange of fire” with a joint team of Telangana and Chhattisgarh police in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. What is Naxalism? The term ‘Naxal’ derives its name from the village Naxalbari of district Darjeeling in West Bengal, where the movement originated in 1967 under the… Continue reading

Status of 5G Rollout in India

Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Pune will be the first places to get 5G services next year in 2022, informed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Must read: [Burning Issue] 5G Technology What is 5G technology? 5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks. It’s… Continue reading

Missionaries of Charity denied FCRA nod

The Union Home Ministry has refused to renew the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Missionaries of Charity (MoC) set up by Nobel laureate Mother Teresa. About Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) The FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security. First enacted in 1976, it was… Continue reading

NITI Aayog releases fourth edition of State Health Index

NITI Aayog has released the fourth edition of the State Health Index for 2019–20. State Health Index The State Health Index is an annual tool to assess the performance of states and UTs. It is being compiled and published since 2017. The index is part of a report commissioned by the NITI Aayog, the World… Continue reading

Places in news: Carmichael Mine in Australia

The Adani Group will begin exporting high quality, low sulphur coal from its Carmichael mine in Australia as early as this week, tapping a new multi-decade source to meet energy needs. Carmichael Mine The Carmichael mine is located in the North Galilee Basin, more than 300 kilometers from the Queensland coastline and approximately 160 km… Continue reading

Issues with Health Surveys in India

This article discusses the feasibility of conducting a single comprehensive survey for collecting health-related data in India. Context In a country perennially thirsty for reliable health data, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is like an oasis. It has a large volume of data that is openly accessible. The report of the fifth round of… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] India-Japan Ties in Recent Times

Introduction India’s growing economic strength in recent years has seen it adopting its foreign policy to increase its global influence and status and to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In the past few years, New Delhi has expanded its strategic vision, most noticeably in Asia, and has broadened the definition of its security… Continue reading

Extending outpatient health care coverage

Context Over the past two decades, initiatives announced to extend health care coverage to the indigent sections have come under criticism due to their near-exclusive focus on hospitalisation (inpatient, IP) care. Significance of outpatient health care What is outpatient health care: Outpatient (OP) health care, mainly comprising doctor consultations, drugs, and tests, can be called… Continue reading

All you need to know about the New Labour Codes

India is likely to implement four new labour codes on wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational safety by the next fiscal year beginning 2022. Must read: [Burning Issue] New Labour Laws New Labour Codes The four codes likely to be implemented in FY23 are: Code on Wages Industrial Relations Code Social Security Code, and… Continue reading

Trincomalee Oil Farms Deal

After a year of negotiations, Sri Lanka will ink the deal with India to jointly develop the Trincomalee oil tank farms — a coveted project that has remained controversial for decades. About Trincomalee oil field The facility, built by the British around World War II as a refueling station, has 99 storage tanks that look… Continue reading

Every third informal worker is now registered on E-Shram Portal

Every third informal sector worker in India is now registered on the e-Shram portal with registration on the portal crossing the 14 crore mark in four months. About E-Shram Portal The Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched the E-Shram Portal for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW) this year. The E-Shram portal… Continue reading

[pib] Good Governance Index 2021

The Centre has released the Good Governance Index 2021 prepared by DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances) on Good Governance Day. Try this question from CS Mains 2016: Q. What do you understand by the terms ‘governance’, ‘good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’? What do you mean by Good Governance? It is the… Continue reading

Study of distant Magnetar reveals facets of the Exotic Star

An international group of researchers has succeeded in measuring for the first time the characteristics of a flare on a distant magnetar. What is a Magnetar? Magnetars are the most magnetic stars in the universe. It is a rare compact type of neutron star teeming with energy and magnetism. It is an exotic type of… Continue reading

Who was Archbishop Desmond Tutu?

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and veteran of South Africa’s struggle against white minority rule has died on December 26 at the age of 90. Try this question from CS Mains 2016: Q. The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine. Desmond Tutu (1931-… Continue reading

In news: Tai Khamti Rebellion

The Arunachal Pradesh Deputy CM urged the Centre to recognize the Tai Khamti-British war as India’s first for independence. Tai Khamti Rebellion The Tai Khamti Rebellion is the first such war took place in 1839 between the Tai Khamti people and the British. The theatre of this war was some 2,400 km east of Meerut… Continue reading

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