Tasks accomplished by the Chandrayaan-2

The failure of Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to the Moon, to make a soft landing on the lunar surface had led to much disappointment. But that did not mean the entire mission had been wasted. Chandrayaan-2: A quick recap Chandrayaan-2 consisted of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover, all equipped with scientific instruments to study the… Continue reading

PLI Scheme for Textiles

The Union Government has approved Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles. This move is a part of the overall announcement of PLI Schemes for 13 sectors made earlier during the Union Budget 2021-22. What is PLI Scheme? As the name suggests, the scheme provides incentives to companies for enhancing their domestic manufacturing apart from… Continue reading

NDA to admit Women: Centre

The Centre gave the Supreme Court the “good news” that it had taken a decision to allow women entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA), so far a male bastion for recruitment into the Armed Forces. About National Defence Academy The NDA is the joint defence service training institute of the Indian Armed Forces, where… Continue reading

Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment Centres

The state government in Punjab is banking on Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment Centres (OOAT) to curb the drug menace in the state. What are the OOAT Centres? The move to set up OOAT centres in Punjab began in October 2017. The centres administer de-addiction medicine, a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone, to the opioid-dependent people… Continue reading

Needed: A tribunal for CAPF

Context There have been numerous cases of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officers overstaying leave. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to issue orders to the CRPF headquarters to “include the provisions of Security Force Court (SFC), for initiating disciplinary action against the delinquent officers. Departmental enquiries Vs SFC The SFC is a purely judicial… Continue reading

The economic reforms — looking back to look ahead

Context The economic reforms, so far, have been more focused on the technical nature of the economy than the system, process and people. The fundamentals need to be set right with a focus on human capital, technology readiness and productivity. Benefits and limits of economic reforms of 1991 Economic reforms of 1991 — and from… Continue reading

India appoints Sherpa for G20 Summit

The government has appointed a union minister as Sherpa for the G20 summit. Who is a Sherpa (in IR context)? A sherpa is the personal representative of a head of state or government who prepares an international summit, particularly the annual G7 and G20 summits. Between the G7 summits, there are multiple sherpa conferences where… Continue reading

Govt. mulls allowing local sales by SEZ units sans import tag

The government is considering a proposal to allow producers in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to sell their output to the domestic market without treating them as imports. What are SEZs? A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are… Continue reading

[pib] What is Pollen Calendar?

Chandigarh now has its first pollen calendar, which can identify potential allergy triggers and provide a clear understanding for clinicians as well as allergy sufferers about their causes to help limit their exposure during high pollen loads. What is a Pollen Calendar? Pollen calendars represent the time dynamics of airborne pollen present in a particular… Continue reading

Places in news: Gulf of Mexico

An oil spill spanning at least 10 miles has been captured by satellite imagery in waters off the Louisiana coast near the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on… Continue reading

Revolution unfolding in data regulation

Context A number of countries have been looking to extend their existing data protection frameworks to ensure that users have more effective control over their data than their regulations currently allow. Measures to unlock the data silos Benefits: These measures aimed at unlocking data silos will make it easier for data to flow from the… Continue reading

New Code for Creditors (CoC) under IBC

The insolvency regulator has called for public comments on a proposal to introduce a code of conduct for Committees of Creditors (CoC), of companies undergoing insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Before proceeding, try this PYQ first: Q. Which of the following statements best describes the term ‘Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of… Continue reading

Govt must constitute GST tribunal: SC

The Supreme Court has warned that the government had no option but to constitute the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Appellate Tribunal. What is GST Appellate Tribunal? The GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) is the second appeal forum under GST for any dissatisfactory order passed by the First Appellate Authorities. The National Appellate Tribunal is also… Continue reading

Right to Sit to be mandated in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has tabled a Bill in the Legislative Assembly making it mandatory for establishments to provide seating facilities for employees. Right to Sit The Right to Sit is aimed to benefit thousands of employees of large and small establishments, particularly those working in textile and jewelry showrooms. Persons employed in shops and… Continue reading

Inspiration4: SpaceX’s first all-civilian space mission

SpaceX has announced its ‘Inspiration4’ mission, the first all-civilian, non-governmental spaceflight, for launch. What is Inspiration4? Inspiraton4 is a part of an effort to raise funds for pediatric treatment and research facility that focuses on children’s catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers. The mission involves circling the Earth for three days and then splashing… Continue reading

Odisha’s Manda buffalo gets unique, indigenous tag

The National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) has recognized the Manda buffalo, found in the Eastern Ghats and plateau of Koraput region of Odisha, as the 19th unique breed of buffaloes found in India. Manda Buffalo The Manda are resistant to parasitic infections, less prone to diseases and can live, produce and reproduce at… Continue reading

Reform in India’s reservation system

Context While it is undeniable that affirmative action has been one of the protagonists of Indian democracy’s success stories, these have also accumulated a fair share of problems and call for immediate policy attention and debate. Problems with the current policy of reservation With the reservation of seats in political and public institutions of the… Continue reading

The nutrition-hygiene link

Context A recent UNICEF report stated that nearly 12 lakh children could die in low-income countries in the next six months due to a decrease in routine health services and an increase in wasting. Nearly three lakh such children would be from India. Problem of nutrition in India and factors responsible for it The National… Continue reading

Indian Banks join ‘Account Aggregators Network’

Eight of India’s major banks — State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC First Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank and Federal Bank has joined the Account Aggregator (AA) network that will enable customers to easily access and share their financial data. What is an Account Aggregators (AA)? According to the… Continue reading

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