Priority Sector Lending (PSL)

The RBI has released a revised priority sector lending guidelines to augment funding to segments including start-ups and agriculture. New Priority Sector Lending (PSL) guidelines Bank finance of up to ₹50 crores to start-ups, loans to farmers both for installation of solar power plants for Solarization of grid-connected agriculture pumps and for setting up compressed… Continue reading

What is Project Dolphin?

In his Independence Day Speech this year, PM has announced the government’s plan to launch a Project Dolphin. The proposed project is aimed at saving both river and marine dolphins. Project Dolphin The Project will be on the lines of Project Tiger, which has helped increase the tiger population. So far, the National Mission for… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Rolling-out of National Digital Health Mission

The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the PM on the 74th Independence Day has the potential to transform the healthcare sector, making it more technologically advanced, inclusive and delivery-driven. Digitizing Healthcare: A Backgrounder The National Health Policy 2017 had envisaged creation of a digital health technology eco-system aiming at developing an integrated health… Continue reading

New Official Languages in J&K

The Union Cabinet has approved a Bill to introduce Hindi, Kashmiri and Dogri as official languages in Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to Urdu and English. As of now, the official language is Urdu and Kashmiri is recognised as a regional language. Try this PYQ: Q.Consider the following languages: Gujarati Kannada Telugu Which of the… Continue reading

Black Holes Merger

Billions of years ago, a collision between two black holes sent gravitational waves rippling through the universe. In 2019, signals from these waves were detected at the gravitational wave observatory LIGO (United States) and the detector Virgo (Italy). Try this PYQ: Q.Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the… Continue reading

[pib] Global Innovation Index 2020

India has climbed 4 spots and has been ranked 48thby the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in the Global Innovation Index 2020 rankings. Try this PYQ from CSP 2016: Q.India’s ranking in the ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’ is sometimes seen in the news. Which of the following has declared that ranking? a) Organization for… Continue reading

Issues with the Gopalakrishnan Committee Report

The article highlights the importance of non-personal data collected by the government and lack of any reference to it in the Gopalakrishnan Committee report. Background The Committee of Experts on the Non-Personal Data Governance Framework headed by K Gopalakrishnan has recommended making privately held non-personal data “open”. This has raised concerns about state interference in the… Continue reading

What are Question Hour and Zero Hour?

The Lok Sabha Secretariat officially released the schedule for the monsoon Parliament session with Question Hour being dropped. Zero Hour will also be restricted in both Houses. This newscard is very narrative in its form and scope. Q.Discuss the various instruments of Parliamentary Control in India. What is Question Hour, and what is its significance?… Continue reading

Mission Karmayogi for Civil Services Capacity Building

The Union Cabinet gave its approval for Mission Karmayogi, a new national capacity building and performance evaluation programme for civil servants. Try this MCQ: Q.The Mission Karmayogi recently seen in news is related to: a) EPFO reforms b) Labour laws reforms c) Civil Services reforms d) Artisans and Handicrafts Mission Karmayogi The mission is established… Continue reading

NCRB data on Accidental Deaths and Suicides

The cases of suicide and the number of accidental deaths registered an increase across the country last year compared to 2018, according to the annual National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. Do you know? NCRB also released data on hate crimes, fake news, and anti-national activities etc. (1) Data on Suicides Statewise data: The maximum… Continue reading

Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM)

As a first step towards Greening the Indian short term power market, the Ministry of Power and New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched pan-India Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) in electricity. About GTAM GTAM is an alternative new model introduced for selling off the power by the renewable developers in the open market without… Continue reading

E-commerce rules 2020

The article analyses the various restrictions under The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 to regulate all commercial transactions and issues with such restrictions. Context The recent rules relating to e-commerce, issued by the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 needs some changes. What the recent rules specify… Continue reading

Economics of education

The article delineates the challenges academic institutions in India faces in the wake of Covid disruption and suggests some measures to deal with the challenges. Context Disruption in the wake of pandemic raised the spectre of educational institutions shuttering their doors completely or taking unprecedented steps that have invariably affected jobs and livelihoods. Economics of… Continue reading

Special Frontier Force: The Vikas Battalion

There have been reports that a Special Frontier Force (SFF) unit, referred to as Vikas Battalion, has been instrumental in occupying some key heights on the LAC. Try this question for mains: Q.“It cannot be business as usual with China after the border clash.” Critically comment. What is the Special Frontier Force (SFF)? SFF was… Continue reading

Pinaka Missile System

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts with three Indian companies for supply of six regiments of the Pinaka Rocket System to be deployed along borders with Pakistan and China. Following things are crucial to know about the Pinaka Missile System: 1) It’s development and manufacture 2) Fire Range and other capabilities 3) Latest… Continue reading

Exercise Indra 2020

Amid high operational alert by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) India and Russia are scheduled to hold the bilateral naval exercise, Indra 2020, in the Andaman Sea, close to the strategic Strait of Malacca. [Prelims Spotlight]: Various Defence Exercises in News https://www.civilsdaily.com/prelims-spotlight-various-defence-exercises-in-news/ Exercise Indra It is a joint, tri-services exercise between… Continue reading

GST reforms and compensation issue

The GST compensation issue raises the need for reform in the system. The article discusses this issue and suggests reform. Background Three years ago, the Centre and the States of the Union of India struck a grand bargain resulting in GST. The States gave up their right to collect sales tax and sundry taxes, and… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Fiscal Council in India: Certain solution in uncertain times

The impact of COVID-19 on the economy is devastating and the government is forced to opt to borrow for spending more in order to support vulnerable households and engineer economic recovery due to the after-effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy. The BI highlights the need for bipartisan, independent Fiscal Council to report and analyse… Continue reading

Renati Chola Era Inscription

A rare inscription dating back to the Renati Chola era has been unearthed in a remote village of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Try this PYQ: Q.In the context of the history of India, consider the following pairs: Term: Description Eripatti: Land revenue from which was set apart for the maintenance of the village tank… Continue reading

Exercise Kavkaz 2020

India has turned down Russia’s invitation to participate in the multilateral defence exercise Kavkaz 2020. Go through the list for once. UPSC may ask a match the pair type question asking exercise name and countries involved. https://www.civilsdaily.com/prelims-spotlight-defence-exercises/ Exercise Kavkaz 2020 The Kavkaz 2020 is also referred to as Caucasus-2020. The exercise is aimed at assessing… Continue reading

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