India’s Scientific Expedition to the Southern Ocean

A South African oceanographic research vessel SA Agulhas set off from Port Louise in Mauritius, on a two-month Indian Scientific Expedition to the Southern Ocean 2020. Recently the vessel was at Prydz Bay, in the coastal waters of “Bharati”, India’s third station in Antarctica. India’s polar mission This is the 11th expedition of an… Continue reading

Species in news: Indian Pangolin

The Madhya Pradesh forest department has radio-tagged an Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) for the first time. Pangolins IUCN status: Endangered India is home to two species of pangolin. While the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is found in northeastern India, the Indian Pangolin is distributed in other parts of the country as well as Sri… Continue reading

[pib] Nagpur Orange

The first consignment of Nagpur oranges was flagged off to Dubai from Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Nagpur Orange Nagpur orange is rustic and pockmarked exterior which is sweet and has juicy pulp. It gives the city of Nagpur its pseudonym Orange City. It oranges blossom during the Monsoon season and are ready to be harvested… Continue reading

Towards a new world order

Context Social inequalities and the grim problems of stark and continuing poverty are at the epicentre of the new world. The ugly face of capitalism and growing inequalities The concentration of the health: The latest Oxfam Report presented at Davos points out that 2,153 billionaires have more wealth than 4.6 billion people. Rising poverty: The… Continue reading

To help her work

Context When it came to allocating funds, the budget relegates women’s economic participation to secondary importance. The current status of women in India Lack of Equality: India continues to struggle to provide its women with equal opportunity. A low score on international measures: On international measures of gender equality. India scores low on women’s overall health… Continue reading

Political parties to publish the entire criminal history of their candidates

The Supreme Court has strictly ordered political parties to publish the entire criminal history of their candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections along with the reasons that goaded them to field suspected criminals over decent people. SC’s deadline It ordered political parties to submit compliance reports with the Election Commission of India within… Continue reading

USTR takes India off developing country list

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has published a notice, amending lists of developing and least-developed countries that are eligible for preferential treatment with respect to countervailing duties (CVD) investigations. New classification by US To harmonise U.S. law with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) Agreement, the… Continue reading

Conservation plan for Konark Sun Temple

A plan to restore and preserve the nearly 800-year-old Konark Sun Temple in Odisha would be drawn up soon. Among the potential choices before the government would be to fill in more sand or to remove all the sand andput in place alternate support. Konark Sun Temple Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE Sun… Continue reading

In news: Two-child Norm

A Rajya Sabha MP has introduced a Private Member’s Bill on two-child norms. Key propositions of the Bill Essentially, the Bill aims to amend the Constitution in order to incentivise limiting families to two children by offering tax concessions, priority in social benefit schemes and school admissions, among other things. It proposes incentives in taxation,… Continue reading

[pib] ‘Apiary on Wheels’ Initiative

‘Apiary on Wheels’ was recently flagged off today by the Union Minister of MSME. ‘Apiary on Wheels’ It is a unique concept designed by KVIC for the easy upkeep and migration of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies. It is a platform which can carry 20 Bee Boxes from one place to another without any… Continue reading

Riding on data for mobility

Context Data-based governance can assist in reducing traffic congestion, as illustrated by a pilot study in Hyderabad. How the Digital revolution is transforming lives Seamless and efficient interaction: The digital revolution has made interactions between humans and machines, and among citizens, governments and businesses, seamless and efficient. Helping efficient delivery of services: Today, e-governance enables… Continue reading

Nutrition and the Budget’s fine print

Context There are well-equipped schemes to address the malnutrition, plugging the policy gaps is the problem. Nutrition and hunger in India Global Hunger Index rank 102: A few months ago, the Global Hunger Index, reported that India suffers from “serious” hunger, ranked 102 out of 117 countries. Only one-tenth of children getting proper diet: Just… Continue reading

Medical Devices (Amendment) Rules, 2020

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified changes in the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 to regulate medical devices on the same lines as drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Medical Devices (Amendment) Rules, 2020 These rules are applicable to devices intended for internal or external use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation… Continue reading

Conviction of Hafiz Saeed

The Lashkar-e-Taiba founder (LeT) and Jamat-ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed was convicted by a Pakistan court in two terror-financing cases and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison concurrently. Why such move? With pressure from the international community building up, Pakistan has been trying to convince the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to prevent it… Continue reading

New Umbrella Entity (NUE) for Retail Payment Systems

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed to set up a new pan-India new umbrella entity (NUE) or entities focussing on retail payment systems with a minimum paid-up capital of Rs 500 crore. New Umbrella Entity (NUE) The proposed entity will set up, manage and operate new payment systems especially in the retail space.… Continue reading

Novel Coronavirus renamed as COVID-19 by WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) gave an official name to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The death toll from the virus has now crossed 1,000 and the disease has infected tens of thousands of people, the majority of them in China. COVID-19 The disease will be called “COVID-19”; the “CO” stands for coronavirus,… Continue reading

‘2 Billion Kilometers to Safety’ campaign

The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has announced a new global campaign urging people worldwide to cover the total distance travelled by refugees each year – 2 billion kilometers – by running, jogging or walking. About the campaign The “2 Billion Kilometers to Safety” campaign vies to encourage people to support refugees by championing individual… Continue reading

Six years on, Lokpal is a non-starter

Context More than six years after the Lokpal law received the President’s assent, the institution of the Lokpal is yet to play any significant role in tackling corruption in the country. Delay in appointment Five-year delay in appointment: For more than five years, the chairperson and members of the Lokpal were not appointed. LoP issue:… Continue reading

A new approach on investment

Context When Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump to India this month the two leaders are expected to sign a first-ever trade agreement. What will be on the agenda of the trade deal? GSP issues: The restoration of India’s Generalised System of Preferences benefits, Pricing of medical devices. And agriculture trade are… Continue reading

Shun fiscal adventurism

Context In the run-up to the budget, there was enormous pressure on the finance minister to launch a fiscal stimulus so as to pump-prime the economy. That she did not succumb to the temptation is a big relief. Why fiscal stimulus is unwarranted? There is already considerable stimulus in the system. Excessive fiscal deficit: To her… Continue reading

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