JDY or NREGA card: What is better option for cash transfers?

JAM Trinity is one of the flagship policy of the government. In times of COVID crisis, this article highlights some limits of JAM trinity. Issues of inclusion error, exclusion error and even problem of transparency with JAM accounts are discussed. The NREGA cards instead of Jan Dhan account is suggested as the better option. Why… Continue reading

India-Nepal dispute over Kalapani Region

Nepal has protested against India’s inauguration of a Himalayan link road built in a disputed territory which falls at a strategic three-way junction with Tibet and China. Kathmandu claims the highly strategic areas of Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, although Indian troops have been deployed there since the 1962 war. Practice question for mains: Q. The India-Nepal… Continue reading

GI tag for Sohrai Khovar painting, Telia Rumal

Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar painting and Telangana’s Telia Rumal were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry. This year, many GI tags have been allocated. A few of them to count are- Kashmir saffron, Manipur black rice, Gorakhpur terracotta, Kovilpatti kadalai mittai etc. Check here for more. Sohrai Khovar painting The Sohrai… Continue reading

[pib] Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-reliant India Mission)

The PM has announced the Atma-nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (or Self-reliant India Mission) and said that in the days to come the government would unveil the details of an economic package — worth Rs 20 lakh crore or 10% of India’s GDP in 2019-20 — aimed towards achieving this mission. Try a question: ‘Doubling Farmer’s Income’… Continue reading

[pib] CHAMPIONS Portal for Indian MSMEs

In a major initiative, Union Ministry of MSME has launched CHAMPIONS portal for assisting Indian MSMEs march into the big league as National and Global Champions. MSME sector has been hit badly by COVID. Initiatives like CHAMPIONS portal are crucial for this sector. CHAMPIONS Portal ‘CHAMPIONS’ is a technology-driven Control Room-Cum-Management Information System. The CHAMPIONS… Continue reading

What is the Sample Registration System (SRS)?

The Registrar General of India released its Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin based on data collected for 2018. Since we are talking about birth rates and death rates, how about revising Demographic Transition Model. Can you recall 4 distinctive stages of Indian Demographic history? Sample Registration System (SRS) The SRS is a demographic survey for providing… Continue reading

Pokhran-II nuclear tests

Yesterday, May 11 was celebrated as the National Technology Day. It marks the day on which India successfully test-fired its first nuclear bombs in 1998. Practice question for mains Q. India’s nuclear policy of ‘No First Use’ needs a revamp. Examine. India and nuclear weapons India is currently among eight countries in the world that… Continue reading

Person in news: Gopal Krishna Gokhale

The Prime Minister has paid tributes to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his birth anniversary. These days, personality-based prelims questions are quite prevalent. Q.) He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shri Krishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was – (CSP 2018) a) Aurobindo Ghosh… Continue reading

[pib] Atal Pension Yojana: Marking 5 Years of Implementation

The flagship social security scheme ‘Atal Pension Yojana’ (APY) has completed five years of successful implementation. Five years of successfull implemention of APY is a significant feat. A statement based prelims question on terms of enrolment of the APY can be asked. Atal Pension Yojana APY is a government-backed pension scheme, primarily targeted at the… Continue reading

Explained: How can Inter-State workers be protected?

Context Following the novel coronavirus pandemic, the nationwide lockdown announced on March 24 at short notice has caused immense distress to migrant workers around the country. Hundreds have been seen trying to walk home to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha from their places of work in Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat and so forth.… Continue reading

Relaxation in labour laws due to COVID-19 outbreak and their impacts

Amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown, an increasing number of states that include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat have pushed through changes to their labour laws by way of amendments — ordinances or executive orders. They aim to provide some sort of blanket exemption to employers from labour laws. Practice Question Q. Multiplicity of Labour… Continue reading

Indigenous antibody test: COVID Kavach ELISA

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune has developed and validated the indigenous IgG ELISA test “COVID KAVACH ELISA” for antibody detection for COVID-19. Our thumb rule suggests that the ELISA test is being used only for the diagnosis of HIV infection. Right? But the ELISA test is a broader… Continue reading

[pib] Mission SAGAR

As part of India’s outreach amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ships have departed for Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, to provide Food Items, COVID related Medicines including HCQ Tablets and Medical Assistance Teams under Mission Sagar. Mission SAGAR, unlike other missions, can create confusion with the name and its purpose. Make note of such… Continue reading

[Burning Issues] Fiscal Push for MSME Sector of India (Part II)

COVID-19 and MSMEs The MSMEs were already struggling — in terms of declining revenues and capacity utilization — in the lead-up to the Covid-19 crisis. The total lockdown has raised a question mark on workers payment primarily because these firms mostly transact on cash. That explains the job losses. The problem with most small Indian… Continue reading

Economy and the challenges ahead

Various projections of growth paint a grim picture of the Indian economy as well as the global economy. This article analyses the sector-wise impact and comes with the GVA projections for 2020-21. The government has to deal with serious challenges like financing huge fiscal deficits. So, what will be the growth rate for 2020-21 and… Continue reading

What is Stringency Index?

India enforced one of the strongest lockdowns at an early phase of case growth. Now, an index created by the University of Oxford quantifies that. The Stringency Index provides a computable parameter to evaluate the effectiveness of the nationwide lockdown in India. What is Stringency Index? It is among the metrics being used by the… Continue reading

The Resistance Front (TRF)

(Image Source: The Economic Times) A newly floated outfit, the Resistance Front, has come under the scanner of enforcement agencies for its suspected links with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This is a very significant development with respect to India’s concern against terrorism. Terrorism and the terror outfits are increasingly becoming more institutionalized and… Continue reading

What is Urban Ozone?

A Manchester (UK) based research has found that the nationwide lockdown may be leading to the generation of a dangerous pollutant, urban ozone. The Ozone is formed due to different factors in the Troposphere and the Stratosphere (where the ozone acts as a protective layer). Note these differences from prelims perspective. Urban Ozone The photochemical… Continue reading

Rare Black Panther spotted in Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary

A rare Black Panther was spotted in the Netravali WLS in South Goa. There are many WLS and National Park in the tiny state of Goa. Unlike others, they rarely find any mention in news. Here a quick revision for you. Make sure to locate them on map. Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary,… Continue reading

[pib] Kailash – Mansarovar Yatra Route from Dharchula to Lipulekh

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has completed the construction of road from Dharchula to Lipulekh along the China Border, famously known as Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route. We can expect a prelims question asking to arrange few passes from West to East or vice versa. Click here to get through all such Himalayan Passes. Darchula – Lipulekh… Continue reading

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