[pib] SERVICE Initiative

The Steel Authority of India Ltd has launched an initiative called SERVICE to promote Voluntary Philanthropist Activities (VPA) by its employees. About SERVICE SERVICE stands for “SAIL Employee Rendering Voluntarism and Initiatives for Community Engagement (SERVICE)”. It aims to promote and facilitate philanthropist activities by the employees in a structured manner. The Minister also launched… Continue reading

Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) in Hawaii

India, a partner in the construction of one of the largest telescopes in the world, TMT, has said it wants the project to be moved out of the proposed site at Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii. Thirty Metre Telescope The TMT is a proposed astronomical observatory with an extremely large telescope (ELT)… Continue reading

InvITs and REITs

Markets regulator SEBI has put in place a framework for the rights issue of units by listed REIT and InvITs. What are InvITs and REITs? Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT) An Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvITs) is like a mutual fund, which enables direct investment of small amounts of money from possible individual/institutional investors in infrastructure… Continue reading

Persons in news: Warren Hastings and his Impeachment Case

Donald Trump’s impeachment trial started in the US Senate. A precedent being discussed is that of the Warren Hastings case — the famous failed attempt by the British Parliament to impeach India’s first governor-general. Warren Hastings Warren Hastings, the first governor-general of Bengal (and the first de facto Governor-General of India), is considered among the… Continue reading

Corona Virus

Chinese scientists have confirmed can spread between human beings. Corona Virus Corona viruses are large family of viruses, which cause illnesses to people and also circulate in animals including camels, cats and bats. They cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute… Continue reading

[op-ed of the day] Delhi-Davos disconnect-India must find ways to take advantage of new opportunities

Context Given its increased heft in the global economic order, India ought to be at the leading edge of the current debate of the future of capitalism. The emergence of “stakeholder capitalism” Interests of all shareholder: Klaus Schwab, who founded the World Economic Forum 50 years ago, wants capitalists to look beyond their shareholders and… Continue reading

[op-ed snap] Redesigning India’s ailing data system

Context As official statistics is a public good, giving information about the state of the economy and success of governance, it needs to be independent to be impartial. GDP calculation and its significance What is GDP: Assigning a value to products and services: In effect, it adds apples and oranges, tractors and sickles, trade, transport,… Continue reading

Thawing of Permafrost

A recent study makes a disturbing connection between the loss of Arctic sea ice and thawing (melting) of permafrost in the region, with global implications. What is Permafrost? ‘Permafrost’ or permanently frozen ground is land that has been frozen at or below 0 degrees Celsius for two or more consecutive years. A staggering 17… Continue reading

UAE declared ‘Reciprocating Territory’ by India

Recently, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued an Extraordinary Gazette Notification, declaring the UAE to be a “reciprocating territory” under Section 44A of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908. The notification also declared a list of courts in the UAE to be “superior Courts” under the same section. What is a ‘Reciprocating Territory’ ? Essentially,… Continue reading

[pib] UNCITRAL

An International Arbitration Tribunal has dismissed all claims brought against India in entirety. The arbitration arose out of the cancellation of Letters of Intent for the issuance of telecom licences to provide 2G services in five telecommunications circles by reason of India’s essential security interests. UNCITRAL The UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)… Continue reading

Steppe Eagle

A lone endangered steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) has been sighted by a group of birdwatchers in a paddy field near Vijayawada. Steppe Eagle The Steppe Eagle is a migratory raptor which has undergone extremely rapid population declines within all its range. It breeds in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia during the winter season. Steppe eagle… Continue reading

[op-ed of the day] Equity’s weak pulse and commodified medicine

Context As the government tries to overhaul the public health system in India, its time to take into account the advent and the role played by the private sector and its implications. The advent of the private sector Increase in the role of the private sector in the post-Independence era: Post-Independence, the private sector increased… Continue reading

Pulse Polio Programme

The beginning of this year’s Pulse Polio Programme was inaugurated from the Rashtrapati Bhavan itself. To prevent the virus from coming to India, the government has since March 2014 made the Oral Polio Vaccination (OPV) mandatory for those travelling between India and polio-affected countries. The Pulse Polio Programme India launched the Pulse Polio immunisation programme… Continue reading

Drone Census

India’s first drone census has seen only 2,500 Ownership Acknowledgment Numbers (OANs) being issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) since five days of beginning. Drone Census The MoCA had issued a notice providing a one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure of all drones and operators starting from January 14. The DGCA issued the Civil… Continue reading

Irrawaddy Dolphins

146 Irrawaddy dolphins were recently sighted in Chilika Lake of Odisha. The lake has highest single lagoon population of the aquatic mammal in the world. Irrawaddy Dolphins IUCN Status: Endangered Scientific Name: Orcaella brevirostris Habitats: Lakes, Rivers, Estuaries, and Coasts The Irrawaddy dolphin is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near… Continue reading

K-4 Missile

India successfully test-fired the 3,500-km range submarine-launched ballistic missile, K-4. The test was carried out by the DRDO from a submerged pontoon off the Visakhapatnam coast around noon. K-4 K-4 is a nuclear-capable Intermediate-range submarine-launched ballistic missile developed and tested successfully in the month of January 2020 by DRDO. The missile has a maximum range… Continue reading

[op-ed of the day] Business possibilities in a world of digital payments

Context UPI has brought digital payments to the common man and it has immense scope for growth. Zero MDR rate Recently the finance minister made the announcement of the zero merchant discount rate (MDR) policy for payments through RuPay debit cards and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) instruments. What does it mean? This policy dictates that… Continue reading

National E-Mobility Mission Plan 2020

The Supreme Court has sought the response of the government on a petition that alleges the non-implementation of the National E-Mobility Mission Plan, 2020 (NEMMP), which came out in 2012. National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 The plan was launched by the Government of India in 2013 with the objective of achieving national… Continue reading

[pib] APNA UREA – SonaUgle

APNA UREA – SonaUgle The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the “APNA UREA – SonaUgle” brand of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL). HURL is Joint Venture Company promoted by the three Maharatna Companies i.e. Coal India Limited (CIL), NTPC Limited (NTPC) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) as the lead promoters… Continue reading

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