It is time to protect India’s workers from the heat

Why in the News? Millions of informal workers in Indian cities are still suffering the most because Heat Action Plans are poorly designed. What are the key gaps in current Heat Action Plans for informal workers? Lack of Specific Focus on Informal Workers: Most Heat Action Plans do not explicitly identify or address the unique… Continue reading

[pib] Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS)

Why in the News? The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has announced the expansion of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS). About Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS): The CGSS was launched on October 6, 2022, as part of the Startup India Action… Continue reading

[pib] 20th Session of UN Forum on Forests (UNFF20)

Why in the News? India participated in the 20th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20) held at the UN Headquarters, New York, reaffirming its commitment to the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) 2017–2030. About United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF): UNFF was established in 2000 by the UN Economic and… Continue reading

Competition Commission issues norms to assess Predatory Pricing

Why in the News? The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has introduced new Cost Regulations 2025 to check if companies are selling below cost to unfairly drive out competitors. About Competition Commission of India (CCI): The CCI was established on 14 October 2003 and became fully operational in May 2009. It aims to eliminate anti-competitive… Continue reading

[9th May 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Remembering the war, reminiscing forgotten Indians

PYQ Relevance: [UPSC 2021] “There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.” Evaluate the statement. Linkage: The period “between the two World Wars”, providing a broader historical context related to World War II which is the focus of Article. It prompts discussion on the challenges to democratic systems… Continue reading

Caution and optimism: On India’s FTA with the United Kingdom

Why in the News? India and the United Kingdom have signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), under which 99% of Indian exports to the U.K. will have no import duties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday. What are the key benefits for India under the Free Trade… Continue reading

Explained: How Air Defence Systems work

Why in the News? Tensions between the two countries increased as Pakistan launched missiles and drones early Thursday to target 15 Indian military sites. In response, India hit air defence radars in Pakistan, neutralizing one in Lahore. What are the three main operations that constitute an effective air defence system? Detection: The first step involves… Continue reading

Persian Gulf to be renamed as ‘Arabian Gulf’

Why in the News? Donald Trump plans to announce that the US will officially refer to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia”, aligning with the preferences of Arab nations. About Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf is a marginal sea of the Indian Ocean, located in Western Asia. It is connected… Continue reading

Kosmos 482 Mission

Why in the News? A 500-kg piece of a Soviet spacecraft, part of the Kosmos 482 mission launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth. About Kosmos 482 Mission: Kosmos 482 was a Soviet space probe launched on March 31, 1972 as part of the Venera Program, aimed at exploring Venus. It was… Continue reading

[pib] Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN)

Why in the News? The Quad nations—India, Australia, Japan, and the United States—conducted a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) in Honolulu, Hawaii to simulate the launch of the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN). About IPLN (Indo-Pacific Logistics Network) The IPLN is a Quad-led initiative focused on coordinating shared logistics for civilian disaster response across the Indo-Pacific region. It… Continue reading

Centre releases Draft Climate Finance Taxonomy Framework

Why in the News? To channel investments into clean-energy projects and climate-resilient infrastructure, the Finance Ministry has released a draft document titled ‘Framework of India’s Climate Finance Taxonomy’. What is a Climate Finance Taxonomy? A CFT is a classification system that defines which economic activities qualify as climate-friendly or sustainable investments. It helps investors, financial… Continue reading

[8th May 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Pakistan’s complex web of terror networks

PYQ Relevance: [UPSC 2023] Give out the major sources of terror funding in India and the efforts being made to curtail these sources. In the light of this, also discuss the aim and objective of the ‘No Money for Terror (NMFT)’ Conference recently held at New Delhi in November 2022. Linkage: Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, including… Continue reading

The building blocks of an India-U.S. energy future

Why in the News? U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance recently mentioned that the U.S. is ready to work more closely with India on energy and defense. What are the main areas of India-U.S. cooperation? Energy Security: Strengthening access to sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy resources is central to India-U.S. ties. Eg: In 2024, both countries signed… Continue reading

[pib] Cabinet approves Revised SHAKTI Policy

Why in the News? The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a proposal under the Revised SHAKTI (Scheme to Harness and Allocate Koyla Transparently in India) Policy to enhance coal availability for Central/State Sector Thermal Power Plants and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). About the SHAKTI Policy: The SHAKTI Policy, launched in 2017 by… Continue reading

Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims

Why in the News? The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has officially notified the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025, which came into force on May 5, 2025. In 2023, India reported over 4.80 lakh road accidents and 1.72 lakh fatalities, highlighting the urgent need for such a scheme. About the… Continue reading

Civil Defence under the Civil Defence Act, 1968

Why in the News? The Union Home Ministry directed all states and Union Territories to conduct a Civil Defence Mock Drill, aimed at assessing and enhancing the readiness of India’s civil defence mechanisms. About Civil Defence under the Civil Defence Act, 1968 The Civil Defence Act, 1968 was enacted to ensure measures for civil defence… Continue reading

Palaeofires from Permian and Late Silurian in the Godavari Basin

Why in the News? Recent research has uncovered evidence of ancient wildfires (palaeofires) in the Godavari Basin, shedding light on Earth’s geological and climatic history from over 250 million years ago. What are Palaeofires? Palaeofires refer to ancient wildfires that occurred in the Earth’s past, influencing the vegetation, climate, and even the formation of coal.… Continue reading

India up three spots to 130 in HDI

Why in the News? India ranks 130th out of 193 countries in the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR), marking continued progress in human development according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). About Human Development Index (HDI): HDR has been published by UNDP since 1990, exploring various human development themes. HDI is a composite index… Continue reading

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