Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister wrote to the Prime Minister seeking the inclusion of two amendment Bills allowing for a higher quota of reservation in jobs and educational institutions, in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. Q. What are these Bills? A. In Chhattisgarh, the State Assembly unanimously approved the two amendment bills, creating a 76% quota for members of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. The Go... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, a World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel has ruled against India in a dispute over information technology (IT) tariffs with the European Union (EU) and other countries. Q. What are the Key Highlights? A. Background: India has been looking to promote domestic IT manufacturing and reduce its dependence on imports, but this approach has been challenged by the EU and other countries, who argue that Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Jamnagar in Gujarat is the top exporting district in India. It formed about 24% of India's exports in value terms in FY23 (till January). Surat in Gujarat and Mumbai Suburban in Maharashtra feature second and third by a distance, forming only about 4.5% of the country's exports in the period. The other districts in the top 10 are Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka), Devbhumi Dwarka, Bharuch and Kachchh (Gujarat), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu) and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Uttar Pradesh). Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. According to a senior official from the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk2 will be integrated with heavy standoff weapons like SCALP, an air-to-ground, long-range deep strike missile. Unlike other aircraft, the LCA Mk2 will be able to integrate unique weapons from various countries. Q. What is LCA Tejas Mk2? A . The Indigenous LCATejas Mk2 Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A . Recently, plans to revive Adi Ganga (the original channel of River Ganga passing through the city of Kolkata) have been announced. The National Mission for Clean Ganga has allocated around Rs 650 crore to revive the ancient river and it has been included in a multi-country South Asian River project on combating pollution. Q. What are the Major Issues and Developments Associated with Adi Ganga? A. Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. National Stock Exchange of India received final approval from SEBI to set up the Social Stock Exchange (SSE). Q. What is a Social Stock Exchange? A. About: The SSE would function as a separate segment within the existing stock exchange and help social enterprises raise funds from the public through its mechanism. It would serve as a medium for enterprises to seek finance for their social initiatives, acquire visibility an... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to start the process of seeking the states’ comments on the Punchhi Commission’s report on Centre-state relations. Q. What is the Punchhi Commission? A. The Punchhi Commission was constituted by the Union Government in April 2007 under the chairmanship of former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Madan Mohan Punchhi. The Commission examined and reviewed how the existing arrangements between the Union and Sta... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has organized the “Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023”, to honor the women champions of the rural water and sanitation sector. The event also saw the launch of Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain 2023. Q. What are the Key Highlights? A. This event was organized in the run up to the International Women’s Day (8th March) and to highlight and acknowledge the leadership and contribution of wo... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, ILO (International Labour Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) has released a report titled- “More than a billion reasons: The urgent need to build universal social protection for children”, which states that just 1 in 4 children are shielded by social protection, leaving others exposed to poverty, exclusion and multidimensional deprivations. Q. What is the Need for Social Protection? A. Social protection is a univer... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. RBI (Reserve Bank of India) is about to launch a pilot project to assess the functioning of a QR-code Based Coin Vending Machine (QCVM). The pilot is initially planned to be rolled out at 19 locations in 12 cities across the country. With particular focus on ease and accessibility, the machines are intended to be installed at public places such as railway stations, shopping malls and marketplaces. Q. What is QCVM? A. QCVM is a cashless coin dispensation machine&nb... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. The Supreme Court has sought more information from the government about Mission Shakti, an umbrella scheme for the safety, security, and empowerment of women. This comes after concerns were raised about a possible shortage of protection officers to handle domestic violence cases. Q. What are the Raised Concerns Regarding Domestic Violence? A. According to a government document presented in court, 4.4 lakh ca... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. An old man from Germany, referred to as the Dusseldorf patient, has become at least the third person to have been “cured of HIV” with the virus not being detectable in his body even four years after stopping the medicine. This was achieved with a bone-marrow transplant from people carrying a specific HIV-resistant genetic mutation. Q. What are the Other Reported Recoveries from HIV? A. A Berlin patient b... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. The 18th UIC World Security Congress, organised by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the International Union of Railways (UIC), ended with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration. Q. What are the Major Highlights of the Jaipur Declaration? A. Safe and Secure Rail Network: The declaration highlighted the commitment of UIC to work towards providing a more safe an... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, Brazil has halted its beef exports to China after a case of Mad Cow Disease was confirmed in the northern state of Para. Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, Russia has announced to suspend its participation in the New START, the last remaining major military agreement with the United States. Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. A new study suggests that blue food sourced from aquatic environments can help reduce nutritional deficiencies and contribute to employment and export revenue in India. Q. What is Blue Food? A. About: Blue food is food derived from aquatic animals, plants or algae that are caught or cultivated in freshwater and marine environments. Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Singareni Thermal Power Plant (STPP) in Telangana is set to become the first public sector coal-based power generating station in the South and first among the State PSUs in the country to have a flu gas desulphurization (FGD) plant. With 100% utilisation of the fly ash generated, the STPP has won the best fly ash utilisation award twice already Q .What are the Key Facts Related to FGD Plant? A. ... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. India has urged the member nations to stay dedicated to the conservation and preservation of the oceans and its biodiversity during the ongoing session (Feb-March 2023) Of Intergovernmental Conference (IGC)i.e., IGC-5 of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). India supported the high ambition coalition for the early conclusion of the International Legally Binding Instrument of BBNJ under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS ). Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) has said that providing false information about electoral Candidates Qualification is not a Corrupt Practice under RPA (Representation of People’s Act) Act 1951. The SC observed that no one in India votes for a candidate based on their educational qualifications. Q. What is the Case all About? A. The SC was hearing a petition, challenging a 2017 Allahabad High Court rul... Read More...
Q. Why is this in News? A. Recently, under Namami Gange Program, the development of river front on Gandak River in the district of Gopalganj, Bihar has been undertaken and two Ghats have been constructed. River Gandak was declared as National Waterway (NW)-37 from Bhaisalotan Barrage to Gandak and Ganga River confluence at Hajipur, Bihar along with 111 NWs in the country vide National Waterways Act, 2016. Q. What are the Key Facts about River Gandak ? A... Read More...