Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi

On 25th December, the government released the 7th instalment of financial benefit under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) through video conference. About PM-Kisan Launched in February 2019, it is a Central Sector scheme which aims to augment the income of the farmers by providing support to all landholding farmers’ families across the

Lakshadweep Declared 100% Organic

On 8th December, 2020, Lakshadweep became the first Union Territory to become 100% organic area under the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) of India. Earlier in 2016, Sikkim became India’s first hundred percent organic State. Key Points The entire 32 square kilometre geographical land area of the UT was declared as organic after receiving

Cabinet Approves Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana

On 9th December, 2020, the Union Cabinet gave its approval for Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) to boost employment in formal sector and incentivize creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID-19 recovery phase under Atmanirbhar Bharat Package 3.0. Eligibility An employee drawing monthly wage of less than Rs. 15000/- who was

Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure

All the States except Tamil Nadu have availed benefits of the newly announced scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure. So far capital expenditure proposals of Rs. 9,879.61 crore of 27 States have been approved by the Ministry of Finance. About Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure The

Export Promotion Council for Technical Textile

On 1st December, 2020, the government invited proposals from industry to set up a dedicated export promotion council (EPC) for technical textiles to promote international trade of these products. Constitution of such an EPC is part of one of the components of the National Technical Textiles Mission. The Council shall abide by

100% FDI allowed in DTH Service

On 24th December, 2020, the government approved changes to the guidelines for providing Direct to Home (DTH) services to bring it in line with the existing policy that allows 100 percent FDI in the DTH broadcasting services sector. Key Changes Licences will now be issued for 20 years with a renewal provision

QCI Launches Scheme for Hygiene Rating Audit Agencies

On 15th December, 2020, the Quality Council of India (QCI) launched a Scheme for approval of Hygiene Rating Audit Agencies to increase the number of recognised Hygiene Rating Audit Agencies for scaling up the Food Hygiene Rating across the country. Key Points QCI initiated this scheme after the FSSAI launched a certification

National Consumer Rights Day

National Consumer Rights Day was observed on 24 December, 2020, under the theme -New features of Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The day aims to highlight the importance of the consumer movement as well as the need to make them aware and informed of their rights and responsibilities. On this day in the

Green National Highways Corridor Project

On 22nd December, 2020, the Government signed a $500 million loan agreement with the World Bank to build safe and green national highway corridors in the states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The $500 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a

Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor

On 29th December, 2020, the Centre inaugurated the 351-km ‘New Bhaupur- New Khurja section’ in Uttar Pradesh of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) via video conferencing. A state-of-the-art Operation Control Centre (OCC) at Prayagraj will act as the command centre for the entire route length of the EDFC. Benefits The section

National Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project

On 16th December, 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP). The main objective of the project is Government commitment for the total economic development of North Eastern Region and to strengthen the Intra-State Transmission & Distribution

Lucknow Municipal Bonds

On 2nd December, 2020, the municipal bonds issued by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation got listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). With this, Lucknow became the 9th city in the country and first city from Uttar Pradesh to have raised municipal bonds, which have been incentivized by the Ministry of Housing

New Infrastructure Projects Approved by CCEA

On 30th December, 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved three infrastructure proposals worth Rs 7,725 crore for setting up greenfield industrial cities with connectivity to major transportation corridors such as the eastern and western dedicated freight corridors, expressways and National Highways. The three projects, proposed by the Department

DaKPay

On 15th December, 2020, the Department of Posts and the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) unveiled a new digital payment application “DakPay” as part of its ongoing efforts to provide digital financial inclusion at the last mile across the country. Through the application the customers can send money by implementing domestic

Draft National Rail Plan

In an endeavour to address the inadequacies of capacity constraints and improve its modal share in total freight ecosystem of the country, Indian Railways has come up with Draft National Rail Plan. Objectives To create capacity ahead of demand by 2030, which in turn would cater to growth in demand right

Draft Indian Ports Bill 2020

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways came out with draft of Indian Ports Bill 2020 for public consultation which will repeal and replace the Indian Ports Act, 1908. Salient Features It seeks to enable the structured growth and sustainable development of ports to attract investments in the Port sector for optimum utilisation

Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020

On 21st December 2020, the Union Ministry of Power has for the first-time promulgated rules laying down the rights of power consumers in the country. Need According to the government, Distribution Companies across the country are monopolies – whether government or private – and the consumer has no alternative – therefore

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) celebrated its 63rd founding day on 4th December, 2020. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, is the apex agency of the Indian Customs in the field

India’s first 100 Octane Petrol Launched

On 1st December, 2020, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas launched India’s first 100 Octane petrol under the brand XP100. XP100 is being produced at Indian Oil's Mathura refinery using indigenous Octamax technology developed by Indian Oil's R&D division. Presently, three octane grades are available at most of the retail stations

Jagananna Jeeva Kranthi Scheme

On 10th December, Andhra Pradesh government launched the Jagananna Jeeva Kranthi scheme. The main objective of the scheme is to provide partnership and also provide more business opportunities to the people who want to be self-dependent. In this scheme, units of sheep and goat will be provided to the women

Global Wage Report 2020-21

On 2nd December, 2020, the International Labour Organization(ILO) published the Global Wage Report 2020-21, which revealed the shocking facts of wage impact due to Covid-19 pandemic. The Global Wage Report – the seventh in the series – looks at recent trends in wages, the global economic and labour market context, and

PIB Corner

First ‘International Day of Banks’ The United Nations (UN) celebrated the first ever International Day of Banks across the globe on 4th December 2020. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution on 19th December 2019. The day is observed to recognise the important potential of multilateral development banks and other international

Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020

On 29th December, in a special cabinet session, the Madhya Pradesh government approved the Madhya Pradesh Dharma Svatantra Adhiniyam, 2020, also known as the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020 as an ordinance . The stated aim of the Bill, is to stop forced religious conversions on the pretext of marriage,

New Parliament Building of Central Vista Project

On December 10, Prime Minister kicked off the first part of the Central Vista project by laying the foundation stone for the new Parliament building. The Supreme Court on December 7 allowed the government to go ahead with the foundation stone ceremony, but only after the Centre gave an affidavit, saying

ECI Plans to Extend Postal Ballots to NRIs

On November 27, the Election Commission of India (ECI) wrote to the Law Ministry, proposing to extend the facility of postal ballots to eligible overseas, non-resident Indians (NRIs) for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in 2021. The ECI had received representations from the Indian

Ayushman Bharat PMJAY SEHAT Scheme for Residents of J&K

On 26th December, Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT- "Social Endeavour for Health and Telemedicine " Health Insurance scheme to extend health insurance coverage to all residents of Jammu and Kashmir. There is provision for operational extension of the 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana'

SC Directs Centre to Install CCTV Cameras in Offices Investigating Agencies

The Supreme Court directed the Centre recently to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies which conduct interrogations and have the power of arrest. The apex court had in 2018 ordered installation of CCTV cameras in police stations to check human rights abuses. Background While dealing with a

Government Against Forcing Couples into Family Planning

Recently, the Central government told the Supreme Court that it was against coercing couples into having a “certain number of children” in a bid to curb population explosion. The government was responding to the court’s direction to a petition filed by an advocate to introduce a population control law. Government’s Stance Choice based

Priority Beneficiaries for COVID-19 Vaccine to be Identified by Electoral Rolls

According to the COVID-operational guidelines released by the Health Ministry recently, the COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) system, a digitised platform, will be used to track the enlisted beneficiaries and the COVID-19 vaccines on a real-time basis. Highlights of the Guidelines The latest electoral roll for Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections

World Malaria Report 2020

India made impressive gains in the global fight against malaria, recording the largest reduction in cases in South-East Asia from 20 million in 2000 to about 5.6 million last year, according to the World Malaria Report 2020 published by World Health Organisation. Key Findings In 2019, malaria cases globally numbered about 229

1.7 million Indians Died due to Air Pollution in 2019: Lancet Report

As many as 1.7 million deaths in India — 18 per cent of the total deaths in the country — were attributable to air pollution in 2019, according to a report by Lancet Planetary Health. The report ‘The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative’ estimates health and economic impacts of air pollution,

Anthropological Survey of India Policy Document on Sentinelese Tribe

Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) policy document titled ‘Draft of the Policies for Great Andamanese and Sentinelese’ published recently, warns of threat to endangered group from commercial activity in the North Sentinel Island of the Andamans. Sentinelese The Sentinelese, a negrito tribe, is a most secluded, particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) residing

Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan

Abdur Rahim Khan I Khanan’s tomb, located in Nizammuddin, Delhi was recently thrown open for public after receiving a new lease of life by conservation work, by a multi-disciplinary team of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and support of

Gwalior, Orchha in UNESCO world heritage cities list

The historical fort cities of Gwalior and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh have been included in the list of UNESCOs world heritage cities under its urban landscape city programme. Gwalior Gwalior was established in 9th century and ruled by Gurjar Pratihara Rajvansh, Tomar, Baghel Kachvaho and Scindias. It is known for its palaces and

Indus Valley Civilisation

The diet of the people of Indus Valley civilisation had a dominance of meat, including extensive eating of beef, finds a new study titled “Lipid residues in pottery from the Indus Civilisation in northwest India”. Key Findings It finds dominance of animal products such as meat of pigs, cattle, buffalo, sheep and

Four Indigenous Games in Khelo India Youth Games

The Sports Ministry has approved the inclusion of four indigenous sports, namely Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta and Mallakhamba in the Khelo India Youth Games 2021, scheduled to take place in Haryana. Kalaripayattu is an Indian martial art that originated in Kerala. Mallakhamba, is an ancient traditional Indian sport. 'Malla' means gymnast,

Monpa Handmade Paper Revived

The 1000-year old heritage art – the Monpa Handmade Paper of Arunachal Pradesh – which was driven to the extinction, has come to life once again, with the committed efforts of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) which has commissioned a Monpa handmade paper making unit in Tawang. Monpa Handmade Paper The

Kashmir’s Papier-mache Art

The credit goes to the Shia community of Kashmir for keeping alive papier mache art — colourful, exquisite, highly decorative and delicate — in the Valley since the 14th century. However, this year’s pandemic has given a heavy blow to this art form which is now pinning hope on the World

NITI Aayog’s ‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’

NITI Aayog recently released a white paper: ‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’ with the vision: To make India’s public health surveillance system more responsive and predictive to enhance preparedness for action at all levels. Citizen-friendly public health surveillance system will ensure individual privacy and confidentiality, enabled with a client feedback

State of the Education Report for India 2020: Vocational Education First

The ‘State of the Education Report for India 2020: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), was launched by UNESCO New Delhi. The second edition of the State of Education Report focuses on technical and vocational education and training (TVET). It states that India has made considerable progress towards its goal

Scheduled Castes Post-Matric Scholarship Plan Amended

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on December 23 approved changes to the post-matric scholarship scheme for students from the Scheduled Castes, including a new funding pattern of 60-40 for the Centre and States. Key Changes A campaign will be launched to enrol the students, from the poorest households passing the 10th

Revealing Names of Electoral Bond Donors against Public Interest-CIC

The Central Information Commission (CIC), the lead body for implementing the Right to Information Act, has recently ruled that the disclosure of identity of electoral bond scheme donors will not serve any larger public interest and will violate provisions of the Act itself. This overturns its previous order issued in January

E-Sampada Mobile App

Recently, the Ministry of Urban Affairs launched a new Web Portal and Mobile App, e-Sampada which provides a single window for services like allotment for over one lakh government residential accommodations, office space allotment to government organisations in 28 cities and venues for social functions.This is an endeavour to provide

Human Development Report 2020

India dropped two ranks in the United Nations’ Human Development Index for 2019, standing at 131 out of 189 countries according to the Human Development Report (HDR) 2020 released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). HDI measures average achievement on three basic aspects of human development, life expectancy, education, and

National Family Health Survey-5

The first set of findings from the NFHS-5 conducted in 2019-20 were released recently. The survey covered 17 states and five Union territories (UT). Key Findings Access to improved drinking water sources increased across all states and UTs except Sikkim, which registered a five per cent fall in the population living in

PIB Corner

ONGC Begins Production in Bengal Basin Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Limited has begun crude oil production from the Asokenagar-1 well, Bengal Basin in 24 Paragana district making Bengal basin India’s eighth producing basin. Other producing basins of India are Krishna-Godavari (KG), Mumbai Offshore, Assam Shelf, Rajasthan, Cauvery, Assam-Arakan Fold Belt

Post-Brexit Deal

On 24th December, 2020, Britain and the European Union struck a provisional free-trade agreement as part of the Brexit deal to define the terms of their future relationship ahead of UK’s post-Brexit transition period that officially ended on 31st December, 2020. Once ratified by both sides, the agreement will ensure Britain

Countries of Particular Concern

On 8th December, 2020, the US designated Pakistan and China among eight other countries of particular concern (CPC) for violation of religious freedom. However, the US did not accept the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommendation that India, Russia, Syria and Vietnam be also designated as CPCs. About Countries

France’s Draft Law Against Islamism

On 16th December, 2020, the French cabinet presented a draft law that targets “radical Islamism” - although the word “Islamist” is not part of the text. The Bill is called as a law “to reinforce Republican principles”. It aims to reinforce the legal tools available to the government to curtail

20th IORA Council of Ministers Meeting Held in UAE

On 17th December, 2020, the 20th edition of the IORA Council of Ministers (COM) meeting was held via video conferencing under the Chairmanship of United Arab Emirates (UAE). The theme of the meeting was “Promoting a Shared Destiny and Path to Prosperity in the Indian Ocean”. Key Points All 22 Member States and

Tibetan Policy and Support Act 2020

On 27th December, 2020, the US President signed the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020, making it a law. Need Tibetans are concerned over the possibility of the Chinese Government making an attempt to install someone loyal to it as the 15th Dalai Lama after the death of the incumbent. China

U.S. Imposes CAATSA Sanctions on Turkey

On 14th December, 2020, the United States imposed long-anticipated sanctions on NATO ally Turkey over Ankara's procurement and testing of a Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system. Sanctions were imposed on Turkey’s main defence procurement agency the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction with Rosoboron

Morocco Normalises Relations with Israel

Recently, Morocco has become the fourth Arab League country to agree to normalise relations with Israel in a deal brokered with US help. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain (under Abraham Accords) and Sudan are the other Arab countries to set aside hostilities with Israel in recent time. Drivers behind the Deal Iran Factor:

Oman-India Friendship Association

On 2nd December, 2020, Oman announced to establish Friendship association with India during a bilateral discussion held virtually between the foreign ministers of the country. This will be the first of such initiative in West Asia. The association aims to provide a platform to promote matters of mutual interest, understanding between

Fifth BRICS Media Forum

The fifth presidium meeting of the BRICS Media Forum was held virtually, with members pledging joint efforts to improve the forum mechanism and step up post-COVID-19 exchanges and cooperation among BRICS media. Looming Concerns A common thread among members is a growing problem of disinformation or ‘fake news’. The news media around the

India-Bangladesh Virtual Summit

On 17th December, 2020, India and Bangladesh held a virtual summit covering comprehensive discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues. Key Highlights of the Summit Cooperation in Health Sector: Reiterating the highest priority India attaches to Bangladesh under India’s Neighbourhood First Policy, India assured

UNESCO Launches Bangabandhu Award on Creative Economy

The UN agency’s executive board unanimously adopted the proposal on UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy in its 210th session on Dec 11, 2020. Bangladesh proposed the award in August 2019. UNESCO has declared 2021 as ‘International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development’. About the Award Named after

UN Commission Reclassifies Cannabis

On 9th December, 2020, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) voted to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The 53-member CND has chosen to affirm a World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation from 2019 to remove cannabis from its ‘most

India to Open 3 Indian Missions

On 30th December, 2020, the Indian government approved the opening of 3 Indian Missions in Estonia, Paraguay and Dominican Republic in 2021. The purpose of these missions is to build a conducive environment for India’s growth and development through partnerships with friendly countries. Advantages Opening of Indian Missions in these countries will help

International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

On 27th December, 2020, the United Nations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrated the first International day of Epidemic Preparedness. It was called for by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnership against epidemics. This International Day falls

SAARC Charter Day

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Charter Day is observed annually on 8th December. This day marks the signing of the SAARC Charter in 1985 by the Leaders of SAARC Countries at the First SAARC Summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This year marks the 36th Charter Day anniversary. About SAARC It

Passage Exercise

On the occasion of Navy Day (4th December, 2020), the Indian Navy began a two-day Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices between both the friendly navies, and would involve

China's New Export Control Law Comes into Effect

On 1st December, 2020, China’s Export Control Law (ECL) officially took effect. On October 17, 2020, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed the ECL to unify the pre-existing legal framework composed of several regulations, which aims to consolidate existing mechanisms for safeguarding the national interest in response to foreign

PIB Corner

10th Anniversary of ADMM-Plus Defence Minister virtually attended the 10th anniversary of the founding of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). The ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN and its eight Dialogue Partners Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States (collectively referred to

Jupiter-Saturn Great Conjunction: Christmas Star

NASA has discovered that after nearly 400 years, Saturn and Jupiter – the two largest planets in our solar system – have become closest in the night sky by an astronomical event called the “great conjunction” and popularly referred to as the “Christmas Star”. On 21st December 2020, almost all the

CMS-01 Communication Satellite

Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the country’s 42nd communication satellite named CMS-01. This is the second satellite launched by the space organisation amid the prevailing coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. It was launched using PSLV-C50- India’s workhorse launch vehicle. PSLV-C50 was the 22nd flight of PSLV in the 'XL'

Digital Ocean Platform

Recently, Union Minister for Science and Technology launched Digital Ocean platform of Indian National Centre for Oceanic Information Services (INCOIS). Digital Ocean platform is a first of its kind platform for ocean data management. It includes a set of applications developed to organize and present heterogeneous oceanographic data by adopting rapid

MR-SAM Tested Successfully

India has conducted successful maiden test of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MR-SAM) for the Indian Army. It is jointly developed by the DRDO and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). The launch was conducted from the Integrated Test Range, Chandpur, off the Coast of Odisha and the missile completely destroyed

Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems

In order to counter China's influence and increasing presence in the Indian Ocean Region, India is setting up coastal surveillance radar systems in the neighbourhood as part of its policy to enhance military diplomacy that will also lead to increased security measures in these friendly countries. The Coastal Surveillance Radar system

IND-INDO CORPAT

The 35th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy was conducted from 17 to 18 December 2020. It aims to reinforce maritime links, and contribute towards the Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate inter-operability and forge strong bonds of friendship across the Indo

SolarWinds Hack

The ‘SolarWinds hack’ is a cyberattack recently discovered in the United States. It has emerged as one of the biggest ever targeted cyberattacks against the US government, its agencies and several other private companies and largely considered as a global cyberattack. It was first discovered by US cybersecurity company FireEye, and

Ransomware 2.0

Global cybersecurity company Kaspersky recently revealed in a virtual conference that 2020's cybersecurity "disease" is targeted ransomware. It is also dubbed as " Ransomware 2.0." This type of attack goes beyond kidnapping a company's or an organization's data. These groups are now utilizing the increasingly valued digital reputation to force

Himgiri: 1st Ship of Project 17A by GSRE Kolkata

Himgiri, which is the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata has been launched at Hoogly River. Project 17A: The Project 17A is being built simultaneously at two locations, at GRSE in Kolkata and Mazagaon Docks Limited in

Tokamak Reactor: China's "Artificial Sun"

China successfully powered up its HL-2M Tokamak nuclear fusion reactor, marking a great advance in the country's nuclear power research capabilities. The HL-2M Tokamak reactor is China's largest and most advanced nuclear fusion experimental research device, and scientists hope that the device can potentially unlock a powerful clean energy source.

India to Export Akash Missile System

The Union Cabinet has approved the export of Akash Missile System and a Committee for faster Approvals has been created. The Akash missile system (surface-to-air missile with a range of 25 kilometres) is an important defence asset for the country with over 96 per cent indigenization. Developed by DRDO, it

Post COVID-19 Security Challenges

While virtually addressing participants at the ‘National Defence Course Bangladesh on post COVID-19 security challenges, Vice Chief of the Army Staff has said that “future wars may gravitate towards zero cost wars, wherein a very virulent pathogen may immobilise high-technology arsenal.” He also said that “weaker militaries will continue to seek

Unregulated Use of Facial Recognition Systems

Recently experts have pointed out that rapid deployment of facial recognition system by the government without any law in place poses a huge threat to privacy rights and freedom of speech and expression. There are currently 16 different facial recognition tracking (FRT) systems in active utilisation by various Central and State

Lab Grown Meat or Cultured Meat

Recently, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has approved the sale of a lab-grown meat product. This is the first-time cultured meat has been cleared for sale anywhere in the world. The product approved by the SFA is cultured chicken, produced by US-based Eat Just. The company has announced the product will

DRDO Lab Develops QRNG

The DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory for Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT), a DRDO facility based in Mumbai, has developed a Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) which has the ability to detect random quantum events and convert those into a stream of binary digits. The facility has developed a fiber-optic branch path based QRNG.

TiHAN Navigation Systems

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has sanctioned Rs. 135 crores to IIT Hyderabad under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to set up a Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems. The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Systems for Unmanned

NB-IoT: Narrow Band-Internet of Things

Recently BSNL has announced the launch of a satellite-based internet of things (IoT) device service that can be used across India where mobile towers are not present, including the seas within the country's jurisdiction. It is the world's first satellite-based narrowband-IoT network. The service has been launched in partnership with US-based

PIB Corner

Zebrafish & Heart Regeneration Scientists at Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute have used Zebrafish model and identified genes that can promote heart regeneration. Scientists have identified the cellular communication network factor 2a (ccn2a), a gene that can promote heart regeneration by enhancing cardiomyocyte proliferation. Ccn2a promotes the innate regenerative response of the adult

World’s Largest Hybrid Renewable Energy Park Coming Up in Gujarat

Recently, Prime Minister laid the foundation for the world’s largest hybrid renewable energy park to generate 30,000 MW power through solar panels and windmills along the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat’s Kutch district. He also laid the foundation for a desalination plant at Mandvi in Kutch district. Hybrid Renewable Energy Park The park

Climate Warming Countdown: Research Predicts Breach of 1.5°C Climate threshold by 2027-2042

According to a study by Climate Change researchers from McGill University, the world will cross the dangerous warming levels at 2027-2042 – 25 years earlier than previous modelling anticipated. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had estimated that breach to occur between now and 2052. Key Observations As per

Climate Change Performance Index 2021

India retained a spot in the top 10 in the latest global Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI 2021) released recently. Key Findings The CCPI 2021, covering the year 2020, shows that though India slid one position down from ninth in 2019 to 10th this year, the country’s journey towards climate protection has

Emissions Gap Report 2020

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its annual Emissions Gap Report 2020 recently. The report is direct in its observation that there is no decrease in human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the year 2020 would be one of the warmest years on record. Emissions Gap report is the annual

State of the Global Climate 2020 Provisional Report

According to the latest State of the Global Climate provisional report by World Meteorological Organization released on December 1, 2020, the year 2020 is set to be among the three warmest on record. Also, the decade 2011-2020 would be the warmest ever. Key Observations The global mean surface temperature for January-October 2020

Over 75% Districts Hotspots of Extreme Weather Events in India: CEEW Study

According to a first-of-its-kind independent study released today by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW),more than 75 per cent of the Indian districts are hotspots of extreme climate events. Key Findings Over 75 per cent districts in India, home to more than 63.8 crore people, are hotspots of extreme

Indo Gangetic Plain a Global Hotspot of Atmospheric Ammonia

According to the study titled "Record high levels of atmospheric ammonia over India: Spatial and temporal analyses" by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is the global hot-spot of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) due to intense agricultural activities and fertilizer production in the region. Key

Production Gap Report 2020

The Production Gap Report 2020 released on 2nd December, revealed that while the pandemic and resulting lockdowns led to short-term drops in fossil fuel production, pre-COVID plans and post-COVID stimulus measures point to a perpetuation of the growing global fossil fuel production gap, risking severe climate disruption. Key Findings To follow a

Himalayan trillium Declared Endangered by ICUN

The Himalayan trillium (Trillium govanianum), a common herb of the Himalayas was declared ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently. Himalayan trillium (Nagchatri) Found in temperate and sub-alpine zones of the Himalayas, at an altitude from 2,400-4,000 metres above sea level, the existence of the plant has been

Status of Leopard in India 2018 Report

The population of leopard in India has increased by 60 per cent, according to ‘Status of Leopard in India 2018’ report released by the government on 21st December. Leopards are among the most adaptable carnivores, and are known to exist very close to human habitations. A study earlier this year had

Firefly Bird Diverters to Protect Great Indian Bustard

The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India has come up with a unique initiative — a “firefly bird diverter” for overhead power lines in areas where Great Indian Bustard (GIB) populations are found in the wild. The power lines, especially high-voltage

IUCN Updated Red List: All Freshwater Dolphins Threatened

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on the status of biological diversity of species, has released an updated Red List of Threatened Species recently. The IUCN categorises species according to population numbers with ‘Extinct’ describing a complete disappearance and the category ‘Least Concern’ on the opposite

New, Rare & Rediscovered Species Found in the Pristine Andes of Bolivia

A scientific expedition high in the Bolivian Andes revealed 20 species new to science, including “lilliputian frog” along with four rediscovered species including the “devil-eyed frog” previously thought to be extinct recently. The expedition was led by the Conservation International and the government of capital city La Paz in the Chawi

Aerosols in Indo-Gangetic Plain Enhanced High Rainfall Near the Himalayan Foothills

A team of researchers from NIT Rourkela, Leipzig Institute for Meteorology, Germany, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur supported by the Department of Science & Technology (India) under DST Climate Change program have highlighted the crucial role of the aerosols like black carbon and dust, in increasing the incidents of high rainfall

Malayan Giant Squirrel Could Vanish from NE After 2050

A first-of-its-kind study by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has projected that numbers of the Malayan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor), a “forest health indicator species”, could decline by 90 per cent in India by 2050, and if urgent steps are not taken, the species could be extinct in the

Ladakh's Tso Kar Wetland Complex Declared 42nd Ramsar Site in India

India has added Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd Ramsar site, the second one in the Union Territory of Ladakh (first is Tso Moriri or Lake Moriri). The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the

Carbon Capture Technology Behind Track to Reduce CO2 Emissions

According to a report by International Energy Agency (IEA), global progress on the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology from 2010-2020 was not on track to effectively control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieve net zero emissions to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. CCS

Honey Gate: 10 Out of 13 Honey Brands Fail Purity Test

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, has claimed that honey marketed by prominent brands failed a key test of purity called ‘Nuclear Magnetic Resonance’, in an investigation it conducted on various brands of Indian honey. However, most companies have

PIB Corner

Conservation Outlook of Western Ghats Grim: IUCN Report The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Heritage Outlook 3 published recently, builds on previous reports from 2014 and 2017 to track whether the conservation of the World’s 252 natural world heritage sites is sufficient to protect them in the long