Art And Culture
+ Food Habits of Harappan People Deciphered
According to a new scientific study of material found at a Harappan site, 4MSR Binjore, in Rajasthan, the Harappan people used to consume high-protein multigrain laddoos around 4,000 years ago.
The study was jointly conducted by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), New .... Read More
+ St. George’s Orthodox Church to be a Monument of National Importance
Centuries-old St. George’s Orthodox Church at Cheppad, Kerala is now set to be declared a Centrally protected monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
St. George’s Orthodox Church
It is believed that the church was built in AD 950, but some experts put the year of construction at .... Read More
+ Sattras of Assam
In poll-bound Assam, in campaigns of political parties one place figures prominently-the Bartadrava Than/Sattra (monastery) in Nagaon, which is the birthplace of renowned Vaishnavite saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva.
Sattras
Sattras are monastic institutions created as part of the 16th century Neo-Vaishnavite reformist movement started by Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1568).
As the saint travelled across .... Read More
+ Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti
Recently, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani sent a 'chadar' through Afghan embassy in India, for the shrine of renowned Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. Along with-it Indian Prime Minister also handed over a 'chadar' that will be offered on his behalf at the shrine Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Khwaja .... Read More
+ Dayananda Saraswati
12th February is the birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj.
Dayanand Saraswati
Swami Dayanand Saraswati was born on February 12, 1824 at Tankara, Gujarat as Mool Shankar.
He was a religious leader and social reformer who left a deep impression on India. He spoke out against following .... Read More
+ Chauri Chaura Episode: Centenary Year
On 4th February 2021, Prime Minister inaugurated the Chauri Chaura Centenary Celebrations and released a postage stamp to mark the centenary of the event. The UP government has planned a year of celebrations through 4th February 2022, in all 75 districts of the state.
Chauri Chaura — whose name derives from .... Read More
+ Somnath Temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the new chairman of the Somnath temple trust. Shree Somnath Trust manages the famous Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath district, Gujarat.
Somnath Temple
Somnath Temple is first among the twelve Aadi Jyotirlings of India.
The existing temple, considered the seventh one, is built in the Kailas .... Read More
+ Prabuddha Bharat
Prime Minister addressed the 125th anniversary celebrations of ‘Prabuddha Bharata’ journal on 31st January.
The event was being organised by the Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati in Uttarakhand.
About Prabuddha Bharat
It is a monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order which was started by Swami Vivekananda. It has been in publication since 1896 and carries .... Read More
+ World’s Oldest Known Cave Painting Found in Indonesia
Archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest known cave painting in Indonesia.
Key Features
A life-sized painting of a wild pig that was made at least 45,500 years ago was discovered in the limestone cave of Leang Tedongnge in the Sulawesi island of Indonesia.
Measuring 136 by 54 centimetres, the painting was made .... Read More
+ Harvest Festivals of India
Many harvest festivals across India mark the start of the festivities in the new year.
Important Harvest Festivals Celebrated in January
Lohri: It is celebrated on 13th January in Northern India especially Punjab. It is the onset of the harvest festival wherein farmers celebrate folk songs and mark end of sowing season .... Read More
+ Republic Day Tableaux
Uttar Pradesh was adjudged the best tableau among the 32 tableaux, 17 from States and Union Territories (UTs), nine from various ministries, departments and paramilitary forces and six from Defence Ministry, that participated in the Republic Day parade.
Tableaux of Tripura which showcased eco-friendly traditions for achieving self-reliance in socio-economic parameters .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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, .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ Lachit Borphukan: The Great Military Commander of Ahom Army
On November 24, Assam celebrated Lachit Diwas in remembrance of the valour and heroism of Lachit Borphukan, one of the symbols of resistance to the Mughal rule.
Lachit Borphukan
Originally named as Lachit Deca, Lachit Borphukan, the fierce and indefatigable Ahom Commander, was born during the early 17th century on 24th November .... Read More
+ Ancient Vishnu Temple Discovered in Northwest Pakistan
A Hindu temple, believed to have been constructed 1,300 years ago, has been discovered by Pakistani and Italian archaeological experts at a mountain in northwest Pakistan’s Swat district. The discovery was made during an excavation at Barikot Ghundai.
Highlights
The discovered temple is of Lord Vishnu. It was built by the Hindus .... Read More
+ Sarna Religion of Jharkhand
Recently Jharkhand government convened a special session and passed a resolution to send the Centre a letter to recognise Sarna religion and include it as a separate code in the Census of 2021.
Currently, the census classifies people under six religions - Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist - while .... Read More
+ Char-chapori culture
A proposed “Miya museum” reflecting the culture and heritage of the people living in char-chapouris has stirred up a controversy in Assam.
Char Chapori Culture
Char-chaporis are shifting riverine islands of the Brahmaputra and are primarily inhabited by the Muslims of Bengali-origin (pejoratively referred to as ‘Miyas’).
A char is a floating .... Read More
+ Golconda Fort
A massive portion of the Majnu Burj inside the Golconda Fort collapsed recently due to incessant rains in Hyderabad.
The Majnu Burj is inside the Naya Qila area of the Golconda Fort, which is under the control of Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC) under a MoU signed in 2009.
However, the Golconda .... Read More
+ Government Explores Tourism Opportunities in Rajasthan's Bundi
The Ministry of Tourism's 'Dekho Apna Desh' webinar series titled "Bundi: Architectural Heritage of a Forgotten Rajput Capital" focused on Bundi in Rajasthan.
'Dekho Apna Desh' webinar series is an effort to showcase India's rich diversity under 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'. The series is presented in technical partnership with the National .... Read More
+ Dairy ProductionSigns in Indus Valley Civilisation
Dairy production in India began as far back as in the 3rd millennium BCE and may have been a factor behind sustaining the Indus Valley Civilisation, according to findings from a team of Canadian and Indian researchers.
Highlights of the Study
The study dates dairy production to 2500 BCE and is the .... Read More
+ Sree Narayana Guru
Recently Prime Minister of India paid homage to Sree Narayan Guru on the occasion of his 164th birth anniversary on September 2. Additionally, Kerala Government decided to name Kerala’s first open university after Sree Narayan Guru, a saint who fought against the caste system prevalent in the society.
About Sree Narayana .... Read More
+ ASI Declares Site &Remains at Baghpat to be of National Importance
The archaeological site and remains at SadikpurSinauli in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district where evidence of the existence of a warrior class around 2,000 BCE was discovered in 2018 have been declared to be of “national importance” by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Highlights
The ASI’s notification under provisions of the Ancient Monuments .... Read More
+ Dekho Apna Desh Webinar on Hampi
On 29th August 20202, the Ministry of Tourism organised a webinar titled ‘Hampi- Inspired by the past; Going into the future’ under Dekho Apna DeshWebinar series.
Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme. It is presented in technical partnership .... Read More
+ Rare Inscription of Renati Cholas Unearthed in Andhra Pradesh
A rare inscription dating back to the Renati Chola era has been unearthed in a remote village of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh recently.
Key Findings
The inscription is found engraved on a dolomite slab and shale, which are part of a fragmentary pillar excavated from the site in a farmer’s field.
The .... Read More
+ Warli Painting
National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), a central Public Sector Undertaking, and country’s leading fertilizers manufacturer, is promoting warli painting.
It engaged a few artists who were rendered jobless in the last few months due to COVID-19 to paintthe outer wall of its Noida head office.
About Warli Painting
Warli painting is a style .... Read More
+ Naukhai Juhar Festival
Recently Prime Minister extended greetings on the occasion of Naukhai Juhar to farmers.
About NaukhaiJuhar
Naukhai Juhar is one of the most ancient festivals celebrated in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and areas of neighbouring states to welcome the new crop of the season.
It is an agricultural festival which is also known as Nuakhai Parab .... Read More
+ Nagara Architecture of Ayodhya's Ram Temple
Recently Shri Ram JanmbhoomiTeerth Kshetra released some photos of the proposed model of the grand temple at Rama Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya which will follow the Nagara style of temple architecture.
Salient Features of Ayodhya Ram Temple
Reportedly, the stones from Banshi mountains in Rajasthan will be used for the construction.
The temple .... Read More
+ Lingaraj Temple to be Refurbished Soon
Recently Odisha government declared its plan to renovate and beautify Bhubaneshwar’s largest temple – the Lingaraj Temple.
The project is part of a larger 66-acre Ekamra Kshetra Yojana that will also include the renovation of water tanks, the development of the Mukteswara and Kedar Gouri temple premises and the creation of .... Read More
+ Tangam: Critically Endangered Language of Arunachal Pradesh
Recently Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister released a book titled “Tangams: An Ethnolinguistic Study Of The Critically Endangered Group of Arunachal Pradesh”.
Tangams
The Tangams are a little-known community within the larger Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh and reside in the hamlet of Kugging in Upper Siang district’s Paindem circle, with 253 reported .... Read More
+ Dharma Chakra Day
International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, celebrated Asadha Poornima on July 4, as Dharma Chakra Day.
The event was kick started at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President of India.
Later, rest of the day’s events were streamed from Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, Sarnath and Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh .... Read More
+ Kodumanal Excavations Indicate Megalithic Belief in Afterlife
A team from the State Department of Archaeology, Chennaihas identified 250 cairn-circles from the excavation at the Kodumanalvillage in Erode district(Tamil Nadu)during which it made discoveries that reveal the megalithic belief in afterlife.
Highlights of Recent Excavations at Kodumanal
A recent recovery of 10 pots and bowlsfilled with grains, instead of the .... Read More
+ Odisha Celebrates Raja Parba Festival amidst Lockdown
Recently, Odisha celebrated the 3-day long Raja Parba festival celebrating menstruation and womanhood.
Raja Parba Festival
The festival is natively pronounced as ‘raw-jaw’, while ‘Raja’ is derived from the world ‘Rajaswala’ which means menstruating women.
Each day of thefestival has its own name and significance — the first day is called PahiliRajo, .... Read More
+ Puri Rath Yatra Commences with Conditional Approval of Supreme Court
The Supreme Court gave conditional approval to conduct the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra this year, which takes place in Puri, Odisha due to COVID-19. It limited the festival to beheld only in Puri, and attached a few stringent conditions for conducting the yatra.
Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra
The Rath Yatra, or the .... Read More
+ Ancient Temple Submerged in River Mahanadi Resurfaces in Nayagarh
An ancient temple in Odisha’s Nayagarh, that was submerged in Mahanadi river has resurfaced. The temple, believed to be around 450 to 500 years old, had submerged during a flood in 1933.
Key Highlights
The archaeological survey team of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) recently claimed that .... Read More
+ Nihangs: The Valiant Sikh Warriors
Recently nihangs came into the national limelight when a group of nihangs chopped off hand of a police officer in Patiala, Punjab when stopped for a curfew pass and for the subsequent seizure of weapons and narcotics.
Nihangs
Nihang is an order of Sikh warriors, characterised by blue robes, antiquated arms .... Read More
+ Union Culture Ministry Launches Draft List of Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Union Culture Ministry released a draft list of 106 items listed as intangible cultural heritage recently seeking public comment.
13 traditions of Indian intangible cultural heritage have already been recognised by UNESCO and the national list is an attempt to further awareness and protection to more such elements.
The initiative .... Read More
+ Heritage Crafts Village in Odisha Wears Deserted Look Amidst Lockdown
Uncertain about their future since lockdown, the Pattachitra Artists of Raghurajpur, the heritage crafts village in Puri District of Odisha want virtual platform to sell their artwork as tourists, the foundation of livelihood of villagers, are no longer welcomed. Making of Pattachitras, traditional paintings in which mythological, religious stories and .... Read More
+ Meru Jatra Festival Banned in Odisha
Odisha’s Ganjam district administration banned the Meru Jatra festival and congregations related to it at temples on the occasion of Mahavishub Sankranti recently.
Meru Jatra
Meru Jatra marks the end of the 21-day-long festival of penance named ‘Danda Nata’.
•Danda Nata is celebrated in the month of ‘Chaitra’ (the first month of .... Read More
+ Indian Council for Cultural Relations Celebrates 70th Anniversary
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is celebrated its 70th Foundation Day on 9th April 2020. However, the grand celebrations planned earlier are now postponed by a year in the wake of COVID-19.
Indian Council for Cultural Relations
ICCR is an autonomous organisation of government of India which was founded in .... Read More
+ Tablighi Jamaat : A Society of Preachers
The Tablighi Jamaat, an Islamic organisation, has been at the centre of controversy after hundreds of people who attended a religious congregation organised by the group at its headquarters in Delhi in March and those who came in their contact across the country, tested positive for COVID-19.
Tablighi Jamaat
Tablighi Jamaat, which .... Read More
+ Virtual Programme on Rare Artworks at National Gallery
The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) recently announced a virtual programme of exhibitions to showcase rare artworks from its repository.
The “NGMA Ke Sangrah Se” kicked off with “Gurudev – Journey of the Maestro through his visual vocabulary” with focus on Rabindranath Tagore on his 159th birth anniversary observed on .... Read More
+ Vesak 2020: UN Chief Looks to Buddha’s Message as Humanity Suffers from Covid-19
Lord Buddha’s message of unity, service to others is more important today as the humanity suffers from the COVID-19 pandemic and it is only by working together that nations can stop the spread, recover from the deadly coronavirus, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in his message for the .... Read More
+ Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar Painting, Telangana’s Telia Rumal Get GI Tag
Recently Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar painting and Telangana’s Telia Rumal were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry headquartered in Chennai. The application for the painting was made by Sohrai Kala Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Limited while the application for Telia Rumal was made by the Consortium .... Read More
+ Maharaja Ranjit Singh Voted the Greatest Leader in World History
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, has been named the “Greatest Leader of All Time” in a poll conducted by BBC World Histories Magazine.He was nominated for forging a modern empire of tolerance.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh was born in Gujranwala just north of Lahore in November 1780.
The .... Read More
+ Sant Ravidas
Sant Ravidas Jayanti was celebrated on February 19th. This year is said to be the 642nd birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.
Guru Ravidas
Guru Ravidas was a famous saint of the Bhakti Movement and was born in 1377 C.E. at Mandhuadhe which is located in Uttar Pradesh, India.
He was one of .... Read More
+ Conservation Plan for Konark Sun Temple on the anvil
Union Minister of Culture announced recently that a plan to restore and preserve the nearly 800-year-old Konark Sun Temple in Odisha would be drawn up soon, after a two-day conference of experts on February 28 and 29.
The temple had been filled with sand and sealed by the British authorities in .... Read More
+ Five Sites to be Developed as Iconic Sites
The Finance Minister in her budget speech announced government’s plan to develop five archaeological sites as iconic sites with on-site Museums at Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (Gujarat) and Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu). She also announced an allocation of Rs 3,150 crore to the Ministry of Culture for .... Read More
+ Victoria Memorial to Belvedere House: Kolkata’s new ‘Cultural Space’
Prime Minister recently inaugurated India’s first dedicated “cultural space” in Kolkata. Four iconic colonial buildings — the Old Currency Building, Metcalfe Hall, the Belvedere House and the Victoria Memorial Hall — have been refurbished to collectively emerge as a cultural hub.
Old Currency Building
The three-storeyed structure was built in 1833, designed .... Read More
+ 1,500-year-old Sealing of Vakataka Queen Unearthed Near Nagpur
For the first time, a team of archaeologists has unearthed a sealing that dates back nearly 1,500 years and belonged to Prabhavatigupta, the queen of Vakataka king Rudrasena II, who ruled the kingdom from Nagardhan in Ramtek taluka, located about 50 km from Nagpur.
Key Features of the Discovery
The oval sealing .... Read More
+ Tanhaji Malusare, the ‘Unsung Warrior’
Recently a movie named Tanhaji, the Unsung warrior was released which is based on the story of Tanhaji Malusare, the 17th-century Maratha warrior.
Tanhaji Malusare
Tanhaji Malusare was a General of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
He is known for his role in the Battle of Sinhagad (1670), which he fought under the Maratha flag .... Read More
+ 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev
On 12th November 2019, 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak (1469-1539) was celebrated with great fervour across the country. Also, the Kartarpur corridor was thrown open ahead of the anniversary. The corridor links GurdwaraDarbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine .... Read More
+ Revisiting History: Third Battle of Panipat
Recently the Embassy of Afghanistan raised concerns regarding the insensitive and distorted contents of the movie ‘Panipat’ which can be exploited by others to provoke the emotions of Afghans against India.
Third Battle of Panipat
The Third battle of Panipat was fought between a northern expeditionary force of the Maratha Empire and .... Read More
+ Remembering Tipu Sultan: The Tiger of Mysore
On 10th November, thousands of people paid tributes to 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) in Karnataka’s Srirangapatna on his 270th birth anniversary.
About Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan was born to Hyder Ali and Fatima Fakhr Un NisaasFateh Ali but was often called Tipu after the local saint TipuMastanAulia.
He ruled the .... Read More
+ South India’s Earliest Sanskrit Inscription Found in A.P.
The Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India has discovered the earliest epigraphic evidence so far for the Saptamatrika cult.
Prelims Facts
Satavahana Dynasty
Simuka founded the Satavahana dynasty (Known as Andhras in the Puranas ) and their rule is believed to have started around the third century BC, in 235 BC .... Read More
+ Samadhi Buddha Statue
On June 19th, 2019, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena gifted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a Samadhi Buddha statue (Buddha in meditation posture), during latter’s visit to Island nation.
About Samadhi Buddha Statue
This is considered to be one thebest sculptures of Anuradhapura era (377 BC to 1017 AD) which is the .... Read More
+ Sindhu Darshan Festival
The 23rd edition of Sindhu Darshan Utsav 2019 started at Sindhu Ghat Shey in Leh from 24 to 27 June.
The 4-day event is organised by Sindhu Darshan Yatra Samiti (SDYS) in collaboration with Ladakh Phanday Tsogspa.
The festival was first started in October 1997, for celebration of unity, communal harmony along .... Read More
+ Niligiri’s Rock Painting Being Destroyed
Nearly 40% of the rock paintings in Karikiyoor at Kil Kotagiri in the Nilgiri forests have been destroyed in last few years by trekkers, tourists, and vandals.
Irula Tribe
It is a Dravidian ethnic group, belonging to negrito race, inhabit the area of the Nilgiri mountains, in the states of Tamil Nadu .... Read More
+ Chaukhandi Stupa
On 10th June, 2019, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared ancient Buddhist site Chaukhandi Stupa in Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) as protected monument of national importance.
About Chaukhandi Stupa
It was built as a terraced temple during the Gupta period between the 4th and 6th centuries to mark the site where Lord Buddha .... Read More
+ Shankaracharya Jayanti Celebrated in Kashmir
Shankaracharya Jayanti was celebrated at Jyeshta Mata Mandir, Shankaracharya Hills, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, from 3rd – 9th May, 2019.
Pandits of Kashmir performed Suvasini Puja on this occasion.
On the instructions of the Kanchi Acharyas, Shankaracharya Jayanti is being celebrated on Shankaracharya Hills since 2012. This year, a 150-member team .... Read More
+ Rudraksh Plantation in Ganga Basin
On 15th May, 2019, a Memorandum of Understating was signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga, HCL Foundation and INTACH for taking up a project of Plantation of Rudraksh Trees in Uttarakhand as a part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative under the ‘Namami Gange’ Programme.
The project aims at planting .... Read More
+ Tikuli Art
It is an unique art form from Bihar, which has a very rich and deep traditional history. The word tikuli is the local term for ‘bindi’, which is usually a bright, colourful dot that women wear between their brows.Patna and Siwan urban areas are well known for assembling of Tikuli .... Read More
+ Orchha Added to Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
On 26th May, 2019, the architectural heritage of Orchha town in Madhya Pradesh which depict peculiar style of the Bundela dynasty have been included in UNESCO’s tentative list of world heritage sites
The ASI had sent a proposal to the UNESCO on April 15, 2019 to include the sites in its .... Read More
+ Sikki Handicraft
Sikki handicraft is found in Mithila region of Bihar.Sikki is a type of grass of golden colour which is grown in the wet and marshy area around rivers and ponds and area of heavy rainfall in Mithila region of North Bihar.Apart from Sikki, Munj and Khar are other important grasses .... Read More
+ ASI Unearths Underground Sacred Chambers in UP
On 1st May, 2019, the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) unearthed old burial sites including underground sacred chambers in Uttar Pradesh’s Sanauli (Baghpat district). These findings are important to understand the culture pattern of the Upper Ganga-Yamuna doab.
Major Excavations
Three chariots, two legged coffins, copper shields, swords and helmets had been .... Read More
+ Jagannath Puri and Konark Sun Temple
Why in News?
These two famous temples were partially destroyed during the Cyclone Fani catastrophe, which hit the Odisha coast on 3rd May, 2019.
On 10th May, 2019, a high level team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited Odisha to assess the nature and quantum of damage caused by cyclone Fani .... Read More
+ ASI identifies Indian Artifacts Seized in USA
From idols dating back to the Gupta period (5th-6th Century AD) to terracotta objects of the Harappan culture, a range of Indian antiquities and artifacts have been identified by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) during a team’s recent visit to the United States.
Manjushri
Manjushri, a male bodhisattva wielding a flaming .... Read More
+ Tanjore Paintings
Tanjore Paintings are a form of art prevalent in Tamil Nadu and named after the town of Tanjore or Thanjavur.Since Tanjore paintings are mainly done on solid wood planks, they are locally known as ‘Palagai Padam’.Additionally, it is distinguished by its famous gold coating.Modern forms of the Tanjore paintings are .... Read More
+ Postal Stamps of Vedanta Desikan Unveiled
On 4th May, 2019, to commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of ‘Vedanta Desikan’ postal stamps were unveiled.
Vedanta Desikan (Born in 1268 CE), was a Vaishnava philosopher and one of the most brilliant stalwarts of Vaishnavism in the post-Ramanuja period.
He was the disciple of Kidambi Appullar (Aathreya Ramanujachariar).
During his lifetime, he .... Read More
+ Manjuvirattu
On 9th May, 2019, Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu) Collector banned Manjuvirattu scheduled to be held at Karisalpatti village, following a warning from the district police that the event would pose a threat to law and order in the area.
About Manjuvirattu
Manjuvirattu is a bull taming event held in various parts of Tamil .... Read More
+ Gangamma Jatara Festival
Gangamma Jatara is a folk festival celebrated for nine days in several places across Southern India; including Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Andhra regions.This festival is celebrated to offer prayers to the goddess Gangamma, the Gramadevata (the goddess looking after the village) of .... Read More
+ Cheraw Dance
Cheraw dance of Mizoram and Garo dance of Meghalaya was performed at the International Dance Day celebrations in London on April 27, 2019.
Cheraw dance is one of the folk dances of north eastern state of Mizoram.
Similar dance forms found in East Asia like in Philippines are known as Tinikling.
It .... Read More
+ Pichwai Art
Pichwai or pichvai painting is a 400-year-old art form which depicts the beautiful life of Lord Krishna andhas its roots in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. The art form is found both in temples as well as homes.
These paintings are done on cotton cloth using natural colours and the most beautiful painting is .... Read More
+ Nagaland Konyak Dance
On 5th April, 2019, around 4,700 Konyak Naga women came together in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Traditional Konyak Dance.
The attempt to make the record was made during the Konyak Aoleang-cum-Mini Hornbill Festival in Mon town on April 5th.
Konyak Tribe: Last Headhunters of India
Konyak, .... Read More
+ Thrissur Pooram Festival
Thrissur Pooram is the most colourful of all the temple festivals of Kerala. It is celebrated in Thrissur at Vadakkunnathan temple in the month of Medam (April and May).
Known as the festival of festivals, Thrissur Pooram has a tradition of more than 200 years. This spectacular event was started by .... Read More
+ Bandhani Painting
Bandhej, also known as Bandhani, is a tie and dye method practiced mainly in states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and parts of Uttar Pradesh.The technique involves dyeing a fabric which is tied tightly with a thread at several points, thus producing a variety of patterns like Leheriya, Mothra, Ekdali and Shikari .... Read More
+ Pithora Painting
This is the most prevalent and characteristic art tradition of the Rathwa community, who live in the region bordering Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh states in India.
These paintings denote the advent of an auspicious occasion such as weddings, childbirth, festivals in the family or the society as a whole
The paintings are .... Read More
+ Oppari Song, Tamil Nadu
An oppari is an ancient form of lamenting, sung in Tamil Nadu and North-East Sri Lanka where Tamils form the majority.Oppari is a marathon wailing session that rural women perform in groups, when someone dies. Oppari is a repertoire of songs that describe, eulogises the dead and expresses the deep .... Read More
+ Types of Paintings gone online
Gond paintings: it is known for use of bright colours and intricate lines. The Gond art mostly represents a tree emerging out of birds (peacocks) and animals (ox, horse, deer, elephant and tiger).Koya Paintings: Here the artist draw on the surface motifs of their sacred ‘Hariveni’ posts, sacred flags and .... Read More
+ Ramappa Temple
The 800-year-old Warangal-based Ramappa Temple, the only temple in the country named after its sculptor Rampapa, has been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage site selection process for 2019.
It is India’s only entry this year.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is situated in Palampet Village, around 67 km from the .... Read More
+ Telangana Tribal Paintings go Online
The paintings of tribal artists from the remote agency areas of Telangana have literally arrived on a global platform, through the efforts of Amazon, the largest e-commerce market place.The idea to provide a wider platform to the paintings came when the Tribal Welfare Department and the Tribal Museum, working closely .... Read More
+ Jodi Sankha Dance, Odisha
‘Jodi Sankha’ is a traditional folk dance form from Ganjam district, Odisha.Jodi Sankha, which literally means Double Conch, is a combined presentation of rural music along with Badya and Nrutya. This dance form had a martial arts beginning as it needs high endurance.The main accompanying instruments include Changu- Baja and .... Read More
+ Thakurani Jatra Festival, Odisha
It is biennial (every two years) festival celebrated in the city of Behrampur (the silk city), OdishaThe preparations for the nearly month long festival start from Mahasivaratri day. The festival is celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra.It is also known as Ghata Yatra. It marks worship of Goddess Buddhi .... Read More
+ Danda Nacha Festival
It is a 21-day long seasonal folk dance festival that is celebrated in South Odisha.It is celebrated during the Indian Calendar month of Chaitra and ends on Vishuva Sankranti, the Odiya New Year.Those performing Danda Nacha or the dance for penance, are called ‘Danduas’ who go through painful procedures for .... Read More
+ Pattachitra Painting
In India, Patachitra is a traditional painting of Orissa. This old tradition still survives in the places like Puri, Raghurajpur, Paralakhemundi, Chikiti and Sonepur.The first forms of Patachitra art originated in the village of ‘Puri, where this artwork is still quite popular. The artists who practiced this craft were known .... Read More
+ Tholu Bommalata
Also known as Tholu Bommalu or Tholu Bommalata, this form of shadow-puppet theatre is popular in several regions of Andhra Pradesh. Tholu bommalata literally means the dance (atta) of the leather (tholu) puppets (bommalu).
The core of the performance is represented by epic stories based on the Ramayana and to a .... Read More
+ Rare Buddhist Sculpture Excavated in Telangana
On 30th April, 2019, archaeologists excavated a rare life-size stucco Buddhist sculpture in Phanigiri, Suryapet district in Telangana.
The excavated figurine represents one of the Bodhisattvas belonging to the Jathaka Chakra.
The sculpture is also one of the largest Buddhist stucco sculptures unearthed in India till date.
The excavations have also brought .... Read More
+ Filigree Art
Filigree jewelry is a unique piece that incorporates handcrafted twisted threads of precious metal into its design.Filigree jewelry was discovered and unearthed in the ancient Mesopotamia area and this was about 5000 years ago. Filigree was also popular during Roman times, extending throughout the empire.In India, people of the Cuttack .... Read More
+ Batik Painting
The word batik actually means ‘wax writing’. It is a way of decorating cloth by covering a part of it with a coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. The waxed areas keep their original color and when the wax is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed .... Read More
+ Puthandu: Tamil New Year
Tamil New Year is also known as Varusha pirappu and is observed on first day of Tamil month Chithirai.The auspicious occasion of Puthandu is also popularly known as Varusha Pirappu or the birth of New Year and falls on 13th or 14th April according to the Gregorian calendar.It is believed .... Read More
+ Domkhar Petroglyphs Sanctuary
The sanctuary is located at Domkhar village in Leh, next to the banks of Indus River. It has 500-odd petroglyphs (images created by removing part of a rock surfaces by incising).There are numerous rocks carved figures, thought to date back between 2000 and 4000 years.It consists of drawings of animals .... Read More
+ Vishu: Malayalam New Year
On 15th April, 2019, Vishu was celebrated across Kerala by the Hindus.The day is observed on the first day of the month called Medam.The day is earmarked for visits to temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is worshipped on this day. Devotees throng some famous Indian temples like the Sabrimala .... Read More
+ Khelchawa Festival
Recently,Tiwa tribesmen had taken part in a dance during the Khelchawa festival in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
It is a male-dominated festival. In a given year, young boys aged between 10-14 years enroll themselves for the festival. For the next five years, they become the main leads in religious or .... Read More
+ Garia Puja
Garia Puja, the biggest festival of the tribals in Tripura, is celebrated as a harvest festival by the ethnic tribes and celebrations begin from last day of March-April.
It is one of the major festivals of Tripuris and some other Kokborok speaking communities. Celebrated in the month of April it symbolizes .... Read More
+ IIT Madras Team Develops OCR System for Nine Indian Languages
A team of scientists from IIT Madras has developed a method for reading documents in Bharati script using a multi-lingual optical character recognition (OCR) scheme.
Bharati Script
Taking a cue from European languages, team at IIT Madras has, over the last decade, developed a unified script for nine Indian languages, named the .... Read More
+ Graves of Chalukyan Kings Unearthed in Karnataka
Graves of Chalukyan rulers have been found in a village temple near Huligemmanakolla in Pattadakal of Bagalkot district. This temple has 11 smaller temple-like structures which are nothing but the graves of the family members of the Chalukyan kings
Chalukyan Architecture
The Chalukyan kings were famous for building gigantic temples with intricate .... Read More
+ Rekindling Skandagupta: The Last Vikramaditya of India
Union Home Minister recently inaugurated an international seminar on the role of Gupta dynasty emperor Skandagupta at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.
Skandagupta
He ascended the throne in 455 AD and ruled till 467 AD.
During the 12 year rule, he not only defended the great culture of India but also from external .... Read More
+ 9-Day National Tribal Festival “Aadi Mahotsav” celebrated at Leh-Ladakh
From 17th-25th August 2019, Aadi Mahotsav (National Tribal Festival), a joint initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs & Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) was celebrated at Polo Ground, Leh-Ladakh.
Theme of the festival was : “A celebration of the spirit of Tribal Craft, Culture and Commerce”.
The event had .... Read More
+ Hampi World Heritage Site: Flooded in Karnataka Rains
Recently, most of the monuments at the World Heritage Site of Hampi were flooded with the release of water from Tungabhadra reservoir in Karnataka.
Group of Monuments at Hampi
The grandiose site of Hampi comprises mainly of the remnants of the Capital City ofVijayanagara Empire (14th-16th Cent CE), located in the Tungabhadra .... Read More
+ Jaipur City: India’s Second UNESO World Heritage City
On July 6, 2019, the Pink City of India, Jaipur (Rajasthan) was declared a World Heritage Site, making it the 38th Indian entry to be added to the list.
There are 30 cultural sites, 7 natural sites, and one mixed site (Khangchendzonga National Park) in India.
World Heritage Site
It is a location .... Read More
+ Shore Temple to get World Class Illumination for Modi-Xi Summit
The Historic Shore Temple and five rathas in Tamil Nadu’s Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) are all set to get enlivened with world class lighting for the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Architecture at Mahabalipuram
Mamallapuram was the ancient port city under Pallava dynasty in Tamil Nadu which consisted .... Read More
+ Study Finds Sangam Era Older than Previously Thought
In a major turning point in the cultural historiography of the ancient Sangam Age, the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department (TNAD) in its report titled ‘Keeladi-An Urban Settlement of Sangam Age on the Banks of River Vaigai’, has stated that the cultural deposits unearthed during excavations at Keeladi in Sivaganga district .... Read More
Culture
+ New Swadesh Darshan Projects
Union Ministry for Tourism inaugurated the project “Development of North East Circuit: Rangpo– Rorathang- Aritar- Phadamchen- Nathang-Sherathang- Tsongmo- Gangtok-Phodong- Mangan- Lachung-Yumthang- Lachen- Thangu-Gurudongmer- Mangan- Gangtok-Tuminlingee- Singtam” on January 30.
Remember This: The project implemented under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India was sanctioned by the Ministry in .... Read More
Executive
+ NITI Aayog Suggests Revision of National Food Security Act 2013
The NITI Aayog recently circulated a discussion paper on a proposed revision in the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
National Food Security Act 2013
The NFSA provides a legal right to persons belonging to eligible households to receive foodgrains at subsidised central issue prices (CIPs)– rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at .... Read More
+ President’s Rule in Puducherry
Recently, President’s Rule was imposed in Puducherry following a recommendation by the Union Cabinet after a Congress-led government lost power in the Union Territory in a vote of confidence.
The decision was taken after the president received a report from the administrator of the Union Territory of Puducherry on 22nd February .... Read More
+ CIC Ruling on Lokpal
Recently, Central Information Commission (CIC) has refused to allow disclosure of minutes of selection committee meetings to choose the chairperson and members of anti-graft body Lokpal.
CIC Ruling
The CIC has upheld the withholding of information and refused access to minutes of the meeting of the Selection Committee.
The CIC relied on the .... Read More
+ Karnataka: Explosion of Quota Demands
Recently, the Karnataka government has been besieged by demands from different caste groups, asking to be included among beneficiaries of job and education quotas in various categories, or to be placed in a category different from where they are currently.
Despite an upper limit of 50 per cent reservations for all .... Read More
+ Prevention of Insults to National Honour
Recently, UP Police has invoked provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and booked relatives of a deceased protesting farmer draping the body of the deceased in a tricolour.
Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971
It aims to prevent Insults to National Honour i.e., Indian National .... Read More
+ Cabinet Approves Changes in Juvenile Justice Act
The Union Cabinet recently approved amendments to the juvenile justice law to increase the scrutiny of child care institutions and enhance the role of district magistrates to ensure the set-up works in the best interests of children.
Key Changes
The district magistrates (DMs) along with additional district magistrates (ADMs) will monitor the .... Read More
+ Digital Voter ID Cards
The Election Commission of India (ECI) celebrated the 11th National Voters' Day on 25th January with the theme 'Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed'.
On this occasion, it launched the e-EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card).
This is the first time that the government will issue voter identity cards in .... Read More
+ India Tightens Oversight on Funds Received by NGOs
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has laid down a charter for banks to tighten oversight on funds received by non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
As per the existing rules, all banks have to report to the Central government within 48 hours, the receipt or utilisation of any foreign contribution by any NGO, .... Read More
+ Govt Approves Construction of over 1.68 Lakh Houses under PMAY-Urban
The government has approved the construction of over 1.68 lakh houses in urban areas under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban (PMAY-U), taking the total number of houses sanctioned so far to 1.1 crore.
Under PMAY-U, 41 lakh houses have been completed so far while construction is in various stages in .... Read More
+ 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' .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ Government Sets Up Committee to Review TV Ratings Norms
Recently Ministry of Information and Broad casting constituted a four member committee to review “Guidelines on Television Rating Agencies in India” notified by the Ministry in 2014.This comes after the Mumbai police investigations into an alleged fake Television Rating Points (TRP) scam by a few news channels.
The present guidelines on .... Read More
+ Arbitration and Conciliation Amendment (Ordinance) 2020
The government recently brought the Arbitration and Conciliation Amendment (Ordinance) 2020 to amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and ensure that stakeholder parties can seek an unconditional stay on enforcement of arbitral awards in cases where the arbitration agreement or contract is induced by fraud or corruption.
Need for the .... Read More
+ Cabinet Approves STARS Project to Strengthen School Education System
The Union Cabinet recently approved the STARS project under the New Education Policy to support states in strengthening the school education system with a total project cost of Rs 5718 crore with World Bank support amounting to approximately Rs. 3700 crore.
STARS Project
Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) project is .... Read More
+ SVAMITVA Scheme Launched
Prime Minister recently launched the physical distribution of property cards under the ‘SVAMITVA’ (ownership) scheme.
The launch will enable around one lakh property holders to download their property cards through an SMS link sent on their mobile phones.
This would be followed by the physical distribution of property cards by respective state .... Read More
+ Data Governance Quality Index
Department of Fertilizers under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has been ranked 2nd amongst the 16 Economic Ministries/Departments and 3rd out of the 65 Ministries / Departments with a score 4.11 on a scale of 5 on Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI).
DGQI
It is a survey conducted by Development Monitoring .... Read More
+ Assam-Mizoram Border Dispute
The Assam-Mizoram boundary dispute that has been festering for more than 50 years now got renewed attention as clashes erupted recently in the inter-state border areas.
Violence broke out on 17th October between residents of Lailapur village in Assam’s Cachar district and residents of localities near Vairengte in Mizoram’s Kolasib district .... Read More
+ 10% Hike in Ballot Spending Cap Accepted by Government
The Ministry of Law & Justice on October 19 has notified an amendment in Rule 90 of Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 enhancing the existing expenditure limit by 10 per cent. This increase of 10 per cent will be applicable with immediate effect in ongoing elections.
Over a month ago, the .... Read More
+ Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020
Defence Minister recently unveiled the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 with a focus on significantly boosting indigenous production and turning India into a global manufacturing hub of weapons and military platforms.
DAP 2020 will be applicable with effect from October 1, 2020.
DAP 2020 is the renamed iteration of Defence Procurement Procedure. .... Read More
+ Action Plan 2020-21 for Schemes of Department of Social Justice & Empowerment
Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment recently released a book containing 33 Action Plans 2020-21 of all the schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment on 7th September, 2020.
Revised Plans for Schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment
Free Coaching for Scheduled Castes and Other Backward .... Read More
+ Epidemic Diseases Amendment Act 2020
Recently parliament passed the Epidemic Diseases Amendment Bill 2020 which aims at protecting healthcare workers fighting the Covid-19 disease outbreak in the country by criminalising attacks on medical workers, resulting into imprisonment for up to five years.
The bill replaces the ordinance issued by the government in April 2020 for the .... Read More
+ National Recruitment Agency to Transform Recruitment Process
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Ministerhas given its approval for creation of National Recruitment Agency (NRA), paving the way for a transformational reform in the recruitment process for central government jobs.
The Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs. 1517.57 crore for the National Recruitment Agency (NRA). The expenditure .... Read More
+ Clause 6 of Assam Accord
In February 2020, a government-appointed committee headed by retired High Court judge Biplab Kumar Sarma had submitted its recommendations for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. Since then, the government has not made the report public.
However, recently, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), one of the signatories to the .... Read More
+ National Council for Transgender Persons
The Central government has constituted the National Council for Transgender Persons in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 16 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
Highlights
Composition of the Council
Chairperson: The Union Minister of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (ex-officio).
Vice-Chairperson: The Union Minister of State .... Read More
+ Defence Acquisition Council Approved Deals worth Rs 38900 Crore
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister recently approved deals worth ₹38,900 crore.
Key Highlights
The deal includes procurement of 21 MiG-29 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and upgradation of 59 of them from Russia with an estimated cost of ₹7,418 crore and acquirement of 12 Su-30 .... Read More
+ Postal Ballot Facility Extended to Senior Citizens & COVID-19 Patients
The Ministry of Law and Justice recently issued a notification for the Conduct of Elections (Amendment) Rules 2020 for extending the postal ballot facility for voters above the age of 65 years as well as Covid-19 patients under home or institutional quarantine during Bihar Elections.
Key Changes in Voting Rules
The Centre .... Read More
+ Draft Unmanned Aircraft System Rules 2020
The Centre has notified draft Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020, prohibiting “carriage of payload” as well as “dropping of articles” by unmanned aerial vehicles.
Key Highlights
The Ministry of Civil Aviation notified the draft rules,on June 2 for importing, manufacturing and owning drones as well as for drone ports, or airports for .... Read More
+ PMO Affirms PM CARES Not a Public Authority Under RTI Act
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has refused to disclose details on the creation and operation of the PM CARES Fund, telling a Right to Information applicant that the fund is “not a public authority” under the ambit of the RTI Act, 2005.
The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency .... Read More
+ Union Home Ministry J&K Domicile Order Offers Protection to All Gov-ernment Posts
After revoking the special Status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 on August 6, 2019 , Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended a 2010 legislation — the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment Act) on March 31 by substituting the term “permanent residents” with “domiciles of J&K.”
On .... Read More
+ State Governments Invoking NSA for Protecting Corona Warriors from Attacks
Recently, many state governments invoked National Security Act, 1980 against those offenders who were attacking doctors, nurses, police etc fulfilling their duties in the fight against COVID-19.
National Security Act, 1980
The National Security Act (NSA) is a preventive detention law which was promulgated on September 23, 1980.
It empowers the Centre .... Read More
+ Ordinance to Reduce Salaries of Parliamentarians by 30% for a year Ap-proved By Cabinet
The Union Cabinet recently approved a 30% cut in the salaries of all Members of Parliament and a two-year suspension of the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme so that the amount saved can go to the Consolidated Fund of India to fight COVID-19.
Highlights of the Cabinet Decision
The Cabinet, .... Read More
+ Centre Brings Cauvery Water Management Authority under Jal Shakti Ministry
The Central government has officially brought the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti through a notification duly signed by the President. The CWMA was earlier under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. However, with the formation of the Jal Shakti .... Read More
+ Government Implements Shekatkar Committee Recommendations
Government has accepted and implemented three important recommendations of Committee of Experts (CoE) under the Chairmanship of Lt General D B Shekatkar (Retd) relating to border Infrastructure. These were related to speeding up road construction, leading to socio economic development in the border areas. Also, it has given a green .... Read More
+ ECI Unveils Roadmap for Revamp of Electoral Process
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is considering new voting methods, capping the campaign expenditure of political parties, online registration of new voters at 17 years and ending social media campaigning 48 hours before polling among the recommendations proposed by working groups it set up in 2019.
Main Recommendations of ECI
Single .... Read More
+ UP Passes Ordinance to Recover Damages to Property during Protests, Strikes
The Uttar Pradesh government has armed itself with a stringent new law, the ‘Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Ordinance, 2020’ to recover compensation from those who damage public and private property during protests and riots.
UP Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Ordinance 2020
It .... Read More
+ India Releases Draft Defence Procurement Procedure 2020
The draft of the defence procurement procedure (DPP) 2020 was released by the defence minister on 20 March 2020. It aims at promoting indigenous manufacturing and reducing the painfully long time it presently takes to complete the procurement cycle.
The draft DPP 2020 has been prepared by a Review Committee headed .... Read More
+ Government Approves Change of Land Use for Central Vista Development
The Union government has approved change of land use in the Delhi Master Plan 2021 for the Central Vista redevelopment project, based on the recommendation of the Delhi Development Authority recently.
This paves the way for the construction of the new Parliament building and other projects in the prestigious Central Vista. .... Read More
+ Govt Declared Masks, Hand Sanitisers ‘Essential’ Commodities
Following reports of shortage and irrational pricing of hand sanitisers and masks, the central government on March 13 declared these items “essential commodities” until the end of June.
Essential Commodities Act, 1955
Government has notified an Order under the Essential Commodities Act to declare masks and hand sanitisers as Essential Commodities up .... Read More
+ Govt Invokes Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to Fight Coronavirus
On March 11, it was decided in a Cabinet Secretary meeting that states and Union Territories should invoke provisions of Section 2 of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, so that Health Ministry advisories are enforceable.
The Epidemic Diseases Act is routinely enforced across the country for dealing with outbreaks of diseases such .... Read More
+ J&K Public Safety Act Invoked Against Political Leaders
Recently, two former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers were detained under the Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial.
Public Safety Act
It is a preventive detention law, under which a person is taken into custody to prevent him from .... Read More
+ Govt signs accord with NDFB, ABSU to resolve Bodo issue
The Central government, the Assam government and Bodo groups — including all factions of the militant National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) has signed an agreement on 27 January 2020, for peace and development.
Background
Bodos are the single largest community among the notified Scheduled Tribes in Assam and belong to Bodo-Kachari .... Read More
+ Health Ministry Releases Draft National Policy for Rare Diseases 2020
On 13th January, the central government released a draft National Policy for Rare Diseases 2020. The Ministry of Health had formulated a National Policy for Treatment of Rare Diseases (NPTRD) in July 2017. But given the challenges in implementing the policy, a decision was taken to reframe the NPTRD and .... Read More
+ NSO Survey Debunks Swachh Bharat Claims
The National Statistical Office (NSO) survey ‘Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Housing Condition in India’ on sanitation released on 23rd November deflated the claims of an open defecation-free (ODF) India made by the Centre’s flagship Swachh Bharat Scheme. On October 2, 2019, Prime Minister had declared the whole country ODF.
Highlights
The .... Read More
+ PM Releases Guidelines for Jal Jeevan Mission
On 25th December, Prime Minister released the operational guidelines of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Jal Jeevan Mission
It aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024.
It aims to provide potable water in adequate quantity i.e. 55 litre per capita per day (lpcd) of prescribed quality i.e. .... Read More
+ Atal Bhujal Yojana: A Scheme for Groundwater
On 25th December, Prime Minister launched the Atal Bhujal Yojana, or Atal Jal. It is a World Bank-funded, central scheme aimed at improving groundwater management. It was approved by the World Bank Board in June 2018.
Atal Bhujal Yojana
It will be implemented in seven states – Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, .... Read More
+ Good Governance Index
On 25th December 2019, Minister of State for Public Grievances and Pensions launched Good Governance Index (GGI) in New Delhi on the occasion of Good Governance Day. The Good Governance Day is observed on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Good Governance Index
The index is launched by .... Read More
+ Section 144, CrPC: A Relic of Colonial Era
As protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act are gaining ground, state governments are clamping down on the demonstrations by issuing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973.
Section 144 of CrPC, 1973
Section 144 of CrPC, a colonial era legislation, empowers a district magistrate, a sub-divisional .... Read More
+ Cabinet approves the SEZ (Amendment) Bill, 2019
On 12th June, 2019, Cabinet approved the introduction of Special Economic Zones (SEZ)(Amendment) Bill, 2019.
After the amendment of the SEZ Act, 2005, a trust or any entity notified by the central government will be eligible to be considered for grant of permission to set up a unit in SEZs.
Special Economic .... Read More
+ Home Ministry terminates Black List of Indian-Origin People
On 9th May, 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced that it has put an end to the local adverse lists commonly known as ‘Black Lists’ of Indian-origin people.
As per MHA, now all such people presently in the blacklist will be given regular visa as well as Overseas Citizen .... Read More
+ Issue of Dual Control over Assam Rifles
On 15th April, 2019, the Delhi High Court sought the response from the Cabinet Committee on Security on a plea seeking directions to remove the dual control of Assam Rifles.
Issue of Dual Control
The administrative control of Assam Rifles lies with the Home Ministry, while the operational control is with the .... Read More
+ Cabinet Approves Creation of Sixth Deputy CAG Post
On 15th April, 2019, the Union Cabinet approved creation of an additional post of Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (Coordination, Communication and Information System) in the office of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
The country’s top auditor, CAG has five posts of deputy CAGs.
The position in pay level 17 .... Read More
+ Cabinet approves continuation of National AIDS Control Programme-IV (NACP-IV)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for continuation of National AIDS Control Programme-IV (NACP-IV) beyond 12th Five Year Plan.
NCAP-IV will be continued for a period of three years from April, 2017 to March, 2020.
Benefits
More than 99% of population will be kept HIV free.
More than 70 lakh .... Read More
+ Expert Panel Okays Acquisition of Land for ISRO
A seven-member expert panel has given the go-ahead for the acquisition of 67.68 acres of land at Valiamala in the Thiruvananthapuram district for the expansion of Indian Space Research Organisation’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
The State government had appointed Rajagiri outREACH to carry out the social impact assessment in September .... Read More
+ Criteria for Inclusion in ST List
On February 20, Rajasthan State Assembly passed legislation providing 5% reservation to Gujjars and four other nomadic communities, classifying them as “extremely backward classes”.
Specific Context in Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, demand by Gujjars has a specific context. In Rajasthan, the community is currently eligible for reservations as an OBC community. They had .... Read More
+ All India Services Rules for Conduct, Disciplinary Action
In the showdown between the West Bengal government and the CBI, the Union Home Ministry asked the state Chief Secretary to take action against five IPS officers who had shared the stage with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her sit-in protest in Kolkata.
A look at the rules officers are to .... Read More
+ Permanent Resident Status Problem in Arunachal Pradesh
The Arunachal Pradesh Government has decided not to act on the recommendations of a Joint High Power Committee granting permanent resident certificates (PRCs) to non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes of Namsai and Changlang districts. This decision follows violence in Itanagar, which included arson attacks on the residence of the Deputy Chief .... Read More
+ INS Kohassa – a New Bird’s Nest in the Andamans
Naval Air Station (NAS) Shibpur was commissioned as INS Kohassa on January 24.
Impact: With the addition of this airfield, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)’s ability to operate independently from all the regions of Andaman and Nicobar Islands will get a great boos
Key Facts
This will be India’s fourth air base .... Read More
+ Centre Signs Pact with 5 States on Renuka Dam
The Centre on January 11 signed an agreement with Chief Ministers of five States — Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh — to restart construction of the Renuka multipurpose dam project in the Upper Yamuna Basin.
The Dam Project: The Renuka dam project has been conceived as a storage project .... Read More
+ Bridge Over River Ravi in J&K
Union Ministry for Road Transport & Highways on January 22 dedicated to the nation a 1210-meter span-bridge over the river Raavi in Jammu and Kashmir.
Impact
This project will benefit over 2,20,000 people living on the two sides – Kathua in Jammu, and Pathankot in Punjab. This will reduce the distance between .... Read More
+ Search for a Lokpal
On January 17, the Supreme Court requested the search committee to prepare its panel by the end of the next month and set March 7, 2019 as the next date of hearing.
What Next?
Once the search committee submits its recommendation for the Lokpal and its members, a selection committee will consider .... Read More
+ Three Islands of Andaman Nicobar Renamed
On December 30, 2018, three islands of the Andaman group were renamed.
Renamed Islands
The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep (Ross Island) was once a settlement where the British established .... Read More
+ More Power to Autonomous Councils in Sixth Schedule Areas
The Union Cabinet on January 23 approved a landmark amendment to Article 280 and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The Constitutional amendment aims to increase the financial and executive powers of the 10 autonomous councils in the Sixth Schedule areas of the northeast.
What will Change?
The amendment will impact a population .... Read More
+ Child Protection Policy
The Ministry of Women and Child Development drafts Child Protection Policy to curb the instances of abuse of minors in shelter homes and child care institutions. The Ministry has placed the draft policy on its website and invited comments from stakeholders until January 04, 2019.This draft is going to be .... Read More
+ Jammu & Kashmir Scraps Roshni Scheme
The State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on November 28, 2018 repealed the Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, popularly known as the Roshni Act, and reasoned that it had failed to realize the desired objectives .... Read More
+ Coastal Regulation Zone
The Union Cabinet on December 28, 2018 has approved the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018 which was last reviewed and issued in 2011.
The move comes in the backdrop of a series of representations received by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) from various coastal states and .... Read More
+ ERSS for Himachal Pradesh Launched
The Union Home Ministry on November 28 launched Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) for Himachal Pradesh at Mandi.
Highlights
Himachal Pradesh is the first state to launch pan-India single emergency number ‘112’ under ERSS.
Under this project, one Emergency Response Centre (ERC) has been established in Shimla along with 12 District Command Centers .... Read More
+ Himalayan State Regional Council Constituted
NITI Aayog on November 15 constituted the ‘Himalayan State Regional Council’ to ensure sustainable development of the Indian Himalayan region.
Mandate & Composition of the Council
The Council has been constituted to review and implement identified action points based on the Reports of five Working Groups, which were established along thematic areas .... Read More
+ CBI & Consent
Recently, the Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments withdrew “general consent” to the CBI for investigating cases in their respective states. The state governments said they had lost faith in the CBI in the backdrop of its internal turmoil marked by the open war among the agency’s top officers. They .... Read More
+ Ayushman Bharat Completes One Year of its Launch
Recently, Arogya Manthan event was organised by the National Health Authority (implementing authority of the scheme), to mark the completion of one year of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. Prime Minister had launched the scheme on 23 September 2018 from Ranchi in Jharkhand.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme
It aims to reduce the financial burden on .... Read More
+ Chief of Defence Staff Post Announced by PM
On 15th August Prime Minister announced the new Post of Chief of Defence Staff from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
Chief of Defence Staff
It is the post of combined head of Army, Navy and Airforce.
The scope of responsibility of the CDS is being worked out.
He would also provide major inputs .... Read More
+ Report of Inter-Ministerial Committee on Virtual Currencies
Inter-ministerial committee on virtual currencies (Subhash Chandra Garg Committee), which was set up to look into the legality of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, has submitted its report along with a draft bill ‘Banning of Cryptocurrency & Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2019’ .
Major Recommendations
Highlighted the positive aspect of distributed-ledger technology .... Read More
+ UIDAI approves Voluntary Use of Aadhaar for National Populations Register
Recently, UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has given its nod for “voluntary” use of 12-digit unique numbers for compilation of National Population Register (NPR).
Implications
The NPR updation exercise will be undertaken alongside house listing phase of Census 2021 and will for the first time collect several particulars such as Aadhaar, .... Read More
+ Home Minister Pitches for Hindi as India’s Unifying Force
Recently on Hindi Diwas, Home Minister made a greater pitch for Hindi in Official work and made sweeping claims that Hindi alone could unite the country and it was the language which should become India’s “identity” globally.
Critical Analysis
Common Language as Unifying Thread: India is such a diverse nation in terms .... Read More
+ The Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act
On September 16, 2019, Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah was detained under the State’s Public Safety Act (PSA) .
About Public Safety Act
The Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 is a preventive detention law, under which a person is taken into custody to prevent him or .... Read More
Important Reports
+ Lancet Report: India not on Track to Eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) by 2025
On March 23rd, 2019, just a day before World TB Day(24th March), a country-wise report card released by The Lancet states that India is not on track to achieve the elimination goals and that its methods to tackle drug-sensitive and multi-drug resistant TB need improvement.
Key Findings of Report
India has 27% .... Read More
In Focus
+ The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021
On March 28, President of India gave his assent to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The Bill amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.
The 1991 Act provides a framework for the functioning of the Legislative Assembly and the government of .... Read More
+ Draft National Strategy on Blockchain
Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has prepared a draft framework for the use of blockchain technology in government services. It intends to use it in the areas of property record keeping, digital certificates, power distribution, health records as well as supply chain management.
Salient Features
All the applications .... Read More
+ New Guidelines For Digital Media
On 25th February 2021, citing instructions from the Supreme Court and the concerns raised in the Parliament about social media abuse, the government has released guidelines that aim to regulate social media, digital news media, and over-the-top (OTT) content providers.
For social media platforms, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital .... Read More
+ Light House Projects Inaugurated for Affordable Housing
Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Light House projects (LHPs) under Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC)- at six sites across six States recently for providing resilient, affordable and comfortable houses to the poor and the middle class.
He also announced the winners under Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators - India (ASHA-India) .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance
In the wake of rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global group called ‘One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance’ has been launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The group was created in response to a recommendation .... Read More
+ Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2020
The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, promulgated on November 27 has now become a law.
Key Provisions of the Act
Section 3 of the act makes religious conversion a cognisable and non-bailable offence, inviting penalties of up to 10 years in prison if found to be effected .... Read More
+ Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020
On October 26, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced several amendments to land laws for the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir (J&K) by notifying the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020.
Section 96 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 empowers the MHA .... Read More
+ Mission Karmayogi: Ushering in the Civil Services Reforms
Recently the Union Cabinet gave its approval for Mission Karmayogi, a new national capacity building and performance evaluation programme for civil servants.
It is a comprehensive post-recruitment reform of the Centre’s human resource development aimed at building a future-ready civil service with the right attitude, skills and knowledge, aligned to the .... Read More
+ Contempt of Court
Recently a controversy emerged when the Supreme Court of India took Suo moto action for contempt of court against Social Activist and Lawyer Prashant Bhushan and held him guilty of contempt of court for his tweets which undermined the sanctity of the highest institution of law.
Contempt of court refers to .... Read More
+ National Digital Health Mission
During the independence day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort, Prime Minister of India, announced the launch of National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).
The mission envisages improving the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of health service delivery by leveraging open digital systems and integrating current digital health services.
The NDHM comes .... Read More
+ New Education Policy 2020
On 29th July, the Union Cabinetapproved the new National Education Policy (NEP) and renamed the Human Resource Development Ministry as Education Ministry.
The committee headed by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangansuggested changes in the education system under the NEP 2020.
The first NEP was drafted in 1986based on the recommendations the .... Read More
+ OBC sub-categorisation Commission
Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a six-month extension to the commission appointed to examine sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes. The commission will now have till January 31, 2021 to submit its report
OBC Sub-Categorisation Commission
Headed by retired Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini, the commission was appointed in October 2017 .... Read More
+ Task Force to Examine Age of Motherhood, Imperatives of lowering MMR& Improving Nutritional Levels
The Ministry for Women and Child Development (WCD) has set up a task force to look into factors that affect Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) among Indian women.
Jaya Jaitly Task Force
The task force, headed by Jaya Jaitly, has been mandated with inquiring into matters pertaining to age of motherhood, imperatives .... Read More
+ Rethinking Reservation Policy: Supreme Court Quashes 100% Quota for Tribal Teachers
In its April 22nd verdict, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held it unconstitutional to provide 100% reservation for tribal teachers in schools located in Scheduled Areas across the country.The five-judge Bench was answering a reference made to it in 2016 on whether 100% reservation is permissible under .... Read More
+ India May Miss Nutrition Targets
India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025, according to the Global Nutrition Report 2020 released recently. It also identified the country as one with the highest rates of domestic inequalities in malnutrition.
Global Nutrition Report 2020
In 2012, the World Health Assembly identified six .... Read More
+ PM Garib Kalyan Relief Package
On March 26, Finance Minister announced the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan package — a range of measures that the Government of India will take to alleviate the economic, health, and food-related distress of India’s poor in the wake of the national lockdown to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The .... Read More
+ 15TH FINANCE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS TABLED IN THE PARLIAMENT
The report of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, along with an Action Taken Report, was tabled in Parliament on February 1, 2019. The Commission, headed by N K Singh, had submitted its Report to the President in December 2019.
Key Recommendations in the First Report (2020-21 Period)
Devolution of Taxes to States: The .... Read More
+ Annual Status of Education Report Flags Poor Learning Outcomes in Schools
The fourteenth Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2019 ‘Early Years’) was released on 14 January 2020 by NGO Pratham. It has attempted to shine the spotlight on the early years, reporting on the schooling status as well as on a range of important developmental indicators for young children in .... Read More
+ Revisiting Roles of Constitutional Heads in a Democracy
Recently the offices of Constitutional heads namely the President of India as well as the Governor of a state came under the cloud amidst the ongoing tussle in Maharashtra over government formation.
The political turmoil in the state saw invocation of Article 356 to impose President’s rule, then special power to .... Read More
+ Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019: Dehumanising India's Third Gender
On 26th November 2019, the Rajya Sabha passed the bill on protection of rights of transgenders. The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on August 5, 2019. It seeks to recognise transgender persons, and confer anti-discriminatory rights and entitlements related to education, employment, health, and welfare measures.
Key Provisions of the .... Read More
+ India Gets its First Chief of Defence Staff
In a landmark decision with tremendous reform in higher defence management in the country, the Government has created the post of Chief of Defence Staff. General Bipin Rawat became the first CDS of India.
Chief of Defence Staff
It is the post of combined head of Army, Navy and Airforce.
CDS will be .... Read More
+ Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019: Extensive Powers but Less Responsibility
The Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill, 2019 introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology on December 11, 2019, has been referred to a joint select committee. The Bill seeks to provide for protection of personal data of individuals.
Salient Features of the Bill
It governs the processing .... Read More
+ Acute Encephalitis Syndrome: Litchi or Government’s Incompetency
Why in News?
Recently the outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar has claimed lives of more than 130 children in Muzaffarpur and its adjoining areas.
What is AES?
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is a group of Clinical neurologic manifestation caused by wide range of viruses, bacteria, fungus, parasites, spirochetes, chemical and .... Read More
+ Jal Shakti Ministry: Answer to Water Crisis?
On 1st June, 2019, government created a new Ministry called Jal Shakti by merging erstwhile Ministries of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Drinking Water and Sanitation.
To have one ministry will help in developing an integrated data management system in order to fix the water crisis looming across .... Read More
+ Crisis of Judicial Credibility
Why in News?
On 19th April 2019, a former junior Court Officer in Supreme Court alleged that she was sexually harassed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Ranjan Gogoi. Supreme Court formed an in-house panel to conduct an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations which comprised of Justices SA Bobde, .... Read More
+ Contempt of Court
What is Contempt of Court?
Contempt of court refers to actions, which defy a court’s authority, cast disrespect on a court, or impede the ability of the court to perform its function.
Classification of Contempt
Civil Contempt
Under Section 2(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act of 1971, civil contempt has been defined as .... Read More
+ Right to Vote from Prison
Why in News?
On 19th March, the Delhi High Court issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a PIL, filed by three law students from Uttar Pradesh pertaining to the denial of voting rights to prisoners – both under-trials and convicts.
Primarily, allegations have been made by the petitioners .... Read More
+ Model Code of Conduct
Why in News?
After the start of 1st phase of general election on 11th April, a number of top political leaders including UP’s CM Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati, etc, were banned by the Election Commission of India for violating model code of conduct.
What is Model of Code of Conduct (MCC)?
The MCC .... Read More
+ Official Secrets Act, 1923
Why in News?
Attorney general of India recently requested invocation of Official secrets act against The Hindu for using the “secret documents” related to Rafael Deal in breach of the OSA.
Historical Background of OSA
The first Indian official secrets act was enacted in 1889 to muzzle the voice of nationalist publications, which .... Read More
+ Electoral Bonds
What is an Electoral Bond?
Electoral Bond is a financial instrument for making donations to political parties. It is a bond issued in the nature of promissory note which shall be a bearer banking instrument.
The party can convert these bonds back into money via their bank accounts. It neither carries the .... Read More
+ Current Affairs Question
Q. Consider the following statements about Doctrine of Basic Structure:
The phrase ‘Basic Structure’ finds no mention anywhere in the Constitution.
Judicial Review and Federal Character of the Constitution falls under the ambit of Basic Structure.
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 .... Read More
+ Regulating Bias in Algorithms
Algorithms is a set of instructions that can be used to solve a problem. The reasons for the increasing reliance on algorithms are evident. First, an algorithm can make decisions more efficiently than human beings, thus indicating its superiority to human rationality. Second, an algorithm can provide emotional distance — .... Read More
+ Reconciling Tribal Rights with Biodiversity Conservation
The Supreme Court’s order to evict, over the next five months, occupants of forest lands who failed to make a successful claim for tenure under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, has once again highlighted the dilemma of reconciling inalienable tribal rights with biodiversity conservation.
Government’s Response
The Centre and the State of .... Read More
+ Education Qualification for Local Body Elections
One of the first decisions of the newly elected Rajasthan government has been to scrap the minimum educational qualification criteria for candidates contesting local body elections. This reverses the amendments introduced by the previous government of the BJP in 2015 which required candidates contesting the zila parishad and panchayat samiti .... Read More
+ Global Hunger Index: India Slides down to 102nd Rank
India has slipped to 102nd position in the Global Hunger Index 2019 of 117 countries and is among the 45 countries that have serious levels of hunger.
Key Findings
Global Scenario
Hunger afflicts almost 821.6 million people worldwide as per its estimates, and nearly two billion people suffer from malnutrition worldwide.
The level of .... Read More
+ Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey Points at India’s Nutrition Deprived Children
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently released the first-ever Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey in collaboration with UNICEF.
The survey was conducted from 2016-2018 covering India’s 0-19 years age Children.
It recorded malnutrition that included micronutrient deficiencies and details of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and kidney function .... Read More
+ Consumer Protection Act, 2019: Strengthening Consumers' Rights
On 6th August, Parliament passed the Consumer protection bill 2019, which aims to protect the rights of consumers by establishing authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumers’ dispute and will replace the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
Salient Features
It defines the “consumer” as a person who buys any .... Read More
+ Surrogacy Regulation Act 2019- Regulating the Rented Womb
The Lok Sabha Passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 on August 5, 2019. It defines surrogacy as a practice where a woman gives birth to a child for an intending couple with the intention to hand over the child after the birth to the intending couple.
Salient Features
Regulation of Surrogacy: It .... Read More
+ Surgical Strike or Integration sans Integrity: The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019 by the Minister of Home Affairs and subsequently passed in Lok Sabha on 6th Aug 2019. The Bill provides for reorganization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) into the Union Territory of .... Read More
+ Anti-Defection Law: Has it Lost Relevance amidst the Current Political Crisis?
Background
Recent political crisis in Karnataka, where some MLAs resigned to circumvent the provisions of the anti-defection law, has raised a question mark on the relevance of statue, whose main objective was to curb political defections. The strategic merger (majority of opposition party merged into the ruling party) in the state .... Read More
+ The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019
The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed by Rajya Sabha on June 24th, 2019. It replaces an ordinance promulgated on March 2, 2019, which aimed to circumvent Supreme Court judgement of September 2018, which struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act that permitted private entities like .... Read More
+ Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPA), 2019
Recently the Union government declared India’s most wanted terrorists Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed, Zakir-ur-Rahman Lakhvi and Masood Azhar,terrorists under the UAPA, 2019.
Background
UAPA, 1967 was enacted to prevent certain unlawful activities which means any action taken by an individual or association (whether by committing an act or by words, either .... Read More
Judiciary
+ Permanent Commission for Women Army Officers
In its 25th March verdict, the Supreme Court allowed the pleas of several women short service commission (SSC) officers seeking grant of Permanent Commission in the Army and held that the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) evaluation process was flawed and discriminatory in nature as it did not address the gender .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Refuses to Stay Sale of Electoral Bonds
On 26th March, the Supreme Court refused to stay the sale of electoral bonds before Assembly elections in crucial States like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu etc.
A plea to stay the sale of a new set of electoral bonds between April 1-10, before Assembly elections in crucial States, was filed by .... Read More
+ Reservation for OBCs in Local Bodies Only Statutory, Can’t Breach 50% Ceiling: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court recently said that reservation in favour of Other Backward Classes in concerned local bodies cannot exceed an aggregate of 50 per cent of the total seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and OBCs taken together.
The judgment came on petitions challenging Section 12(2)(c) of the Maharashtra .... Read More
+ Voicing Dissent Against Govt. Does Not Amount to Sedition: Supreme Court
Recently, while rejecting a plea to terminate the Lok Sabha membership of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and book him for seditionover his remarks after the abrogation of Article 370, the Supreme Court said that voicing dissent against the government does not amount to sedition.
Sedition
Section 124 A of IPC (Indian Penal Code) .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Upholds Right to Choose Life Partner
In a case of an inter-caste marriage from Karnataka; the Supreme Court on 8th February, underscored the right of the adults to choose their life partner.
Highlights of the Verdict
The Supreme Court bench upheld the right of adults to choose a life partner and added that it is time society learns .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Puts Three Farm Laws on Hold
On 12th January, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India put on hold the implementation of the three farming laws and announced the setting up of a committee of experts to suggest if any changes were needed in the enactments which are being opposed by the farming .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Dismisses Aadhaar Review Petitions
The Supreme Court, in a majority view, dismissed a series of petitions seeking a review of its 2018 judgment upholding the Lok Sabha Speaker’s certification of Aadhaar law as a Money Bill and its subsequent passage in Parliament.
However, one judge dissented with the majority, saying the Aadhaar review petitions should .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ Contempt of Court and the Role of Attorney General
Recently the role of Attorney General has come into focus with a spate of contempt cases seeking his approval under the Contempt law of India.
Procedure to Initiate Contempt of Court Provisions
The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, lays down the law on contempt of court. Section 15 of the legislation describes .... Read More
+ SC Asks Trial Courts to Consider Witness Protection in Cases Against MPs, MLAs
The Supreme Court has asked trial courts hearing criminal cases against sitting and former legislators to consider providing protection to witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 even without making any specific application for the same, keeping in mind their vulnerability.
The three-judge bench of the supreme court issued the directive .... Read More
+ Right to Residence at Shared Household for Victims of Domestic Violence: SC
The Supreme Court has allowed women fighting domestic violence cases the right to reside in the ‘shared household’ even if her husband had no legal right to the house and the same was owned by the father-in-law or mother-in-law.
A three-judge bench passed the landmark ruling in Satish ChanderAjuha v. Sneha .... Read More
+ Denying Overtime Wages Affront to Worker’s Right to Life: SC
The Supreme Court recently struck downGujarat government’s decision to exempt industries from paying overtime wages and increasing the working hours of employees by citing the public emergency and economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.
The court also invoked its powers under Article 142 to do complete .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Verdict on Right to Public Protest
The Supreme Court on 7th October 2020 verdict in Amit Sahni v Commissioner of Police & Others., held that public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely for protesting or expressing dissent. The landmark judgment was passed on a batch of petitions seeking directions for removing protesters from a public road in .... Read More
+ Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertisements
A Supreme Court-mandated Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA)recently noted in its meeting that some states are yet to constitute their respective committees and this delay might be construed as a contempt of the apex court's orders.
Further, the CCRGA explained that in the event of any non-compliance of .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Puts Stay on Maratha Reservation
Recently, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court put interim stay on Maharashtra State reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act (SEBC Act),2018,which provides reservation for Maratha community in government jobs and educational institutions for undergraduate courses in Maharashtra.
Key Points
The SEBC Act originally provided 16 percent reservation for Maratha .... Read More
+ SC’s verdict on Hindu women’s inheritance rights
Through itslatest verdict, the Supreme Court expanded on a Hindu woman’s right to be a joint legal heir and inherit ancestral property on terms equal to male heirs.
Supreme Court Ruling
A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that a Hindu woman’s right to be a joint heir to the ancestral .... Read More
+ SC Verdict on Padmanabhaswamy Temple Management Rights
Reversing the 2011 Kerala High Court decision, the Supreme Courtupheld the right of the Travancore royal family to manage the property of deity at Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
The ruling ends the legal battle the temple and members of the royal family have fought with the Kerala government fordecadesover .... Read More
+ Right to Reservationis not a Fundamental Right: SC
The Supreme Court recently ruled that reservation of seats to certain communities is not a Fundamental Right and refused to act on a petition filed by all political parties from Tamil Nadu who sought 50% OBC reservation in the all-India NEET seats surrendered by states.
Key Highlights
The petitioners argued that the .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Declares ‘Secrecy of Ballot’a Cornerstone of Free and Fair Elections
In a recent judgement Supreme Court has held that Secrecy of ballot is the cornerstone of free and fair elections. It asserted that the choice of a voter should be free and the secret ballot system in a democracy ensures that.
Supreme Court’s Verdict
The Supreme Court observed that it is the .... Read More
+ Govt Launches iGOT Portal to Train Doctors, Health Care Workers to Combat COVID-19
The government has launched a special digital platform iGOT for training and capacity building of healthcare staff including doctors, nurses, paramedics, hygiene workers and technicians, stepping up efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The Centre has constituted 11 Empowered Groups to formulate plans and provide effective solutions to address the challenges .... Read More
+ Celebrating 47 years of Kesavananda Bharati Case
Supreme Court gave the landmark Kesavananda Bharti vs State of Kerala verdict forty seven years ago on 24th April 1973.This judgement is hailed for giving us the famous doctrine of basic structure of the Constitution which has time and again prevented many constitutional crises.
Keshavananda Bharti Verdict
Since the Indian Constitution was .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Modifies Order: Free COVID-19 Tests in Private Labs Only for Persons Covered Under ‘Ayushman Yojana’
The Supreme Court recently modified its April 8 order which asked private labs to conduct free COVID-19 tests and said the benefit will be available only to "economically weaker sections" who are covered under a government scheme such as the Ayushman Bharat. The top court said it never intended to .... Read More
+ J&K High Court Opines ’Darbar Move’ a Burden on Exchequer
Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court asked the Centre and the Union Territory (UT) administration to take a final call on the continuation of the 148-year-old practice of shifting capitals annually between Srinagar and Jammu, which burdens the exchequer citing its limitation on the extent of jurisdiction on the .... Read More
+ SC Orders Centre and States to Provide Transport, Food and Shelter to Migrants
A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on May 26 stated that there have been inadequacies and certain lapses on the part of the Central and State governments in dealing with the migrant workers crisis during the lockdown.
The court took suo motu cognisance of media reports on helpless migrants forced .... Read More
+ Madras High Court Sets Aside Restraints on Puducherry Lt.Governor
A Madras High Court 2019 order restraining Puducherry Lt. Governor from interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the elected government was set aside by a division bench recently stating that the elected Chief Minister and the appointed Lt. Governor should work in unison.
Court’s Verdict
The Bench stated in its that its .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Ruling Against Judicial Transparency
In its recent decision, in the Chief Information Commissioner v. High Court of Gujarat case, the Supreme Court,barred citizens from securing access to court records under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Supreme Court’s Verdict
The verdict hinged on Section 22 of the RTI Act which states that the RTI Act shall .... Read More
+ SC Directs States to Issue Notification for Establishing Gram Nyayalayas
The Supreme Court has directed the states, which are yet to come out with notifications for establishing ‘Gram Nyayalayas’, to do so within four weeks, and asked the high courts to expedite the process of consultation with state governments on this issue.
Issues with Gram Nyayalayas
The major reason behind the non-enforcement .... Read More
+ Reservation in Job Promotions not a Fundamental Right: Supreme Court
In its 7th February 2020 judgement, the Supreme Court said that reservation in promotion in public posts cannot be claimed as a fundamental right. The Supreme Court’s judgment overturned a 2012 ruling by the Uttarakhand High Court that directed the state to provide quotas to specified communities.
Supreme Court’s Verdict
The Supreme .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Panel Recommends Several Prison Reforms
Recently, a Supreme Court-appointed committee headed by Justice Amitava Roy (retd.) to reform prisons submitted its report to the Chief Justice of India giving several suggestions to improve the living conditions in Indian prisons.
In September 2018 the court had appointed the Justice Roy Committee to examine the various problems plaguing .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Upholds Constitutional Validity of SC & ST Amendment Act, 2018
On 10th February 2019, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018.
Supreme Court’s Verdict
The February 10, 2020 judgement upheld the constitutional validity of SC & ST Amendment Act 2018, thereby nullifying its own controversial March 20, 2018 judgment diluting .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Declares Private Property a Human Right
Granting relief to an 80 year old woman from Himachal Pradesh, Supreme Court Bench in its 8th January judgement stated that a citizen’s right to own private property is a human right and the state cannot take possession of it without following due procedure and authority of law.
Background of the .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Accords Fundamental Right Status to Internet Access
On 10th January, the Supreme Court declared that access to the internet is protected under Article 19 of the Constitution.
Supreme Court Verdict
In response to a plea against the suspension of internet services in Jammu and Kashmir since last August, a three-judge bench of the Court affirmed that the right to .... Read More
+ Rise in Review Petitions at Supreme Court
Recently, there is a visible increase in the number of review petitions seeking review of Supreme Court’s landmark verdicts like Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi, telecom adjusted gross revenue, Rafael, Sabarimala, etc.
Review Petition
As per the Constitution of India, SC acts as a court of record whose judgments, proceedings and acts are recorded .... Read More
+ Office of CJI Comes Under the Purview of RTI Act
On 13th November 2019, the five-member Constitution bench of Supreme Court (SC) held that office of the Chief Justice of India is a public authority under the Right to Information Act.
Supreme Court Judgement
In its unanimous verdict on 13th November 2019, the SC stated that transparency does not undermine judicial independence .... Read More
+ First Ever Conviction under Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016
On 16th June, 2019, National Investigation Agency Special(NIA) Court, Ahmedabad pronounced its judgment in the Jet Hijacking Case, making the accused Birju Kishor Salla the first convict under the Anti-Hijacking Act of 2016.
Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016
It replaced the Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982, which had insufficient penalties and shortcomings such as hijackers could .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Upholds Constitutionality of Section 23 of PCPNDT Act
On 3rd May, 2019, the Supreme Court while dismissing a writ petition filed by Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI), upheld the constitutional validity of Section 23 of the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994.
It observed that dilution of the provisions of the Act or .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Denies Extension date on Finalisation of Assam NRC
On 8th May, 2019, the Supreme Court said that it will not extend the July 31, 2019 deadline for finalisation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
It gave a free hand to Assam NRC coordinator dealing with claims and objections of persons against wrong exclusion or inclusion of .... Read More
+ EC to increase VVPAT Verification from One EVM to Five
On 8th April, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission to increase the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips from one Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) per Assembly constituency to five.
The court’s direction came on a plea by leaders of 21 opposition parties who wanted it to be hiked to .... Read More
+ Supreme Court calls for Death Penalty as an Exception
Why in News?
On 5th March 2019, Supreme Court ordered the release of 6 innocent men who were held guilty of heinous crime and were locked in Yervada jail for 16 years awaiting death sentence (Ankush Maruti Shinde v. State of Maharashtra case).
In another case an appeal was filed by a .... Read More
+ Government’s Prerogative to Frame Schemes: Supreme Court
In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court said that it is the sole prerogative of the government to frame schemes and courts should stay out of governance.
It is only in exceptional cases when the court considers it proper to issue appropriate mandatory directions, said the Supreme Court.
Basis for the Judgment
The .... Read More
+ Country’s First Lokpal Appointed
On 20th March, 2019, former Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose was appointed as India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal.
PC Ghose, who retired as Supreme Court judge in May 2017, was a member of the National Human Rights Commission when he was appointed to the Lokpal’s position.
Justice Ghose’s name was finalised .... Read More
+ What Does ‘Sedition’ Mean in Our Time?
Recently, the Delhi Police filed a charge sheet against 10 people, including student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, and Anirban Bhattacharya, in a sedition case for
allegedly raising “anti-national slogans” during an event on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in February 2016.
Section 124A (Sedition)
Whoever, by words, either spoken or .... Read More
+ SC Refuses to Modify its Order on DGP Appointment
The Supreme Court on January 16 declined to dilute its last year’s directions in respect of the selection and the appointment of the DGPs at the behest of the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
What was the July 3 Order?
On July 3, 2018, the apex court directed .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Collegium in the Line of Fire
The Supreme Court collegium’s recent decision of revoking the promotion of two High Court judges to the apex court has created controversy, renewing the debate to abolish this system.
What was the Issue?
The collegium decided to appoint Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, by retracting and superseding its own earlier .... Read More
+ Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region becomes Functional
The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR)set up in December 2018 has started functioning as an information sharing hub of maritime data and “cuing incident responses” to maritime security situations through a collaborative approach.
The centre is actively interacting with the maritime community and has already built linkages with .... Read More
+ Judicial Power of President to Grant Clemency
Recently, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the commutation of death sentence to life term of Babbar Khalsa terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana for his role in Punjab CM Beant Singh’s assassination on August 31,1995.Clemency Powers Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President has the power to .... Read More
+ SC/ ST Act: Supreme Court Recalls March 2018 Directions
On 1st Oct, 2019, the Supreme Court recalled its directions in a March 20, 2018 verdict that had effectively diluted provisions of arrest under the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act). This was done after a plea by the Centre seeking a review of .... Read More
+ Cabinet approves increasing strength of Supreme Court Judges from 31 to 34
Against the backdrop of rising cases in the Supreme Court, President of India has given assent to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2019 to increase the strength of judges in the top court from the present 31 to 34, including the Chief Justice of India. At present, .... Read More
+ Supreme Court issues Notice on Mob Lynching
On 26 July 2019, Supreme Court issued notices to the Central government, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and state governments, including Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, on a petition (PIL) filed by the NGOAnti-Corruption Council of India Trust, seeking implementation status of the apex court’s .... Read More
+ Collegium of Supreme Court Judges Back in the Spotlight
The recent controversy over the transfer of the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani, to the Meghalaya High Court has once again brought to the fore a long-standing debate on the functioning of the ‘Collegium’ of judges.
Collegium System
Collegium is a system under which judges .... Read More
Legislative
+ Jharkhand State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2021.
On 15th March, the Jharkhand government announced 75% reservation in private sector jobs with a salary of up to Rs 30,000 for locals in its Jharkhand State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2021.
Key Provisions of the Bill
Definition of Private Sector: The bill will treat shops, establishments, mines, enterprises, industries, companies, .... Read More
+ Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020
On 16th March, the Rajya Sabha passed the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 that increases the time period within which an abortion may be carried out by certain ‘special categories ’ of women.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in March 2020.
It amends the Medical Termination .... Read More
+ Unrecognised Parties Doubled in 10 Years
According to a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the number of registered unrecognised political parties has increased two-fold from 2010 to 2019.
Newly registered political parties or those which have not secured enough percentage of votes in the assembly or general elections to become a state party, or those .... Read More
+ DNA Technology Regulation Bill
Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change has recommended that the government assuage concerns raised over the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019, including over creation of a national databank of crime scene DNA profiles and fears of communities being targeted.
The .... Read More
+ Government Drafts a Bill to Strengthen Cigarette & Tobacco Control Law
The government has drafted the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Amendment Bill, 2020.
Salient Features of the Bill
Change in Age of Smoking: Amendment in Section 6 has increased the legal age of smoking to 21 from current 18 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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, .... Read More
+ Haryana Reserves 75% Private Jobs for State’s Residents
The Haryana Assembly recently passed a bill to give 75% reservation in the private sector to job seekers from the state.
Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020
It aims to provide 75 % of the new employment to local candidates for jobs having salary of less than Rs 50,000 per .... Read More
+ Aircraft (Amendment) Act 2020
The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 that gives three aviation regulators statutory powers and enhances the fine for violations from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore in a bid to improve aircraft safety, was passed by Parliament recently. It amended the Aircraft Act, 1934 which regulates manufacture, possession, use, operation, sale, import .... Read More
+ Parliament Passes two Bills to Revamp Indian Medicine System
Recently Parliament approved two Bills namely the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill to revamp homeopathy and Indian Medicine System.
National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019
This Bill seeks to repeal the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 and to set up a .... Read More
+ Arunachal Pradesh Seeks Inclusion in Sixth Schedule
Recently Arunachal Pradesh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution for the entire state to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the constitution and to amend Article 371(H) to protect the rights of its indigenous population.
Arunachal Pradesh comes under the Fifth Schedule, which deals with provisions related to the administration and .... Read More
+ Governor’s Role in Summoning Legislature
The recent tussle between Rajasthan Governor and the State Government over convening a session of the Assembly at a time when Speaker’s decision regarding rebel MLAs is pending has once again brought into focus Governors legislative power to summon the house.
Notably, the deputy CM of Rajasthan and 18 MLAs had .... Read More
+ Consumer Protection Act 2019
The Consumer Protection Act,2019 came in to force from 20 July. Under this new Act, besides general rules, there are Central Consumer Protection Council Rules, Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Rules as well as rules regarding other salient features.
Salient Features of Consumer Protection Act 2019
1.It defines the “consumer” as a person .... Read More
+ Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code
One of the most archaic laws, brought in by the British in the 19th century, that punishes attempts to commit suicide – Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), contrary to popular perception that it has been repealed, continues to exist in the statute book and, as reports suggest, .... Read More
+ Constitutional Crisis Looms Large for Maharashtra CM
Amidst theCorona virus pandemic a constitutional crisis is looming large in Maharashtra over the continuation of Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Minister without becoming a legislator within six months after taking oath.
Constitutional Issues ahead for Maharashtra Government
Violation of Article 164: Uddhav, who took oath on November 28 as the CM .... Read More
+ Fifteen MPs nominated for the Delimitation Commission by Lok Sabha Speaker
Lok Speaker has nominated 15 MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh associates of the Delimitation Commission recently to assist the Commission in redrawing the Lok Sabha and the Assembly constituencies of the northeastern States and the Union Territory.
Associate Members of Delimitation Commission
Associate Members are Members .... Read More
+ Parliament Approves Three Central Sanskrit Universities
On 16th March, Parliament passed a bill to upgrade three deemed Sanskrit universities into central universities. The Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha. Earlier the bill was passed by Lok Sabha.
Central Sanskrit Universities Bill 2019
It seeks to upgrade three deemed to be universities .... Read More
+ Cabinet approves Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020
On 26th February, the Union Cabinet approved the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020, allowing a “willing” woman to be a surrogate mother besides other provisions after incorporating all the 15 recommendations of 23-member Rajya Sabha Select Committee.
Surrogacy (Regulation Bill) 2020
It allows any “willing” woman to be a surrogate mother and proposes .... Read More
+ Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, 2020
The Union Cabinet has approved the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, 2020 proposing a legal framework and code of conduct to keep a check on in-vitro fertilisation, embryo transfers and sperm banks- another set of infertility related services and industry that are mushrooming rapidly in the country.
Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation .... Read More
+ Andhra Pradesh Assembly Clears Proposal for Three State Capitals
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly approved a proposal to create three state capitals —Visakhapatnam, Kurnool, and Amravati — to help decentralised development. In this light it has passed the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Equal Development of All Regions Act 2020.
Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Equal Development of All Regions Act, 2020
The government .... Read More
+ Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill Passed in LokSabha
On 27th November, 2019, the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 introduced by Ministry of Home Affairs was passed in the LokSabha. The Bill amends the Special Protection Group Act, 1988.
Key Provisions
Under the SPG Act 1988, the SPG provides security to the Prime Minister and his immediate family members. It .... Read More
+ India Celebrates 70 years of Adoption of the Constitution
The 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India, was celebrated with a joint session of both the houses of the parliament. Recently RajyaSabha also observed its 250th session on 18th November.
Highlights
The government celebrated the Constitution Day on 26th November in the Central Hall of Parliament where the .... Read More
+ Andhra Pradesh Legislature Passes the Disha Bill 2019
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, 2019 (Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2019).Disha is the name given to a veterinarian who was raped and murdered in Hyderabad on November 27.
Salient Features of the Disha Act
Death Penalty for Rape
At present, provision for punishing an offender .... Read More
+ Presidential Assent Given to the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019
On 13th December, the President approved the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019, providing for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment for manufacturing and carrying illegal arms. It amends the Arms Act, 1959.
Salient Features of the Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019
As per the 2019 act, those who possess more than two firearms will .... Read More
+ Bill to Ban e-Cigarettes Approved by the Parliament
On 2nd December, the Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage, and Advertisement) Bill, 2019. It replaced an Ordinance promulgated in September 2019.
Salient Features of the Bill
It defines e-cigarettes as electronic devices that heat a substance, which may contain nicotine and other .... Read More
+ Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 comes into Effect
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) stands bifurcated from October 31, 2019 as J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 comes into effect. This reduces the number of states in India to 28 while increases the total Union Territories (UTs) to nine. This is for the first time in the history of India that a .... Read More
+ Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Merger Act 2019
On 9th Dec, the President gave assent to the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019 to merge two Union territories Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli into one unit.
Salient Features of the Act
It amends the First Schedule of the Constitution .... Read More
+ Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019
On 12th June, 2019, Union Cabinet approved the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 by replacing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Second Ordinance, 2019.
It proposes to declare the practice of triple talaq as void and illegal.
Salient Features of the Bill
Cognisable Offence: It makes declaration .... Read More
+ Cabinet approves International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2019
On 12th June, 2019, Cabinet approved the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) Bill, 2019, with a view to promote ease of doing business in India.
It provides for the repeal of the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Ordinance, 2019 and saves all the actions done or taken under the ordinance .... Read More
+ One Nation One Election
Prime Minister initiated the idea of One Nation, One Election (ONOE) with the motto of conducting the Lok Sabha and the state assembly’s elections together, once in five years.
However, the initiative will need a constitutional amendment, which will have to be ratified by 50 percent of the states.
Background
Simultaneous elections are .... Read More
+ Lok Sabha Election 2019 results
The 2019 general election was held in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha. The elections were held on schedule and per the Constitution of India that mandates parliamentary elections once every five years.
Key Highlights
About 900 million people were eligible to vote .... Read More
+ Registration of Marriage Bill, 2019
On 10th April, 2019, the Registration of Marriage Bill, 2019 (NRI Bill), was introduced in the Rajya Sabha to ensure legal recourse for the victims.
Spurt in cases of marriage fraud is the main reason behind government’s push for NRI bill.
Key Proposals of the Bill
The bill proposes to offer greater protection .... Read More
+ Electoral Bonds hit Transparency in Political Funding: Election Commission (EC)
Contrary to government claims, the Election Commission of India told the Supreme Court that electoral bonds can wreck transparency in political funding in India.
Election Commission’s Prediction
According to EC, Electoral Bonds coupled with the removal of cap on foreign funding, can invite foreign corporate powers to impact Indian politics.
Donations received through .... Read More
+ How Much Time can a Chief Minister Take before Announcing his Council of Ministers?
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on February 19 expanded his two-member Cabinet with induction of ten members. KCR was sworn in for a second term on December 13, 2018.
Issue Involved
More than two months on he had not formed his council of ministers, making it perhaps the first instance .... Read More
+ Bribe Allegation against the Speaker of the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha
Recently, the Speaker of the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha was embroiled in a controversy. The chief minister alleged that the Speaker was offered a bribe of Rs 50 crore. He played a tape which purportedly contains a conversation referring to money being offered to the Speaker for accepting the resignation of .... Read More
+ Twitter CEO Summoned by Parliament
Recently, a complaint was submitted to Anurag Thakur, Chairman of Parliament’s Departmentally Related Standing Committee on Information Technology, alleging an anti-rightwing bias on the social media platform Twitter.
The Committee wrote to Twitter on February 1, asking that “representatives of Twitter” attend a hearing of the Committee.
ABCD
Counter Terrorism Infrastructure in India
Counter-terrorism .... Read More
+ The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018
The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 4, 2019.
Remember This: The Bill amends the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.The Aadhaar .... Read More
+ Government Moves to Access and Trace all ‘Unlawful’ Content Online
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on December 21, 2018 has discussed a draft of The Information Technology [Intermediaries Guidelines (Amendment) Rules] 2018, according to which social media platforms will soon have to end the complete encryption system and remove any “unlawful content” for the sake of the country’s .... Read More
+ J&K law to Stop ‘Sextortion’ of Women
State Administration Council (SAC) headed by Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal on December 12, 2018 approved an amendment to the J&K Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), to insert a section to provide for the offence of “sextortion.”AmendmentUnder Section 354E of the RPC, the new law explicitly bans sexual exploitation of .... Read More
+ Centre Amends Rules for Minorities from Three Nations
As per the new rules notified on December 03, 2018, the Central government has made the changes under Section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Under the amendments, a separate entry in the form will ask the applicant: Do you belong to one of the minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and .... Read More
+ Maratha Quota
The Maharashtra Assembly on November 29 unanimously passed a legislation granting 16 per cent reservation to the Maratha community under the socially and educationally backward category.
Highlights
With the approval of the quota, reservations in the state have surpassed the 50 per cent ceiling set by the Supreme Court for state governments .... Read More
+ Criminal Law ill-equipped to Deal with Communal Riots
Noting that the general criminal law is ill-equipped to deal with communal riots cases, the Delhi High Court on November 28 suggested several reforms, including possibility of entrusting investigative and prosecution process in such cases to authorities other than normal agencies of the State.
Political Influence
After each event of communal riots, .... Read More
+ Sedition Law Strikes Again
Recently, a Bihar court directed the filing of an FIR against 49 eminent persons who signed an open letter to the Prime Minister expressing concerns over mob lynching under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including sedition. However, later on Bihar Police dismissed the petition.
Section 124-A of IPC
IPC .... Read More
+ Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019
The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed, on July 22, 2019, which amended the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 that provides for a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), State Human Rights Commissions (SHRC), as well as Human Rights Courts.
Salient Features of Amendment
Change related to Composition of .... Read More
+ National Medical Commission Act 2019- A Mega Reform of Medical Sector
On 7th August, President of India gave assent to the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019 which is aimed at ushering in mega reforms in the medical education sector.
Salient Features of the Act
Repeals the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and dissolves the Medical Council of India.
Sets up National Medical Council .... Read More
+ The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed on July 23, 2019 to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The amendment seeks to impose strict penalties on violation of traffic rules, streamlining of licencing and its administration, and address the dire state of road safety in the country, especially after .... Read More
+ Inter - State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 gets Legislative Nod
On 31st July, Lok Sabha passed the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to amend the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. It aims to speed up the resolution of long-festering inter-state water disputes by establishing a single central tribunal in place of the numerous existing ones.
Need
Interminable Delay: .... Read More
+ The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019
On 22nd July 2019, Lok Sabha passed The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which aims to amend the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The Bill proposes to give the Central government power to set the tenure and salaries of state and central Information Commissioners.
Salient Features of the Bill
Term of Information .... Read More
+ Government Issues Ordinance to Ban e-Cigarettes
On 19th Sept 2019, government issued an ordinance Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement) Ordinance, 2019 to ban e-cigarettes which are advertised as “alternative” smoking devices.
Key Provisions of the Bill
First time violators will face a jail term of up to one .... Read More
+ Marine Fisheries Regulation and Management (MFRM) Bill 2019
The Marine Fisheries Regulation and Management (MFRM) Bill 2019 is in the public domain for discussion.
Need of the Bill
International Obligation: India has obligations to frame laws under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements. The MFRM Bill 2019 .... Read More
News Bytes
+ Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which amended the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 was passed by the parliament recently.
The Constitution empowers the President to specify the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in various states and union territories. Further, it permits Parliament to modify this list of notified SCs.
The .... Read More
+ Dandi March
On the 91st anniversary of the historic salt march led by Mahatma Gandhi along with 78 men, from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in Gujarat, Prime Minister flagged off a symbolic 386-kilometre ‘Dandi march’, following the same route. The PM also launched Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of .... Read More
+ Ayushman Bharat Schemes Reaches Milestone Before Time
On 21st March, Ministry of Health and Family welfare (MoHFW) informed that the government has achieved its planned target of operationalising 70,000 Ayushman Bharat- health and wellness centres (AB-HWCs) ahead of time.
The government had earlier set March 31 as the deadline for realising the target.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme
It is a .... Read More
+ Sugamya Bharat App
Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment recently launched the 'Sugamya Bharat' App which has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
It is a crowd-sourcing mobile application which will act as a means for sensitising and enhancing accessibility in the three pillars of the Accessible India .... Read More
+ Rights of OCI Cardholders
The government has notified a consolidated list of rights that Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) enjoy along with a list of activities which would require prior permission.
Key Provisions
The notification granted OCIs the right of multiple entry lifelong visa to India for any purpose; exemption from registration with the Foreigners’ Regional .... Read More
+ Special Marriage Act
Recently, Allahabad High Court ruled that people marrying under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, can choose not to publicise their union with a notice 30 days in advance.
Under Section 5 of the Act, which enables inter-faith marriages, the couple has to give notice to the Marriage Officer; and under Sections .... Read More
+ Patharu Ghat Uprising
Nearly 140 unarmed peasants were killed by the British on 28 January, 1894 in Assam for protesting against the high taxation in land revenue levied by the colonial administration, when the military opened fire.
The incident had taken place at Patharughat, a small village in Assam’s Darrang district, where a .... Read More
+ Institutions of Eminence Allowed to Set Up Campus Abroad
Indian universities and colleges with the Institutions of Eminence (IOEs) tag, which include several IITs, will now be able to set up campuses in foreign countries with the University Grants Commission (UGC) issuing fresh guidelines on the same.
Institutions of Eminence Scheme
The Education Ministry had launched the IoE scheme in 2018 .... Read More
+ Education Ministry Guidelines to Identify and Educate Migrant Children
The Union Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for educating migrant children across the country, whose studies were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the new guidelines, the government will identify these school-going underprivileged students and will either enrol them for online classes or help them to attend physical .... Read More
+ Maharashtra-Karnataka border Dispute
Recently Maharashtra Chief Minister released a book published by the state government, titled ‘Maharashtra-Karnataka Seemavad: Sangharsh Aani Sankalp’ (Maharashtra-Karnataka Boundary Dispute: Struggle and Pledge).
The book is a collection of articles, news, and other material on the demand that Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka should be integrated into Maharashtra.
Background of the Dispute
The .... Read More
+ Parakram Diwas to Commemorate Birth Anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose
Government celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, popularly known as Netaji, as first Parakram Diwas on 23rd January 2021, in Kolkata.
Henceforth, the Government will celebrate his birthday every year as 'Parakram Diwas' to inspire people of the country, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the .... Read More
+ Entire Nagaland Declared ‘Disturbed Area’ under AFSPA
On 30th December, 2020, Ministry of Home Affairs declared entire Nagaland disturbed area for six more months under Section 3 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act,1958.
The decision to continue the declaration of Nagaland as a disturbed area has been taken as killings, loot and extortion have been going .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ Goddess Annapurna Idol
On November 29, Prime Minister announced that an ancient idol of the goddess Annapurna, stolen from India about a century ago, is being brought back from Canada.
This idol was stolen from a temple on the river banks of Varanasi and smuggled out of the country around 100 years ago .... Read More
+ E-Lok Adalat
To facilitate access to justice amidst the constraints placed by Covid-19 and various public health guidelines, the Legal Services Authorities have ingeniously integrated technology into its conventional methods of justice delivery.
Online Lok Adalat popularly known as E -Lok Adalat is one such innovation of Legal Services Institutions where technology has .... Read More
+ Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda Education) Amendment Regulations, 2020
Postgraduate students in Ayurveda will now be trained and allowed to perform a variety of general surgery, ENT, ophthalmology, and dental procedures.
The decision has come after the Central Council of Indian Medicine amended Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda Education) Regulations, 2016, to include the regulation to allow the .... Read More
+ Kerala Police Act 2011 Amendment
Kerala Governor recently signed an ordinance amending the Kerala Police Act purportedly to give the law enforcement more teeth to prosecute persons who exploit social media to target women and children.
Reason to Introduce Changes
The government had mooted the revision against the high-profile instance of a group of women activists taking .... Read More
+ Right to Recall Panchayat Member
The Haryana Assembly recently passed a Bill which provides the right to recall members of Panchayati Raj institutions to those who elected them and gives women 50% reservation in these rural bodies.
Haryana Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020
The Bill allows the people of rural areas to recall village sarpanches and .... Read More
+ Tamil Nadu Governor Gives Assent to Bill on 7.5% Medical Reservation
Tamil Nadu Governor recently granted assent to the ‘Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy on preferential basis to the students of Government Schools Bill, 2020’.
Highlights of the Act
The new law will provide a 7.5% horizontal quota for students who have studied from Classes .... Read More
+ Child Care Leavesfor Male Single Parents in Government Services
Government recently announced that male government employees who were single parents are now entitled to child care leave in a path-breaking and progressive reform to bring ease of living for government servants.
Key Provisions
“Single male parent” included employees who were unmarried or widower or divorcee and might therefore be expected to .... Read More
+ NPPA Caps Medical Oxygen Price
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped the prices of medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders following complaints of black marketing and hoarding because of increased demand for them for Covid-19 patients.
The move is aimed at ensuring the availability of medical oxygen at reasonable prices.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
NPPA was .... Read More
+ TRIFED Initiatives for Tribal Welfare
Recently government flagged off several TRIFED initiatives that are aimed to support the tribal people.
Tribes India E-Marketplace
Tribes India E-Marketplace is India’s largest handicraft and organic products marketplace.
It is an ambitious initiative through which TRIFED aims to onboard 5 lakh tribal producers for sourcing of various handicraft, handloom, natural food products .... Read More
+ Union Cabinet Approves Adoption of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act
The Union Cabinet recently approved the adoption of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 which was amended and notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on October 17.
The amendment paves the way for the creation of District Development Councils (DDCs), whose members will be directly elected by .... Read More
+ Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act
President of India recently gave his assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020, that provides for inclusion of Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi in the list of official languages in Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to Urdu and English. According to the 2011 census, only 0.16 per cent .... Read More
+ Global Smart City Index 2020
Recently, the Institute for Management Development (IMD), in collaboration with Singapore University for Technology and Design (SUTD), released the 2020 Smart City Index.
In SCI's context, 'smart city' describes an urban setting that apply technology to enhance the benefits and diminish the shortcomings of urbanization.
The second edition of the SCI ranked .... Read More
+ Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill 2020
The Rajya Sabha recently passed the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020. This paves the way for the establishment of a state-of-the-art Ayurvedic institution called the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) at Jamnagar, Gujarat, and conferment of the status of Institution of National Importance .... Read More
+ National Medical Commission
The National Medical Commission (NMC) replaced the Medical Council of India on 25th September in pursuance of the National Medical Commission Act 2019.
Former head of Delhi All India Institute of Medical Sciences ENT department, Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma has been appointed as the Chairperson of NMC for a period .... Read More
+ KIRAN Helpline Service for Mental Health Rehabilitation
On 27th August 2020, the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, launched ‘Kiran’, a toll- free helpline number for mental health rehabilitation.
About KIRAN Helpline Number
The helpline number (1800-599-0019) has been developed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and will be supported by the 660 volunteer clinical/rehabilitation .... Read More
+ Narmadashankar Dave 'Narmad'
On 24th August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Gujarati poet, playwright, lexicographer and social reformer Narmadashankar Dave 'Narmad' on his 187th birth anniversary. Narmadashankar Dave ‘Narmad’ born on 24th August 1833 in Surat, Gujarat, was a visionary creator, philosopher, pioneer of social justice and a poet. .... Read More
+ Govt Issues order for Permanent Commission of Women Officers in Army
The government issued an order for permanent commission of women officers in the force recently. The order paves the way for empowering of women officers to shoulder larger roles in the Army. It specifies grant of permanent commission to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) women officers in all 10 streams of .... Read More
+ IND-SAT Programme
The HRD ministry conducted the first-ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT) Test 2020 under its 'Study in India' programme recently. Nearly five thousand candidates from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius appeared for the exam conducted in the proctored internet mode by the National .... Read More
+ NISHTHA Programme
Union HRD Minister launched virtually the first online National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) programme for 1,200 key resources persons of Andhra Pradesh, in New Delhi recently. NISHTHA is organised at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally sponsored flagship programme of MHRD to improve .... Read More
+ Committee on Criminal Law Reforms
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a national level Committee for the Reform of Criminal Laws to be headed by Ranbir Singh.The mandate of the Committee is to recommend reforms in the criminal laws of the country in a principled, effective, and efficient manner which ensures the safety .... Read More
+ SC Ruling on Reservations for Divyangjan
The Supreme Court, in a significant decision, confirmed that persons with disabilities are also socially backward and are entitled to the same benefits of relaxation as Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates in public employment and education.SC upheld a 2012 judgment of the Delhi High Court in Anamol Bhandari vs. .... Read More
+ Draft Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has come out with the draft Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020, and sought “objections and suggestions” within a 30-day period before the official gazetted notification.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, was passed last year amid criticism from transgender rights .... Read More
+ India's sex ratio at Birth Improves
The Sample Registration System (SRS) 2018 data released recently highlighted early, though weak, signs of increasing fairness towards the girl child. In the 2016-2018 period, 1,112 male kids were born per 1,000 female births in India.This situation, however, is still worse than the naturally occurring ratio between 1,030 and 1,050, .... Read More
+ Plea for Renaming India as ‘Bharat’ can go to Centre as representation: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court recently ordered that a plea to change India’s name exclusively to ‘Bharat’ be converted into a representation and forwarded to the Union governmentfor an appropriate decision as Bharat and India are both names given in the Constitution.
Key Highlights
The petition argued that ‘India’ is a name of foreign .... Read More
+ Gairsain Declared as Summer Capital of Uttarakhand
Recently, Bhararisen (Gairsain), a tehsil in Chamoli district was declared the summer capital of Uttarakhand. It is located nearly 270-km from existing temporary capital of Dehradun. The name Gairsain comes from two Garhwali words: Gair (meaning at some depth) and Sain (meaning rolling plains). The summer capital is at .... Read More
+ State Food Safety Index 2019-20
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released the results of the second State Food Safety Index during a webinar conducted on the occasion of “World Food Safety Day” on June 7on the theme “Food Safety is everyone’s business”.
The State Food Safety Index ranks states on following five .... Read More
+ TULIP Internship Portal for Graduates
The HRD and Urban Affairs ministries recently launched a first of its kind programme, TULIP, that aims to harness the potential of the youth to better Indian cities. Under this, young graduates will soon be able to secure internships with municipal bodies across the country.
TULIP (The Urban Learning Internship Program)
TULIPaims .... Read More
+ Human-Rights Body Seeks Relief for Starving Chakmas and Hajongs
Recently, a Delhi-based Human Rights body, Rights and Risks Analysis Group, has sought Prime Minister’s intervention in ensuring food for the Chakma and Hajong communities in Arunachal Pradesh who have allegedly not been included in the government’s economic package.
The Human Rights Organisation claims that the Chakmas and Hajongs do not .... Read More
+ Governor’s Rule Imposed in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts
Governor’s rule was imposed in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) on 27th April as the term of 40-member Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) expired without an election being held due to COVID-19 pandemic.On March 11, the State Election Commission had declared holding of the BTC election on April 4 but .... Read More
+ MHRD Launches “Samadhan" Challenge to Fight Against COVID-19 & Fu-ture Challenges
The Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Human Resources Development and All India Council for Technical Education in collaboration with Forge and InnovatioCuris launched a mega online challenge - SAMADHAN - to test the ability of students to innovate.
The students participating in this challenge will search and develop such measures .... Read More
+ Agriculture Minister Launches “The Saras Collection” on GeM Portal to Provide SHGs in Rural Areas
Recently, the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare launched “The Saras Collection” on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.
The Saras Collection
It is a unique initiative of GeM and the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development which showcases daily .... Read More
+ HRD Ministry to Set up Dedicated Research and Innovation Division
In order to boost research in academic institutions across the country, the Human Resources Development Ministry is creating a dedicated 'Research and Innovation Division’.
The division will be headed by a director who will be coordinating research work of various institutions coming under the HRD Ministry.
The HRD ministry also issued the .... Read More
+ Amid lockdown, Tripura Groups Protest Bru Settlement
Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, two community-specific groups have renewed their opposition to the permanent settlement of Bru refugees from Mizoram in Tripura.
A joint team of Nagarik Suraksha Mancha, mostly representing Bengali people displaced from erstwhile East Pakistan post-partition in 1947, and the Mizo Convention on May 2 submitted a memorandum .... Read More
+ J&K Notifies Amended Domicile Certificate Rules
The J&K administration recently notified the J&K grant of domicile certificate procedure rules 2020 and set a fast track process in motion to issue the certificates within a stipulated time of 15 days.
Domicile Certificate Rules
Under the amended rules, eligible non-locals can also apply for the certificate.
These rules provide a simple .... Read More
+ PM-CARES: An Emergency Relief Fund
On 28th March, Prime Minister of India announced the creation of an assistance and emergency situation relief fund , Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES), where people can contribute and help in the government’s fight against coronavirus.The prime minister is the chairman of the new .... Read More
+ Section 188 IPC Invoked for Violating COVID-19 Lockdown
A 21-day countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 has been announced by the government since 25th March . Those violating the lockdown orders can face legal action under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which lays down punishment as per Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for .... Read More
+ Army Launches Operation Namaste to Combat COVID-19
Operation Namaste is a campaign launched by the Indian Army to combat the spread of COVID-19 and help the government in its fight against the pandemic. The army under its anti-COVID-19 codenamed operation Namaste has established eight quarantine facilities across the country.Operation Namaste — which refers to the practice of .... Read More
+ SC Clears Permanent Commission for Women in Navy
On 17th March, the Supreme Court granted permanent commission for women officers in the Navy, saying “women can sail with same efficiency as male officers and there should be no discrimination.”A permanent commission entitles an officer to serve in the Navy till he/she retires unlike short service commission (SSC), which .... Read More
+ Ease of Living Index and Municipal Performance Index 2019 Launched
To help assess the progress made in cities through various initiatives and empower them to use evidence to plan, implement & monitor their performance, two Assessment Frameworks, viz. Ease of Living Index (EoLI) and Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2019 have been launched by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. .... Read More
+ Cabinet Approves Formation of 22nd Law Commission
On 19th February 2019, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to set up the 22nd Law Commission. The term of the previous law panel ended in August 2019. The Law Ministry will now notify the new panel.
Law Commission of India
The Law Commission is an executive body which advises the government .... Read More
+ Second National Judicial Pay Commission Report
On 29th January 2019, the Second National Judicial Pay Commission has filed the main part of the Report in 4 volumes covering the subject of Pay, Pension and Allowances, in the Registry of the Supreme Court.
The Commission headed by Justice P.V. Reddi has been constituted pursuant to the Order of .... Read More
+ India Plummets to 51st rank in Democracy Index
India plummeted 10 places to 51st position in the latest Democracy Index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit. In the report, the “erosion of civil liberties” in the country has been attributed as the primary cause for the downtrend.
Included in the “flawed democracy” category, India’s overall score slipped from 7.23 .... Read More
+ India Slipped two Places in Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI-2019)
India’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI-2019) has slipped from 78 to 80 as compared to the previous year and its score of 41 out of 100 remains the same.According to Transparency International, in democracies like India and Australia, unfair and opaque political financing, undue influence in decision-making and .... Read More
+ Commissionerate System of Policing Approved for Lucknow and Noida
On 13th January, Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved the commissionerate system of policing for Lucknow and Noida. The system gives more responsibilities, including magisterial powers, to IPS officers of Inspector General of Police (IG) rank posted as commissioners.
Key Features of the Commissionerate System
State capital Lucknow and economic capital of the state .... Read More
+ Meghalaya Makes Registration Mandatory for Non-Resident Visitors
In a bid to protect the interest of tribal citizens, the Meghalaya cabinet on 1st November approved the amendment to an act that seeks mandatory registration of outsiders for entering the State.
Highlights
The State cabinet approved the amended Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act, 2016 (MRSSA).
Any person who is not .... Read More
+ Electoral Bonds: Safeguards of Indian Democracy Falling Apart
Recently, a report based on documents accessed by transparency activist Commodore LokeshBatra (Retd) under the RTI act brought to light the skewed nature of use of electoral bonds to fund political parties especially by wealthy Indians.
Key Observations
According to the documents, bonds with a ticket size of Rs 1 crore and .... Read More
+ Bru Repatriation: Back to Mizoram
Altogether 1,165 Brus, belonging to 289 families, returned to Mizoram from the six relief camps of North Tripura during the ninth round of the Government-sponsored repatriation process, which concluded on November 30.The repatriation exercise was the final attempt at bringing back the 4,447 Bru families — identified by the State .... Read More
+ Operation Dolphin’s Nose Unearths Pakistan-Linked Spying Racket
An espionage racket consisting of seven Indian Navy officials and a Hawala operator has been busted in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP), which houses the Eastern Naval Command. The accused are suspected of passing information on naval operations to Pakistan. .The AP intelligence, in a joint ‘Operation Dolphin’s Nose’ with the .... Read More
+ Ethics Panel Set to Form Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha MPs
The Lok Sabha ethics panel has decided to come up with a model code of conduct for MPs after two members of the Lower House have been forced to apologise for their remarks made during the 17th session.The panel, headed by BJP’s Vinod Kumar Sonkar decided to seek suggestions from .... Read More
+ Parliament Passes Bill to Extend SC/ST Reservations in Legislatures
Parliament passed the 126th Constitution amendment bill 2019 to extend quota to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by another 10 years. However, it excluded the provision of reservation for Anglo- Indians for the time being.The Constitution provides for reservation of seats for .... Read More
+ Legal Person Status to Animals
On 2nd June, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that all animals are legal persons entitled to legal rights like human beings.
The verdict comes nearly a year after Uttarakhand High Court passed a similar order to protect and promote greater welfare of animals.
Need for Such Move
Various animals in India .... Read More
+ Retired Officers Digital Records Archive (RODRA)
On 1st June, 2019, in a move to have a better connect with armed forces veteran officers, family pensioners and to address their grievances, a website-RODRA, was launched by theManpower Planning (MP) Directorate.
Due to lack of digitisation and non-availability of latest address and contact details of veterans, connecting with veteran .... Read More
+ Outcry over Article 371(A)
Ruling party Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland has triggered a debate on Article 371(A) that guarantees special status for the people of Nagaland.
It said that taking the advantage of provision in Article 371(A), the landowners usually do not allow the government to carry out any development activities on .... Read More
+ One Citizen One Tree Campaign
On 5th June, 2019, Meghalaya Launched a One Citizen One Tree campaign with an aim to plant more trees in the state.Prioritized area of the initiative is to plant trees in the Vulnerable Catchment Areas of Umiew Catchment which forms apart of Greater Shillong Water Supply and Ganol Catchment which .... Read More
+ Telangana Enhances Rythu Bandhu Scheme
On June 2nd, 2019, the Telangana Government extended the Rythu Bandhu scheme for 2019-20, while enhancing the amount from Rs 4000 to Rs 5000.
The scheme is aimed at providing income support to the agriculturists.
The amount would be paid through through e-Kuber, the RBI payment platform.
e-Kuber
It is the Core Banking Solution .... Read More
+ NARA (National Ambition + Regional Aspirations)
After massive landslide victory in 2019 general election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his new slogan -NARA, standing for “National ambition, regional aspiration”.By giving this new slogan, he vowed to end regional imbalances, a major problem prevailing across the country and a huge hindrance in the growth and development of .... Read More
+ Punjab bans Online Food Delivery without Hygiene Rating
On 30th May, 2019, the Punjab government decided to make it mandatory for all online food aggregators to ensure that food supplied by them should compulsorily have hygiene rating as per Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines.Punjab’s Food and Drug Administration has sensitized companies operational in Punjab .... Read More
+ NITI Aayog’s Proposal for Artificial Intelligence Platform
On 20th May, 2019, Niti Aayogcirculated a cabinet note to provide Rs 7,500 crore for the establishment of AIRAWAT, a cloud computing platform along with research institutes.This is part of the policy think tank’s proposal to create an institutional framework for artificial intelligence (AI) in the country. According to the .... Read More
+ Karnataka and Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Cloud Seeding Programme
On 29th May, 2019, the Karnataka cabinet approved a cloud seeding programme, to be implemented fromJune,2019.
The programme was finalised following reports regarding the deficit rainfall in the state.
It will be replication state of government’s Varshadhare project launched in 2017 for cloud seeding.
Cloud seeding
It is artificial way to induce moisture .... Read More
+ Meghalaya to Set up Farmer’s Commission
On 16th May, 2019, the Meghalaya government approved setting up of a commission to look into the problems faced by farmers.The State Cabinet approved the proposal made by the Agriculture Department to set up a Farmers’ Commission, in line with the resolution passed at the Farmer’s Parliament.The Meghalaya government is .... Read More
+ Telangana signs Sister City Agreement with Indonesia
On 18th May, 2019, Telangana signed Sister City agreement with Indonesia.
The aim is to promote cultural bonding and education between the two cities i.e. Vijayawada and Jakarta.
By offering visa on arrival without any charge to Indians, Indonesia aims to increasetourist arrival in the country.
Indonesia
It is located in Southeast Asia, between .... Read More
+ Pumping Units Commissioned at Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme
Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has commissioned the first two pumping units of 116 MW each of the seven x 116 MW Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) Package-6 in the state of Telangana.
Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project(KLIP)
KLIP, previously known as Pranahita-Chevella Project, is an under construction project located at the confluence .... Read More
+ Ongole Cattle Breed
On20th May, a compendium on Ongole cattle breed was released at the Swarna Bharat Trust in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.It traces the history of the animal from 1885 to 2016 by providing information from various sources on Ongole cattle.Ongole cattle are indigenous to the Andhra region in the Prakasam District.The breed .... Read More
+ Maharashtra Second State to get ICJS
Maharashtra is set to become the second State to implement the Central government’s Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), which will act as a common platform for all government agencies to share data about prisoners across the State.
The project, funded by the Centre, will help the government in better digital coordination .... Read More
+ India Owed the Highest in Unpaid Dues for UN Peacekeeping
The United Nations (UN) owes India $38 million, the largest amount owed to any country for peacekeeping, followed by Rwanda ($31 million), Pakistan ($28 million), Bangladesh ($25 million), Nepal ($23 million).India has provided more than 200,000 military and police officers to UN peacekeeping over the last 70 years. As on .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Declares Right to Travel Abroad a Basic Human Right
On 13th April, 2019, the Supreme Court held that the right to travel abroad is an important basic human right for it nourishes independent and self-determining creative character of the individual, not only by extending his freedoms of action, but also by extending the scope of his experience.
Key Facts
The court .... Read More
+ Kerala’s Pathanamthitta-Best Constituency in India
According to a report compiled by public health experts from Harvard University and Tata Trusts, Pathanamthitta (Kerala) is India’s best constituency.It has India’s cleanest air, and HDI that matches with any first-world country, especially in child healthcare.Only 12.5% of Pathanamthitta’s children (under the age of five) are underweight, compared with .... Read More
+ Rani Abbakka Force : Women Police Patrol Vehicle
On 2nd April, 2019, the Udupi district (Kerala) police has launched an all-women police patrol ‘Rani Abbakka’ force for handling cases related to harassment of women and school children.The Rani Abbakka police patrol vehicle will patrol areas like bus stands, railway station, shopping malls and school – college areas. The .... Read More
+ Utkarsh Bangla Scheme Gets UN Award
On 24th April, 2019, West Bengal government’s ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ scheme was awarded the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award of the United Nations.
Key Facts
WB government’s ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ scheme, aims to create a pool of skilled candidates industry ready.
WSIS Prizes is an international contest to create an effective .... Read More
+ Mobile App for Families of Martyred CRPF Troops
On 10th April, 2019, President launched ‘Veer Parivar App’, a mobile application for families of CRPF personnel killed in the line of duty. The application will act as an interface between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) authorities and the next of kin of the slain personnel. It will render .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Directed to Provide Electoral Bond Donations' Details
On 11thApril, 2019, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to provide details of donations received in electoral bonds and the identity of the donors to the Election Commission in a sealed cover by May 30, in an attempt to bring transparency around anonymous poll funding.
SC's Directions
The political parties were .... Read More
+ Monk's Exclusive Lok Sabha Seat
On April 11, when the Himalayan State of Sikkim went to the polls, elections were held in a unique Assembly constituency that does not exist on the State’s map and has no geographical boundaries.
It is only one-of-its-kind constituency in the country reserved for the monastic community (Sangha).
Buddhist monks registered with .... Read More
+ Green Audit Launched at Meenachil River
On 30th March, 2019, the Meenachil River Protection Forum, a people’s collective for river conservation, has kick-started a ‘green audit’ of the water body to account for its fluctuations due to human intervention.Forum aims at assessing problems posed by human interventions.A thorough examination of the risks faced by the river .... Read More
+ Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology
On 9th March, 2019, PM inaugurated the new Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology of ASI (under Ministry of Culture) is an academic wing of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture.
Prelims Facts
Archaeological Survey .... Read More
+ Assam Launches Initiative to Educate Voters
District election officers have been directed to reach out to the maximum number of voters in the constituencies under their jurisdiction.
Folk song competitions, quiz programmes and appeals by celebrities are some of the initiatives being undertaken by the election office in Assam for attracting women, first-time voters, people with physical .... Read More
+ Polling Stations in Mizoram for Bru Refugees
A total of 15 temporary polling stations are being set up by Election Commission of India in Mamit district of Mizoram exclusively for Bru community voters living in relief camps in Tripura.
Of the 15 temporary polling stations, nine would be for Bru voters of Mamit district and three each for .... Read More
+ First Transgender Election Ambassador
The Election Commission of India has appointed transgender social activist Gauri Sawant, as one of the 12 election ambassadors from Maharashtra.Following the Supreme Court order, transgenders got the right to vote for the first time in 2014. In 2014, 918 voters were registered in this third category. This number has .... Read More
+ Arunachal Pradesh Government says no to Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs)
The Arunachal Pradesh government on 28th February, 2019, decided to take no further action in granting permanent resident certificates to six tribal communities.
The state’s move came after violent protests against an earlier decision to provide certificates to the Deoris, Sonowal Kacharis, Morans, Adivasis, Mishings and Gorkhas.
Permanent Resident Certificate
Permanent resident certificate .... Read More
+ Mizoram passes Maintenance of Household Registers Bill, 2019
On 19th March, 2019, Mizoram Assembly passed a bill that seeks to detect “illegal migrants” at the village and town level and bring in punitive measures for those making a false statement during the exercise.
Key Highlights of Bill
A comprehensive database of residents will be maintained via individual identification system through .... Read More
+ Women’s Livelihood Bond
World Bank, UN Women, and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have joined hands to launch a new social impact bonds exclusively for women, called Women’s Livelihood Bonds (WLBs), with an initial corpus of Rs 300 crore.
Key Points
The proposed bond will enable individual women entrepreneurs in sectors like food .... Read More
+ The RTE (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017 was passed by Parliament.
Highlights
The Bill amends the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The Act prohibits detention of children till they complete elementary education i.e., class 8. The Bill seeks to amend this provision .... Read More
+ National Health Authority
The Union Cabinet on January 2 approved the restructuring of existing National Health Agency as “National Health Authority” for better implementation of Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
Key Points
With this approval, the existing society “National Health Agency” has been dissolved and will be replaced by National Health Authority as .... Read More
+ Supreme Court Order on Faculty Quota
The Supreme Court on January 22 upheld the Allahabad high court order which ruled that reservation in university faculty positions should be calculated department-wise and not by taking the total seats in a university as basis.
Key Points
The court rejected the Centre’s special leave petition (SLP) challenging the April 2017 order .... Read More
+ 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Convention
The Prime Minister inaugurated the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Convention at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on January 22.For the first time, the three day long convention was organized in Varanasi from 21-23 January, 2019. The theme of PBD Convention 2019 was “Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India”. Prime Minister .... Read More
+ Integrated Check Post at Moreh
The Prime Minister inaugurated the Integrated Check Post at Moreh on January 4. He also inaugurated the Dolaithabi Barrage Project, the FCI Food Storage Godown at Sawombung, and projects related to water supply and tourism.Key PointsHe dedicated to the nation the 400 kV Double Circuit Silchar-Imphal Line.He recalled that undivided .... Read More
+ The First Ever Swadesh Darshan Project in Nagaland
The Development of Tribal Circuit was inaugurated on December 05, 2018 by Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland in the presence of KJ Alphons, Union minister of state (I/C) for Tourism and H Khehovi Yepthomi (Advisor Tourism Art and Culture). It is the first ever Swadesh Darshan Project in the .... Read More
+ UN to Inventorise India’s Cultural Riches
Concerned over the disappearance of many intangible legacies of India, the UN will soon launch a project on creating an inventory of art forms, craftsmanship and other cultural heritage of the country.
India is endowed with not just a wealth of iconic monuments and landmarks and built heritage, but is .... Read More
+ Sale of Enemy Shares
The Union Cabinet on November 8 approved the mechanism and procedure for sale of the enemy shares.
Details
‘In principle’ approval has been accorded for sale of enemy shares under the Custody of Ministry of Home Affairs/ Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI), as per sub-section 1 of section 8A of .... Read More
+ Ayodhya Deepotsav given State Fair Tag
The Uttar Pradesh government has granted the status of State Fair to the Deepotsav Mela held in Ayodhya during Deepavali.The festival, in which over 5.5 lakh lamps were lit on October 26.With the change in its status, the Mela will now be planned by the District Magistrate of Ayodhya. Earlier, .... Read More
+ Kanyashree Scheme
The state government of West Bengal is setting up Kanyashree University in Nadia district and Kanyashree colleges across the state so as to empower girls.Kanyashree is a conditional cash transfer scheme aiming at improving the status and well being of the girl child by incentivising schooling of teenage girls and .... Read More
+ Fit India Movement
On 29th August 2019, Prime Minister launched a nation-wide campaign to encourage people to inculcate physical activity and sports in their everyday lives, named ‘Fit India Movement’. .... Read More
+ HP Passes Bill against Forced Conversion
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly has passed Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2019 which will repeal the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2006.
It prohibits conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement, marriage or any fraudulent means. Any marriage for the sole purpose of conversion will also be declared .... Read More
+ Safe Cities Index (SCI) 2019
The Safe Cities Index (SCI) 2019 by Economist Intelligence Unit, ranked 60 countries worldwide across five continents and measured the multi-faceted nature of urban safety, with indicators categorised as digital, infrastructure, health and personal security.
Mumbai has been ranked as the 45th safest city while Delhi stood at the 52nd .... Read More
+ Karnataka Govt. pulls gears up to promote over 40 GI Products
Karnataka State Geographical Indications Policy aims to promote and market the more than 40 registered GI products from the State.
It has been initiated keeping into perspective certain facts:
Some GI handicrafts like Udupi sarees, Navalgund durries etc have only a few families to carry on the craft due to shift amongst .... Read More
+ Green Signal to Death Penalty for ‘Honour Killing’ in Rajasthan
The Rajasthan Assembly on 6th August passed The Rajasthan Prohibition of Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill 2019 against ‘Honour Killing’ with death penalty or life imprisonment for murdering couples in the name of family honour.
Provisions
Punishment of death penalty or life .... Read More
+ Rajasthan gears up with a Law Against Mob Lynching
The Rajasthan legislative assembly passed ‘The Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019’ on 5th August. With this, Rajasthan became the second state after Manipur to have a law against mob lynching.
Provisions
Makes mob lynching a cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence punishable with life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs .... Read More
+ UP transferred 17 OBCs to SC Category
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to issue Scheduled Castes (SC) certificate to 17 OBC communities based on the 2017 order of Allahabad High Court that directed to issue caste certificates “after examination and based on documents in accordance with the rules”.
These 17 OBC communities are Kashyap, Rajbhar, Dhivar, Bind, .... Read More
+ Andhra Pradesh gives Locals 75% Reservation in Private Jobs
The Andhra Pradesh legislators passed the AP Employment of Local Candidates in Industries and Factories Bill, 2019, on 24th July 2019, that mandates reservation of at least 75 percent for state candidates in private industrial units.
Reservation will extend to industries, factories, joint venture units and projects taken up under Public-Private .... Read More
+ Operation Thirst
On 08th and 09th of July 2019, an all India drive Operation Thirst was launched by Railway Protection Force to curb the menace of unauthorized packaged drinking water in Railway premises, covering almost all major stations.
During peak summer season there is heavy demand of drinking water, which leads to selling .... Read More
+ Vivekadeepini
Vice President released a short book Vivekadeepini, which is a summary of Prashnottara Ratnamalika written by Adi Shankaracharya. It is a compilation of selected verses of Prashnottara Ratnamalika, which are written in Question-Answer format and contain universal truths and glimpses of India’s wisdom.
Prelims Facts.
Adi Shankaracharya
Adi Shankaracharya was a 8th century .... Read More
+ Kharchi Puja Festival
Kharchi Puja is the annual festival of Tripura, in which people worship 14 Gods, is started at Chaturdash Devata Bari in old Agartala.
Tripura government bears all the expenses of the festival for the last several decades.
The word ‘Kharchi’ is derived from word ‘Khya’ which means earth, thus Kharchi Puja is .... Read More
+ Expansion of Internet Saathi Programme
It is a Google India-Tata Trust’s initiative, which is aimed at facilitating digital literacy among women in rural India, will be expanded to villages in Punjab and Odisha.
Launched in July 2015, the Internet Saathi programme has so far, trained 70,000 ‘Internet Saathi’, who have in turn impacted 2.6 crore women .... Read More
+ Telangana to Use Drone in Drug Delivery
The Telangana government and World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network announced to launch an innovative project to deliver emergency medical supplies such as blood and vaccines via drones.
The pilot project named Medicine from the Sky will run in partnership with the state government and Health Net .... Read More
+ Nagaland puts Indigenous Registry on Hold
The Nagaland government has put on hold the enrolments for the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) as it announced the formation of a three-member commission to study the exercise amid concerns by civil society groups and political parties including the NPF (Naga People’s Front) who among other issues .... Read More
+ Ban on Antibiotic Colistin
Use of Colistin has been banned in food-producing animals, poultry and aqua farms in India, in a move to curb the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans through animals.
Colistin is a “reserve” antibiotic and is considered a “last-resort” option when all other alternatives have failed.
It will prevent its .... Read More
+ Market Intervention Scheme
On 12th Sept 2019, Governor of J&K announced market intervention scheme to buy crop worth Rs 8,000 crore directly from the farmers in Kashmir. Intervention will reach out to 60% of J&K population.
Kashmir produces 75% of the total apple crop in the country at 20 lakh metric tonnes. Over 10 .... Read More
+ Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to get Programme Management Unit
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) is planning to set up a dedicated unit to monitor the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) under the flagship Housing for All by 2022 scheme.
Provisions
The Programme Management Unit (PMU) will provide focused support for the PMAY (U).
It will efficiently .... Read More
+ National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP)
On 11th September, Prime Minister launched the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) in Mathura to eradicate foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis in livestock.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
It is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids.
The virus causes a .... Read More
News Snippets
+ News Snippets
Anti-defection Law The Tenth Schedule, popularly known as the anti-defection law, was added to the Constitution in 1985 to bring stability to governments by deterring MPs and MLAs from changing their political parties on whose ticket they were elected. The penalty for shifting political loyalties .... Read More
+ News Snippets
Matua Community In the fiery poll battle that is building up in West Bengal, Matua- a Hindu minority community, is in the spotlight for its demand for the implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Matuas, who came to the state as refugees during .... Read More
+ News Snippets
Gucchi or Morel A Geographical Indication (GI) tag has been sought for one of the world's most expensive mushrooms growing in Jammu and Kashmir. The mushroom, locally known as Gucchi, or Morel, is a spongy, edible fungus valued at over Rs 20,000 per Kg. It .... Read More
PIB CORNER
+ PIB Corner
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi
On 10th March 2021, the Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) as a single non-lapsable reserve fund for share of Health from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess levied under Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007.
The major benefit will be .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM)
The National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM) has been launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Features
The National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM) will create a shared digital infrastructure for urban India, working across the three pillars of .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
Toycathon 2021
To reduce import of toys (currently India imports 80 per cent of the toys) and making the country self-reliant in this sector, Toycathon 2021 has been launched.
It is an inter-Ministerial initiative of six Ministries wherein nine themes will be promoted under three tracks for junior level participants, senior level .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
“Strategic Policy & Facilitation Bureau (SPFB)”: Policy Unit of Ministry of AYUSH
The Ministry of AYUSH and M/s Invest India will form a collaboration to set up a strategic policy unit called “Strategic Policy & Facilitation Bureau (SPFB)” to facilitate planned and systematic growth of the Ayush Sector and to make .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
India’s First Multi-modal Logistic Park
India’s first Multi-modal Logistic Park will come up at Jogighopa in Assam.
The park will provide direct air, road, rail and waterways connectivity to the people.
It will be developed under the ambitious BharatmalaPariyojana of the Government of India.
The Ministry of Road Transports and Highways envisages .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
Draft Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture
The government of India’s policy think-tank NITI Aayog has released a draft for Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) for public consultation in order to seek opinion on the implementation of the framework, which is set to be launched by 2020-end.
It is aimed at empowering .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
Farm Suicides Drop a Little in 2019
The number of suicides by those engaged in the farm sector witnessed a marginal decline in 2019 as compared to 2018, with their share in the country’s 1.39 lakh suicides too falling to 7.4% from 7.7% during the corresponding period as per the report .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
India Registers a Steep Decline in MMR
The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India has declined to 113 in 2016-18 from 122 in 2015-17 and 130 in 2014-2016, according to the special bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India 2016-18, released by the Office of the Registrar General’s Sample Registration System (SRS).
At .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
NashaMukt Bharat: Annual Action Plan (2020-21) NashaMukt Bharat: Annual Action Plan (2020-21) for 272 ‘Most Affected Districts’ was e-launched by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment on the occasion of “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking” (26th June). The Plan would focus on 272 most affected .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy
The President of India presented the International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy to Dr N.S. Dharmashaktu under the Indian nomination (individual) category and the Leprosy Mission Trust under the institutional category on February 6, 2020).
Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation, a pioneering organisation established in 1951 in the .... Read More
+ National Youth Festival 2020
The 23rd edition of the National Youth Festival (NYF) 2020 was held at Indira Pratishthan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from January 12-16, 2020. It was jointly organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and State Government of Uttar Pradesh. The theme of the 2020 NYF was “Fit Youth, .... Read More
+ Committee to Draft Mediation Law
The Supreme Court of India has set up a panel to firm up a draft legislation to give legal sanctity to disputes settled through mediation, which would then be sent to the government as a suggestion from the apex court.The panel, to be headed by mediator Niranjan Bhat, will recommend .... Read More
+ Reading of Preamble of the Constitution
The government of Madhya Pradesh has made it mandatory for schools to read the preamble of the Constitution every Saturday under the name sovereignty of Constitution.Maharashtra government has also made it compulsory to recite the Preamble to the Constitution in all schools starting January 26, 2019. The initiative is titled .... Read More
+ Bru-Reang Agreement
An Agreement was signed between State of Mizoram and Tripura in the presence of Ministry of Home Affairs to repatriate Bru-Reang tribes in Tripura on 17th Jan., 2020.The agreement states – 34000 Bru refugees will be settled in Tripura.Centre will provide 600 crores to help the overall development of the .... Read More
+ National Voter’s Day 2020
The National Voters’ Day (NVD) is being celebrated on January 25 every year since 2011 to mark the Foundation day of Election Commission of India, which was established on 25th January 1950. This year the Election Commission of India is celebrating 70 years of its journey.The theme for NVD 2020 .... Read More
+ India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) Declining: SRS Report
India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has seen a decline from 130 per 1 lakh live births in 2014-2016 to 122 per 1 lakh live births in 2015-2017.A decline of 8 points (6.2%) was observed during this period, according to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2015-2017 bulletin for MMR.Now, 11 .... Read More
+ North India’s First Sugar Mill to Produce Ethanol
North India's first sugar mill which will produce ethanol directly from sugarcane has been inaugurated in Pipraich area of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. .... Read More
+ Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh
The Union Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD) and Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani, along with Bill Gates, co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh (BPKK) in New Delhi.The BPKK will be a repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones in India for .... Read More
+ SAANS Campaign
'SAANS' (Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully) is a campaign initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to reduce child mortality due to pneumonia.It has been launched in Gujarat, which stands 2nd among 37 states and union territories in the number of child deaths due to .... Read More
+ Army to Set Up Integrated Battle Groups by 2020
Preparing for the changing character of warfare across the world, the Indian Army will be ready with more than a dozen Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) by next year. Four each of the IBGs will come up facing China and Pakistan, while the Mountain Strike Corps will also be converted into .... Read More
+ Future Skills PRIME
Future Skills PRIME is the next phase of the ‘Future Skills’ platform that was launched in 2018.This expanded digital platform would be called Future Skills PRIME (Programme for Reskilling/ Upskilling of IT Manpower for Employability). Now it is open to professionals from outside the IT industry as well, those who .... Read More
+ 3rd Phase of PMGSY
The government has launched Phase-3 of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
The Phase III involves consolidation of ‘Through Routes’ and ‘Major Rural Links’ connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.
Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to consolidate 1,25,000 Km road length in the .... Read More
+ NITI Aayog’s Roadmap for Future Health Systems
Niti Aayog has laid out a comprehensive roadmap to improve India's health system in a book titled “New India: Building Blocks - Potential Pathways to Reforms” with a focus on delivery of the unfinished public health agenda; change the health financing way from out of pocket to large insurers; integrate .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
National Mission on Natural Language Translation
The Ministry of Electronics and IT will soon place before the Union Cabinet a Rs 450 crore proposal for Natural Language Translation — one of the key missions identified by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). The proposal is part of .... Read More
+ PIB CORNER
158th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath TagoreOn 9th May, 2019, the 158th birth anniversary (also known as Pochise Boishakh) of Rabindra Nath Tagore was celebrated.Popularly known as Gurudev (name given by Mahatama Gandhi) and Kabiguru, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, for his collection of poems - .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
NISHTHANISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) is an initiative of Union Human Resource Development Ministry to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level.The basic objective of this massive training programme ‘NISHTHA’ is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students. .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
Differently Abled People and those over 80 Years of Age put in Absentee Voters List
The Ministry of Law and Justice has amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, on October 22, allowing senior citizens and disabled people in the absentee voter list.
Differently abled people and those over 80 years of .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
COMMITTEES/ PANELS
5-member committee under Nandan Nilekani: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das appointed a 5-member committee under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani to further deepen the digital payments and enhance financial inclusion through Fintech.
RBI has requested the committee to provide recommendations within 3 months.
Amitabh Kant to Head Transformative Mobility Panel: The Union .... Read More
+ PIB CORNER
ODF Plus
The Union Government has launched an Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus vision document envisaging solid waste management in villages, along with the collection and transportation of biodegredable and non-biodegradable waste.
According to the vision document, a deadline of 2023-24 has been set to achieve targets for biodegradable waste management.
The ODF .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
Battle of Kangla Tongbi
The Platinum anniversary of the Battle of Kangla Tongbi was commemorated on April 7th by Army Ordnance Corps at Kangla Tongbi War Memorial in Imphal, Manipur.
This was done to honor the Ordnance Personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot who sacrificed their life during World War-II on April .... Read More
+ PIB Corner
‘UMMID’: To Tackle Inherited Genetic Diseases of New Born Babies The Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology has launched UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and treatment of Inherited Disorders) Initiative and inaugurated NIDAN (National Inherited Diseases Administration) Kendras to tackle inherited genetic diseases of new born .... Read More
Social Issues
+ World Happiness Report 2021
The World Happiness Report 2021 has been released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network on March 20th, the International Day of Happiness.It focuses on the effects of Covid-19 and how people all over the world have fared.
Key Rankings
Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for .... Read More
+ Denial of Justice to Victims of Child Sexual Abuse Rampant: A Study
Everyday four child victims of sexual offences are denied justice due to closure of their cases by police because of insufficient evidence, according to a new study titled 'Police case disposal pattern: An enquiry into the cases filed under POCSO Act, 2012' by Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation (KSCF).
Key Findings
Implementation of .... Read More
+ Three Umbrella Schemes of Ministry of Women & Child Development
For effective implementation of various schemes and programmes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, all major schemes of the Ministry have been classified under 3 umbrella schemes viz. Mission Poshan 2.0, Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti.
The prime objective of the Ministry is to address gaps in State action .... Read More
+ Upliftment of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
A parliamentary standing committee has asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to issue directions to all states and union territories for starting a special drive to provide caste certificates to all Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
PVTGs constitute the most vulnerable section among tribals and inhabit isolated, remote .... Read More
+ COVID 19: A Threat to Progress Against Child Marriage
The outsized impact Covid-19 has had on women in some countries could result in an additional 10 million child marriages in this decade, according to a UNICEF study titled "Covid-19: A threat to progress against child marriage" released on International Women's Day (8th March).
An estimated 1.5 million underage girls in .... Read More
+ Ease of Living Index and Municipal Performance Index 2020
On 4th March , Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs released the final rankings of Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 and the Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2020.
The rankings under Ease of Living Index 2020 were announced for cities with a population of more than a million, and cities with .... Read More
+ Survey to Address Data Gap on Migrant Workers
On 18th February 2021, the government launched five pan-India surveys on migrant and domestic workers, employment generated by professionals and in the transport sector apart from quarterly establishment-based employment survey to plug the data gap on migrant Labours.
The lack of data on workers, which was evident during the COVID-19-induced lockdown .... Read More
+ Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge
Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has shortlisted 25 cities for the ‘Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge’. This challenge is covered under the Smart Cities Mission.
Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge
It is a three-year initiative hosted by the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in collaboration with the Bernard van .... Read More
+ EdTech Entities for Online Lessons
Recently, the education ministry and the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) roped in 48 EdTech firms to boost online education for students and executives and offer tech solutions to institutions.
Highlights
Educational technology is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. When referred .... Read More
+ Corruption Perception Index 2020
India’s rank has slipped six places to 86th among 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2020.
Corruption Perception Index
CPI is released by Berlin based NGO, Transparency International.
The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and business people, uses .... Read More
+ UN Report: Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition
On January 20, UN agencies released a report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 2 – Zero Hunger) and the World Health Assembly targets 2030 on nutrition in the Asia and Pacific region.
The report is jointly written by the World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture .... Read More
+ NHRC Recommends Special Act Against Manual Scavenging
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has made a series of recommendations to the Centre to eradicate manual scavenging.
Key Recommendations
Broaden the definition of manual scavenging to cover other types of hazardous cleaning and enact a new law for it.
Take strict action against local authorities who employ people as manual scavengers.
The .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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, .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ 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 .... Read More
+ Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge
The Union Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry recently launched the ‘Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge’ for cities to develop and implement initiatives to improve the quality of life of young children, caregivers and families.
Key Features of the Challenge
The Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge is a 3-year initiative and it will support cities to .... Read More
+ NITI Aayog’s Third Progress Report on Poshan Abhiyan
NITI Aayog’s third progress report(October 2019-April 2020) “Accelerating Progress On Nutrition In India: What Will It Take” warns that the National Nutrition Mission or the Poshan Abhiyaan, the world’s largest nutrition programme for children and mothers — must be stepped up in order to meet the targets set by the .... Read More
+ UN Launches Food Coalitionto Prevent Food Crisis
Taking cognisance of the catastrophic food crisis precipitated by the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) and the urgency to tackle it, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations launched a Food Coalition on November 5, 2020.
Reason to Form the Form Coalition
Threat to Food Security: The COVID-19 pandemic has .... Read More
+ Global Tuberculosis Report 2020
India reported sharp decline in tuberculosis registration after COVID-19 lockdownaccording to the Global Tuberculosis Report, 2020 released October 14, 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Highlights of the Report
India registered a decline in the notification of tuberculosis (TB) cases by about 85 per cent in April 2020, due to a .... Read More
+ Global Hunger Report 2020
India ranked 94 among 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2020 and is in the ‘serious’ hunger category with a score of 27.2. India’s rank was 102 out of 117 countries last year.
The Global Hunger Index is a peer-reviewed annual report, jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, designed .... Read More
+ NHRC Advisory on Women’s Rights during Pandemic
On 7th October, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)presented its advisory on women’s rights during pandemic to the government.
The NHRC had formed a committee of experts to look into the impact of the pandemic on human rights, which had led to advisories on various issues, including women’s rights.
The Centre and .... Read More
+ Decade of Healthy Ageing Initiative Launched on International Day for Older Persons
On the occasion of International Day for Older Persons Indian government launched the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020-2030) initiative. The 73rd World Health Assembly of WHO had endorsed the proposal for a Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020-2030) in February 2020.
Every year 1st October is celebrated as the International Day of .... Read More
+ Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment recently e-launched the “Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission (ASIIM) under Venture Capital Fund for SCs”with a view to promoting innovation and enterprise among SC students studying in higher educational institutions.
ASIIM
The ASIIM initiative will be implemented by the Venture Capital Fund for SCs .... Read More
+ NCRB Report: ‘Crime in India’ 2019
The National Crime Record Bureau's ‘Crime in India’ 2019 report was released on 29th September 2020.The NCRB also released the annual report on Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) for the year 2019.
Key Findings of the Reports
Crimes against Women: Crimes against women increased 7.3 per cent from 2018 .... Read More
+ UN’s Levels &Trends in Child Mortality Report 2020
Recently, the Levels and Trends in Child Mortality 2020 reportwas released by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the World Bank Group.
Key Findings of the Report
Global Statistics
As per the report the number of global under-five .... Read More
+ Village Poverty Reduction Plan
Self Help Groups across the country are being geared up to prepare the Village Poverty Reduction Plan for integration with the Gram Panchayat Development Plans.
Article 243G of the Constitution intends to empower the Gram Panchayats (GPs) by enabling the State Governments to devolve powers and authority in respect of all .... Read More
+ UN Guidelines on Access to Social Justice for People with Disabilities
Recently the United Nations released its first-ever guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities to make it easier for them to access justice systems around the world. The guidelines outline a set of 10 principles and detail the steps for implementation.
Ten Principles on Access to Social Justice .... Read More
+ New Population Projections for India
India’s population is expected to grow by 25%, with reference to 2011, to 1.52 billion by 2036, according to the final report of the Technical Group on Population Projections dated July 2020.
The group was constituted by the National Commission on Population (NCP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare .... Read More
+ ARIIA 2020 Rankings
The Ministry of Education’s Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020 was released recently.
Highlights
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras bagged the first place followed by IIT Mumbai and IIT Delhi at second and third place respectively.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore stood at the fourth place, .... Read More
+ Swachh Survekshan 2020
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) released the Swachh Survekshan 2020 , the fifth edition of the annual cleanliness urban survey, recently, in which 4,242 cities, 62 cantonment boards and 97 Ganga towns were surveyed, with feedback received from 1.87 crore citizens.
In a bid to sustain on ground .... Read More
+ MANODARPAN Initiative for Mental Health and Counselling of Students
With an aim to provide psycho- social support and counselling to students for their mental health and well- being, Ministry of Human Resource Development launched ‘Manodarpan’ initiative recently.It is an initiative under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
MANODARPAN
Manodarpan comprises of the following components:
Advisory guidelines for students, teachers and faculty of School systems .... Read More
+ PRAGYATA Guidelines For Digital Education
The Human Resource and Development Ministry has announced guidelines for digital education /onlineclasses operationalised by schools amid the COVID pandemic.
Key Highlights
The PRAGYATA guidelines include eight steps of digital learning that is, Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak (talk) - Assign- Track- Appreciate.
The Guidelines emphasize the need to unify all efforts .... Read More
+ State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 (SOFI 2020) report presents the most recent and authoritative estimates of the extent of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition around the world.
This year, the report includes a special focus on transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets.
The report has .... Read More
+ Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2020
The 2020 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was released on 16 July 2020 by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Key findings
65 out of 75 countries studied significantly reduced their multidimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.
Sierra Leone made the fastest progress in .... Read More
+ National Institutional Ranking Framework Rankings 2020
Recently Ministry of Human Resource Development released the NIRF 2020 rankings.
Key Highlights
Under the Universities category, the IISc topped the list, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University and Banaras Hindu University.
Under the Colleges category, Miranda House got the first rank, followed by Lady Shri Ram College for Women and Hindu College.
The .... Read More
+ COVID-19 Widened Educational Divide: UNESCO Report
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in education systems across the world. According to a UNESCO report released recently, about 40% of low- and lower-middle-income countries have not supported learners at risk of exclusion during this crisis, such as the poor, linguistic minorities and learners with disabilities.Global Education Monitoring Report .... Read More
+ NHRC Asks Centre to Provide Interim Aid to Stranded Migrants
In wake of major violation of human rights of migrant labourers during nationwide lockdown, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked centre and states to come up with measures to protect their health, employment and dignity during and after the covid-19 pandemic.
The NHRC had filed an application for intervention .... Read More
+ Annual India TB Report 2020
Recently government released the Annual India TB report 2020 which notified the highest number of 24.04 lakh tuberculosis cases in 2019.
Highlights of the Report
As per the report, 79,144 deaths due to tuberculosis were reported in 2019, which is much lower than the WHO estimate of 4.4 lakh fatalities.The “missing .... Read More
+ COVID 19 Pushed 45 million Globally into Food Insecurity: FAOReport
According to a recent report titled Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutritionby the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), almost 45 million people were pushed into acute food insecurity since February 2020 because of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Key Highlights of the Report
Almost 33 million .... Read More
+ Government Announces Several Initiatives to Boost Education Sector
Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister has announced several initiatives to boost education sector on 17th May in New Delhi.
Initiatives to Boost Education Sector
PM e-VIDYA : A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA will be launched which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education. This will enable multi-mode access to education, .... Read More
+ Over 42,000 Undertrials Released to Unclog Prisons: NALSA Report
As per a recent report of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Legal services institutions have intervened to release 42,529 undertrial prisoners as well as 16,391 convicts on parole to de-congest prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was prepared under the aegis of NALSA Executive Chairman and Supreme Court judge .... Read More
+ National Infant Mortality Rate at 32 as per Sample Registration System Data
According to the data released by the Registrar General of India, the national birth rate in 2018 stood at 20, and death and infant mortality rates stood at 6.2 and 32, respectively.
The rates are calculated per one thousand of the population.
These details were released by the Centre recently in its .... Read More
+ New POCSO Rules Make the Law Against Sexual Offences More Stringent
The Union government has notified the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules, 2020 which enables implementation of recent amendments to the Act under which provisions of punishment for child abuse has been made more stringent.
Provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules, 2020
For crackdown on child pornography, the .... Read More
+ Contact Tracing to Help Control Disease Outbreaks
As the number of coronavirus cases in India increases, authorities in different states are relying on contact tracing, a concept in epidemiology (the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events) that involves tracing the number of people an infected person comes in contact with. The idea .... Read More
+ Cabinet Gives Stimulus to Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices
With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting global supply chains, especially of medical products and devices, India is pushing to become a global manufacturing hub.
Highlights of the Cabinet Decision
Medical Device Parks and Bulk Drug Parks: The Cabinet recently approved incentives for the states for setting up ‘Medical Device Parks’ and ‘Bulk Drug .... Read More
+ ‘A Future for the World’s Children’ Report
‘A Future for the World’s Children’ report was recently released by the WHO, UNICEF and the Lancet medical journal. The report calculates the Flourishing Index and Sustainability Index of 180 countries.
Flourishing Index
Flourishing is the geometric mean of Surviving and Thriving.
Surviving parameter considers maternal survival, survival in children younger than 5 .... Read More
+ Happiness Curriculum
The First Lady of the United States of America Melania Trump participated in a “happiness class” at a Model Delhi government school and said that she found it “very inspiring”. The curriculum is one of the flagship schemes of the Delhi government in the education sector launched in July 2018 .... Read More
+ School Health Ambassador Initiative Curriculum launched under Ayushman Bharat
The curriculum for School Health Ambassador Initiative under Ayushman Bharat-Health & Wellness Centres has been launched recently.
School Health Ambassador Initiative
Under this initiative, two teachers in every school will be made Health and Wellness Ambassadors to spread awareness about health issues.
These ambassadors will be supported by class monitors as Health and .... Read More
+ NITI Aayog Report Flags Discrepancies in Maternity Benefit Scheme
One in three Aadhaar-based payments for the Centre’s maternity benefit scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), was credited to a wrong bank account, according to a progress report on Poshan Abhiyaan (Nutrition Mission) released by the NITI Aayog recently.
Key Findings of the Report
A substantial number of payments (28% of .... Read More
+ Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020
The Union cabinet on 29 January 2019 approved The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 that proposes to permit the termination of pregnancy up to 24 weeks from the existing 20 weeks. It aims to expand access of women to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian .... Read More
+ Crime in India Increased by 1.3% in 2018: NCRB
Crime in India has increased by 1.3% in 2018 compared to 2017 with the registration of over 50 lakh cognisable crimes, reveals 2018 edition of ‘Crime in India’ statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). NCRB also released the Prison Statistics India 2018 report.
Crime in India 2018 Report
As .... Read More
+ SDG Index 2019
On 30th December, NITI Aayog released the second edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index, which comprehensively documents the progress made by India’s States and Union Territories towards achieving the 2030 SDG targets.
About SDG India Index 2.0
The SDG India Indexhas been developed in collaboration with the Ministry of .... Read More
+ PM Matru Vandana Yojana: Insufficient Coverage, Dismal Approach
An RTI query has revealed that Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), has managed to reach just under a third of its beneficiaries in 2018-19. The RTI data supplements findings from an earlier survey called Jaccha Baccha survey, conducted by economists Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera in 2017.
Highlights of the .... Read More
+ 77 million Diabetics Reported in India
International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has launched the ninth edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas to mark World Diabetes Day on 14th November.
Key Findings of IDF Diabetes Atlas
Worldwide prevalence of diabetes estimated at 463 million adults in 20-79 age group.
The number of people with diabetes is predicted to rise to 578 .... Read More
+ FSSAI Seeks to Clampdown on Junk Food Served in Schools
To get school children to eat better, India’s food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has notified a draft regulation that aims to monitor the quality of food being served to children in schools. It comes in response to the 2015 order from the Delhi .... Read More
+ National Health Profile, 2019
The 14th edition of National Health Profile, 2019 has been released by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI).
Key Findings
The sex ratio has improved from 933 (2001) to 943(Census 2011).
Highest population density of 11,320 people per square kilometre was reported bythe National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) whereas Arunachal Pradesh .... Read More
+ India Slips to 112th Rank on Gender Parity Index
India has slipped to 112th rank among 153 countries in the annual Global Gender Gap Index for 2020, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The Report benchmarks countries on their progress towards gender parity in four dimensions: Economic Participation and Opportunity; Educational Attainment; Health and Survival and Political Empowerment.
It measures .... Read More
+ Swachh Survekshan League (SSL) 2020
On 6th June, 2019, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation launched Swachh Survekshan League, 2020.
SSL 2020 will be a quarterly cleanliness assessment of cities and towns in India and will be integrated with Swachh Survekshan 2020.
Ranks will be assigned in two categories,: cities with a population of one .... Read More
+ SDG Gender Index
On 6th June, 2019, Equal Measures 2030 released the 2019 SDG Gender Index, which finds that nearly 40 per cent of women and girls, live in countries that are “failing on gender equality.”
The index report titled, ‘Harnessing the Power of Data for Gender Equality: Introducing the 2019 EM2030 SDG Gender .... Read More
+ Hike in National Defence Fund Scholarship Assistance
On 1st June, 2019, the center approved changes to the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for wards of deceased defence personnel under the National Defence Fund
The ambit of the Scholarship Scheme has been extended to the wards of State Police officials who are or were martyred during terror or Naxal .... Read More
+ Amendment to Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964
By an amendment to the Foreigners Tribunals(FT) Order, 1964, Ministry of Home Affairs has empowered district magistrates in all States and Union Territories to set up tribunals to decide whether a person staying illegally in India is a foreigner or not. Earlier, the powers to constitute tribunals were vested only .... Read More
+ Swachh Bharat Helped Reduce Ground Water Contamination: UNICEF
On 5th June, 2019, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a study stating that the central government’s flagship scheme -Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), has helped to reduce groundwater contamination in the country.
It aimed at assessing the environmental impact and communication footprint of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G).
Swachh Bharat Mission
Launched in .... Read More
+ ICMR Recommends Ban on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
On 31st May, 2019, World No Tobacco Day, the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) released a white paper recommending a complete ban on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), including e-cigarettes, stating their use can initiate nicotine addiction among non-smokers.
The release of the white paper comes amid a raging debate over .... Read More
+ Prison Statistics India, 2016
Recently, Prison Statistics India 2016 report was published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Key Highlights
Prison population: At the end of 2016, there were close to 4,33,000 people in prison. Of these, 68% were undertrials, or people who are yet to be found guilty of the crimes they are .... Read More
+ Government reduces ESI contribution rate to 4 per cent
On 13th June, 2019, government reduced the salary contribution of industrial workers who are eligible for healthcare benefits under the Employees’ State Insurance Act (ESI) Act from 6.5% to 4%.
The move, aimed at formalising India’s informal workforce and expanding social security coverage, will be effective from July 1, 2019.
Changes
Employer’s contribution .... Read More
+ E-Governance Initiatives for ST Welfare Schemes
On 12th June, 2019, Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched e-governance initiatives for welfare schemes for Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the form of two digital portals-Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)Tribal and NGO Grants Online Application and Tracking System.
In DBT Tribal portal, there are 3 main modules for Pre-Matric & Post-Matric Scholarship. Data .... Read More
+ Meghalaya Launches Aroma Mission
On 28th May, 2019, Meghalaya Government launched Aroma Mission to boost the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs).
In this regard, memorandum of agreement was also signed between Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) and Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) for collaborative work on medicinal and aromatic plants. .... Read More
+ NPPA Slashes prices of 9 Non-Scheduled Cancer Drugs
On 20th May, 2019, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, reduced the price of 9 anti-cancer non-scheduled medicines by up to 87 %.
The new list of drugs is in continuation to the government’s efforts to curb profiteering on these vital drugs and to .... Read More
+ NOTTO’s Nod must for Organ Allocation to Foreign Nationals
On 6th May, 2019, the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has mandated that an organ could be allocated to a foreign national only after it gives its approval.
This action was taken after a report that foreigners are getting organs ahead of Indian nationals on the waiting list.
In the .... Read More
+ Supreme Court disapproves Assam’s Foreigner’s Tribunals Plan
On 9th May, 2019, the Supreme Court objected on a proposal by the Assam government to quickly throw open 1,000 foreigner’s tribunals all over the northeastern State to try suspected illegal immigrants.
Concerns Raised by Supreme Court
A 1,000 tribunals means a 1,000 judicial officers to preside over them. From where will .... Read More
+ SC Upholds Constitutional Validity of Consequential Seniority
On 10th May, 2019, the Supreme Court upheld the Constitutional validity of the Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (to the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act 2018. The said enactment provided for consequential seniority to persons belonging to .... Read More
+ First Global Assessment of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
On 3rd April, 2019, the first comprehensive global assessment of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) was released.
Highlights
The report highlights that each year 17 million women in least developed countries .... Read More
+ Research Begins on Zika Virus
India has initiated research on impact of Zika virus on infected pregnant women in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where cases of virus outbreaks were reported last year.
Study to Decode Zika Syndrome
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has initiated a study in Rajasthan and Bhopal to understand the outcomes of pregnancies .... Read More
+ Multi-drug Resistant Yeast Present in India since 2011
A Multi-drug resistant yeast Candida auris (C. auris), which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently warned can cause invasive infection and death, has been around in India since 2011.
Almost 90 per cent of its fungal isolates were found to be resistant to fluconazole, the standard antifungal .... Read More
+ Ministry of AYUSH, CSIR sign MoU to Promote Traditional Medicine
On 22nd April, 2019, the Ministry of AYUSH and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), signed an MoU, for cooperation in research and education in areas of traditional systems of medicine and its integration with modern science.
Scope of MoU
As per the pact inked between the two organisations, stress will .... Read More
+ Know Your Medicine
On 11th April, 2019, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) directed drug manufacturers, to mention in leaflets inserted into drug packets or on promotional literature, information about the adverse reactions of seven medicines and to ensure that this information be made available to the general public.
CDSCO took this step on .... Read More
+ Annual Surveillance Reports on Antimicrobial Resistance
On 30th April, 2019, UN Ad hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, released a groundbreaking report demanding immediate, coordinated and ambitious action to avert a potentially disastrous drug-resistance crisis.
This report reflects a renewed commitment to collaborative action at the global level by the World Food and Agriculture Organization of .... Read More
+ ICMR Launches ‘MERA India’
On 27th April, 2019, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) established ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)’ which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.
Objective
The purpose of MERA India is to identify, articulate, prioritise and respond to the research needs of the country to eliminate malaria from India by .... Read More
+ 100 Years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
On 13th April, 2019, the Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy completed its 100 years.
BackgroundRowlatt Act
Officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919, it was passed in March 1919 by the Imperial Legislative Council.
This act authorised the British government to arrest anybody suspected of terrorist activities and detain such people for .... Read More
+ India on the Brink of a Dry Eye Disease Epidemic
For the first time, a large-scale, hospital-based study in India involving over 14.5 lakh patients had found the incidence (number of new cases occurring each year) of dry eye disease to be 21,000 (1.46%).
Key Findings
With a large ageing population, growing middle-class and chronic nature of the disease, India is on .... Read More
+ Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019
On 26th March, 2019, the Government notified the new Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, reducing the time for approving applications to 30 days for drugs manufactured in India and 90 days for those developed outside the country.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Aim
The aim is to promote clinical .... Read More
+ FeFA Girls: Initiative to Tackle Malnutrition
On 15th March, 2019, the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) launched ‘FeFA (Iron for Adolescents) Girls’, an initiative to tackle malnutrition among adolescent girls.
Aim
To prepare diet-based approaches to improve haemoglobin and blood iron levels in girls.
To generate scientific evidence .... Read More
+ National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS 2018-19)
The second National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS 2018-19) was conducted between November 2018 and February 2019, to establish the progress over the baseline established by NARSS 2017-18.
The NARSS 2018-19 is a third-party survey that has been conducted by the Independent Verification Agency (IVA) under the World Bank supported project. .... Read More
+ Adoption of Girl Child
Data released by the Union Ministry of women and child development revealed that 60 per cent of the children adopted in India between 2015 and 2018 were girls.
Significance: The importance of these figures cannot be emphasized enough in a country like India where the sex ratio at birth has been .... Read More
+ Gender Gap in Wages
“Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the wages fixed by the appropriate government are payable equally to both male and female workers in all sectors, including agriculture, and the Act does not discriminate on the basis of gender,” the Government had told the Lok Sabha recently.
However, an .... Read More
+ National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use
Data from ‘National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India’ released by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on February 18 shows that prevalence of opioid use is India is three times the global average — 2.06 per cent in India against 0.70 per cent globally.
Key .... Read More
+ Fertility Gap and Religion
New evidence from the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS), conducted in 2015-16 shows that the fertility gap between Hindus and Muslims has narrowed for the first time in many decades.
Total Fertility Rate>
A widely used measure of fertility levels is the ‘total fertility rate’, or the average number of children .... Read More
+ India Accounts for 27% of the Global TB Burden: WHO Report
On 17th October 2019, World Health Organisation (WHO) released the Global Tuberculosis Report 2019. The report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic and progressin the response at global, regional and country levels for India.
Key Findings
Global Scenario
Globally, an estimated 10.0 million people fell ill with TB in .... Read More
+ State of the World’s Children Report
On 15th October 2019, UNICEF released its State of the World’s Children report for 2019 titled “Children, food and nutrition: Growing well in a changing world”.
The report analyses the global state of children’s health vis-a-vis malnutrition, obesity, anaemia and other health issues.
It has ranked countries in the order of ‘highest .... Read More
+ Government launches SUMAN Scheme
On 10th October 2019, government launched the Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) scheme aiming zero preventable maternal and newborn deaths in India.SUMAN SchemeAll pregnant women, newborns and mothers up to 6 months of delivery will be able to avail several free health care services.The beneficiaries visiting public health facilities are entitled .... Read More
+ NCRB Data Decoded
On 21st October 2019, Crime in India Report for the year 2017 was released by the National Crime Records Bureau.
Crime against Women
The number of crimes committed against women have increased in 2017 by 6% compared to 2016 and by 9% compared to 2015.
Majority of cases under crimes against women were .... Read More
+ India Child Well-being Index Released
The India child well-being report has been released on 27th August 2019, by World Vision India, one of the largest Child-focused NGO and IFMR LEAD, a research organisation based in India.
About the Index
It is a multi dimensional approach towards measuring Child Well Being going beyond mere income and uses 24 .... Read More
+ Project SU.RE launched by Textile Ministry for Sustainable Fashion
On 22nd August the Union Minister for Textiles launched Project SU.RE, a move towards sustainable fashion.
Highlights
SU.RE stands for ‘Sustainable Resolution’ – which is the first holistic firm commitment from the apparel industry to move towards fashion that contributes to a clean environment and to set a sustainable pathway for the .... Read More
+ Rotavirus Vaccine expanded to Entire County
Under the 100-days agenda of the newly elected government, Ministry of Health has decided to provide Rotavirus vaccine, (Rotavac), which wasintroduced in Universal Immunisation Programme in March 2016 on pilot basis, to every child across all 36 states and UTs by September, 2019.
It aims to end morbidity and mortality in .... Read More
+ POCSO (Amendment) Bill, 2019
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) (Amendment) Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on 24th July 2019 to combat rising cases of child sex abuse in the country.
Salient Features
The definition of sexual assault has been extended to incorporatecases of administration of hormones and chemical substances to children for .... Read More
+ “State of the Education Report for India: Children with Disabilities”
The report has been released by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and highlights accomplishments and challenges with regards to the right to education of children with disabilities (CWDs).
Highlights of the Report
CWDs constitute 1.7% of the total child population of India.
Around 75% of CWDs of under 5 .... Read More
+ 10-year Sanitation Plan to Focus on Waste Management
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under Jal Shakti Ministry, launched a document on 10-year Rural Sanitation Strategy (ODF Plus), with focus on increasing access to solid and liquid waste management. It framework will be in place from 2019 to 2029.
Objectives
To sustain the gains of open defecation free .... Read More
+ Two out of Three Child Deaths in India due to Malnutrition: Lancet
Two-thirds of the 1.04 million deaths in children under five years in India are still attributable to malnutrition, according to the first comprehensive estimate of disease burden due to child and maternal malnutrition and the trends of its indicators in every State from 1990.The report was published in The Lancet .... Read More
+ All India Survey on Higher Education Report (2018-19)
On 21st September 2019, All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report for 2018-19 was released by the HRD ministry.
Background
The survey, undertaken as an annual, web-based, pan-India exercise on the status of Higher Education since 2010-11, covers all the Higher Educational Institutions in the country.
The survey collects data on .... Read More
Society & Social Issue
+ Falling Sex Ratios at Birth
In what raises serious concerns about India’s gender imbalance, data collated by the office of the Registrar General of India indicate a downward trend in sex ratio at birth. Even more worrying is a dramatic drop among southern states – barring Kerala – between 2007 and 2016.
Sex Ratio at Birth
Abysmal .... Read More
+ Poor Living Conditions Responsible for New Leprosy Cases
As per the data revealed on the World Leprosy Day (January 27: the last Sunday of January), every year, over 2 lakh new leprosy cases are detected around the world, with India accounting for more than half of these.
Remember This: India observes the World Leprosy Day on January 30, M .... Read More
+ Progress towards Malaria Control
Malaria cases reduced by three million in India in 2017 compared to 2016, Union Health Ministry informed Lok Sabha on January 4.
Remember This: The World Malaria Report 2018, published by the WHO, has reported a significant drop in the estimated malaria cases in India by three million fewer cases in .... Read More
+ No Fund Allotted to Treat Rare Diseases
The Centre has admitted before the Delhi High Court on December 19, 2018 that although it stated before the court that a Rs 100-crore corpus was created for treatment of rare diseases, no such fund was ever allocated as initial corpus for treatment of life-threatening disease under the National Policy .... Read More
+ National Medical Devices Promotion Council to be Set up under DIPP
To give a fillip to the medical device sector, which is a sunrise sector, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation announced setting up of a National Medical Devices Promotion Council under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry on .... Read More
+ Boost to Educational Infrastructure in Tribal Areas
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), gave its in-principle approval for setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) in every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons.
Approval by the Government Includes
To begin with, the CCEA has approved a financial cost of Rs. .... Read More
+ No Rise in Working Women Despite High Literacy Levels
A rise in literacy levels among women has failed to translate into an increase in the number of working women due to a combination of socio-economic factors such as the importance of education for improving marital prospects as well as higher prestige attached to households which keep women out of .... Read More
+ Surrogacy Bill, 2016
Lok Sabha on December 19, 2018 passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. Cleared by the Cabinet in 2016, the Bill was subsequently referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee (Health & Family Welfare) before its passage.
The Surrogacy Bill states some rules to control surrogacy in the country and has completely banned .... Read More
+ Anaemia among Girls, Women Still Prevalent
Government health and nutrition programs substantially reduce anaemia in children under five years of age and expectant mothers but fail to focus on girls and non-pregnant women, according to a study, titled “Trends and drivers of change in the prevalence of anaemia among 1 million women and children in India, .... Read More
+ National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2018
The Cabinet approved the draft National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCIM) Bill, 2018, on December 28, 2018, which seeks to replace the existing regulator Central Council for Indian Medicine (CCIM) with a new body to ensure transparency.
Salient Features of the Bill
The draft bill provides for the constitution of .... Read More
+ Lexicon for Rare Tribal Languages
In what is seen as a significant step to keep vanishing tribal languages in circulation, the Odisha government has come out with lexicons of 21 such languages.
The bilingual tribal dictionaries will be used in multilingual education (MLE) initiated by the State government at the elementary level in tribal-dominated districts.
The bilingual .... Read More
+ Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018
The Union Cabinet on November 22 approved the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018 for regulation and standardisation of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals.
The Bill provides for setting up of an Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding State Allied and Healthcare Councils which will play .... Read More
