CONTEXT: ARTPARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park) is a joint initiative of the Indian Institute of Science & AI Foundry, set up as a Section 8 company (Not for Profit) with a seed grant from the Department of Science and Technology (Govt. of India). MAIN POINTS: It is set up …

CONTEXT: As per estimates released by the National Statistical Office, India’s GDP contracted 7.5% in the second quarter of 2020-21. MAIN POINTS: India has now entered a technical recession with two successive quarters of negative growth. Agriculture, which was the only sector to record growth between April and June this …

CONTEXT: India has targeted to have it’s Islands- A&N and Lakshadweep as Green Energy says Shri R.K Singh at Country session of Maldives during 3rd Global Re-Invest.Power Minister assures full cooperation to Maldives in its efforts promote RE projects BACKGROUND: Shri R K Singh, Union Minister of New & Renewable …

CONTEXT: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Invest India have launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Investor Map for India. MAIN POINTS: It laid out 18 Investment Opportunities Areas (IOAs) in six critical SDG enabling sectors, that can help the country push forward on the trajectory of Sustainable Development. The …

CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched the ‘India Climate Change Knowledge Portal’. MAIN POINTS: AIM: The Portal will help in disseminating knowledge among citizens about all the major steps the Government is taking at both national and international levels to address climate change issues. …

CONTEXT: The Union Government’s fiscal deficit further widened to ₹9.53 lakh crore, or close to 120% of the annual budget estimate, at the end of October of the current fiscal (2020-21). DETAILS: The deficit widened mainly due to poor revenue realisation. The fiscal deficit or gap between the expenditure and …

CONTEXT: Inauguration of Honey FPOs under the “Formation & Promotion of 10,000 FPOs” Scheme. IMPORTANT POINTS: The Honey FPO Programme of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) has been inaugurated. The Honey FPOs made by the Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) under the aegis of …

CONTEXT: India and Finland sign MoU for developing cooperation in the field of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. DETAILS: The MoU is a platform to further advance Indian and Finnish partnership and support, exchange best practices in areas like prevention of air and water pollution; waste management; promotion of circular …

CONTEXT: The Central Government made the rules under the powers conferred by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. The Act came into effect on 10 January 2020, which is the first concrete step towards ensuring welfare of transgender persons. BACKGROUND: In 2014, the Supreme Court of India, in …

CONTEXT: Recently, the Prime Minister of India has addressed the concluding session of the 80 All India Presiding Officers Conference via videoconference, at Kevadiya (Gujarat) on the occasion of Constitution Day (26 November). MAIN POINTS: The idea is about structuring the Indian election cycle in a manner so that elections …