GS-3 WHALE SHARK Recently, fishers in Odisha rescued a whale shark. Important points: Whale sharks are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today and they travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce. The whale shark is a ‘filter feeder shark’ which means it does not eat …

GS-3 MSME CREDIT HEALTH INDEX The latest MSME Credit Health Index indicates that MSME credit growth has accelerated in the quarter ending September 2020 as compared to the quarter ending in June 2020. The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECGLS) has helped in the credit growth for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) …

GS-2 RIGHTS OF OVERSEAS CITIZENS OF INDIA Recently, the government has notified a consolidated list of rights of the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI). The rights and restrictions are not new, they have been notified previously in 2005, 2007, and 2009. They were also mentioned in an OCI brochure published by the Ministry of …

GS-2 NEW RULE ON AIRBAGS The union government has passed a new notification making airbags compulsory for all vehicles in the country. The new notification is said to be a new safety feature and has been initiated on the advice of the Supreme Court of India. Details  The announcement is …

GS-3 AGROFORESTRY IN THE SILK SECTOR The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare signed a MoU with the Central Silk Board on a convergence model for the implementation of Agroforestry in the silk sector under the ongoing Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) Scheme. About: This initiative in sericulture sector is especially …

GS-2 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY International Women’s Day 2021 is being celebrated on 8th of March with theme #ChooseToChallenge. It indicates that a “challenged world is an alert world, and from challenge comes change”. About: Date: International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year. History: IWD has occurred for …

GS-2 SANAʽA A Saudi-led military coalition mounted air strikes on Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital Sana’a after it intercepted 10 drones launched by the Iran-backed rebels. About: Sanaa also spelled Sanaʽa or Sana, is the largest city in Yemen. Under the Yemeni constitution, Sanaʽa is the capital of the country, although the …

GS-2 CHINESE DAM ON BRAHMAPUTRA A draft of China’s new Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which is set to be formally approved on March 11, 2021, has given the green light for the first dams to be built on the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo river, as the Brahmaputra is known in …

GS-2 JANAUSHADHI DIWAS 7th March 2019 to be celebrated as ‘Janaushadhi Diwas’ across India. As part of the celebrations, PM will interact with owners of Janaushadhi Kendras and beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) across the country.   About PMBJP: ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ is a campaign launched by …

GS-1 CONSERVATION WORK OF SINGORGARH FORT LAUNCHED The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, laid down the foundation stone for conservation works of Singorgarh Fort at the Singrampur village of Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh on March 7, 2021. Highlights On the occasion, the President also inaugurated the Jabalpur Circle …