There was a decrease in the number of vaccine doses administered in the week starting 1st May 2021, after the government “opened up” vaccination beyond priority groups, to its lowest level in eight weeks. Covid-19 vaccines are being developed at a pace faster than for any other disease, yet there are shortages. Important points: …

The NITI Aayog and Mastercard have released a report titled ‘Connected Commerce: Creating a Roadmap for a Digitally Inclusive Bharat’. The report identifies challenges in accelerating Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) in India and provides recommendations for making digital services accessible to its 1.3 billion citizens. Digital Financial Inclusion “Digital financial inclusion (DFI)” can be defined broadly as digital …

A scientist has estimated the three-dimensional distribution of molecular and atomic hydrogen in a nearby galaxy which can help lead to clues to the star formation processes and the evolution of the galaxy. Galaxies like the one we reside in, the Milky Way, consist of discs containing stars, molecular and …

INTRODUCTION Biochar is a charcoal-like material that is produced from plant materials such as grass, agricultural and forest residues that are decomposed at high temperatures,  Biochar is produced from thermochemical conversion of biomass under oxygen limitation often during renewable energy production. During the process, the physical and chemical properties of …

A number of Covid-19 patients are developing a serious fungal infection known as Mucormycosis also called black fungus. Important points: Mucormycosis: It is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes, which is abundant in the environment. It mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness. The types of …

The Prime Minister of India paid tributes to Maharana Pratap on his Jayanti. Important points: Rana Pratap Singh also known as Maharana Pratap was born on 9th May 1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan. He was the 13th King of Mewar and was the eldest son of Udai Singh II Maharana Udai Singh II ruled the kingdom of Mewar, with his capital at …

The Prime Minister paid tribute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on 160th Jayanti on 7th May, 2021. Important points: He was born in Calcutta on 7th May 1861. He was also referred to as ‘Gurudev’, ‘Kabiguru’, and ‘Biswakabi’ He is regarded as the outstanding creative artist of modern India and hailed by W.B Yeats, Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet, novelist, and painter, who …

Recently, the Environment Appraisal Committee which flagged concerns over the project has now ‘recommended’ it ‘for grant of terms of reference’ for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies. In August, 2020 the Prime Minister had declared that the Andaman and Nicobar islands will be developed as a “maritime and startup hub”. Important points: The proposal includes …

There are cases of clearance of forest land, digging and construction activities on at least three animal corridors within the eco-sensitive zone of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The Supreme Court of India in its 2019 order had said that “No new construction shall be permitted on private lands which form part of the …

Recently, India participated in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM) and shared plans for research and long-term cooperation in the Arctic Region. The first two meetings—ASM1 and ASM2—were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively. Arctic Region The Arctic region comprises the Arctic Ocean and parts of countries such as Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, USA (Alaska), …