Recently, the Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the e-Shram portal. Important points: To register 38 crore unorganised workers such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors, and domestic workers, among others. The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12 digit unique number. If a worker is registered on the eSHRAM portal and …

Recently, Indian astronomers from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, have for the first time given the theoretical explanation of the existence of a near-surface shear layer (NSSL) in the Sun. ARIES is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology. Important points: Apart from differentiation rotation between equator and poles, the …

Recently, cloudbursts have been reported from several places in India. Important points: Cloudbursts are short-duration, intense rainfall events over a small area. It is a weather phenomenon with unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm/h over a geographical region of approximately 20-30 square km. In the Indian Subcontinent, it generally occurs when a monsoon cloud drifts …

Recently, Rajya Sabha has passed the Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to bring changes in the legislation aimed at helping the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. It has incorporated many suggestions from the UK Sinha Committee. Factoring business is a business where an entity acquires the receivables of another entity for an amount. Note that credit …

Recently, the Lok Sabha passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) Amendment Bill, 2021. It was first introduced in March 2021 and subsequently referred to a parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, which approved it without any changes. It seeks to amend the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008. Important points: It …

Recently, the Union Health Ministry has announced 27% reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the All India Quota (AIQ) scheme for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical/dental courses from 2021-22 onwards. Important points: The AIQ was introduced in 1986 under the directions of the Supreme Court (SC) to provide …

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a scheme, namely Information-Monitoring, Evaluation and Social Audit (I-MESA) in FY 2021-22. Important points: Under this scheme, Social Audits are to be conducted for all the schemes of the Department starting FY 2021-22. These social audits are done through Social Audit Units (SAU) of the States and National Institute for …

Recently, the Prime Minister launched multiple initiatives in the education sector at a conference, to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy 2020 which aims at making India a global knowledge superpower. The Prime Minister also noted the role played by portals like Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) and Study Webs …