Recently, the government released cybersecurity guidelines for the power sector. This is the first time that a comprehensive guideline has been formulated on cyber security in the power sector. The guidelines are a precursor to cybersecurity regulations that the Central Electricity Authority (CEA, Ministry of Power) is working on. Important points: CEA has framed the guidelines under the Central …

India has been ranked 90th in the most powerful passport report ‘Henley Passport Index 2021’. Important points: The Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Originally created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin (chairman of Henley & Partners), the ranking is …

Recently, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Tourism Ministry sanctioned 5 projects of Rs 325.53 crore for Buddhist circuit development. It has also organised a Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour as part of the Union government’s Dekho Apna Desh initiative. The tour covers the destinations Gaya-Bodhgaya, Rajgir-Nalanda in Bihar as well as Sarnath-Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Important points: Swadesh …

Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA) has designated the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, established in 2005 for strengthening tiger conservation. Important points: It is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya …

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Benjamin List and David MacMillan for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis. Last year, the honour went to Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Charpentier and American Jennifer Doudna, for developing the gene-editing technique known as CRISPR-Cas9 – DNA snipping “scissors”. Nobel prizes in physics and medicinefor 2021 have already been announced. Important points: They have developed a new and ingenious tool …

Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) endorsed the world’s first Malaria Vaccine in the hope that it will spur stalled efforts to curb the spread of the parasitic disease. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable. Important points: RTS,S/AS01, trade …

Recently, the demand for the enactment of a legislation on the right to health has been revived in Rajasthan. The health activists have affirmed that the law would streamline medical services and guarantee the availability of essential facilities to citizens. Important points: The right to health, as with other rights, includes both …

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the setting up of seven Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks at an outlay of Rs. 4,445 crore. The MITRA park aims to integrate the entire textile value chain from spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing, printing to garment manufacturing at one location. Important points: PM MITRA park will be …

On the Occasion of the World Teachers’ Day (5th October), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched its 2021 State of the Education Report (SOER) for India: “No Teacher, No Class”. Important points: The findings are largely based on analysis of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) data (2018-19). …

Recently, scientists have developed a New biodegradable polymer, using Guar Gum, and Chitosan, which has high potential for packaging material. Important points:: It is a guar gum-chitosan composite film which is a cross-linked polysaccharide developed with the help of solution casting method (a simple technique to make polymer films). It overcomes the challenges of polysaccharides. Polysaccharides is one of the biopolymers …