Recently, 150 vultures were seen in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), Bihar, which has prompted a vulture conservation plan in the protected region of VTR. Important points: It is one of the 22 species of large carrion-eating birds that live predominantly in the tropics and subtropics. They act an important function as nature’s garbage collectors and help …

Amid escalating tensions, the Police forces were deployed at various hydel power projects in bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Andhra Pradesh has complained to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) about the drawing of water from the Srisailam project by Telangana for power generation. The KRMB, in its recent orders, had asked …

According to a new report by the Wash Institute (a global non-profit organisation), India was responsible for the largest drop in open defecation since 2015, in terms of absolute numbers. Universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to achieve the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 was also emphasised. WASH WASH is an acronym that stands for the interrelated …

According to the recent data from the Reserve Bank of India, India’s Foreign Exchange (Forex) Reserves surged by $ 5 billion to $ 609 billion in the week ended 25th June, 2021. Increase in the Foreign Currency Assets (FCA) is the major component of overall reserves. Important points: FCA rose by $ 4.7 billion to $ 566 billion. …

Recently, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) decided to felicitate around 54,000 taxpayers to mark the competition of 4 years of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Important points: The introduction of e-way bills coupled with the crackdown on fake invoicing has helped in bringing in a substantial portion of GST revenues, which were either …

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the 23rd issue of its Financial Stability Report (FSR). The FSR which is published biannually reflects the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC – headed by the Governor of RBI) on risks to financial stability and the resilience of the financial system. The Report also discusses issues …

Recently, Indian Railway (IR) has opened the first movable freshwater tunnel aquarium at Bengaluru Railway Station. Important points: The Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station also known as Bengaluru City Railway Station has become the first railway station in India with a movable freshwater tunnel aquarium. The aquarium has been opened by the Indian Railway Stations Development …

Recently, the Philippines increased the alert level on Taal Volcano to level 3 on a five-level scale after a Phreatomagmatic Eruption (PE) occurred that generated a dark grayish plume, one kilometer high. Alert Level 3 means there is magmatic unrest, or movement of magma that may further drive succeeding eruptions. Important points: Situated on the island of …

The IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) slipped to 48.1 in June from 50.8 in May, moving below the 50-level separating growth from contraction. India’s manufacturing activity contracted in June for the first time in 11 months as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and strict containment measures negatively impacted demand and led to renewed …

Recently, LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) has made the discovery of gravitational waves from a pair of neutron star-black hole (NS-BH) mergers. The reverberations from these two objects were picked up using a global network of gravitational wave detectors, the most sensitive scientific instruments ever built. Until now, the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration (LVC) was only able …