GS-3 GLOBAL BIO INDIA 2021 The second edition of Global Bio-India-2021 is being conducted by India virtually from New Delhi. The 3-day event will showcase the strength and opportunities of the India’s biotechnology sector at national level and to the global community. The theme for this year is “Transforming lives” with the …

GS-1 CHARIOT DISCOVERED IN POMPEII Archaeologists working at Pompeii have announced the discovery of a large ceremonial chariot. It was found with four wheels, its iron components, bronze and tin decorations, mineralised wood remains, and imprints of organic materials.  Important points:  It is likely that the chariot was used as …

GS-3 SWACHHTA SAARTHI FELLOWSHIP The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under its “Waste to Wealth” Mission launched the “SwachhtaSaarthi Fellowship” Important points: Aim of the fellowship to recognize students, community workers/self-help groups, and municipal/sanitary workers who are engaged in tackling the enormous challenge of …

Government of India announced reforms for opening up the space sector to private entities by creation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) under the Department of Space. IN-SPACe will promote, handhold, regulate and authorize space activity by private sector which will result in enhanced private participation. …

GS-2 SUGAMYA BHARAT APP Union Minister for Social justice and Empowerment will virtually launch “Sugamya Bharat App” Important points: The App has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Sugamya Bharat APP — a Crowdsourcing Mobile Application is …

GS-3 FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS (FPOs) Union Ministers for Agriculture celebrated the first anniversary of the Central Sector Scheme on “Formation & Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)”. Important points: The scheme was launched by Prime Minister on 29.02.2020 at Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh) with a budgetary provision of Rs 6865 …

GS-1 GEORGE’S ORTHODOX CHURCH The centuries-old St. George’s Orthodox Church at Cheppad in Kerala faced demolition for widening of National Highway 66, but is now set to become a Centrally-protected monument of national importance with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recognition. Important points: The church is one of the rarest …

Context :Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh discusses collaboration in Space Sector with his Brazilian counterpart Marcos Pontes after successful launch of Amazonia-1 Satellite by ISRO Amazonia-1 is an optical earth observation satellite and is intended to provide remote sensing images to observe and monitor deforestation, to improve the real-time detection …

GS-3 SLAF’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY: SURYAKIRANS, SARANG & TEJAS TO TAKE PART IN CELEBRATIONS The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) will celebrate its 70th anniversary in March 2021. In the celebration, the Indian Air Force’s Sarang, Surya kirans and Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will participate in Colombo from March 3 to 5, …

GS-3 INDIA EMERGED OUT OF TECHNICAL RECESSION The Indian economy has emerged out of technical recession as it grew at 0.4% in the third (October-December) quarter of 2020-21 with improvement in manufacturing, construction and agriculture. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had contracted by 24.4% and 7.3% in the April-June and …

GS-2 PAKISTAN-SRI LANKA AND INDIA  RELATIONS Recently, Pakistan’s Prime Minister visited Sri Lanka. It is the first Pakistani PM visit to Sri Lanka since 2016 and first visit by any head of government to Sri Lanka since the Covid-19 pandemic began.     Important points: Sri Lanka-Pakistan Relationship (Background): Sri …

GS-3 MIGRATORY BIRDS LEAVE CHILIKA Eastern Odisha’s average maximum temperature for February has gone up by 3-4 degrees Celsius Migratory birds in and around Chilika lake and Bhitarkanika National Park have started their homeward journey a couple of weeks earlier than other years, as temperatures in Odisha began to soar. Bhubaneswar, located …

GS-1 RASHTRIYA SANSKRITI MAHOTSAV-2021 Important points: The third and final edition of the RashtriyaSanskriti Mahotsav-2021 concluded with colourful cultural programmes. The two day Mahotsav was organised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India from 27th –  28th February 2021 at Murshidabad, West Bengal. A large number of people attended the closing …

GS-1 NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY National Science Day: February 28 is annually observed as National Science Day in India to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Nobel laureate Dr C V Raman. The day is celebrated since 1987. The theme for National Science Day 2021 is “Future of STI: …

GS-3 PSLV-C51/AMAZONIA-1 MISSION PM congratulates NSIL and ISRO on the success of the 1st dedicated commercial launch of PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 Mission. Important points: India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C51 successfully launched Amazonia-1 along with 18 co-passenger satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission …

GS-1 MORARJI DESAI PM remembers former PM Shri Morarjibhai Desai. Important points: Morarji Desai’s birth anniversary falls on 29 February. Morarji Desai was born in Bulsar, District (now known as Valsad) in Gujarat. After graduating from Wilson College, Bombay (now Mumbai),  he served as the Deputy collector of Godhra. He …

GS-3 MARITIME INDIA SUMMIT 2021 PM to inaugurate Maritime India Summit 2021 on 2nd March. Maritime India Summit 2021: It is a virtual summit being organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The Summit will visualize a roadmap for India’s maritime sector for the next decade and will …

GS-3 GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS AS IMPORTED FOOD CROPS The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in a recent order has set 1% threshold for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in food crops imported into India. Earlier in August 2020, FSSAI had issued the order that 24 food crops the …

GS-3 NGT SUGGESTS NATIONAL RIVER REJUVENATION MECHANISM Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti to devise an appropriate National River Rejuvenation Mechanism for effective monitoring of steps to curb pollution and for rejuvenation of all polluted river stretches across the country. Assessment of the CPCB: …

GS-2 SAME SEX MARRIAGE Recently, the Central Government opposed same-sex marriage in Delhi High Court stating that a marriage in India can be recognised only if it is between a “biological man” and a “biological woman” capable of producing children. Background: Petitions, seeking recognition of same sex marriages under the …