GS-2   MEETING OF BRICS FINANCE AND CENTRAL BANK DEPUTIES India hosts First Meeting of BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies. Important points: India hosted a Meeting of BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies virtually. It was co-chaired by the Secretary, Economic Affairs, Finance Ministry and the Deputy Governor of …

GS-3 GRANT OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS TO PRIVATE BANKS Embargo lifted on grant of government business to private banks.  Details: The Government has lifted the embargo on private sector banks (only a few were permitted earlier) for the conduct of Government-related banking transactions such as taxes and other revenue payment facilities, …

GS-3 RECORD FOODGRAIN PRODUCTION Record Foodgrain production of 303.34 million tonnes.  Details: The second advance estimates of production of major crops reveal a record production of 303.34 million tonnes of food grains. According to the Agriculture Ministry, India’s foodgrain production is estimated to rise 2 per cent in 2020-21 crop …

GS-3 PLI FOR IT HARDWARE Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive Scheme for IT Hardware. Background: The vision of the National Policy on Electronics 2019 is to position India as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) by encouraging and driving capabilities in the country for developing core …

GS-3 PLI FOR PHARMACEUTICALS Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Pharmaceuticals. Important points: The union cabinet has approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals for the period 2020-21 to 2028-29. Background: The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the 3rd-largest in the world by volume and is worth USD …

GS-3 OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES The Orissa High Court has taken suomotu cognisance of the death of around 800 Olive Ridley sea turtles due to negligence by Odisha’s forest and fisheries departments. Features of Olive Ridley Turtles: The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles …

GS-2 INTENSIFIED MISSION INDRADHANUSH 3.0 SCHEME Recently, the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 3.0 scheme has been rolled out to cover children and pregnant women who missed routine immunisation during the Covid- 19 pandemic. About the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 3.0 Scheme: To reach the unreached population with all the available …

GS-3 ANTI-DUMPING DUTY ON STEEL IMPORTS FROM CHINA Recently, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has initiated a probe to review the need for continuing imposition of anti-dumping duty on certain types of steel products imported from China, following complaints from domestic industry. The duty on the certain steel …

GS-2 CHINA-INDIA’S TOP TRADING PARTNER IN 2020 According to provisional data from India’s commerce ministry, China regained its position as India’s top trade partner in 2020 despite high border tensions between the two countries. Important points: The two-way trade between India and China stood at USD 77.7 billion for the …

GS-3 NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS 2020 A total of 12 companies have been selected for the National Technology Awards 2020 for the successful commercialization of innovative indigenous technologies. Important points: They have been selected under three categories: indigenous technologies, MSME, and start-ups. Every year, for furtherance of its mandate, the Technology …

GS-3       SCHEME OF FUND FOR REGENERATION OF TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES (SFURTI) Union Minister for MSME & Road Transport & Highways inaugurated 50 artisan-based SFURTI clusters, spread over 18 States. Important points: In the 50 clusters inaugurated, over 42,000 artisans have been supported in the traditional segments of muslin, khadi, coir, handicraft, …

GS-2 LABOUR BUREAU Labour Bureau organises training of trainers for five All-India Surveys. Important points: Labour Bureau, Chandigarh organised the Training of Trainers for the five All India Surveys relating to Domestic Workers, Migrant Workers, Employment Generated by the Professionals, the Employment Generated in Transport Sector and the All India …

GS-2 COUNCIL OF IITS Union Education Minister chairs the 54th Meeting of the Council of IITs. Important points: The IIT Council set up four committees to look at a range of issues – from funding to graded autonomy – of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and decided to go for …

GS-2 SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (SDC) FOR FIRE SAFETY TRAINING RakshaMantri inaugurates DRDO Skill Development Centre for Fire Safety Training.     About the SDC: The Skill Development Centre (SDC) for Fire Safety Training of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is situated at Pilkhuwa in Uttar Pradesh. The facility, created …

GS-3 VL-SRSAM MISSILE SYSTEM Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful launches of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM). Important points : The launches were carried out from a static vertical launcher from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. Prior to …

GS-3 NATIONAL AWARDS BY THE DEPT. OF CHEMICALS AND PETROCHEMICALS 10th national awards for ‘Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals & Downstream Plastics Processing Industries’ to be presented. Important points: The National Awards for ‘Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals and Downstream Plastic Processing Industries’ is an initiative of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals. …

GS-2 EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS 2021 The 16th edition of Indo-U.S. joint military exercise ‘YudhAbhyas’ is set to be held in Rajasthan between February 8 and 21. YudhAbhyas The exercise near the India-Pakistan border aims at enhancing cooperation and interoperability between the two armies and will focus on counter-terrorism operations under …

GS-1 NCBC CHAIRMAN ON SUB-CATEGORISATION OF OBC The chairman of National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), Bhagwan Lal Sahni, said that the NCBC is in favour of four subcategories of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This move complies with the recommendation of the Justice Rohini Commission.     Justice Rohini …

GS-2 UTTARAKHAND BRINGS ORDINANCE TO GIVE CO-OWNERSHIP RIGHTS TO WOMEN The Uttarakhand government has put forward an ordinance providing the co-ownership rights to women in the ancestral property of their husband. Highlights The ordinance was put forward in the backdrop of large-scale migration of men from hill areas of the …

GS-1 DECLINING RAINFALL IN CHERRAPUNJI A recent study that looked at the rainfall pattern in the past 119 years found a decreasing trend at Cherrapunji (Meghalaya) and nearby areas. The village of Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya has beaten Cherrapunji to become the wettest place in the world. Mawsynram receives over 10,000 millimetres of …