India has a coastline of 7,516.6 km. bordering the mainland and the islands with Bay of Bengal in the East, the Indian Ocean on the South and the Arabian Sea on the West. There are nine States viz. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West …

Today India’s bioeconomy contributes 2.6% to the GDP but it is envisioned to contribute about 5% by 2030. To achieve this growth, the sector needs Robust policies that create an ecosystem of innovation and industrial action Need for government funding for biotechnology in India Need for extended efforts to attract …

The Silkyara tunnel collapse occurred on November 12, 2023, when a portion of the under-construction Silkyara Bend – Barkot tunnel collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, India. Incident On November 12, 2023, a portion of the under-construction Silkyara Bend – Barkot tunnel collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, India. The collapse …

Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter within a short period of time is considered a biofuel. It may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature. Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel Gaseous: Biogas Generations of biofuel First generation Sourced from food-based …

A strategy known as “Climate-Smart Agriculture” (CSA) aids in directing efforts to change agri-food systems towards environmentally friendly and climate-resilient methods. CSA is in favour of achieving globally recognised objectives like the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. The three main objectives of CSA Sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes: This …

The word freebie is an informal word used to refer to things given out for free or without payment by any organization, company or a state to gain the receiver’s support or favour. Constitutional Standpoint The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs) envisions a welfare state which makes basic amenities …

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, is a comprehensive legislation enacted by the Indian Parliament to combat money laundering and related activities. It aims to prevent the use of the financial system for the purpose of concealing or laundering proceeds of crime, to provide for the confiscation of …

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART), by the American Center for Disease Control (CDC) definition, are any fertility-related treatments in which eggs or embryos are manipulated. It involves procedure that involves retrieving eggs from a woman’s ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory, and then transferring the resulting embryos back into …

The Constitution of India guarantees certain fundamental rights to all citizens, including the right to work, the right to fair wages, the right to form unions, and the right to social security. Some important labour laws in India Minimum Wages Act, 1948 Factories Act, 1948 Payment of Wages Act, 1936 …

R. N. Ravi, the governor of Tamil Nadu, has “withheld” his approval of a number of bills that the legislative assembly of that state has enacted. This comes after the Supreme Court voiced “serious concern” over the Governor’s inaction on bills that were brought before him for ratification. The court …

Intellectual property deals with the human capital applied for creativity and inventions. Intellectual Property Rights are legal rights given to a creator or innovator to enjoy the economic benefits of their invention or creation. These are territorial rights registered with a legal authority. It provides a secure environment for investors, …

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established in 1967 with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”. Its secretariat is situated in Jakarta, Indonesia. Member Nations Indonesia Malaysia …

Air pollution in Delhi is a major environmental and health concern. The city’s air quality is consistently among the worst in the world, and it is estimated that air pollution causes over 20,000 premature deaths in Delhi each year. There are a number of factors that contribute to air pollution …

The Earth Summit, often referred to as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 3–14, 1992. This international conference brought together political leaders, diplomats, scientists, media representatives, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from 179 countries in an attempt to focus …

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental body established in 1989 based in Paris. It originally included the G7 countries, the European Commission and eight other countries. Today, it comprises of 39 member countries, 2 observer jurisdictions and 9 FATF-Style Regional Bodies. It acts as global money laundering …

Within Asia, although elephants occur in 13 countries, India holds more than 60% wild elephant populations of the globe. In India, 10 landscapes have been identified by Elephant Tasks Force as regions on the principles of elephant habitat contiguity and have distinct populations with occasional genetic exchange. Elephant is a …

PVTGs are subsection among tribals who are more vulnerable than others. There is a requirement to identify them as a major part of the tribal development funds are taken by more developed and assertive tribal groups. Criteria for identification The criteria for identifying Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups are Pre-agricultural level …

Why in NEWS The controversy began when the Congress and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the state government of corruption. The Congress party demanded a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation System (KLIS) project. Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation System (KLIS) Located in Kaleshwaram, Telangana, the Kaleshwaram …

  Stubble burning in Punjab is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. The smoke from the burning stubble travels hundreds of kilometres to Delhi, where it mixes with other pollutants to create severe air quality episodes. The burning of crop stubble releases harmful pollutants into the air, including …

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has introduced the “Women for Water, Water for Women Campaign” under its flagship schemes, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). It aims to inculcate women in water governance by providing first-hand knowledge about water …