GS-III

Cabinet clears Rs. 5,538-crore proposal that includes higher production aid to ryots For the fourth time in the last five months, the Centre has approved incentives to help the cash-starved sugar mills clear thousands of crore in arrears of payment to cane farmers. On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic …

The government on Wednesday released a list of 19 categories of items on which it would be hiking import duties, which include white goods such as air-conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines as well as non-essential items such as gems, travel bags and aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The new rates will …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded with the UN’s highest environmental honour, also given to five other individuals and organisations, for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single use plastic by 2022. Cochin International Airport was honoured with the award for Entrepreneurial Vision, for …

Scientists said on Wednesday that they have finally solved the riddle of the world’s largest bird. A study released on Wednesday by British scientists suggested that one species of elephant bird was even larger than previously thought, with a specimen weighing an estimated 860 kg — about the same as …

It is the only digitally-available document for opening accounts online The Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday that Aadhaar is not mandatory for opening bank accounts could affect online opening of accounts. The State Bank of India, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank are among the banks that allow opening of …

As many as 672 people were rescued from Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district after the recent snowfall and rain closed off most roads in the region, officials said on Wednesday. The operations via road were taken up by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and 641 stranded people were reported …

Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani, who was the first Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, has said that the landmark judgment was in favour of the unique identification programme. “More than just opining on the constitutionality of the Act, the Supreme Court has unequivocally validated the founding principles for …

Registered firms are only dismantling and not processing trash, says report Many of India’s electronic-waste (e-waste) recyclers aren’t recycling waste at all. While some are storing it in hazardous conditions, others don’t even have the capacity to handle such waste, says a new report prepared by the Union Environment Ministry. …

Agriculture Minister pegs output at 141.59 million tonnes India’s foodgrains production is estimated at a record 141.59 million tonnes (MT) in the kharif season of 2018-19 crop year, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Wednesday. The country had produced 140.73 MT foodgrains in the kharif season of 2017-18 crop …

The partial striking down of Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, which allows private entities to use Aadhaar for authentication of a person’s identity, comes as a great blow to corporate entities. Section 57 has been one of the most watched areas in the Aadhaar litigation before a Constitution Bench …

The reconstituted Parliamentary Committee on Finance, headed by M. Veerappa Moily of the Congress, could not build a consensus on the long-pending report on demonetisation with BJP members continuing to oppose its finalisation. A draft report on demonetisation, which was circulated last year, looks at the impact of the move …

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday modified a 2006 judgment requiring the State to show quantifiable data to prove the “backwardness” of a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe community in order to provide quota in promotion in public employment. The 58-page judgment by a five-judge Bench led by Chief …

Majority judgment in Aadhaar case silent on erasing Though the majority opinion in the Aadhaar verdict is silent on deleting biometric data already collected by phone companies, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud’s direction to do so will open a Pandora’s box, if implemented. The Constitution Bench on Wednesday was unanimous in declaring …

Greenpeace activists on Tuesday scaled storage tanks at an Indonesian palm oil refinery along with a popular rock band which played pro-environment songs, protesting against a commodity found in everything from soap to biscuits. The green group said 30 activists and Indonesian metal group Boomerang had been “occupying” the site …

India ranks 158th in the world for its investments in education and health care, according to the first-ever scientific study ranking countries for their levels of investment in human capital. The nation is placed behind Sudan (ranked 157th) and ahead of Namibia (ranked 159th) in the list. The U.S. is …

Udalazhamtells the story of A. Raju who was born in a tribal settlement inside the Nilambur forest in Kerala While the country continues to debate social exclusion and marginalisation of the third gender, the life and struggles of Kerala’s only known tribal transgender, who died seven months ago, is now …

The Supreme Court wants the government to quickly fill the vacancies at the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), which is an important appellate body for filing appeals against orders passed by the capital market, insurance and pension regulators. While hearing an appeal filed by Quantum Securities, the apex court highlighted the …

Short-term power trading volumes for delivery, on Tuesday, hit an all-time high of 268.3 million units (MU) at the Indian Energy Exchange, in the wake of a surge in demand for electricity in the eastern, southern and western States mainly due to inadequate supply of coal and decrease in wind …

Concerns related to IL&FS has made investors turn wary of the whole sector The recent sell-off in the shares of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and housing finance companies (HFCs) has been so severe that some of the sector constituents are currently trading at a discount of over 50% when compared …

Infrastructure Finance & Leasing Services, which is facing a severe cash crunch, along with 40 other group companies, filed an application with the Mumbai Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), seeking relief under Section 230 of the Companies Act. By moving NCLT, IL&FS can get more time to …