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Recently, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Meta (formerly Facebook) have launched the second phase of the GOAL Programme (GOAL 2.0). GOAL (Going Online as Leaders) was launched as a pilot project in May 2020 and it was completed by December 2021. It aimed at digital empowerment of tribal youth and women through the concept of mentor and mentee. The programme is fully funded by …

The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that over 1.6 lakh Indians renounced their Indian citizenship in 2021. The numbers marked a sharp increase in comparison to the 85,256 people who gave up their Indian citizenship in the Covid-hit year of 2020, and a somewhat smaller increase over the 1.44 lakh who surrendered their …

Recently, while hearing a petition, the Supreme Court has said that the Minority status of religious and linguistic communities is “State-dependent”. What was the Petition about? Petition complains that followers of Judaism, Bahaism, and Hinduism are the real minorities in Ladakh, Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Kashmir, Punjab and the North-East States. However, they cannot establish and administer educational institutions of their choice because …

Recently, at the 17th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership (New Delhi, India), India has emphasized upon the need for a trade and investment agreement between India and Africa. Earlier, the Indian Vice President visited Senegal and three MoUs (Memorandums of Understanding)for cultural exchange, cooperation in youth matters and …

Farmers in Kerala are protesting against Supreme Court’s order to establish Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs). The SC has directed to have a mandatory ESZ of minimum one kilometre measured from the demarcated boundary of every protected forest, including the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The Kerala State Assembly demands the Centre to notify the zones by …

The Prime Minister of India unveiled the 6.5 metre-tall National Emblem on top of the under-construction new Parliament building recently. The State Emblem of India is the national emblem of the Republic of India and is used by the union government, many state governments, and other government agencies. History: The State emblem is an adaptation from …

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recommended a ban on cryptocurrencies citing ‘destabilising effects’ for the country’s monetary and fiscal health. China has declared all cryptocurrency transactions illegal, effectively imposing a complete ban, whereas El Salvador has permitted Bitcoin as legal tender. At the moment, there is no legislature that covers cryptocurrencies in India. In India, owning cryptocurrencies …

India congratulated Belarus for celebrating its 78 years of Independence on 3rd July 2022. India’s relations with Belarus have been traditionally warm and cordial. India was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus as an independent country in 1991 after the break-up of the Soviet Union. The cooperation between the two countries …

Recently, the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked India at 135 out of 146 countries in its Global Gender Gap (GGG) Index for 2022. India’s overall score has improved from 0.625 (in 2021) to 0.629, which is its seventh-highest score in the last 16 years. In 2021,India was ranked 140 out of 156 countries. The gender gap is the difference between …

Recently, the Supreme Court underlined that “there is a pressing need” for reform in the law related to bail and called on the government to consider framing a special legislation on the lines of the law in the United Kingdom. A two-judge Bench issued certain clarifications to an older judgment delivered in July 2021 on bail reform (Satender Kumar Antil vs …

Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released ‘Youth in India 2022’ Report, which shows that the population share of the youth is starting to decline whereas the share of the elderly is expected to increase during 2021-2036. A sustained drop in fertility has led to an increased concentration of the …

Central government is pushing for the implementation of four labour codes introduced in 2020 (Code of Wage Act in 2019), replacing 29 sets of labour laws. Labour Codes includes 4 versions: Code of Wages Act 2019, Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020, Social Security Code Bill, 2020, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code …

Scientists have found that cancer-causing virus Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) can infect the neuronal cells and drive various changes in biomolecules. A researchers utilized the Raman Microspectroscopy Technique, under FIST (Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure) scheme to explore the possible impacts of a cancer-causing virus on brain cells. Biomolecules are an organic molecule that includes carbohydrates, …

Recently, the External Affairs Minister of India met with the US Secretary of State and Russian Foreign Minister and other counter parts in Bali (Indonesia) on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting. The meeting was held under the theme of “Building a more peaceful, stable, and prosperous world together.” Recent G20 …

A tribal council in Meghalaya has called for a meeting of traditional heads to revisit the Instrument of Accession that made the Khasi domain a part of the Indian Union more than seven decades ago. The need to revisit the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement was stressed by leaders in the Khasi Hills …

National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB)and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying celebrated the 22nd National Fish Farmers Day (10th July 2022) to demonstrate solidarity with all fisher folk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders throughout the country. It was established in 2006 as an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and …

Recently, the first edition of the State Ranking Index for National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013was released. The index seeks to document the status and progress of the implementation of NFSA across the country and various reform initiatives after consultation with the states. It highlights the reforms undertaken by the States and Union Territories and creates a cross-learning environment …

New Guidelines According to the guidelines, states cannot change the original name of the scheme in order to gain access to funding granted by the central government. Funds to states will be approved through the Mission Vatsalya Project Approval Board (PAB), which will be chaired by the WCD Secretary, who will scrutinise and approve annual …

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) issued orders under Section 69 (A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 to take down certain posts from Twitter (Microblogging Site). Twitter has moved to Karnataka High Court, claiming that many of the blocking orders are procedurally and substantively deficient under Section 69 (A) of the …

Recently, Pasmanda Community has gained attention of many political parties for inclusive growth and eradication of intra caste discrimination. ‘Pasmanda’, a Persian term meaning “those who have fallen behind” refers to Muslims belonging to the shudra (backward) and ati-shudra (Dalit) castes. It was adopted as an oppositional identity to that of the dominant ashraf …