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Recently the 37th Foundation Day of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) was celebrated (11th March 1986) . National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) NCRB, headquartered in New Delhi, was set-up in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in …

The Sikkim government is set to announce a scheme (Bahini) to install vending machines to provide free sanitary pads. This is the first time that a state government has taken a decision to cover all girls studying in Classes 9-12. Purpose of the Scheme It aims at providing “100% access to free and safe …

Recently, after Russia invaded Ukraine, the US imposed sanctions on Russia including a ban on transfer of technology and on Russian banks. Following this, the Russian space agency Roscosmos held that the State Corporation will not cooperate with Germany on joint experiments in the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS).  Russia’s role in maintaining the …

US and other members of the Group of Seven (G7) will revoke Russia’s “Permanent Normal Trade Relations (Pntr)” status to punish Russia for war over Ukraine. The move would pave the way for the US to impose tariffs on a wide range of Russian goods, heightening pressure on an economy on the brink of deep recession A recession is …

Recently, the Chief Justice of India  concerns about the lack of women among High Court judges. He made this remark while addressing an event on the occasion of the International Day of Women Judges (10th March). International Day of Women Judges United Nations General Assembly Resolution 75/274 designated 10th March the International Day of Women Judges in 2021. India was among …

v Recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has pitched for protective measures to preserve Ukraine’s endangered cultural heritage in light of Russia’s invasion over Ukraine. v To avoid deliberate or accidental damages, the agency is marking cultural sites and monuments in Ukraine with the distinctive “Blue Shield” emblem of the 1954 Hague Convention …

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently held a discussion on “protection of the basic human rights of refugees and asylum seekers in India”. Many participants raised the issue of India not having a specific law for refugees and asylum-seekers. The discussion noted that, though India has not signed the United Nations Refugee Convention, …

Recently, the government launched a nation-wide campaign called KanyaShikshaPraveshUtsav on the eve of the International Women’s Day (8th March). The aim of the campaign is to bring back four lakh out-of-school adolescent girls in the 11-14 years age group into the education system. The project aims to work on a complete system for out-of-school girls by building on …

According to the latest report from the V-Dem Institute at Sweden’s University of Gothenburg, the level of democracy enjoyed by the average global citizen in 2021 is down to 1989 levels, with the democratic gains of the post-Cold War period eroding rapidly in the last few years. The Report is titled ‘Democracy Report 2022: Autocratisation Changing …

Recently, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women -“SAMARTH” . Under the Samarth initiative of the Ministry, following benefits will be available to aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs: 20% Seats in free Skill Development Programs organised …

Recently, in its interim report, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Delimitation Commission has proposed significant changes to the electoral map of J&K. The delimitation exercise had started in June 2021 in the state. Previous Distribution of J&K Constituencies The erstwhile J&K State had an 87-member assembly, with 37 constituencies in the Jammu region and …

Recently, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)and Russia discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraineand its implications for security in Europe at the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) in Brussels. Talks between representatives of NATO and Russia concluded without a clear outcome. NRC was established at the NATO-Russia Summit in Rome (Rome Declaration) on 28 May 2002. It replaced …

Recently, the fourth meeting of the foreign ministers of the QUAD grouping (India, the US, Australia and Japan) was held in Melbourne , Australia. The meeting was held amid escalating tension between Russia and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)countries over Ukraine, the Afghan crisis and increasing concerns over China’s “coercion” in the Indo-Pacific region. It is the grouping of four democracies –India, Australia, …

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has proposed a guaranteed return scheme, Minimum Assured Return Scheme (MARS), which will provide savers and people from the salaried class an option for their investments. This will be the first scheme from the pension regulator that will offer a guaranteed return to investors. India’s pension assets under …

The evacuation of thousands of Indian students in Ukraine (Operation Ganga) is the most immediate impact of Russia’s war over Ukraine on India. However, the Russia-Ukraine conflict will have long-term implications too. For example, negotiating its relationships with the United States and other Western nations on one side, and the historically deep and strategic ties with Russia on the other. This will …

Recently, Ukraine has filed an application before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), instituting proceedings against Russia. Ukraine has accused Russia of falsely claiming that “acts of genocide have occurred in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine”, and of using that as a pretext to recognise the independence of these regions and of going to war …

Recently, a Joint Military Exercise, “Exercise Dharma Guardian-2022”, between India and Japan will be conducted at foreign training node, Belagavi (Belgaum, Karnataka) from 27th February to 10th March 2022. Exercise Dharma Guardian-2022 is an annual training event which is being conducted in India since 2018. The scope of this exercise covers platoon level joint training on operations in …

Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), under the aegis of Department of Pharmaceuticals is going to celebrate their 4th Jan AushadhiDiwas All the activities will be organised within the spirit of “AzadiKaAmritMahotsav” and several events have been planned at 75 locations. This will generate awareness about the usages of generic medicines and benefits of Jan AushadhiPariyojana. The theme …

Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the countrywide implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with the budgetary allocation of Rs 1,600 crore for five years. Under the mission, citizens will be able to create their Ayushman Bharat health account numbers, to which their digital health records can be linked. Ayushman Bharat is …

Recently, the Government has approved the continuation of the Immigration Visa Foreigners Registration Tracking (IVFRT) Scheme for a period till 31st March 2026 with a financial outlay of Rs.1,364.88 crore. It seeks to interlink and optimise functions relating to immigration, visa issuance, registration of foreigners and tracking of their movements in the country. Its core objective is modernisation and …