GS3

Recently, the Mumbai Police has arrested five people and seized nearly 9 kg of Ambergris. Important points: Ambergris, French for grey amber, is generally referred to as whale vomit. It is a solid waxy substance originating in the intestine of the sperm whale. Ambergris is produced only by an estimated …

For the first time, a pan-India study has found a direct correlation between air pollution and Covid-19. The study found that areas with poor air quality and higher emissions of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 are more likely to have Covid-19 infections and related deaths. Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 It is …

Nagaland has not reported fresh cases of African Swine Flu in the last two weeks. The disease was first reported in November-December, 2019 from the areas of China bordering Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier in April 2020, there were reported deaths of pigs due to the Classical Swine Fever (CSF). Important points: …

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft to run a pilot programme for 100 villages in 6 states. The MoU requires Microsoft to create a ‘Unified Farmer Service Interface’ through its cloud computing services. This comprises a major part of the ministry’s plan of …

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organised an online event to commemorate six years of the three transformative Urban Missions vis. Smart Cities Mission (SCM), Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U). The day also marked the 45 years …

Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has eased the norms for Other Service Providers (OSPs). The OSP guidelines were earlier liberalised in November 2020 in order to encourage the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry in India. The new guidelines have been simplified even further, offering greater ease of business and …

Recently, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released the ‘Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2020’ report. Levelized cost of electricity trends by technology, 2010 and 2020 Important points: 810 gigawatts (GW) capacity of the world’s existing coal-fired plants i.e. 38% of the total global energy capacity now have higher operating …

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed to lift the interest rate cap on Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), and said all micro loans should be regulated by a common set of guidelines irrespective of who gives them. Important points: RBI has suggested a common definition of microfinance loans for all …

Recently, the world’s first Genetically Modified (GM) rubber plant developed by Rubber Research Institute was planted in Assam. The rubber plant is the first of its kind developed exclusively for this region, and is expected to grow well under the climatic conditions of the mountainous northeastern region. Rubber Board It …

For the first time, an electoral trust (under Electoral Trust Scheme, 2013) has declared donation through electoral bonds and hasn’t revealed the names of the political parties that received the money, citing anonymity guaranteed under the electoral bond scheme. According to the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), this “practice is …

Recently, eight captive-bred pygmy hogs, the world’s rarest and smallest wild pigs, were released in the Manas National Park of Assam. v This is the second batch to have been reintroduced into the wild under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) in a year. Important points: The PHCP is a …

Recently, the Ramgarh Vishdhari wildlife sanctuary received a nod from the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) technical committee to become the 4th Tiger reserve of Rajasthan. This will be the 52nd Tiger Reserve of India. The Global Tiger Day, celebrated on 29th July, is an annual event marked to raise …

Indian naval ships will join maritime patrol and other aircraft to participate in a Passage Exercise or PASSEX with the US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group during its transit through Indian Ocean Region (IOR). A passage exercise is normally undertaken whenever an opportunity arises, in contrast to pre-planned maritime …

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made use of drones mandatory for video recording of the national highway projects during different stages of development, construction, operation and maintenance. These videos will be saved on NHAI’s portal “Data Lake” to assess the progress made on the projects. Important points: …

Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that the Ebola outbreak, that started in February 2021 in Guinea, is over now. In its first deadly wave in 2013-2016, the Ebola outbreak killed 11,300 people, mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The WHO in its list of “Ten threats …

Important points: It includes Corporation Tax collections of Rs. 74,356 crore and Personal Income Tax inflows, which include the Security Transaction Tax of Rs. 1.11 lakh crore. The jump in the direct tax collections reflects healthy exports and a continuation of various industrial and construction activities. It is expected that …

Recently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that it will install seven new doppler radars in Maharashtra, including Mumbai in 2021. In January 2021, the Union Minister for Earth Sciences commissioned two of the ten indigenously built X-Band Doppler Weather Radars (DWR) to closely monitor the weather changes over the …

Recently, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has recommended that the Australia’s Great Barrier Reef should be added to a list of “in danger” World Heritage Sites Placement on the ‘‘in-danger list’’ is not considered a sanction. Some nations have their sites added to gain international attention and help to save …

Recently, Shyam Sundar Jyani, a Rajasthan-based climate activist, has won the prestigious United Nations’ Land for Life Award for his environment conservation concept, Familial Forestry. The winner was announced on 17th June 2021 which is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought Familial Forestry means transferring the care of …

Recently, the Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff has inaugurated the construction of the second frigate of the Krivak or Talwar class. The construction of the first ship was laid in January, 2021. It would be delivered in 2026 and the second ship after six months. Important points: The Krivak class …