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Recently, the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry presented the second edition of National Startup Awards 2021. It was also announced that 16th January (Startup India Initiative was launched on this day in 2016) will be celebrated as National Start-up Day, to take the Startup culture to the far flung …

Recently, the US has proposed a law aiming to end China’s alleged “chokehold” on rare-earth metal supplies. The Bill aims to “protect the US from the threat of rare-earth element supply disruptions, encourage domestic production of those elements, and reduce its reliance on China. The law would require the creation …

The Ministry of Electronics and Information (MeitY) is seeking applications from 100 domestic semiconductor chip design firms, companies, start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under its Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme. The DLI scheme is part of the MeitY’s comprehensive Program for the Development of Semiconductors and Display …

According to some studies, DNA floating in the air (i.e. e-DNA) can boost biodiversity conservation efforts across the world. Important points: Researchers from two teams have independently shown that environmental DNA (e-DNA) can potentially identify and monitor terrestrial animals. Animals shed DNA through their breath, saliva, fur or faeces into …

Recently, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited) today launched six, One District One Product (ODOP) brands under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. The Ministry has signed an agreement with NAFED for developing 10 brands …

Recently, in order to secure Consumer Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), under Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, has released a report “Code of Practice for Securing Consumer Internet of Things(IoT)”. These guidelines will help in securing consumer IoT devices & ecosystem as well as managing …

A new study has found that converting annual crops to perennial bioenergy crops can induce a cooling effect on the areas where they are cultivated. The researchers simulated the biophysical climate impact of a range of future bioenergy crop cultivation scenarios. Eucalyptus, poplar, willow, miscanthus and switchgrass were the bioenergy …

Recently, the Nobel Peace Prize winner Anglican archbishop and anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu died. He was very passionate about protecting the environment and taking necessary actions. In concurrence of his passion to save the environment, his body underwent aquamation, a green alternative to traditional cremation methods. The process of aquamation …

Recently, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has celebrated the 64th Foundation Day on 1st January, 2022. Important points: DRDO is the R&D (Research and Development) wing of the Ministry of Defence with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies. Its pursuit of self-reliance and successful indigenous development …

Recently, the Github, an open-source software repository service was used to create and share an offensively named app that sexually harassed a women in India. The app used pictures of the women stolen from their social media handles and invited “users” to bid for them. GitHub has blocked the user, …

The Konyak Civil Society Organizations, the guardian umbrella of organizations of the Konyaks, has slammed the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA). The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 has been extended in Nagaland for six months from 30th December 2021. Important points: A …

Car manufacturer Volkswagen plans to have production running for solid-state batteries by 2025 via the partnership with QuantumScape. QuantumScape’s solid-state battery — lithium metal with a solid electrolyte separating the two electrodes — is seen as an exceptionally bright prospect in an increasingly crowded space. Important points: A solid-state battery …

On the eve of Good Governance Day (25th December), the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the ‘Star Rating Protocol of Garbage Free Cities- Toolkit 2022. It is the most important governance tool of waste management – the Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free Cities. In the revised …

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched 14 Honey Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) of TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) along with various other initiatives such as The TRIFED Van Dhan Chronicle, The MIS Portal for Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces etc. The TRIFED Van …

Recently, the Government has advised the Automobile Manufacturers in India, to start manufacturing Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) and Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) complying with BS-6 Norms in a time bound manner. Important points: They have engines that can run on flexible fuel — a combination of petrol …

Recently, the Prime Minister of India COP26 climate summit announced that India will attain net zero emissions by 2070. In order to meet these climate targets, countries like India will need approximately USD 1 trillion in additional financing over the next ten years. Important points: Green financing is to increase …

Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced that India’s major metros will have 5G services next year. Like other global players, India had, in 2018, planned to start 5G services as soon as possible, with an aim to capitalise on the better network speeds and strength that the technology …

The ‘Kisan Diwas’ or National Farmers Day is observed across the country on 23rd December to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India. It is celebrated to promote awareness among the citizens to understand the importance of the contributions of the farmers to …

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has analyzed air quality trends with special focus on cities outside Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The latest analysis by the has found that when pollution spikes during winter,entire northern India experiences smog episodes. Important point: This analysis aims to understand …

Recently, the government has notified, under the Essential Commodities Act 1955, to declare ‘soya meal’ as an essential commodity up to 30th June, 2022. This step is expected to stop any unfair practises (like hoarding, black marketing etc) in the market having the potential to hike the prices of soya …