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Recently, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2021 was released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI). The Index considers data from 109 countries and 5.9 billion people. Highlights of the report: 3 billion people are multidimensionally poor. About half (644 million) are children under age 18. Nearly 85% live in Sub-Saharan …

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is set to launch ‘Lucy’, its first mission to explore the Jupiter Trojan Asteroids. Important points: The solar-powered mission is estimated to be over 12 years long, during which the spacecraft will visit eight asteroids covering a distance of about 6.3 billion km to deepen the understanding of the “young solar system”. The …

According to the World Bank, India’s economy, South Asia’s largest, is expected to grow by 8.3% in the fiscal year 2021-22. The South Asia economic focus report projects the region to grow by 7.1% in 2021 and 2022. It is a biannual economic update presenting recent economic developments and a near-term economic outlook for South Asia. Other Major reports of …

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the Monetary Policy Report (MPR) for the month of October 2021. It kept the policy rate unchanged for the Eighth time in a row maintaining an accommodative stance till the recovery is durable. Important points: Repo Rate – 4%. Reverse Repo Rate – 3.35%. Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) – 4.25%. Bank Rate- …

The Union Government is considering increasing the unit cost of deep-sea fishing vessels from Rs 80 L to Rs 1.3 Cr under the Palk Bay scheme to make it more attractive to fisherfolk. Earlier, the Marine Fisheries Bill 2021 was tabled in the Parliament during the Monsoon session. Important points: The Scheme, “Diversification Of Trawl Fishing …

Recently, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) delivered the heaviest semi-cryogenic propellant tank (SC120- LOX) to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In 2020, HAL delivered the biggest ever cryogenic Liquid Hydrogen tank (C32-LH2) to ISRO. Important points: The semi cryo-liquid oxygen (LOX) tank – the first developmental welded hardware – is a part of the SC120 stage intended for payload enhancement by …

Recently, the Department of Food and Public Distribution has developed an application ecosystem for integration of procurement portals of all state governments. Important points: The Application Ecosystem will allow the integration of procurement portals of all state governments having Minimum Threshold Parameters (MTPs) for monitoring and strategic decision making. The introduction of MTPs in procurement …

Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of Climate Services report 2021. It focuses on Terrestrial Water Storage. Earlier, on water day(22nd March), in a report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), one in five children worldwide reside in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability. Important points: TWS is the sum of all water on the land surface …

Recently, the government released cybersecurity guidelines for the power sector. This is the first time that a comprehensive guideline has been formulated on cyber security in the power sector. The guidelines are a precursor to cybersecurity regulations that the Central Electricity Authority (CEA, Ministry of Power) is working on. Important points: CEA has framed the guidelines under the Central …

India has been ranked 90th in the most powerful passport report ‘Henley Passport Index 2021’. Important points: The Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Originally created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin (chairman of Henley & Partners), the ranking is …

Recently, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Tourism Ministry sanctioned 5 projects of Rs 325.53 crore for Buddhist circuit development. It has also organised a Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour as part of the Union government’s Dekho Apna Desh initiative. The tour covers the destinations Gaya-Bodhgaya, Rajgir-Nalanda in Bihar as well as Sarnath-Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Important points: Swadesh …

Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA) has designated the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, established in 2005 for strengthening tiger conservation. Important points: It is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya …

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Benjamin List and David MacMillan for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis. Last year, the honour went to Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Charpentier and American Jennifer Doudna, for developing the gene-editing technique known as CRISPR-Cas9 – DNA snipping “scissors”. Nobel prizes in physics and medicinefor 2021 have already been announced. Important points: They have developed a new and ingenious tool …

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the setting up of seven Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks at an outlay of Rs. 4,445 crore. The MITRA park aims to integrate the entire textile value chain from spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing, printing to garment manufacturing at one location. Important points: PM MITRA park will be …

Recently, scientists have developed a New biodegradable polymer, using Guar Gum, and Chitosan, which has high potential for packaging material. Important points:: It is a guar gum-chitosan composite film which is a cross-linked polysaccharide developed with the help of solution casting method (a simple technique to make polymer films). It overcomes the challenges of polysaccharides. Polysaccharides is one of the biopolymers …

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded with one half jointly to SyukuroManabe, Klaus Hasselmann and the other half to Giorgio Parisi “for groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of complex physical systems.” This is the first time climate scientists (Manabe and Hasselmann) have been awarded the Physics Nobel. Last year, the award was given for …

Recently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched a Heli-Borne Survey Technology for water management in the arid areas of Rajasthan. Important points: Developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), it will provide information about level, quantity, quality and information of ground water. The NGRI is a geoscientific research organization established in 1961 under …

Recently, a man was hit by a peafowl in Kerala after which he died. This incident has turned the spotlight on the increasing population of Indian peafowls in the state. Important points: The collective name for peacocks is peafowl. The male of the variety is called a peacock and the female peafowl is called a peahen. The Indian peacock is also …

Recently, two United States-based scientists, David Julius and ArdemPatapoutian, have been awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch. They have focused their work on the field of somatosensation, that is the ability of specialised organs such as eyes, ears and skin to see, hear and feel. Important points: David …

Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched a Drone-Based vaccine delivery model named, Drone Response and Outreach in North East (i-Drone). Drone is a layman terminology for Unmanned Aircraft (UA). There are three subsets of Unmanned Aircraft- Remotely Piloted Aircraft, Autonomous Aircraft and Model Aircraft. Important points: Indian Council …