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Recently, the Prime Minister visited the exhibition models of the Aligarh node of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor. It was announced by the Prime Minister while inaugurating the UP Investors Summit in Lucknow in 2018. The government has established another Defence Industrial Corridor in Tamil Nadu. Important points: It is an aspirational project that intends to reduce foreign dependency of …

Recently, the union government has introduced Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2021 which has reduced the fee for patent filing and prosecution for educational institutions by 80%. It is aimed at promoting innovation and development of new technologies. Important points: A patent is a form of preservation of intellectual property. It is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which …

Recently, a high-yielding curcuminoid-rich variety of turmeric named CIM-Pitamber and the NBRI’s (National Botanical Research Institute) Keshari variety have been introduced in Nabarangpur (One of the Aspirational Districts) of Odisha. Important points: It is a high-yielding curcuminoid-rich variety of turmeric developed by Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) High yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds are those seeds which produce huge …

Recently, Foundation for Environment Education (FEE), Denmark has awarded the Blue Flag Certification to Kovalam (Tamil Nadu) and Eden (Puducherry), taking the total number of such beaches in the country to 10. A waving “Blue Flag” is an indication of 100% compliance to the 33 stringent criteria and sound health of the beach. …

Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs). Under these guidelines, WHO has further lowered the recommended levels of pollutants that can be considered safe for human health. This is the first-ever update of WHO since 2005. The goal of the guideline is for all countries to achieve recommended air quality …

World Rhino Day is observed on 22th September to spread awareness for all five species of rhino and work being done to save them. Important points: It was first announced by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – South Africa in 2010. The species of rhinoceros are on the verge of extinction due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over …

Recently, the researchers at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc) have found a way to make a substitute for single-use plastic (SUP) that can, in principle, help mitigate the problem of accumulating plastic waste in the environment. Important points: Possible In the research, Non-edible Castor oil was used in this process of making the polymer which involves …

Recently, the 45th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting was held. Important points: The Council decided to extend the GST relief on several drugs related to Covid-19 treatment till December 2021. Online food delivery aggregator firms such as Swiggy and Zomato will now be liable to pay GST and not the restaurant partners. Currently, online …

Recently, the Union Minister of State Science & Technology has proposed Integrated Aroma Dairy Entrepreneurship for Jammu & Kashmir to augment the income of farmers. The Aroma Mission, also popularly referred as “Lavender or Purple Revolution”, has started from J&K and transformed the lives of farmers who are able to grow lavender, make …

Recently, India has climbed two spots and has been ranked 46th in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021 rankings. Important points: The GII is launched by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. The GII aims to capture the multi-dimensional facets of innovation ranking and rich analysis referencing around 132 economies. …

Recently, the Trifed (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India)inked an agreement with the Jharkhand-based Purty Agrotech for the promotion of pearl farming  in tribal areas. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It came into existence in 1987. It …

Recently, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways concluded the two-day review of the work progress on the eight-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. It will be the world’s longest highway once completed. It is expected to be completed by March 2023. Important points: It is a 1380-km eight-lane expressway that can be expanded to a …

Recently, the Ministry of Power has issued an order for the setting up of District Level Committees to improve the quality of electricity supply in the country. Important points: All States and Union Territories will have to notify and ensure establishment of these District Electricity committees, under intimation to the Ministry of Power. It will oversee all power related …

The central banks of India and Singapore will link their respective fast digital payment systems – Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and PayNow – for “instant, low-cost, cross-border fund transfers”. The linkage is targeted to be operationalised by July 2022. Important points: The Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-PayNow linkage is a significant milestone in the development of infrastructure for …

Recently, two Indians (Vinisha and Vidyut) among 15 finalists were selected for the first ever Earthshot Prize 2021, which will be held in London. A 14-year-old Tamil Nadu schoolgirl’s solar-powered ironing cart and a Delhi entrepreneur’s agricultural waste recycling concept named among finalists. Important points: The prize was launched by Britain’s Prince William in …

Recently, a petition has been submitted by some activists to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reclassify toxic 3 Os (Oxybenzone, Octinoxate and Octocrylene) used in sunscreen. They demanded that chemicals be shifted to “Not Generally Recognized As Safe & Effective” (GRASE Category II). Important points: Oxybenzone (OBZ), avobenzone (AVB), octocrylene (OCR) and …

Recently, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched the SPIN (Strengthening the Potential of India) scheme to make potters self-sustainable. KVIC A statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956. It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. In 2017-18, it launched the Honey Mission programme. Recently, it launched a project named Bamboo …

The World Bank would discontinue the practice of issuing ‘Doing Business report’ following an investigation reported “data irregularities” in its 2018 and 2020 editions (released in 2017 and 2019, respectively) and possible “ethical matters” involving bank staff. It will be working on a new approach to assessing the business and investment climate. …

Recently, NITI Aayog has launched the report titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’. Important points: India’s population stood at 1210 million in 2011, with an urbanisation level of 31.1% (Census of India 2011) Urbanisation is an increase in the number of people living in towns and cities. The distribution of urban centres and the pace …

Recently, the traditional annual killing of whales and dolphins (grindadrap” hunt) in North Atlantic islands that belong to Denmark has sparked controversy. 1,428 white-sided dolphins were slaughtered at Faroe Islands. Important points: Their common name comes from the prominent white stripes on their sides, which span from below the dorsal fin to their tail, where it turns into a …