The Reserve Bank of India has released the Composite Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for the year ended 31st March 2022. India’s Financial Inclusion Index has improved to 56.4 from 53.9 in the previous year 2021. The improvement has been seen across all its sub-indices (Access, Usage and Equality). It is a comprehensive index incorporating details of banking, investments, insurance, postal …
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RESTORING COASTAL VEGETATION
Recently, a study has been published, which has raised scepticism about the efficiency of restoring coastal habitats to offset carbon emissions. Restoring Coastal habitats is far from certain and unreliable. and there’s a real risk that the scale at which they can mitigate emissions has been massively oversold. It is …
Read More »INDIA’S ‘NEIGHBORHOOD FIRST’ POLICY
Recently, Indian External Affairs Minister met with Maldives President stating that India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy and the Maldives’ ‘India First’ policy complement each other, advancing the special partnership. Under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, India is committed to developing friendly and mutually beneficial relations with all its neighbours. India is an active development partner and is involved in several …
Read More »MIG-21
Recently, a MiG-21 Bison aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF)crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan killing the two pilots aboard the trainer version of the fighter aircraft. Currently, the IAF has around 70 Mig-21 aircraft and 50 Mig-29 variants. There are four squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft currently in service in the IAF with each squadron …
Read More »SWINE FEVER IN INDIA
Recently, African Swine Fever has been confirmed for the first time, at a private pig farm in in Kerala, after more than 15 pigs on the farm had died due to the disease in the last ten days. It is a highly contagious and fatal animal disease that infects and leads to an acute form of hemorrhagic fever in domestic …
Read More »EXERCISE AL NAJAH
Indian Army and Royal Army of Oman will conduct their joint Military Exercise AL NAJAH-IV from 1st to 13th of August 2022. It’s the fourth edition of the exercise. The scope of the exercise includes professional interaction, mutual understanding of drills & procedures, establishment of joint command & control structures and elimination of …
Read More »ARIDITY ANOMALY OUTLOOK INDEX
Recently, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has released the Aridity Anomaly Outlook (AAO) Index of July 2022, which says at least 85% of districts face arid conditions across India. The index monitors agricultural drought, a situation when rainfall and soil moisture are inadequate to support healthy crop growth till maturity, causing crop stress. An anomaly from the normal value signifies a …
Read More »NEW ZEALAND’S BILL ON TOBACCO ENDGAME
To fulfil its plan to be smokefree by 2025, the New Zealand Parliament recently tabled the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill. Emulating New Zealand, Malaysia is also considering a ban on smoking and the sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to people born after 2007. The Tobacco Endgame refers to a …
Read More »REPEAL OF UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION ACT BILL
Recently, the Government of India announced that they’re reworking a draft of the Bill (Draft Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Bill, 2018) that will bring to life the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), for college and university-level education, cutting across disciplines. The new reworked draft will …
Read More »LACK OF REGULATION -LOKTAK LAKE
Recently, Loktak Lake Authority of Manipur recently issued a notice to remove all floating houses and fishing structures on Loktak lake. This has evoked a sharp reaction from the local Fishing Community & Homestay Operators. There is a Lack of regulation. There is a growing number of homestays and huts that …
Read More »NeSDA
Recently, the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been ranked first under Central Ministries Portal, and the Digital Police portal ranked second in a National E-Governance service delivery assessment (NeSDA) of websites of central government ministries. It is a periodic assessment intended to improve the effectiveness of States/Union Territories and the Central Government in delivery of …
Read More »13TH SESSION OF THE INDIA-UZBEKISTAN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION
Recently, the Union Minister for Commerce & Industry attended the 13th Session of the India-Uzbekistan Inter-Governmental Commission. Further, he highlighted India-Uzbekistan relations as key to India’s vision of integrated extended neighbourhood. IGC meeting is an important platform to deliberate on ideas, discuss issues & strengthen bilateral relations especially in the field of …
Read More »INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY
29th July is observed as International Tiger Day (ITD) to promote the conservation of the striped cat as well as to advocate a global system for protecting its natural habitats. ITD was established in 2010 at St Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia in order to raise awareness about the decline of wild tiger numbers, …
Read More »NATURAL RESOURCE ACCOUNTING (NRA) BY NOVEMBER 2022.
Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has stated that it would be coming up with report on Natural Resource Accounting (NRA) by November 2022. It is an attempt to develop accounting systems to help monitoring their responsible utilisation, which will in turn lead to sustainability. Natural Resource Accounting is a process of …
Read More »FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN INDIA
Singapore and USA have emerged as top 2 sourcing nations in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity flows into India in FY 2021-22 followed by Mauritius, Netherland and Switzerland. UNCTAD World Investment Report (WIR) 2022 has ranked India at 7th rank among the top 20 host economies for 2021, in terms of FDI. India received the highest …
Read More »COFFEE PROMOTION BILL
Recently, the government is going to introduce a coffee promotion bill to modernize the functioning of the Coffee Board, promote exports, and support the development of the domestic market. It aims to modernize the functioning of the Coffee Board of India. It would address several functional areas of the Coffee Board, …
Read More »DEEP SEA MINING
Recently, the Minister of State of Science & Technology presented a national science award to Indian scientists who conducted the world’s first locomotive trials of a deep-sea mining system in the central Indian ocean. The Minister presented the award at the 16th Foundation Day of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Also, inaugurated a first-of-its-kind …
Read More »MALNUTRITION IN INDIA
Recently, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has released targets to Curb Malnutrition in India. Aims at reducing stunting and under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) among children below 6 years by 2% each year. Aims to Reduce, low birth weight by 2% per annum, Anaemia among children between six and 59 months, as well …
Read More »THE ELEVENTH AGRICULTURAL CENSUS (2021-22)
Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare launched “The Eleventh Agricultural Census (2021-22).” This computation will bring huge benefits in a vast and agricultural country like India. Agriculture Census is conducted every 5 years, which is being undertaken now after delay due to the Covid – 19 Pandemic. Entire Census operation is conducted in three phases and operational holding is …
Read More »FAMILY COURTS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022
Family Courts Act 1984 The Family Courts Act, 1984 was enacted for the establishment of Family Courts with a view to promote conciliation, and secure speedy settlement of disputes relating to marriage and family affairs and for related matters. The State Government may, with the concurrence of the High Court, appoint one or more persons to be the Judge or Judges …
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