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Recently, the 37th anniversary of Operation Blue Star was observed by the country. Important points: It is a code name given to an Indian Military Operation to remove the separatists who were hidden inside the Golden Temple at Amritsar on 5th June 1984. The operation was ordered by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, primarily to take control of …

Recently, on the occasion of World Environment Day (5th June), the Tourism Minister appreciated the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification Programme (IITFC). Important points: IITFC Programme is a digital initiative of the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), for the citizens of India to become a part of the booming Tourism Industry. It is an online programme where one can …

On the occasion of the anniversary of Maratha king’s coronation day (6th June), the Goa government has released a short film on Chhatrapati Shivaji. Important points: He was born on 19th February, 1630 at Shivneri Fort in District Pune in the present-day state of Maharashtra. He was born to Shahaji Bhonsle, a Maratha general who held the jagirs …

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the issuance of a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the construction of six conventional submarines under Project-75I (India). RFP is a project announcement posted publicly by an organization indicating that bids for contractors to complete the project are sought. Important points: This project envisages indigenous construction of submarines equipped with the …

Recently, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) informed the United Nations (UN) that in 17 cases chemical weapons were likely or definitely used by Syria. OPCW was formed under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) 1997. Important points: A Chemical Weapon is a chemical used to cause intentional death or harm through its toxic properties. Munitions, devices and other …

Recently, the US suspended imposition of retaliatory tariffs against six countries, including India, that had begun imposing digital services tax on companies such as Google and Facebook. Other than India, the countries slapped with this tariff proposal are Austria, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Background: Tariffs were imposed after the office of the United …

The Union Education Minister has approved the release of Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 for States and Union Territories. The PGI is a tool to provide insights on the status of school education in States and UTs including key levers that drive their performance and critical areas for improvement. Important points: The PGI for …

Recently, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released the World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends (WESO) report 2021.   Important points: It has pushed over 100 million more workers into poverty worldwide. The world would be 75 million jobs short at the end of this year compared to if the pandemic had not occurred. Relative to 2019, an …

A NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) funded CIBER-2 sounding rocket’s launch window will open at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, USA. The aim of CIBER-2 mission is to look for evidence of extra stars that may have been missed in stellar head counts. The ESA (European Space Agency) infrared space observatory Herschel also counted the number of galaxies …

Recently, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society through video conference. Earlier CSIR Floriculture Mission was approved for implementation in 21 States and Union Territories of India. It is also planning to undertake genome sequencing of a sample of nearly 1000 Indian rural youth to determine unique genetic traits, susceptibility …

India has placed an advance order to block 300 million doses of a new Covid-19 vaccine, Corbevax. Important points: It is India’s indigenous Covid-19 vaccine which is currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials. It is a “recombinant protein sub-unit” vaccine. It means it is made up of a specific part of SARS-CoV-2 – the spike protein on the virus’s surface. The spike protein allows …

Recently, the government of India has dedicated a window ‘The Green Gold Collection’ on the GeM (Government e-Marketplace) portal for the marketing of Bamboo Goods. This window is the collective work of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and GeM. Important points: It showcases a range of exquisitely handcrafted bamboo and bamboo products, handicrafts, disposals and office utility products …

Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment virtually launched the SAGE (Seniorcare Aging Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal for elderly persons. An amount of Rs. 100 crore has been assigned for the promotion of the silver economy. Silver economy is the system of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services aimed at using the purchasing potential of older and ageing …

The World Environment Day is observed on the 5th of June annually to encourage awareness and environmental protection. Important points: The United Nations Assembly established World Environment Day in 1972, which was the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the human environment. ‘Ecosystem Restoration’. It will kick off the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) – a global mission to …

The report titled “Glaciers of the Himalayas: Climate Change, Black Carbon and Regional Resilience” says that the glaciers are melting faster than the global average ice mass. However, the strong policy on black carbon can sharply cut glacier melt. The research report is released by the World Bank and covers the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush (HKHK) mountain ranges. Black carbon …

Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published the World Energy Investment Report, 2021. Important points: Global energy investment is expected to rebound in 2021 and increase 10% year-on-year to around USD 1.9 trillion. Most of this investment will flow towards power and end-use sectors, shifting out of traditional fossil fuel production. The scenario is perfectly aligned with …

Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has moved Blue-finned Mahseer from Endangered to the Least Concern’ status on its Red List. Important points: The Mahseer belongs to the genus Tor, of which there are several subspecies to be found in India and in other range countries in South Asia. The Blue-finned Mahseer or Tor Khudree is one …

Recently, the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region has asked for suggestions for the Devika River project in Udhampur, J&K. This project is compared with the Namami Gange Project. Important points: This is a Rs. 190 crore Project. The work on the project was started in March 2019 under the National …

Recently, the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries virtually inaugurated the Indus Best Mega Food Park at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. It is built under the Mega Food Park Scheme. By this food park, about 5000 people will get employment and about 25000 farmers will be benefited. Important points: It was launched in 2008-09 to give a major boost …

Recently, China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) achieved a peak temperature of 288 million degrees Fahrenheit, which is over ten times hotter than the sun. China is not the only country that has achieved high plasma temperatures. In 2020, South Korea’s KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) reactor set a new record by maintaining a plasma temperature of over 100 …