GS

The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru now has India’s first dedicated Express Cargo Terminal exclusively for export and import of international couriers. It has a dedicated space for customs offices with direct access to both Landside and Airside wing of the airport. The exclusive Terminal for express couriers at south …

According to the Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, exceedingly high concentration of air emissions with respect to particulate matter, and other harmful gases have been measured in regions around the crematoria. To address the high localized toxic emissions from crematoria, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering …

With the Prime Minister flagging off the ‘Padyatra’ (Freedom March) from Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad and inaugurating the curtain raiser activities of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ – a series of events will be organised by the Government of India to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence launched 75 weeks before 15 …

On 21 March 2021, the largest asteroid predicted to pass by Earth will be at its closest. It won’t come closer than 2 million km to Earth, but it will present a valuable scientific opportunity for astronomers who can get a good look at a rocky relic that formed at …

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has stepped up its vigil of cyberattacks on Indian companies in the vaccine, logistics, pharmaceutical and power sector, and has asked these to report “any and all major cybersecurity” incidents to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) team every week. Cyberattacks: The frequency of such attacks …

About: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison will meet, through virtual mode, for the first ever Quadrilateral grouping’s leaders’ summit. This will be Modi’s first meeting with Biden, after the new US administration assumed office in January this …

Recently, Mt. Sinabung an active volcano on Indonesia’s Sumatra island has erupted. Earlier, other volcanoes of Indonesia- Merapi volcano and Semeru volcano- had erupted. Mt. Sinabung: Sinabung (2,600-metre) is located in Karo regency, North Sumatra. Sinabung is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. …

Amid the growing competition among the world powers in the field of space, France has begun its first space military exercises to test its ability to defend its satellites. About the Exercise: The exercise drills are codenamed “AsterX” to commemorate the first French satellite Asterix from 1965. The exercises are part of France’s strategy to become …

Indian and Japanese space agencies recently reviewed cooperation in earth observation, lunar cooperation and satellite navigation, and also agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in “space situational awareness and professional exchange programme”. Space collaboration: This was agreed during a bilateral meeting between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan …

Recently, India has been classified as an “electoral autocracy” in the annual report named Autocratisation Goes Viral of Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute. This report comes just after the US watchdog Freedom House downgraded India’s status to “partly free” in its ‘Freedom in the World 2021’ report. About V-Dem: The V-Dem Institute, an independent research organisation founded in 2014 …

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment stated that a Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) was constituted for development and welfare of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities in 2019. The welfare board was constituted for a period of three years …

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has amended licensing conditions for telecom companies. The new norms will be implemented from 15th June 2021. In March 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the telecom sector to reduce imports and move towards self-reliance. New Licensing Conditions: To include defence and national security as parameters when purchasing ‘trusted telecom products’ and sourcing equipment from ‘trusted …

An environmental regulator can work only if governments see the value of nature. The Supreme Court’s notice to the Centre government on a public interest litigation (PIL) plea to set up a national environmental regulator under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. To Oversee And Give Directions Related Environmental Clearances For Projects and …

About: IN LESS than six weeks since Finance Minister announced major financial sector reforms in the Budget for 2021-22, the Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to amend the Insurance Act, 1938, paving the way for increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the sector to 74% from 49%. A Bill …

About: The scheduling of the first-ever Quad leaders’ summit-level meeting within 50 days of the Biden administration signified the importance the administration places on the Indo-Pacific, the White House said recently. President Biden has made this one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies …

Close on the heels of U.S. plans for a United Nations regional conference on Afghanistan, Russia has announced it will hold a conference of special envoys from the U.S., China, and Pakistan, along with representatives of the Afghanistan government, Taliban and other senior Afghan leaders next week. Advancing intra-afgahn talks: Unlike the …

The Lok Sabha recently passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to regularise unauthorised colonies that existed in the National Capital Territory of Delhi as on June 1, 2014, and had seen development up to 50% as on January 1, 2015. Urban Development Minister said …

About: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has recommended that all government schools start providing free breakfast in the coming academic year as part of an expansion of the mid-day meal scheme envisaged by the National Education Policy. However, Education Ministry officials say a severe funding crunch is likely to delay the initiative. Fund …

The Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) as a single non-lapsable reserve fund for share of Health from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess levied under Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007. Salient features of the PMSSN A non-lapsable reserve fund for Health in …

Indian Navy’s third stealth Scorpene class Submarine INS Karanj has been commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai through a formal commissioning ceremony. About: Six Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France. INS Karanj would …