NATIONAL SPORTS AND ADVENTURE AWARDS, 2020
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? In a first ever virtual presentation of awards, the President of India gave away the National Sports and Adventure Awards, 2020. The Sports Minister announced the enhancement of the prize money in four of the seven categories of the National Sports and Adventure Awards. A twelve-member committee evaluates the […]
17TH ASEAN-INDIA ECONOMIC MINISTERS’ CONSULTATIONS
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry & Railways co-chaired the 17th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultations held virtually on 2020. Details The meeting was attended by the Trade Ministers of all the 10 ASEAN countries. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to take collective actions in mitigating the economic impact […]
BORROW FROM RBI TO BRIDGE GST GAP
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? The Centre acknowledged that States are likely to face a GST revenue gap of Rs. 3 lakh crore this year, as the economy may contract due to COVID-19. Details At the GST Council meeting, the Centre distinguished between the shortfall due to GST implementation itself — claiming that […]
CRUDE OIL PURCHASES FROM CHINESE FIRMS HALTED
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? Indian state refiners have stopped buying crude oil from China-linked companies, three sources said, after New Delhi’s recent regulation aimed at restricting imports from countries that it shares a border with. Details Since the new order was issued, state refiners have been inserting a clause in their import […]
SOLAR TARIFF IN INDIA UNLIKELY TO COMPETE WITH GULF
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? The per unit cost of solar power in India, considered among the cheapest in the world, is unlikely to cost less than what it is in Gulf countries, according to an analysis by an energy think tank. This is primarily due to the lower cost of finance in […]
SC: STATES CAN HAVE SUB-GROUPS AMONG SCS/STS
Focus: GS-II Governance, Social Justice Why in news? A Supreme Court held that States can sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Central List to provide preferential treatment to the “weakest out of the weak”. Supreme Court’s views: ‘Struggle within castes’ There is a “caste struggle” within the reserved class as benefit of reservation […]
MEMBERS OF GREAT ANDAMAN TRIBE TEST POSITIVE
Focus: GS-I Indian Society Why in news? Members of the Great Andamanese tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), have tested positive for COVID-19. Details Great Andamanese are one of five PVTGs that reside in Andamans archipelago and this is one of the first cases of COVID-19 infections among the endangered PVTGs of the region. […]
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF ATAL TUNNEL AT ROHTANG
Focus: GS-I Geography Introduction The Atal Tunnel at Rohtang, near Manali, is almost complete in all respects and the approx. 9-km-long tunnel under the Pir Panjal range, named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will be the world’s longest highway tunnel above the altitude of 10,000 feet (3000 metres). What were the problems faced […]
THE ‘QUOTA WITHIN QUOTA’ DEBATE
Focus: GS-II Social Justice, Governance Why in news? A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court reopened the legal debate on sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for reservations, or what is commonly referred to as “quota within quota” for SCs and STs. While the Bench ruled in favour of giving preferential treatment to […]
Current Affairs for UPSC IAS Exam – 1 September 2020
Contents GDP contracts by record 23.9% in Q1: Full Coverage Adivasis account for 13% of total convicts Aggressive moves by China near Pangong Tso GDP CONTRACTS BY RECORD 23.9% IN Q1: FULL COVERAGE Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? The Indian economy saw its worst contraction in decades, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shrinking […]