India’s MICE Promotion and Mega Events Line-up
Context: The Ministry of Commerce & Industry is actively promoting India as a global MICE destination, aiming to showcase the country’s MSME sector, traditional handicrafts, artisanal offerings, weavers, and manufacturing capabilities on the international stage. Additionally, the Ministry has unveiled India’s ambitious line-up of Mega Events for the coming months, including Aatmanirbhar Bharat Utsav, Indus […]
Union Cabinet Approval for India-Italy Migration and Mobility Agreement
Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet granted ex-post facto approval to the Migration and Mobility Agreement between India and Italy. Relevance: GS II: International Relations India-Italy Migration and Mobility Agreement: Key Points Objective and Cooperation: Facilitation of Mobility: Temporary Residence for Indian Students: Reserved Quotas for Workers: Duration and Renewal: Joint Working Group (JWG):
e-SCR Portal: Digitizing Supreme Court Judgments
Context: The Electronic Supreme Court Reports (e-SCR) portal starts with just 2,238 translated judgments as of January 2023 and ends the year with over 31,000 rulings translated. Relevance: GS II: Government Policies and Interventions e-SCR Portal: Digitizing Supreme Court Judgments National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG): Key Facts -Source: The Hindu
Cigaritis Meghamalaiensis: A New Butterfly Species
Context: The pristine hills of the Meghamalai in Tamil Nadu have thrown up a new species of ‘silverline’ butterflies. Relevance: Species in News Dimensions of the Article: Cigaritis Meghamalaiensis: A New Butterfly Species Periyar Tiger Reserve: Key Facts -Source: The Hindu
Tsunami Warnings After Japan Earthquakes
Context: Strong earthquakes, including a preliminary 7.6 magnitude, struck Japan, prompting tsunami warnings from North and South Korea, and Russia. Tsunami waves impacted various coastal areas in Japan, leading to urgent evacuation warnings. Relevance: GS I: Geography Dimensions of the Article: Tsunami Overview: Factors Behind Tsunami Creation: Devastation Caused: Tsunami Preparedness: Tsunami Preparedness in India: […]
ABPS Mandatory for NREGS Payments with Possible Exemptions
Context: The Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS) is now mandatory for National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) workers’ payments. The government has indicated that exemptions may be considered on a “case-by-case basis.” The NREGS ensures a legal guarantee of 100 days of employment per financial year to adult members of rural households engaged in unskilled manual […]
ISRO Launches X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XpoSat)
Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its inaugural X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XpoSat) to study X-ray polarization and investigate cosmic sources such as Black holes, Neutron stars, and Magnetars. The mission was propelled into Low Earth Orbit via the PSLV-C58 rocket. Relevance: GS III: Science and Technology Dimensions of the Article: X-ray […]
Decline in PM-Kisan Beneficiaries and Saturation Drive Impact
Context: The number of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme has recently witnessed a notable decline, dropping by over 20% from a peak of 10.47 crore in April-July 2022 to 8.12 crore. However, the government’s proactive efforts, including the “saturation drive” implemented as part of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, have […]
Joint Military Exercise Desert Cyclone 2024
Context: The Joint Military Exercise ‘Desert Cyclone 2024’ between India and UAE will be held from January 2 to January 15 in Rajasthan. Relevance: GS III: Security Challenges Joint Military Exercise “Desert Cyclone 2024” India-UAE Relations
The Global Nuclear Order is Under Strain
Context: For any global order to establish legitimacy, it must meet two criteria. Firstly, there should be a convergence among the dominant powers of the time. Secondly, it must effectively portray the results as a global public benefit to the rest of the world. The global nuclear order (GNO) is not exempt from these requirements; however, […]