2018: Point-Wise CA and GS Articles

The Indian Navy started operation of the Integrated Automatic Aviation Meteorological System (IAAMS) at INS Garuda, Naval air station located in Kochi, Kerala. IAAMS is equipped with state-of-the-art meteorological sensors, Radar Vertical Wind Profiler, Ceilometer, Transmissomete…

… (296 more words) …

Government approved a new policy for allocation of future coal linkages in a transparent manner for power sector consumers- ‘Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India’ (SHAKTI).

… (218 more words) …

For promoting port-led industrialization, 14 Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs) covering all the Maritime States and Union Territories have been identified under National Perspective Plan of Sagarmala Programme.

… (570 more words) …

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) amended the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Fast Track Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) Regulations, 2017.

… (401 more words) …

The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation commissioned the container gantry cranes at Berth No. 8 (Dakshin Bharat Gateway Terminal) and inaugurated the Information Centre and Truck Parking Terminal a…

… (413 more words) …

This is in continuation of previous article on Startup India. Startup India Learning Program is a free online Entrepreneurship program by Startup India. Invest India in collaboration with UpGrad developed this program.

Refer: Startup India and Start-Up Hubs

• It aims to help entre…

… (280 more words) …

Government of India announced ‘Startup India’ initiative for creating a conducive environment for startups in India. Various Ministries of the Government of India initiated a number of activities under the program.

… (1756 more words) …

Rustome-2, also known as TAPAS-BH-201, is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tested at its Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Challakere in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district.

… (220 more words) …

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch Chandrayan-2 Mission around April this year. Chandrayaan-2 is the country’s second mission to the moon. The total cost of the Chandrayaan-2 mission will be about Rs. 8 billion. If the mission could not be launche…

… (300 more words) …

The Indian Railways has decided to manufacture Metro coaches at a factory in Latur. The coaches manufactured at this plant are expected to be exported to other countries. This project is worth Rs. 600 crore.

… (262 more words) …

The Fallacy of Socio-Cultural Isolation - Coined by British civil servant Alexander Mackenzie, the term ‘Northeastern Frontier’ in the contemporary time comprised of 8 Indian states viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

… (2611 more words) …

Economic Survey: Recommendations - Tariff Rationalization, Classification of new commodities; Tariff rationalization; rationalization of coal tariff; Expansion of freight basket through containerization; New policy guideline for station to station rates; liberalized Automatic Fre…

… (1791 more words) …

Forthcoming Issue: Nutrition - North East is about pleasant tourist spot, fabulous handlooms and handicrafts or its friendly people, Due to its Geographical Isolation and perceived difference, the region has, faced backwardness and indifferent development in many sectors.

… (2024 more words) …

Potential of Sericulture -Sericulture is imp. Industry in Japan, China, India, Italy, France & Spain. Introduction - Employment generation - farm & non-farm activity of this sector creates 60 lakh man days of employment every year mostly in rural sector.

… (3844 more words) …

Organic Farming for Sustainable Environment - International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) is an international organization which regulates standards of OF & strengthens organic movement globally in its full diversity by uniting & assisting more than 120 coun…

… (1197 more words) …

Forthcoming Issue: Technology for Rural Development - Agricultural production is only output near-farm & non-farm economic activities, % share of horticulture output in Agriculture has become 30%.

… (3333 more words) …

Railway Ministry is planning 10, 000 km of new high-speed corridors to allow overnight trains to run at speeds of up to 250kmph. Refer: Railways: Do You Know Mission Raftaar, Safoorti and Zero Accident Missions?

… (393 more words) …

21 banks were identified as Makers of Excellence under Atal Pension Yojna Outreach programme by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). Atal Pension Yojna aims to bring the economically disadvantaged section of the society in the unorganized sector within the p…

… (463 more words) …

Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways predicts that India is poised for a leap in electric mobility. This was unveiled while inaugurating the electric vehicle chargers- slow and fast charging-at an event, ’Charging the Drive’ held at the NITI Aayog premises.

… (281 more words) …

The railway board has initiated the process of reviewing the flexi-fare system in premium trains by comparing the prices with that of other modes of transport. The six-member committee will review the system and submit a report in 30 days.

… (159 more words) …

Historical Overview of Steps Taken to Boost Railway Earnings - Government has taken following innovative measures to facilitate ticketing and boost the earnings: - Introduction of Premium Tatkal Quota with dynamic pricing: Dynamic fare component is increased with the subsequent b…

… (262 more words) …

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) entered into five Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (UAPA) and two Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (BAPA) during January 2018. The total number of Advance-Pricing Agreement (APAs) entered into by the CBDT is now 196.

… (425 more words) …

Public sector undertaking Coal India launched ‘Grahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran App’ for benefitting customers being supplied coal by road. The app: Allows users to monitor if the dispatches are made on the principle of ‘First in First Out’.

… (164 more words) …

Steps to Curb Illegal Mining of Coal - 1. Dozing off and filling up of rat holes with stone and debris wherever possible. 2. Digging trenches to isolate illegal mining sites. 3. Erecting concrete walls on mouth of abandoned mines

… (525 more words) …

Ministry of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers imports urea on Government account to bridge the gap between estimated indigenous production and assessed demand in the country. The import during the year 2017 - 18 (Apr-Dec) was 49.83 Lakh MT as against the import of 49.88 Lakh MT i…

… (358 more words) …

Continuing with disinvestment the Union Cabinet approved the sale of its entire stake of 73.47 % in the 41-year-old Mini Ratna firm Dredging Corporation of India. for around Rs1, 400 - 1, 500. Government plans to raise Rs72, 500 crore through disinvestment in Central Public Secto…

… (216 more words) …

PRAGATI - Scholarships for Girl Child for Technical education - Aims: At providing encouragement and support to girl child to pursue technical education, Providing a scholarship of Rs. 30000 and tuition fees 2000 month for 10 months until the duration of the course.

… (1865 more words) …

Promoting research and innovation - Progress of nation depends on its sustained growth of education and research in science and technology, To meet the objective, our research should bear international comparison in terms of standards of attainment.

… (1060 more words) …

Important terms of Education - Literacy rate: In India, a person aged 7 years and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language has been taken as literate. Literacy rate 2011 (In %) -

• Total: 73.0

• Male: 80.9

• Female: 56.5

… (2283 more words) …

Crisis of Management - In case of Bengaluru, the extra allocation of water from Cauvery by Supreme Court would be of little relief unless the water is managed well. The 2013 - 14 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General says that half of the Cauvery waters, supplied to Benga…

… (4602 more words) …

Courtesy: Down to Earth, March 2018 - In Odisha, In January this year, village communities in Pipadi and Jamguda in Kalahandi district were denied access to take bamboo out of the forest area. They were told that they could transport bamboo outside the forest, only if it was done…

… (3308 more words) …

World Of Cape Towns - Theewatreskloof Dam, Cape Town’s largest reservoir, has dries to just 13 % capacity after 3 years of drought. Cape Town is on notice that the day when its water will run out is very close.

Cape Towns in India

February 2018 Supreme Court (SC) decision on all…

… (2766 more words) …

CCEA approves new Integrated Scheme for School Education - Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved new Integrated Scheme on School Education for period 2018 to 2020 to be formulated by Department of School Education and Literacy.

… (2576 more words) …

NITSER Amendment Bill Passed in Rajya Sabha - NITSER (National Institutes of Technology, Science Education, and Research) Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Sabha on 26^th July, 2017. Bill proposes two new Institutions in the Second Schedule of the NITSER Act, 2007: 1 - Indian Institu…

… (1709 more words) …

Rashtrapati Bhavan Hosts Nobel Laureates Seminar - Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 5, 2018, hosted a one-day Nobel Laureates Seminar, Seminar organized by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India in association with the Nobel Foundation.

… (2610 more words) …

The Government of India announced the sale (re-issue) of Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024 for a notified amount of Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction and 7.17 % Government Stock, 2028 for a notified amount of Rs. 8, 000 crore (nominal) through price …

… (377 more words) …

The Sainik Schools are a system of schools in India established and managed by the Sainik Schools Society under Ministry of Defence. They were conceived in 1961 by V. K. Krishna Menon, the then Defence Minister of India.

… (360 more words) …

Advantage Assam - Global Investors Summit 2018 was help to position Assam as India’s Expressway to ASEAN. ‘Advantage Assam’ will be the largest ever investment promotion and facilitation initiative by the Government of Assam.

… (141 more words) …

Second largest state-owned lender Punjab National Bank was the victim of the India’s largest bank fraud amounting to over Rs. 11, 000 crore done by Jeweller Nirav Modi and related entities.

… (762 more words) …

The 41^st flight of PSLV (PSLV-C39) that took place on August 31, 2017 with Indian Regional Navigational Satellite (IRNSS-1H weighing 1425 kg) could not reach the designated orbit, is considered as a failure.

… (357 more words) …

A simple DNA screening test called Sema4 Natalis to detect 193 childhood-onset diseases, including epilepsy, spinal muscular atrophy, and cancer was developed by a US-based genomic testing company.

… (227 more words) …

Scientists developed a new system to non-invasively identify the breast cancer patients who would respond to chemotherapy within two weeks of beginning treatment. The novel dynamic “optical tomographic breast imaging system” generates three-dimensional (3-D) images of both breast…

… (402 more words) …

Scientists based on 20 years of observations and data, have calculated that sun will be nearly seven percent cooler and dimmer by 2050 causing a mini ice age, said the team of researchers from San Diego.

… (415 more words) …

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced appointment of Indra Nooyi as its first female Independent Director. Who is Indra Nooyi? - Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi is an Indian American businesswoman.

… (237 more words) …

Government forms committee to probe illegal cultivation of HT Cotton - Department of Biotechnology in Ministry of Science and Technology constituted Field Inspection and Scientific Evaluation Committee (FISEC).

… (2822 more words) …

SECURE Himalaya Project and Third National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017 - 2031 - Union Government launched SECURE Himalaya, a six-year project, For conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity,

… (2046 more words) …

India awarded Certificate of Commendation by CITES for its effort to combat illegal wildlife Trade - By Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

… (2145 more words) …