China’s Monopoly: Rare Earth Metals: China’s dominance in the rare earth metals, key to the future of manufacturing, is posing a major concern for the West. China has over time acquired global domination of rare earths, even at one point, it produced 90% of the rare earths the world needs. Today, however, it has come […]
Category: Current Affairs
National AI Portal
National AI Portal: The ‘National AI Portal’, celebrated its first anniversary on 28th May, 2021. It is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and NASSCOM. NeGD: In 2009, NeGD was created as an Independent Business Division under the Digital India Corporation (a not-for-profit company set up […]
Policy On Archiving, Declassification, Publication Of War Histories
Policy On Archiving, Declassification, And Compilation/publication Of War/Operations Histories: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has approved the policy on archiving, declassification and compilation/publication of war/operations histories by the Ministry of Defence. Features of Policy: Each organization under the Ministry of Defence will transfer the records, including war diaries to the History Division of the Ministry of […]
What is Northern Ireland Protocol?
Northern Ireland Protocol: Britain and the EU are locked in an escalating diplomatic feud over Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. that borders the 27-nation bloc. The EU says Britain must fully implement the agreement, known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, that the two sides agreed and ratified. It came into force on […]
44th GST Council Meeting : Highlights
44th GST Council Meeting: The 44th GST Council met under the Chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister. The Council in its meeting has decided to reduce the GST rates on various items being used in Covid-19 relief and management till 30th September 2021. Key highlights: It decided to waive the tax levied on two critical […]
What is Bharitalasuchus Tapani?
Bharitalasuchus Tapani.: In the mid 20th century, researchers from the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, carried out extensive studies on rocks of the Yerrapalli Formation in what is now Telangana, uncovering several fossils. By studying some of these specimens stored at the Institute, an international team has now thrown light on a carnivorous reptile that lived […]
What is Operation Olivia?
Operation Olivia: Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December. Round-the-clock surveillance is conducted from November till May utilizing Coast Guard assets such as fast patrol vessels, air cushion vessels, […]
Vehicle Scrappage Policy:
Vehicle Scrappage Policy: Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for expediting the implementation of the vehicle scrappage policy. Old vehicles will have to pass a fitness test before re-registration and as per the policy government commercial vehicles more than 15 years old and private vehicles which are over 20 years old will […]
Sub-Mission On Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) Scheme
Sub-Mission On Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) Scheme: The Government of India has released funds for various activities of Farm Mechanization under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) scheme. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched SMAM in 2014-15. Under it, the subsidy is provided for the purchase of various types of agricultural equipment and machinery […]
Ram Prasad Bismil
Ram Prasad Bismil: The Ministry of Culture organised a special ceremony at Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil. Was born on 11th June 1897, in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district to Murlidhar and Moolmati. Was among the most noteworthy Indian freedom fighters who resisted British […]
