PM CARES FUND TOPIC: Polity Context- The PM CARES Fund collected ₹10,990 crore since its inception in March 2020 until March 2021 and spent ₹3,976 crore during the 2020-21 financial year, according to the audited financial statement. Concept- About the Fund: The Fund is a public charitable trust with the Prime Minister as its […]
Operation AAHT TOPIC: Governance Context- The Railway Protection Force has launched a nationwide operation to curb human trafficking. Concept- As part of “Operation AAHT”, special teams will be deployed on all long-distance trains/routes with focus on rescuing victims, particularly women and children, from the clutches of traffickers. The infrastructure and intelligence network of […]
PM MATRU VANDANA YOJANA TOPIC: Governance Context- The government’s has recently announced that the maternity benefit programme which provides ₹5,000 for first child will be extended to cover the second child only if it is a girl. Concept- The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), launched […]
ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENTS (API) TOPIC: Science & Tech Context- The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in pharmaceutical sector is to reduce import dependence on active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), drug intermediates (DIs) and key starting materials (KSMs). Concept- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients are the active ingredients contained in a medicine. It is […]
MANGROVES TOPIC: Environment Context- As per WWF, around 300-400 million people world-over depend on wetlands for their livelihoods or protection against floods and other storms. Yet, it is estimated that the world has lost 87% of its wetlands since 1900s because of development activities which have also pushed many species to the brink […]
CROWDING OUT OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT TOPIC: Economy Context- Public borrowing won’t crowd out private investment: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged industry to step up investments and expand capacities, asserting that worries about high public capital spending and borrowings crowding out private investments were misplaced. Concept- Crowding out effect: A situation when increased interest […]
BUY NOW PAY LATER TOPIC: Economy Context- The ease of access to credit has made BNPL the most preferred product among GenZ consumers, young millennials, new to credit borrowers, who were often underserved or overlooked by traditional banks. Concept- What is Buy Now, Pay Later Buy Now Pay Later or BNPL, as it […]
RENEWABLE ENERGY POOLING TOPIC: Economy Context- The Union power ministry is set to come out with rules to pool solar tariffs to accelerate the procurement of solar power by power distribution companies. Concept- Why is pooling required? A consistent fall in solar power tariffs due to the falling price of solar panels has […]
EPFO TOPIC: Economy Context- The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation will meet on March 4-5 in Guwahati to decide on the interest rate for its subscribers for the financial year 2021-22. Concept- Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO): It is a government organization that manages provident fund and pension accounts of member employees and implements […]
SNOWFALL IN THE SAHARA DESERT: AN UNUSUAL WEATHER PHENOMENON TOPIC: Geography Context- Snowfall in a hot desert may seem a contradiction but snow has been recorded several times in the Sahara Desert over the last decades, most recently in January 2022. Concept- In order for snow to form, two distinctive weather properties are […]