Context: The Prime Minister has lauded the completion of Arch closure of the Chenab Bridge, World’s highest Railway Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir by Indian Railways It connects Kashmir with the rest of India through a rail line. The 1.315 km long “engineering marvel” will link Bakkal in Katra and Kauri in Srinagar. The Chenab …
Context: In April, Uttarakhand has recorded 361 incidents of the forest fire that have damaged 567 hectares, including 380 hectares of reserve forest areas. Forest fires in Uttarakhand start in spring when the trees shed dry leaves and the soil loses moisture due to a rise in temperature. This ‘forest fire season’ continues usually till mid-June …
Context: Challenges Faced by Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes. Analysis The ‘Denotified Tribes’ (DNTs) are a heterogenous group engaged in various occupations such as transport, key-making, salt trading, entertaining — acrobats, dancers, snake charmers, jugglers — and pastoralists. These communities were branded ‘born criminals’ under the colonial-era Criminal Tribes Act, 1871. They were ‘denotified’ in …
Russia-Ukraine Conflict :S. President Joe Biden affirmed his “unwavering support” for Ukraine in a call to President Volodymyr Zelensky after Kiev accused Moscow of building up military forces on its border. Analysis In 2014 Ukraine faced the greatest threat to its national security since the collapse of the Soviet Union, of which it had been …
Millets Cultivation in India: The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. India, Nigeria and China are the largest producers of millets in the world, accounting for more than 55% of the global production. In India, pearl millet (bajra) is the fourth-most widely cultivated food crop after rice, wheat and maize. …
Context: E-Way Bill System under GST regime has achieved a new milestone of generation of 7.12 Crores E-way Bills in the month of March 2021. This is the highest number of e-way bills generated in any month during last three years’ journey of E-Way Bill system. Analysis E-Way Bill system, short form for electronic way …
What is E-Way Bill? Why Electronic Way Bill is Important? Read More »
Context: In a video message, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha promised to implement Article 244 (A) of the Indian Constitution to safeguard the interests of the people in Assam’s tribal-majority districts. Analysis How did the demand arise? In the 1950s, a demand for a separate hill state arose around certain sections of …
Context: The Supreme Court flagged its concern that political parties could misuse crores of rupees received as donations through electoral bonds to bankroll violent protests or even terror. The court asked the government whether there was any “control” over how these donations were used by the political parties. Analysis What are electoral bonds? Electoral bonds …
VVPAT EVM Context on VVPAT EVM’s With the VVPAT EVM, the CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner, has urged the panel to carry out a 100% tally of all EVM machines with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) for the coming Assembly elections. Earlier, in 2019, the Supreme Court …
Context: Sankaradeva was born in Nagaon district’s Batadrava, also spelt Bordowa, in September 1449. He lived for 119 years and died at Bheladonga, now in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district. Analysis The saint-reformer founded a new Vaishnavite order within Hinduism. He was the greatest spiritual leader of Assam, who simplified the modes of religious practices …