Why in News? The Union Government has Approved the Continuation of a police modernisation scheme for five years up to 2025-26 with a financial outlay of ₹26,275 crore. What is…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government hopes to increase around $83.8 billion (Rs 5.83 trillion rupees) from its latest round of airwaves auction in 2019. The Central government is planning…
More than 600 companies, including Walmart Inc, Target Corp, urged U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the trade dispute with China that totally affects American businesses and consumers. More than…
CONTEXT: According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2019, India received foreign direct investments (FDI) worth USD 42 billion in 2018. India attracted…
CONTEXT: Mary Meeker’s 2019 Internet Trends Report said that the global internet users have touched 3.8 billion which is more than half of the world’s population. China was found to…
CONTEXT: Mount Sinabung volcano erupted in Sumatra Island of western Indonesia. A huge column of ash was blasted and spread 7 km high to southeast and south of crater. Mount…
CONTEXT Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Siddhi Scheme. It will cost over Rs.87,000 crore a year to the exchequer. The government has announced its decision to…
CONTEXT Sweden's teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was awarded Amnesty International award for mobilising world public opinion on the looming peril of global warming. Thunberg, a fierce campaigner with a…
Context: India’s foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said that India will enhance its commitment to Sri Lanka in the wake of the recent bomb attacks on churches and hotels that killed…
CONTEXT: Goa celebrated its statehood day on 30th May. It was on this day in 1987 Goa became the 25th state of the Indian Union. Before this, Goa, along with…
CONTEXT: The UN Security Council has extended an arms embargo and sanctions on South Sudan for a year, despite resistance from African countries, Russia and China. A US-drafted resolution was…
CONTEXT: Rivers worldwide are polluted with antibiotics that exceed environmental safety thresholds by up to 300 times, according to research. Scientists found one or more common antibiotics in two-thirds of…
International Commonwealth Day was observed in Commonwealth countries on 24 May. International Missing Children's Day is observed every year on 25 May.
Corporation Bank launched ‘Corp SME Suvidha’, a product for GST-registered MSMEs. The product has been designed as part of the bank’s efforts to provide the best products to the MSME…
The Reserve Bank of India allowed large modern currency chests to increase the service charges on cash deposited by non-chest bank branches from the existing rate of ₹5 per packet…
A government-appointed advisory group has suggested issuance of 'Elephant Bonds' wherein people declaring undisclosed income will have to mandatorily invest half of that amount in these securities. These recommendations are…
The Second Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Mass Media Forum is being held at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 23-26 May, 2019. A Delegation from I&B Ministry comprising of Shri TVK Reddy and…
CONTEXT: Nahida Manzoor created history by becoming the first Kashmiri woman to successfully summit the World’s highest peak, Mount Everest. Nahida Manzoor went with her Sherpa Guide Nima Kancha. On…
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been honoured with the Seoul Peace Prize. The South Korean government has awarded the Seoul Peace Prize for PM Modi in recognition of his…
Context: Union Minister of Textiles launched the India Size project in Mumbai. A first-of-its-kind project in the history of the country, India Size aims to arrive at a standard Indian…
CONTEXT : The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal…
CONTEXT : An author from Oman has won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize for "Celestial Bodies", the story of three sisters of a desert country confronting its slave-owning past…
CONTEXT : Myanmar Navy Ship UMS King TabinShweHtee (773) and UMS Inlay (OPV-54) arrived Port Blair on 20 May 2019. The 8th Indo-Myanmar coordinated patrol (IMCOR) is being organised at…
A Nepalese Sherpa climber Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for 23rd time. He broke his own record for the most successful ascents of the world's highest peak. Rita is…
British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed to set a firm date for her resignation as Conservative Party leader to make way for a new leader in Downing Street by next…
S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping participate in a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Trump is to meet with Xi…
TIJJANI Muhammad-Bande, a professor and former vice chancellor of Usman DanfodiyoUniversity, Sokoto, has been appointed the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He was the permanent representative of…
Iran stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal with major powers until they find a way to bypass renewed U.S. sanctions. The announcement came as…
Justice PR Ramachandra Menon was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. Governor Anandiben Patel administered him the oath of office and secrecy at a function here…
Former world number one Roger Federer has returned to third in the ATP Men's rankings released on 6 May 2019. He replaced Alexander Zverev after he was knocked out of…
India has been re-elected as an observer to inter-governmental forum Arctic Council. The Arctic Council promotes cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states on common issues, particularly on sustainable development…
In Mali, the president has named a new government after its predecessor resigned in April 2019. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced the new executive of 37 members under Prime Minister…
Iran is likely to announce today that it is partially withdrawing from the nuclear deal it struck with world powers. The move comes a year after President Donald Trump pulled…
INS Ranjit, a Rajput class destroyer was decommissioned at a solemn grand ceremony at Naval Dockyard today at BACKGROUND: The Decommissioning Ceremony was graced by 16 officers and 10 sailors…
North Korea has fired several short range projectiles into the Sea of Japan. State media confirmed that North Korean leader gave the order of firing to increase the combat ability…
In 2029, a massive asteroid called 99942 Apophis will fly past earth at an approximate distance of 19,000 miles within the distance of some orbiting spacecraft. Apophis is named after…
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) North Eastern Region (NER) installed two geological display boards at two important sites -- Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat, Sobhar in East Khasi district in…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law new measures that would enable the creation of a national network, able to operate separately from the rest of the world. The…
The Netherlands has emerged as the third largest foreign direct investor in India during 2017-18. The Netherlands was also the second largest destination for foreign investment by Indian companies, after…
The 14th edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim on 1 May 2019. The bilateral border trade between the two countries is organised four…
The United Nations has called the new laws “draconian” while the US and several other countries had urged Brunei to halt its plans. Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and…
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said on Sunday that Brunei has had a “de facto moratorium” on capital punishment for over two decades and “this will also be applied to cases under…
Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian has been included in the Advisory Council of the 15th Finance Commission as its member. The Advisory Council was set up in April 2018 to…
BSNL has become the first operator to start optical fiber-based high-speed broadband service in Pulwama with the launch of 'Bharat Fibre'. This is the first such FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) service deployment…
NIOS has signed a MoU with Indian Medical Association for imparting skill education in Paramedical Courses to the learners. The MoU is initially for period of three years for the…
US Air Force General Tod D. Wolters has been sworn in as the top military officer of the 29-nation NATO military alliance. The former pilot, who has served in Afghanistan…
The Defence Ministry approved Indian Navy's proposal to acquire 10 Kamov-31 choppers from Russia at a cost of around Rs 3,600 crore. It will strengthen its capability against aerial threats…
UN agency for disaster reduction has commended the Indian Meteorological Department's almost pinpoint accuracy of early warnings that helped authorities conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan and minimize the loss of…
Bajirao, the last captive white tiger at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai suburb Borivali, died at the age of 18. The tiger had been suffering from chronic ankylosis…
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama X of Thailand, was crowned on 4th May. King Vajiralongkorn is the tenth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, which has reigned since 1782. He ascended the…
North Korea has fired several short range projectiles into the Sea of Japan. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the drill yesterday. State media confirmed that North Korean leader gave…
Indian Space Research Organization is planning to send a probe to study the sun early next year. BACKGROUND: currently scientists are exploring possibilities to study more about Sun and the…
Researchers found cocaine in all samples of shrimp tested in a rural area of eastern England, they revealed on May 1, with ketamine also widespread. BACKGROUND: Scientists from King’s College…
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to power ahead growing at 5.7% this year but escalating trade tensions are a source of worry. The consumer and investor behaviour could be undermined…
A mock North Korea's Scud-B missile, center, and South Korean missiles are displayed at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea. BACKGROUND: North Korea said on Thursday that it…
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a postage stamp to commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of Sri Vedanta Desikan in New Delhi on May 2, 2019. BACKGROUND: Sri Vedanta Desikan…
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has successfully commissioned 2 motor pump set units for the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme in Telangana. Under the scheme, 89 cu.secs of water will be…
Diversification and desire for safe, liquid assets were main drivers of purchases, says WGC. BACKGROUND: Central banks across the globe are building up gold reserves with the first quarter of…
S. refuses to extend sanctions waiver to India on Iran oil import; OMCs stop placing orders from Iran. BACKGROUND: India has a “robust plan” to import oil from other countries,…
India’s second moon mission, Chandrayaan-2, will be historic for the scientific community as the country’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), attempts to land a rover on the…
A rights body, comprising a retired Supreme Court judge and a former Assam police chief, has said the apex court’s remark on the detention of ‘foreigners’ in Assam was unfortunate…
Governments across the world are increasingly clamping down on press freedom by enacting new laws, according to a global network of journalists. BACKGROUND Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) said in…
A group of 25 influential American lawmakers has urged the US Trade Representative not to terminate the GSP programme with India after the expiry of the 60-day notice on Friday,…
External Affairs Ministry has said that India is prepared to deal with the impact of the end of waivers from US sanctions on import of oil from Iran. BACKGROUND: There…
Markets regulator SEBI directed National Stock Exchange to pay more than Rs625 crore in the case of misuse of its co-location facility. SEBI has been probing alleged lapses in high-frequency…
India Ratings & Research (A Fitch Group Company) has lowered the country’s growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.3%, from the earlier projection of 7.5 %. The agency has…
The first part of the Indo-French joint naval exercise, Varuna 19.1 is being conducted off the Goa coast from 1-10 May 19. It includes the participation of the French Navy’s…
Directorate of Indian Defence University (IDU) is organizing a 2-day workshop on Space Warfare and Technology on 2-3 May,19 in New Delhi. It is being held for senior and middle-level…
The country's manufacturing sector performance eased to an eight-month low in April as new business growth moderated. The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index declined from 52.6 in March to…
Context: The Union Minister for Railways has announced the creation of new railway zone for Andra Pradesh, Southern Coast Railway Zone to be headquartered in Visakhapatnam. Under item 8 of…
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) report said that India is the world’s 4th biggest military spender in 2018. The United States topped the list followed by China and Saudi…
As for May Day in India, the country witnessed the first celebration of Labour Day in 1923 in what was then Madras. BACKGROUND: May 1 is a metonym for International…
The New Zealand Open Badminton tournament began in Auckland on 30 April 2019. Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal will be aiming to win her second title this year. Parupalli Kashyap,…
Indian para-athletes secured a silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Road para-cycling championships at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Divij Shah clinched silver while Asian Para Games bronze medallist Gurlal Singh…
CONTEXT: Indian Army signed a MoU with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited. BACKGROUND: The agreement is to build four underground tunnels along China and Pakistan borders for storage of…
CONTEXT: India has won 13 medals, including two gold, four silver and seven bronze at the Asian Boxing Championships. Boxer Amit Panghal picked up his second successive gold medal of…
CONTEXT: India wrapped up their campaign at the Asian Wrestling Championships at Xi'an, China, on a resounding note with 16 medals. Men's freestyle wrestlers bagged eight medals comprising one gold,…
CONTEXT: The Cyclone Fani in South East Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm. India Meteorology Department said it will further intensify into a very…
CONTEXT: Indonesia announced its plans to move its capital away from Jakarta. BACKGROUND: President Joko Widodo’s government plans to establish a new Capital out of the crowded Java Island to…
CONTEXT: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on 29 April 2019. She is on a three-day visit to…
CONTEXT: In Indonesia, at least 17 people have been killed and nine are missing after days of heavy rain triggered floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra. Some 12,000…
CONTEXT: India topped the standings at the International Shooting Sport Federation, ISSF World Cup on the final day in Beijing, bagging four medals- 3 Gold and a Silver. Anjum Moudgil…
CONTEXT: Hima Das was named in India's women 4x400m relay team for the World Relays to begin in Yokohama, Japan next month. Hima made the cut despite pulling out of…
CONTEXT: Scientists in Chile has recently found oldest single footprint at the paleo-archaeological site Pilauco (Osorno, Chile). BACKGROUND: It is a single footprint, discovered in Chile, dates back 15,600 years.…
CONTEXT: Scientists have discovered a new species of crab that swam the sea 95 million years ago. The small, pocket-size crab, named Callichimaera perplexa, was very different from its modern-day…
CONTEXT: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched the Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India. It is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control in order to…
CONTEXT: US President Donald Trump on April 26, 2019 rejected the United Nations' 2013 Arms Trade Treaty aimed at regulating the global arms trade. BACKGROUND: Trump announced to “unsign” the…
CONTEXT: Niti Aayog has agreed to the proposal of the Dental Council of India which had sought to allow dentists to practice as general physicians after a bridge course. The…
CONTEXT: The Central Works Public Department (CPWD) constituted an expert committee to formulate a design policy for building construction and infrastructure development. BACKGROUND: The committee has been set up under…
CONTEXT: April 29 is celebrated as International Dance Day annually. It aims to bring people together with a common language - dance. In 1982, the Dance Committee of International Theatre…
CONTEXT: The World Veterinary Day is observed on 28th April. It celebrates the contributions of veterinarians to the health of animals and society. The theme for 2019 is Value of…
CONTEXT: World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a UN international day that is celebrated every April 28. It is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy…
CONTEXT: Fabio Fognini became the first Italian to win an ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. He defeated Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 38…
CONTEXT: The government of India has revamped its high-level anti-hijack panel to include top officials of the Prime Minister’s Office, especially National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He will be empowered…
CONTEXT: According to a Stanford study, global warming has caused the Indian economy to be 31% smaller than it would have been. The study shows how Earth's temperature changes have…
CONTEXT: Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a debit card-based authentication solution on NPCI’s e-Mandate API platform. With this, the bank has become the first Destination Bank to go live with Net…
CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India is the first central bank in the Asia-Pacific region to begin an explicit interest rate easing cycle buoyed by benign food inflation and easier…
CONTEXT: BuyUcoin, the second oldest Cryptocurrency Exchange in India, has announced the launch of a new and unique platform for wholesale cryptocurrency trading. The platform allows its users to trade…
CONTEXT: National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the merger of IndusInd Bank with Bharat Financial Inclusion (BFIL). The merger will be completed within 2-4 weeks. Post-merger, BFIL will become a…
The United States secured the One-Day International (ODI) status. There will be 20 ODI nations after the end of the tournament, with the top four sides to join Scotland, the…
A Konkani translation of the Indian Constitution was released by the Mangaluru Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha. The translation has been done by Professor Stephen Quadros Permude, author of several books…
World Day For Animals In Laboratories (WDAIL) (also known as World Lab Animal Day) is observed every year on 24 April. International Girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Day…
CONTEXT: At the centre of this weight gain, the scientists discovered, was a molecule called NPY, which the brain produces naturally in response to stress to stimulate eating in humans…
CONTEXT: The Delhi High Court has struck down the decision of the Central government restricting the famously aromatic basmati rice production to only seven States in the Indo-Gangetic plains. The…
CONTEXT: Abusing a person with filthy language alone does not constitute the offence of criminal intimidation. The threat must be with intention to cause alarm to the complainant to cause…
CONTEXT: China’s President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan before a meeting in Beijing on April 28, 2019. He expressed hope that Pakistan and India can…
CONTEXT: A 500-year-old well, believed to have been built during the lifetime of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev, has been discovered at the enclosure of a gurdwara on…
CONTEXT: The Southern peninsula division comprising all five States of the South India and the Union Territory of Puducherry, Goa and coastal Maharashtra recorded a deficiency of 31%. East and…
CONTEXT: Scientists have developed a process to 3D-print transparent and flexible electronic circuits, paving the way for improved wearable devices in the future. BACKGROUND: The electronics consists of a mesh…
CONTEXT: In a sign that platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp are emerging as new public square for criminal deception, a study has found that social media fraud increased 43% in…
CONTEXT: This record is an enormous contribution to the field of global climate studies. When the landmass that is now the Indian subcontinent slammed into Asia about 50 million years…
CONTEXT: Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, scriptwriter Salim Khan, and Helen were honoured with the prestigious Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award on 25 April 2019. The award has been instituted by Master Deenanath…
CONTEXT: A floating nuclear power plant that is also known as 'Chernobyl on ice' is ready to begin supplying the electricity in Russia. The Akademik Lomonosov is reportedly destined to…
Context: The second largest Emperor penguin colony in the world has suffered a “catastrophic” breeding failure after nearly all chicks born over three years died as their icy Antarctic habitat…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court directed the RBI to disclose information pertaining to its annual inspection report under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara…
CONTEXT: The Commerce and Industry Ministry has proposed a host of measures such as tax incentives to promote budding entrepreneurs as part of the 'Startup India Vision 2024'. The vision…
CONTEXT: The UAE's biggest sewage treatment plant, Jebel Ali STP, built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has been inaugurated. The 3,75,000 cum/day Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) Jebel Ali (Phase 2)…
CONTEXT: Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad startup, is gearing up to test-launch its 'Vikram' series of rockets to send satellites into space by mid-2021. The aerospace company is betting big on…
CONTEXT: Sri Lanka banned the use of drones and unmanned aircraft following the Easter bombings that killed over 350 people and injured more than 500. The ban will be in…
CONTEXT: Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un held first summit talks in Vladivostok. Its aim was to strengthen ties that date back to the Soviet Union's support…
CONTEXT: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recommended that the government should take necessary steps to include the regional language in the medicine labels. The aim is to curb…
CONTEXT: Mobikwik, digital financial services company collaborated with the Aegon Life Insurance. Aegon Life Insurance planned to launch a Rs 20 smart digital insurance product in order to protect its…
CONTEXT: Dawn editor and Columnist Cyril Almeida from Pakistan won the IPI’s (International Press Institute) World Press Freedom Hero award in 2019. He was awarded for his critical and tenacious…
CONTEXT: World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidelines on physical activity, sedentary and sleep for children under 5 years of age. It also issued its first-ever guidance for how…
CONTEXT: State Bank of India (SBI) launched ‘Green Car Loan’ to encourage customers to buy electric vehicles (EVs) in the country. The interest rates on the loan will be 20…
CONTEXT: Etihad Airways has become the 1st airline in the Gulf region to operate a flight EY484 without any plastics on board, in a bid to raise awareness about pollution…
CONTEXT: The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s BepiColombo mission has successfully completed a series of test. It has completed its near-Earth commissioning phase. It…
CONTEXT: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj made a presentation to the Chairman of 15th Finance Commission, Shri N.K. Singh, its Members and senior officials of the Commission. The Ministry has…
CONTEXT: The RBI would soon issue new Rs 20 notes in greenish-yellow colour. The banknote in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series will have a motif of Ellora Caves on the…
CONTEXT: The smallest planet in our solar system, Mercury, has a massive solid inner core. Mercury has a solid inner core about 2,000 kilometers in diameter, making up about half…
CONTEXT: Money Loji, has launched its App, which offers quickest and the most secure loans to salaried professionals for an immediate requirement. It has flexible repayment options starting from 7…
CONTEXT: Rating agency ICRA has estimated 7-7.5 GW solar power capacity addition during the current financial year, which includes 1 GW of rooftop solar power. Solar capacity addition is estimated…
CONTEXT: A new Coast Guard vessel was commissioned by Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala Sri Tom Jose at Vizhinjam harbour, on 24 April 2019. Indian Coast Guard Ship C-441 is…
CONTEXT: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new community in the Golan Heights would be named after US President Donald Trump. Israel has also stated it intends to name…
CONTEXT: Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) inked an agreement with Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research in order to support startups engaged in the export sector. Under the…
CONTEXT: The active volcano of Indonesia Mount Agung has erupted again to a height of 2km. Two other volcanoes popular with tourists Mount Bromo in East Java and Mount Merapi…
CONTEXT: Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) notified the excess reserves that RBI holds could be up to Rs.3 lakh crore ($43 billion) or 1.5% of the GDP (Gross Domestic…
CONTEXT: Malawi, the African Nation, is to undertake large scale pilot tests for the world's most advanced experimental malaria vaccine in a bid to prevent the disease. The RTS, S…
CONTEXT: The United States has recorded 695 cases of measles in 2019, the most of any year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. The high number of cases…
CONTEXT: RBI has exited the National Housing Bank (NHB) and the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Nabard), by selling its entire stakes to government for Rs 1,450 crore…
CONTEXT: Agriculture prices are projected to fall 2.6% this year but are estimated to rebound in 2020 due to lower crop production and higher costs for energy and fertilisers. Agricultural…
CONTEXT: In a spectacular discovery, the XENON collaboration publicly announced the discovery that xenon-124, an isotope of the element Xenon, is fundamentally unstable. Its half-life is 1.8 × 1022 years:…
CONTEXT: A 6-member panel looking into the appropriate capital reserves the RBI should maintain is likely to submit its report by June. The committee, headed by former RBI governor Bimal…
CONTEXT: A RBI committee may recommend that all government payments to citizens should be made digitally. The move seeks to ensure higher adoption of digital payments among the masses. The…
CONTEXT: World Malaria Day is observed every year on 25 April, to spread awareness about malaria disease globally and to promote efforts to prevent malaria around the world. The theme…
CONTEXT: The National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year in India on 24th April. The Constitution of India recognizes Panchayats as 'Institutions of self-government'. BACKGROUND: Due to the high…
CONTEXT: 2nd Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial International Hockey Tournament was held at Astro Turf Hockey Ground, Chandigarh from 15-25 April 2019. A Total of 16…
CONTEXT: In Shooting, India opened its medal account with gold each in 10 m Air Rifle Mixed Team and 10 m Air Pistol Mixed team events on the 3rd day…
CONTEXT: The number of complaints by bank customers to the RBI's banking ombudsman increased by 24.9% in the financial year 2017-18 as compared to the previous year. The major grounds…
CONTEXT: In a historic first, the Army began the process to induct women in the military police, nearly two years after Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat said women will be…
CONTEXT: The Centre has approved a Rs. 4.5 crore grant to two premier Hyderabad-based institutions for research into technology that involves growing animal cells in a laboratory to produce slaughter-free…
In Wrestling, India's Divya Kakran and Manju Kumari bagged bronze medals for the country in the women's competition of the Asian Championships in Xi'an, China. It was double delight for…
CONTEXT: Author Rana Dasgupta was awarded the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 for his 2010 novel Solo. BACKGROUND: It is the second edition of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize. The…
CONTEXT: 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness began in Kathmandu on 25 April 2019. The theme of the two-day summit is 'Media…
CONTEXT: The UN and the European Union (EU) have signed a joint framework aimed at strengthening partnership in counter-terrorism efforts. BACKGROUND: The framework was enacted on the occasion of the…
CONTEXT: In Egypt, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient tomb with mummies believed to date back about 2,000 years in the southern city of Aswan. The tomb is from the Greco-Roman…
CONTEXT: Zoologists from Trinity College with partners from Halu Oleo University (UHO) and Operation Wallacea, have discovered two new bird species in the Wakatobi Archipelago of Sulawesi, Indonesia. BACKGROUND: The…
CONTEXT: The Meghalaya government will invest Rs 378 crore in fish production for meeting a supply deficit of 15,000 metric tonnes. The state has been able to produce 12,000 MT…
CONTEXT: US envoy to India Kenneth I Juster launched a new initiative designed to help India's corporate sector in the fight against tuberculosis (TB). The initiative supports the Indian government's…
CONTEXT: IIT-Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) and Jindal Stainless have come together to introduce a 3-credit course on stainless steel and advanced ferrous alloys. This is a part of IIT-KGP's post-graduate curriculum for…
India's ace cueist Pankaj Advani defeated Ehsan Heydari Nezhad of Iran 6-4 to claim the inaugural Asian Snooker Tour title. Advani, a 21-time world snooker and billiards champion, beat Nezhad…
CONTEXT: India has 2.9 million children who have missed out on the first dose of measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017 despite over 80% of immunisationcoverage. India, with its large…
CONTEXT: Japanese scientists succeeded in creating the first-ever artificial crater on an asteroid. BACKGROUND: It is a step towards shedding light on how the solar system evolved. The crater from…
CONTEXT: World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26th April. The theme for 2019 is Reach for Gold: IP and Sports. The event was established by the World Intellectual…
CONTEXT: Indian Army is planning to construct underground tunnels for storage of ammunition along the border with China and Pakistan and Public Sector Undertaking NHPC Limited is being roped in…
CONTEXT: SEBI has reduced the minimum subscription requirement as well as defined trading lots for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs). REITs have to offer their…
CONTEXT: India registered about 8% growth in export of leather, leather products and footwear during 2018-19 and is aiming to achieve 9% to 10% growth during the current fiscal. In…
CONTEXT: The second dollar-rupee buy/sell auction saw healthy demand with the RBI getting 255 bids worth $18.65 billion compared with the notified amount of $5 billion. The cut-off premium was…
CONTEXT: Iranian lawmakers approved a Bill that labels U.S. military forces as terrorist. 173 out of 215 lawmakers at the Parliament session in Tehran voted for the new Bill. The…
CONTEXT: The Motor Vehicles Department’s Operation Night Riders began on 24 April 2019. It will keep tabs on 500 tourist omnibuses operating from key cities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and…
CONTEXT: All India Radio, Publication Division and Children's Film Society of India were given Swacchta Pakhwada Awards-2019 in New Delhi on 23 April 2019. Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting…
CONTEXT: In J&K, under a unique Initiative under SVEEP, District Election Officer Kargil Baseer Ul Haq inaugurated the Campaign Sweep for voters education and awareness from TFC Kargil. Under the…
CONTEXT: West Bengal government's 'Utkarsh Bangla' scheme was awarded the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award of the United Nations. Out of 1062 nominations in 18 categories from…
CONTEXT: The UAE Space Agency and Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) have announced 85 percent completion of the gulf nation’s ‘Hope Probe’ project. The probe is an ambitious dream…
CONTEXT: Pakistan Navy successfully test-fired an indigenous cruise missile in the Arabian Sea on 23 April 2019. BACKGROUND: According to Pakistani Navy, the missile accurately hit its target on land…
CONTEXT: The government extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China. BACKGROUND: Food regulator FSSAI had recommended extending the ban until all labs at…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court directed the Gujarat government to make a payment of ₹50 lakh as compensation to Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots. She was…
CONTEXT: State-owned Allahabad Bank said the government has increased its authorized capital by ₹5,000crore to ₹8,000 crore. The central government increased the authorized capital of the bank from ₹3,000 to…
CONTEXT: India will stop importing crude oil from Iran following the US move to end sanction waivers and will use alternate supply sources such as Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration…
CONTEXT: Around 3.10 crore small farmers have so far received the first tranche of Rs 2,000 each under the PM-Kisan scheme. 10 crore peasants have got the second installment as…
CONTEXT: The country's pharmaceutical exports rose by 11% to USD 19.2 billion in 2018-19, mainly driven by higher demand in regions such as North America and Europe. The pharma exports…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court on April 23, 2019 constituted a three-judge panel headed by Justice SA Bobde, the senior-most judge in apex court after the Chief Justice of India (CJI),…
CONTEXT: April 24 is observed as the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace every year. It was officially approved on 12 December 2018 through resolution A/RES/73/127. The day…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to disburse funds allocated for various state governments to develop infrastructure and filling up vacancies in the subordinate judiciary. A bench…
CONTEXT: Weather-related advisories by the department to the farmers have resulted in the high yield of agricultural products across the country. Over 40 million farmers are benefiting from the advisories…
CONTEXT: India clinched one gold, one silver and bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championship in China's Xian on Tuesday. World number one Bajrang Punia logged 10 points in a row…
CONTEXT: In Bangladesh, all local government elections will be held through Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) from now on. Stating this the Secretary to the Election Commission of Bangladesh, Helaluddin Ahmed…
CONTEXT: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev today said, Moscow has a chance of improving ties with Ukraine under the leadership of President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky. There is a chance for improving…
CONTEXT: India has been nominated as the “Guest of Honour” country at the 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) which begins today. BACKGROUND: Indian Ambassador to…
CONTEXT: China has successfully tested the world’s first armed amphibious drone boat. It could be used in land assault operations and is capable of forming a combat triad with aerial…
CONTEXT: The Indian Navy launched its third guided missile destroyer 'INS Imphal' as part of its Project 15B on 20 April 2019. The Navy had launched INS Vishakhapatnam, the first…
CONTEXT: A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket successfully launched a Cygnus spacecraft on 17 April 2019 carrying 3.5 metric tons of cargo bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The Antares…
CONTEXT: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the Voter Turnout app on 19 April 2019. The mobile app is for the voters across the country to see the…
CONTEXT: Sri Lanka’s first satellite ‘Raavana-1’ was launched into space from NASA’s Flight Facility on 18 April 2019. ‘Raavana 1’ weights around 1.05 kg and the lifespan of the satellite…
CONTEXT: Saudi Arabia will host the annual G20 leaders' summit on 21-22 November 2020 in Riyadh. The G20 is made up of 19 of the world's biggest economies, as well…
CONTEXT: Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) partnered with M1Xchange Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platform for MSME bill discounting. BACKGROUND: TReDS is a digital platform to support micro, small and medium…
CONTEXT: A team led by Keshav Raghavan has been chosen by NASA to have their CubeSat flown into space on future missions of NASA. CubeSats are miniature satellites intended as…
CONTEXT: A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut is all set to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. NASA astronaut Christina Koch is going to…
CONTEXT: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have together launched a private blockchain with a pseudo-token. The new token, called 'Learning Coin' and only accessible within the IMF…
CONTEXT: Canara Bank has successfully rolled out major new functionality to support EMV card acquiring across its ATM network and Aadhaar Authentication. It is the first public sector bank to…
CONTEXT: Bandhan Bank has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for the proposed scheme of acquiring of Gruh Finance. Bandhan Bank had, in January 2019, announced the…
CONTEXT: Nepal successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from America on 18 April 2019. The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched from Virginia in the US,…
CONTEXT: ETMONEY has integrated Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as a payment option on the application. The company hopes to simplify the user journey through the app, especially for making payments…
CONTEXT: The income tax department proposed a change in the methodology for taxing multinational companies (MNCs). This includes digital firms, having permanent establishment in India by giving weightage to factors…
CONTEXT: The WHO has released new recommendations on 10 ways countries can use digital health technology, accessible via mobile phones, tablets and computers, to improve people’s health and essential services.…
CONTEXT: 20 states and UTs have so far joined a pan-India network of single emergency helpline number '112' on which immediate assistance can be sought by anyone in distress. The…
CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said Exim Bank has provided soft loans of USD 266.60 million to Rawanda for various projects. The funding is done in 3 separate…
CONTEXT: RBI proposed that fintech start-ups could set up a regulatory sandbox or live-testing of innovative products and services. This would be done in segments such as retail payments, money…
CONTEXT: Terra Drone Corporation and Terra Drone India signed a tripartite MoU with IIT-Hyderabad to co-establish Centre of Excellence for Unmanned Aerial Solutions (drones). Under the MoU, the Japanese company…
CONTEXT: Researchers have identified an eco-friendly solid that could replace the inefficient and polluting gases used in most refrigerators and air conditioners. When put under pressure, plastic crystals of neopentylglycol…
CONTEXT: Himachali Kala Zeera, Jeeraphool from Chhattisgarh and Kandhamal Haldi from Odisha are among the 14 products that have received Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the government for 2019. The…
CONTEXT: A site containing the 220-million-year-old fossilised remains of nearly a dozen dinosaurs has been discovered in western Argentina. There are almost ten different individuals, it's a mass of bones,…
CONTEXT: April 19 is observed as World Liver Day. This day is meant to raise awareness about liver and following a lifestyle which supports liver health. This day is observed…
CONTEXT: In the middle of China’s Gobi desert sits a Mars base simulator, the facilityis full of teenagers on a school trip. Surrounded by barren hills in northwestern Gansu province,…
CONTEXT: Mount Everest will get an eco-friendly toilet at a Chinese campsite 7,028m above sea level in an ongoing campaign to deal with the peak’s waste problem. BACKGROUND: Decades of…
CONTEXT: The government is targeting to raise about ₹1,500 crore from initial publicofferings (IPOs) of two railway companies, IRCTC and IRFC, by September 2019. Earlier in April 2019, the government…
CONTEXT: The issuances of government-fully serviced bonds (GoI-FSBs) rose to₹64,192 crore in the year ended March 2019 as compared to ₹15,095 crore during the last fiscal. These borrowings are estimated…
CONTEXT: India's fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry is likely to grow at aslower pace at 11-12% in 2019, almost 2% lower than that in 2018, as per a report.…
CONTEXT: RBI told the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) thatbanks had an obligation to mark bad loans as non-performing asset (NPA) after the default of 90 days. The banking…
CONTEXT: Saturn's largest moon Titan has small liquid lakes that run more than 100metres deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane. This was founded by scientists using data from…
CONTEXT: Scientists have captured the deepest radio images of the Sun, an advancethat may help reliably predict space weather and its possible effects on Earth. Sun's emission can change within…
CONTEXT: The Time 100 most influential people of 2019 includes lawyers ArundhatiKatju and Menaka Guruswamy. They were instrumental in the Supreme Court partly striking down Section377 of the Indian Penal…
CONTEXT: The 2nd edition of 'Indian Navy-Vietnam Peoples’ Navy Bilateral Exercise'(IN – VPN BILAT EX) off Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam from 13-16 April 2019. The exercise was undertaken as a…
CONTEXT: The government has suspended the LoC trade in Jammu and Kashmir. the Cross LoC trade routes are being misused by the Pakistan-based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and…
CONTEXT: April 18 is annually observed as the International Day for Monuments andSites (IDMS), also known as World Heritage Day. This day is celebrated to remind the citizens about beautiful…
CONTEXT: The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology(IDRBT) has launched a 5G Use Cases Lab for banking and financialsector. The 5G technology, along with blockchain, will be progressively…
CONTEXT: NASA announced that SpaceX will fly its Double Asteroid Redirection Test(DART) planetary-defense mission. The total launch cost for NASA is estimated to be about $69 million. BACKGROUND DART -…
CONTEXT: Over 50 people were killed as rain, coupled with thunderstorm andlightning, hit several parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat andMaharashtra overnight. The unseasonal rain and storm also caused damage…
CONTEXT: The RBI has put into circulation 50 rupees denomination banknotessigned by its Governor Shaktikanta Das. The design of these notes is similar in all respects to 50 banknotes inMahatma…
CONTEXT: Astronomers have discovered a third planet in the Kepler-47 system, securing the system’s title as the most interesting of the binary-star worlds. Using data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope,…
CONTEXT: In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the government has grantedemergency powers to the three services to procure weapons and military hardware. This would enhance their operational preparedness…
CONTEXT: BBC India launched an experimental interactive election chatbot in Hindiand English on Facebook's Messenger platform as part of a series of IndianGeneral Election-related content. The chatbot allows users to…
CONTEXT: For the first time, a 3-member team of women climbers from India, Nepal,and China set out to scale the world's highest peak, Mt Everest. This is being done to…
CONTEXT: April 17 is observed as the World Haemophilia Day every year. It was started in 1989 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH)which chose to bring the community together…
CONTEXT: The MHA approved a proposal to change the name of a village in MadhyaPradesh from 'Durjanpur' to 'Shivdham'. The move came after the Home Ministry got no objection from…
CONTEXT: International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket for Good in partnership withUNICEF announced #OneDay4Children, a tournament-wide campaign. It is focussed on bringing the world of cricket together as one team to…
CONTEXT: Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat commissioned the Indian CoastGuard Ship Veera at a ceremony held at Naval Jetty, Visakhapatnam. Veera, third in the series of offshore patrol…
CONTEXT: NASA's newest planet hunter has discovered its first Earth-size alien world. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) spotted the planet, as well as a weird sub-Neptune world, circling the…
CONTEXT: Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj has been named the goodwill ambassador of Team India at the Street Child Cricket World Cup (SCCWC). She, alongside Saurav Ganguly and…
CONTEXT: Ghana and Google have cooperated to open Africa’s first AI research laboratory, which, experts hope, will take on some of the region’s struggles. Africa has many challenges where the…
CONTEXT: ADB committed to provide $3 billion in sovereign loans to India in 2018,the highest level of assistance since sovereign operations began in thecountry in 1986. The Asian Development Bank…
CONTEXT: In Bangladesh, the historic Mujibnagar day is being observed on 17 April2019. The day marks the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh's first governmentin 1971 at Baidyanathtala in Meherpur. The day…
CONTEXT: Systematically important non-deposit taking NBFCs offering foreignexchange transactions on individual accounts will be eligible to obtainAuthorised Dealer (AD) Category-II licence from it. AD-Cat II means entities that are authorised…
CONTEXT: Satellite measurements by NASA researchers have verified the groundbased data which shows the Earth's surface has been warming globallyover the past 15 years. The team used measurements of the…
CONTEXT: India successfully test-fired its first Sub-sonic cruise missile, Nirbhay on 15 April 2019. The launch was conducted from a test range in Odisha at 11:44 am. The missile can…
CONTEXT: Indian Naval Ship Kozhikode was decommissioned in a grand ceremony conducted at Naval Jetty in Visakhapatnam. Vice Adm S N Ghormade, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command was the…
CONTEXT: A major fire engulfed the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, one of France's most famous landmarks. The 850-year-old Gothic building's spire and roof have collapsed but the main…
CONTEXT: WHO raised alarm over a 300% increase in the case of measles globally in the first quarter of 2019 compared with last year. So far this year, 170 countries…
CONTEXT: Bamboo rice has shown up in Odisha nearly after four decades. Odisha had last witnessed Bamboo rice in 1979. BACKGROUND: Bamboo rice is special rice that is grown out…
CONTEXT: India cut its trade deficit with China by the most in more than a decade. India's exports to China jumped 31% year-on-year to $17 billion in the financial year…
CONTEXT: India’s exports rose to a five-month high of 11% in March on account of higher growth mainly in pharma, chemicals and engineering sectors. It marked the outbound shipments at…
CONTEXT: Another Indian naval ship INS Magar reached Mozambique’s Beira city loaded with suitable relief material. The ship handed over 250 tonnes of rice and 500 kg of epidemic medicines…
State-run companies will have 12 months to monetise non-core assets identified by a ministerial panel, failing which the finance ministry may restrict budgetary allocations to the CPSEs. The Department of…
CONTEXT: Greenam Energy has set up its first floating solar power plant at Tuticorin. AM International Group Founder-Chairman Ashwin Muthiah laid the foundation stone for the power plant, which would…
CONTEXT: As part of a police welfare scheme, Mumbai Police is set to install over 100 sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators for women police officers across the city. Action…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court has banned all mining activities along the Kaziranga National Park and catchment area of rivers originating in Karbi Anglong Hills in Assam. A bench comprising Justices…
CONTEXT: India finished with 5 medals in the Boxing World Cup which concluded at Cologne, Germany on 13 April 2019. Meena Kumari Maisnam won gold in the 54 kg category.…
CONTEXT: In motor racing, Lewis Hamilton won the Chinese Grand Prix for a record sixth time on 14 April 2019. He seized the overall lead from his Mercedes teammate Valtteri…
CONTEXT: Essel World launched an interactive bird park in Gorai recently. The first-of-its-kind rain forest-themed park spread across 1.4 acres is home to over 500 exotic birds from more than…
CONTEXT: Egypt unveiled the 4,300-year old tomb of a Fifth Dynasty nobleman adorned with colourful reliefs and well-preserved inscriptions a month after being discovered. The tomb is located south of…
CONTEXT: The only known female member of one of the world’s rarest and most endangered turtle species died on 13 April 2019. It was more than 90 years old. The…
CONTEXT: UAE is set to host the world’s foremost Artificial Intelligence, AI Summit toempower global dialogue on the future of government, business and society. The inaugural 'AI Everything', will take…
CONTEXT: The Madras High Court observed that the employees of RBI cannot bereferred to as 'government servants' while identifying their employmentstatus. The observation came after an RBI employee, E. Manoj…
PRELIMS: Aim of NUP Govt Schemes. MAINS: What are the limitations of New Urea Policy. How New Urea Policy Reduces Imports? Evaluate. CONTEXT: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved…
CONTEXT: All imported, as well as locally manufactured medical devices sold in Indiawill soon be required to clear specific safety and quality standards. BACKGROUND The move is aimed at preventing…
CONTEXT: India is joining hands with Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) toimplement two projects in Africa. India will build a cancer hospital in Kenya in collaboration with Japan.…
CONTEXT: Sea Defence Solutions stops the flow of plastic before it reaches the sea, with a system of barriers that can catch garbage to send to recyclers. Plastics that invade…
CONTEXT: Scientists have discovered a unique oil eating bacteria in the Mariana Trench. BACKGROUND In an expedition, organised by marine explorer and film director James Cameron, researchers collected samples from…
BACKGROUND: Spectrometer could be integrated with the camera of a typical cellphone. The device collects information about each individual pixel in an image to identify materials or detect specific…
CONTEXT: Scientists have found no major epigenetic differences in astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space aboard the International Space Station, and his twin brother, Mark Kelly, who…
CONTEXT: World Allergy Week 2019 was observed from 7 to 13 April 2019. The theme for World Allergy Week 2019 is “The Global Problem of Food Allergy”. World Allergy Week…
CONTEXT: A new global rule mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for national governments to introduce electronic information exchange between ships and ports took effect from 8 April 2019.…
CONTEXT: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). They will map, validate and protect smaller…
CONTEXT: The nation is paying homage to martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre on its hundredth anniversary on 13 April, 2019. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will release a Commemorative Coin…
CONTEXT: Reserve Bank of India has issued guidelines for banks to set up new currency chests. These guidelines include a minimum area of 1,500 square feet for strong room and…
CONTEXT: Retail inflation rose to 2.86% in March this year due to increase in prices of food articles and fuel. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reported that the inflation…
CONTEXT: SpaceX carried out its first commercial launch with its Falcon Heavy rocket which took a Saudi satellite in orbit. The launch took place in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. The…
CONTEXT: Russia will confer the Order of St Andrew the Apostle on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The award is being given for Mr. Modi’s exceptional services in promoting special and…
CONTEXT: India and ASEAN have vowed to strengthen ties by deepening cooperation in the maritime sector and boosting connectivity. The two sides met at the 21st ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting…
CONTEXT: US lawmakers introduced new legislation in the House of Representatives to strengthen US-India strategic partnership. This will allow the US-India partnership to flourish in line with the US’s security…
CONTEXT: Hong Kong beat Japan to become the world's third-largest stock market. It is now only behind the US and mainland China. Hong Kong’s market cap was $5.78 trillion compared…
Context: Delay in UK exit from Brexit strained the entire continent and the mighty British empire. Reason for division of communities: Highlighted divisions between the constituent nations of the United…
CONTEXT: European Union leaders and Britain, agreed to a Brexit extension that will allow the U.K. to delay its EU departure date until Halloween. BACKGROUND: Britain didn't leave the EU…
CONTEXT: The Bengal government has won the UN's World Summit on Information Socity (wsis) Award for this scheme. BACKGROUND: The 2 schemes are the Utkarsh Bangla and Sabooj Sathi projects…
CONTEXT: By 2050, India will likely stare at a pile of a new category of electronic waste, namely solar e-waste, as per a study made public on 11 April 2019.…
CONTEXT: SpaceX has carried out its first commercial launch with its Falcon Heavy rocket tasked with placing a Saudi satellite in orbit. The rocket exerts 5.1 million pounds of thrust…
CONTEXT: India and the Netherlands discussed ways to strengthen bilateral political and economic ties, including boosting cooperation at the United Nations. BACKGROUND: The two countries held Foreign Office Consultations with…
CONTEXT: A national symposium on evidence synthesis began in Delhi on 11 April 2019. BACKGROUND: Its focus was on making science and synthesised knowledge the bedrock of all societal and…
CONTEXT: Foreign investment of Indian companies grew 18% to USD 2.69 billion in March as compared to the year-ago period, according to an RBI data. BACKGROUND: The domestic firms made…
CONTEXT: India will be the Guest of Honour country at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, ADIBF 2019, to be held from 24th to 30th of this month. BACKGROUND: The…
CONTEXT: According to the 'Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019' report, the air quality in Varanasi is ranked third on the WHO's list of 15…
CONTEXT: India and Sweden launched a joint programme that will work towards addressing a range of challenges around smart cities and clean technologies among others. BACKGROUND The programme was co-funded…
CONTEXT: The River Periyar in Kerala is witnessing decolorization. The water turned pitch black in one stream, it was milky near the Pathalam regulator-cum-bridge. The Pollution Control Board (PCB) has…
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu conferred President’s Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awards at New Delhi. BACKGROUND The award of the Certificate of Honour was introduced in the…
CONTEXT: India has built a 25-bed maternity hospital in Nepal. It has been built under the Government of India's Small Development Projects Scheme. The Hospital will provide quality maternity and…
CONTEXT: The death toll from the cyclone Idai is now above 1,000. Mozambique has reported 602 deaths while 59 people have died in Malawi. Cyclone Idai smashed into the coast…
Context: India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2% between 2010-2019 to 1.36 billion, according to a report by the United Nations Population Fund. India’s population in 2019…
CONTEXT: The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was awarded the distinction of 'Public Water Agency of the Year'. It was awarded by the Global Water Intelligence at the Global…
CONTEXT: The UK government introduced the world’s first framework designed to hold internet companies accountable for the safety of those using their services. The Online Harms whitepaper is a joint…
India's education tech startup 'Dost Education' bagged a $25,000 tech prize along with 2 other winners from Tanzania and Egypt. The Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019 recognises the most innovative…
CONTEXT: The government has cleared the procurement of 464 T-90 tanks from Russia in a deal worth over Rs 13,500 crore, despite the tensions with Pakistan. Under the new deal,…
CONTEXT: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted a Central Monitoring Committee to ensure the implementation of action plan meant for reducing pollution stretches across the country. It will undertake a…
Justice Vikram Nath, seniormost judge of the Allahabad High Court, has been appointed Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He succeeds acting CJ Justice C. Praveen Kumar. In…
PFS joined hands with the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) to leverage funds for solar projects in India. It is an innovative facility which can contribute in achieving India's distributed…
Context: London became the first city in the world to implement a special Ultra Low Emission Zone that would charge an entry fee for older vehicles if they do not…
Context: The World Economic Forum in the Middle East and North Africa took place at Jordan’s Dead Sea on April 6 and 7, 2019. The forum assembled more than 1,000…
Context: Scientists have discovered a new state of physical matter in which atoms can exist as both solid and liquid simultaneously. Until now, the atoms in physical material existed typically…
Context The first ever photograph of a black hole was released on 10 April 2019. Scientists working in the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration presented their observations at 6:30 PM…
Context China's lunar rover Yutu-2 traveled 170.92 meters on the far side of the Moon, as per the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration…
CONTEXT: Dogs can pick out blood samples from people with cancer with 97%accuracy, as per a study. Dogs have smell receptors 10,000 times more accurate than humans', making them highly…
CONTEXT: India and Sri Lanka have agreed to increase cooperation in security and defense spheres in several areas. The cooperation areas include regional security, curbing drug smuggling and human trafficking.…
CONTEXT: The Indian Army received the first batch of six 'Dhanush' artillery guns from the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). The guns were handed over by Saurabh Kumar, Director General, Ordnance…
CONTEXT: The National Green Tribunal formed a committee to look into the alleged erosion of Yamuna floodplain in Haryana's Sonipat district. The joint report may be furnished within 1 month…
CONTEXT: Isaak Hayik became the world's oldest player to take part in a professional game at the age of 73. He set the record by playing as a goalkeeper for…
CONTEXT: Avaada Energy Pvt Ltd raised ₹1,000 crore from investors such as the Asian Development Bank on 9 April 2019. The equity raised is for financing Avaada Energy’s 2.4 gigawatt…
CONTEXT: Iran has threatened to retaliate for the decision, and shortly after it was announced foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on President Hassan Rouhani to include Mideast-based US forces…
CONTEXT: Chinese badminton ace Lin Dan clinched the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur on 7 April 2019. After an electric performance, he beat countryman Chen Long 9-21, 21-7, 21-11. The…
CONTEXT: Justice Pradeep Nandrajog was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on 7 April 2019. He was earlier Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. He…
CONTEXT: Eminent Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan conferred with an honorary doctorate in Philanthropy by the University of Law, London. He was awarded this for his efforts to give back…
CONTEXT: Chinese scientists have discovered a possible "death switch" mechanism in plant's immune system that triggers infected cells to self-destruct, thus limiting the spread of the disease and keeping other…
CONTEXT: Foreign ministers from Group of Seven (G7) countries have called for a greater role for women in solving conflicts, saying that peace settlements with female involvement were more likely…
CONTEXT: Justice T B N Radhakrishnan was sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on 4 April 2019. West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi administered the oath…
CONTEXT: RBI provided additional 2% liquidity window to the lenders by tweaking liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) norms. The LCR indicates the proportion of highly liquid assets held by banks to…
CONTEXT: Senior US Treasury official David Malpass has been selected as President of the World Bank. The World Bank's executive board unanimously selected 63-year-old Malpass as the bank's 13th President…
CONTEXT: US and China are close to striking a monumental trade deal in the next four weeks. The progress has been made on the China-US economic agreement. Negotiators from both…
CONTEXT: The yoga is gaining popularity across the world as it helps in reducing mental stress and in the treatment of several serious ailments. Non-communicable diseases are a deeply disturbing…
CONTEXT: Election Commission has removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha and appointed LV Subrahmanyam in his place. The Commission stated this in a communication to the Andhra Pradesh…
CONTEXT : Traditional new year festivities are being celebrated in several parts of the country today. Festivals of Chaitra Sukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba are…
Context: India today said Pakistan has not addressed the concerns raised by it over the Kartarpur corridor. Briefing media in New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India…
Indian Army built the longest suspension bridge over Indus river in Leh in just 40 days and the bridge is named as Maitri Bridge.... Maitri Bridge The bridge was constructed…
Context: Brunei today introduced harsh new sharia laws that make adultery and homsexuality punishable by stoning to death. The new measures also cover a range of other crimes, including punishment…
Context: Niti Aayog's Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant has said that the government and the Reserve Bank will have to bring in a new set of regulations to ensure that…
Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut its repo rate under liquidity adjustment facility (LAF), or the rate at which it lends to banks, by 25 basis points…
Context: The United Arab Emirates has conferred the prestigious Zayed Medal on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. The award comes…
CONTEXT: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has sought closer working relations with the Interpol to widen the scope of its fight against corruption in the sport. The cooperation was discussed…
CONTEXT: Phenomenon indicates that climate change is affecting even remote spots, says scientist The world’s southernmost coral reef has been hit by bleaching this summer, Australian scientists said on Wednesday,…
CONTEXT: The government and the Reserve Bank will have to bring in a new set of regulations to ensure that borrowers repay their debt in time following the Supreme Court…
CONTEXT: South Korea will launch the world's first fully-fledged 5G mobile networks on Friday. The transformational leap already has superpowers sparring for control of innovation that could potentially change the…
CONTEXT: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed operators to submit before it all tariff plans that they offer to select segments of customers at the end of…
CONTEXT: A global report has found that life expectancy of children born today will be shortened by 20 months on average, growing up in current high levels of air pollution.…
Context: Pakistan could be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force, FATF due to insufficient physical actions on the ground against banned terror groups to block the flow of funds…
CONTEXT: More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced acute hunger last year because of wars and climate disasters. United Nations body, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in…
CONTEXT: Sri Lankan government on Tuesday rejected concerns raised over the proposed oil refinery project in Hambantota. Minister of Development strategies and International trade Malik Samarawickrema told Parliament that the…
CONTEXT: The Trump administration has approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters to India at an estimated cost of 2.4 billion US dollars, the State Department has…
CONTEXT: India and Chile have signed three MoUs for cooperation in the fields of mining, culture and empowerment of persons with disabilities. The agreements, which were signed during President Ram…
CONTEXT: India signed an agreement with a development bank for setting up India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development (IAIARD) in Malawi. It has signed an MoU with National Bank…
CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO, launched India’s latest satellite EMISAT and 28 other smaller satellites of international customers this morning with textbook precision. The ISRO Telemetry Tracking and…
CONTEXT: A strong 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Ecuador today. According to the US Geological Survey there were no immediate reports of damage or tsunami warning. The…
CONTEXT: The UAE government will issue equivalency to all Indian degrees that match the set criteria, a move that comes as a huge relief for expats having difficulty in…
CONTEXT: India and Chile have agreed to work together to strengthen the global response to defeat and destroy terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. President Ram Nath Kovind who…
CONTEXT: President Ram Nath Kovind visited Pablo Neruda Museum at Santiago in Chile today. The President will meet Indian business community and interact with Indian community later today. During his…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court today voiced unhappiness over the inaction in a case relating to detention of foreigners in Assam and directed the state Chief Secretary to appear before it…
CONTEXT: The Supreme Court today asked 21 Opposition leaders to file within a week their reply on the Election Commission's affidavit on their plea regarding VVPAT slips in Lok Sabha…
CONTEXT: The Centre has set up a tribunal to adjudicate if there exists sufficient cause to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JeL) and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-Yasin…
CONTEXT: Election Commission has approved a request of the Rural Development Ministry to revise the wages under the MGNREGA scheme from April 1. The wages paid under the Mahatma Gandhi…
On March 22 of every year, World observes World Water Day, the theme of which, this year, is “Leaving no one behind”, with the motto - 'Whoever you are, wherever…
TOPIC: General studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests,…
The Union Cabinet recently approved the National Mineral Policy, 2019 (NMP 2019). This policy aims to ensure effective regulation and sustainable development of the mining sector. Key Features of the…
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that although China blocked banning JeM chief Masood Azhar, India has a worldwide support on the issue of terror. The Minister asserted that…
CONTEXT: The Arab League has pledged $100 million per month to the Palestinian Authority (PA) to make up for funds withheld by Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the Arab…
CONTEXT: The Trump administration on April 25, 2019 initiated its first move towards extending protection for giraffes under the Endangered Species Act. The decision comes after legal pressure from environmental…
The Union Cabinet on February 19, 2019 approved the National Policy on Electronics 2019 (NPE 2019). This policy supplants the National Electronics Policy of 2012 (NPE 2012). Key Features of…
General studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian…
General Studies 2 Social Justice Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted…
India has planned to lease out one more Akula Class nuclear powered submarine from Russia. According to reports, both the countries have signed a deal for this, worth almost 3…
General Studies 3 Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for…
In the latest terror attack at two mosques in New Zealand, 49 people have lost their lives and scores of people got injured. A majority of the deceased have been…
Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's Interests. General Tag The government of China, for the year 2019, has targeted the growth of 6.0 to 6.5 percent for…
TOPIC: General Studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues…
Every year on March 8, the world observes International Women’s Day. The purpose is to reflect on the progress made by women in different fields, to celebrate the acts of…
HIV attacks CD4, a type of White Blood Cell (T cells) in the body’s immune system. T cells are those cells that move around the body detecting anomalies and infections…
Role of Oil and Natural Gas in Economy Petrotech 2019: The 13th edition of International Conference and Exhibition PETROTECH 2019, was organized by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC),…
Context: The government has released the draft e-commerce policy. The policy focuses on six broad issues of the e-commerce sector, which includes data, infrastructure development, e-commerce marketplaces, regulatory issues, stimulating…
Context: The Union Cabinet gave its approval to the National Policy on Electronics 2019 (NPE 2019), proposed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. National Policy on Electronics 2019:…
Context: The Chief Minister of West Bengal has unveiled a new scheme Yuvashree Plan II or Yuvashree Arpan to encourage entrepreneurship among youth. Under the Yuvashree Arpan Scheme around fifty thousand Youths…
Context: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has reduced the world economic growth forecasts for the year 2019. Economic Forecasts of OECD: The report notes that trade tensions…
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled the new series of visually impaired friendly coins of various denominations. New series of visually impaired friendly Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5,…
Context: The government of Karnataka has launched the water conservation scheme Jalamrutha. The scheme focuses on drought-proofing measures, including protection and rejuvenation of water bodies. Jalamrutha Scheme: The scheme will…
Context: The government has set up a committee to examine the issues related to framing of a proper, structured scheme for providing insurance cover to advocates and suggest modalities for…
Context: The inaugural India-Japan Space Dialogue was held in New Delhi. The dialogue brought together Ministries and agencies related to outer space in the two countries and provided an opportunity…
Context: Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri launched e-Dharti app where all the three modules- Conversion, Substitution and Mutation related to properties have been made online. The payment system…
Context: The World Bank will provide a $250-million loan for the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP). National Rural Economic Transformation Project is a new sub-component under the DeendayalAntyodaya Yojana –…
Context: International Women's Day is being observed on 8th Governments, NGOs and other organisations across the world observe the day on 8th of March every year to highlight the achievements…
Context: A study says that increased human land-use may put 1,700 species of amphibians, birds, and mammals at greater extinction risk over the next 50 years, by shrinking their natural…
Context: Tech giant Google unveiled a new app 'Bolo' that aims to help children in primary school learn to read in Hindi and English. The free app, which is being…
Context: An Israeli spacecraft on its maiden mission to the moon has sent its first selfie back to Earth. The image shows a part of the Beresheet spacecraft with Earth…
Context: A tripartite loan agreement was signed between the Central Government, Uttarakhand Government and the World Bank for additional financial assistance of USD 96 million for the Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery…
Context: Swachh Survekshan Awards are given by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs based on the survey which covered all urban local bodies in the country. The Survey…
Context: The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19 was conducted by an Independent Verification Agency under the World Bank support project to the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G). Key…
Context: The third edition of the bilateral joint exercise between India and Oman, Al Nagah 2019 will begin from 12th of this month at Jabel Al Akhdar Mountains in Oman.…
Context: Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the refurbished Handloom Haat at Janpath in New Delhi. The main objective of the Haat is to provide infrastructure support to handloom agencies to…
Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation has launched a special programme for school children called Yuva Vigyani Karyakram or Young Scientist Programme. The programme aims at imparting basic knowledge on…
Context: NASA has discovered that the Moons 'sunburns' – distinctive patterns of swirls -- are a result of interactions between the Sun's damaging radiation with pockets of lunar magnetic field.…
Context: Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the project BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique) on India-Bangladesh border in Dhubri District of Assam. Border Security Force, BSF is responsible for…
Context: The Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a loan agreement of $926 Million to operationalise two lines for the Mumbai Metro Rail System. This is the single largest…
Context: The Crew Dragon capsule of Space X has successfully docked with the International Space Station. The demonstration mission is named as Demo-1. It was a test mission before it…
Context: The Saudi Arabia air force along with air forces from United States, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Singapore, will take part in Red Flag 2019, an…
Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for setting up of a Centre for Disability Sports at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. The Centre for Disability Sports, Gwalior will be set…
Context: The Arctic Ocean could experience ice-free summers within the next 20 years, much earlier than previously predicted. A new study has warned that unless human greenhouse gas emissions are…
Context: The Union Tribal Affairs Minister launched the Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces and the Value Addition component of Van Dhan scheme on at a workshop organised by…
Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would be launching an electronic intelligence satellite Emisat for Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in March 2019. In the special mission, ISRO…
Context: Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) concluded a three-day MainamatiMaitree Exercise 2019 as a part of confidence-building measures between the two border guards. MainamatiMaitree Exercise 2019:…
Context: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for jointly developing infrastructure for fuels, lubricating oil, LPG, natural gas…
Context: The Union Human Resource Minister launched the STARS scheme on National Science Day. STAR Scheme: STARS is an acronym for Scheme for Translational and Advanced Research in Science to…
Context: The Union Minister of Human Resources and Development launched the Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) programme to provide industry-specific apprenticeship opportunities to fresh graduates.…
Context: The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the 2nd Edition of Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary in New Delhi. ISL Dictionary: The Dictionary was brought about by…
Context: The Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development, and Rejuvenation presented 82 National Water Awards in 14 categories for the year 2018. The Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River…
Context: Over 150 houses, built by India under the Indian Housing Project in Sri Lanka were handed over to beneficiaries. Indian Housing Project in Sri Lanka The Indian Housing Project…
Context: The National Science Day 2019 was observed across India on February 28, 2019 to mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman). …
Context: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize: On the occasion of National Science Day 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will confer the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology for the…
Context: It is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour between India and Bangladesh and this will be the eighth edition of the exercise which is hosted alternately by both countries.…
Context: Assam Chief Minister launched the PRANAM Commission, which is a panel set up to look after the issues concerning a Bill brought in for the protection of parents of state…
Context: Union Health Ministry has inaugurated the ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’ in New Delhi. 4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit: The global intergovernmental meeting on digital health is…
Context: The Union Minister of Railways has launched Rail Drishti dashboard. It encompasses all the digitisation efforts in Indian Railways and promotes transparency and accountability. Rail Drishti Dashboard: The url of the…
Context: Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO, successfully test fired indigenously developed Quick Reach Surface-to-Air missiles, QRSAMs, from ITR Chandipur, off the Odisha Coast. The two missiles were tested for…
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National War Memorial adjoining the India Gate in New Delhi. The memorial honours the fallen soldiers after Independence. National War Memorial: The memorial…
Context: Afghanistan has launched a new export route to India through the through the Chabahar Port of Iran. 23 trucks carrying 57 tonnes of dried fruits, textiles, carpets and mineral…
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has stated in the Supreme Court that Spotted Cheetahs being translocated from Namibia would be kept at Nauradehi sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. NTCA even stated that…
The Minister of Textiles, Smriti Irani inaugurated two silk projects Soil to Silk Project and Eri Spun Silk Mill in Assam. Soil to Silk Project: The project envisages new Eri plantation on…
The think tank Niti Ayog had hosted the conference on Future of Indian Banking and role of technology Tomorrow in association with the Foundation for Economic Growth and Welfare. Conference on…
Context: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN) from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. On the launch day itself, the first instalment of Rs 2,000…
Context: During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to South Korea seven agreements were signed to boost up the cooperation. The agreements signed include: MoU was signed between the…
Context: Indu Bhushan, the CEO of Ayushman Bharat announced that over 12 lakh people received free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), while around…
Context: International terror financing watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided to keep Pakistan on its grey list at the end of its week-long plenary meeting in Paris. …
Context: A Navratna PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has unveiled the Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG). It can be used to provide drinking water in community centres and public places. Atmospheric…
Context: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced to conduct a pan-India survey called ‘All India Citizens Survey of Police Services’ to gauge public perception of police. The survey will…
Context: President Trump has signed a directive to create a Military Space Force. The directive orders the Pentagon to establish the Space Force as the sixth branch of the United…
Context: 150 students of Srilanka from all 25 districts were awarded the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi scholarships for study in India. The Scholarships were awarded by Sri Lankan Education Minister and Indian…
Context: The data released from the Ministry of Commerce and Industries shows that the FDI inflows to India contracted by 7 per cent to USD 33.49 billion during April-December in…
Context: The government has issued an order approving the entitlement of air travel on Delhi-Srinagar, Srinagar-Delhi, Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Jammu sectors to all the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces…
Context: India and Saudi Arabia held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India. The joint statement issued on the…
Context: International Mother Language Day is being celebrated. The day is observed on the 21st of February every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. Theme for 2019:…
Context: A month-long Festival of India in Nepal is being held at Nepal. Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation was the chief guest of the opening ceremony. Festival…
Context: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a bilateral meeting with her counterpart from Spain Josep Borrel. Highlights of the Bilateral Meet: Both India and Spain supported the promotion…
Context: The Aero India 2019 was inaugurated by Union Defence Minister at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. The Aero India 2019 will be held for 5 days…
Context: Indian President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony to Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Bangladesh cultural organisation Chhayanaut and Ram Sutar Vanji for the years 2014, 2015…
Context: The new heated tobacco devices, marketed as a safer substitute for cigarettes, cause the same damage to human lung cells as vaping and traditional smoking, a study has found.…
Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO is looking for industry partners to collaborate on emerging technologies. DRDO is looking for potential partners to co-develop an engine for its…
Context: The International Court of Justice refused to entertain Pakistan's request to adjourn the hearing in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav to appoint a new ad-hoc judge. The four-day hearing…
Context: The Union Home Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development launched the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal as part of the…
Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer Rs 28,000 crore as interim dividend to the government. RBI had already transferred Rs 40,000 crore to the government in August…
Context: India and Argentina have decided to elevate their multi-faceted cooperation to a strategic partnership with a focus on key areas for the prosperity of both countries. This was said in…
Context: India and Morocco signed four MoUs following the delegation-level talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in Rabat. The agreements include setting up…
Context: The Union Tourism Minister inaugurated the Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady project at Vagamon, Kerala. This project is a part of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady Project: The Eco Circuit…
Context: Home Minister launched a range of citizen safety initiatives in New Delhi, including the Emergency Response Support System, ERSS, for women's safety in 16 states and Union territories. The…
Context: Tamil Nadu Government is promoting M-sand for construction works as an alternative to river sand. M sand: The excessive mining of river bed to meet the increasing demand for…
Context: India increased customs duty on all goods originating from or imported from Pakistan to 200 per cent with immediate effect. It is not very clear whether this will affect…
Context: The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has unveiled a “state-of-the-art” domestically produced submarine capable of firing cruise missiles. The launch has gained significance due to the skewed relations with the…
Context: Country's first semi high speed train Vande Bharat Express left Delhi for Varanasi this morning on its first commercial run. Tickets of the train have already been sold out…
Context: Raigarh Municipal Corporation of Chhattisgarh has won the “Swachhata Excellence awards 2019”. The municipal corporations of Ambikapur of Chhattisgarh and Kumbakonam of Tamil Nadu have bagged the second and…
Context: The Swachh Shakti 2019, a convention of Women Sarpanches was held at Kurukshetra in Haryana. The convention was inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also distributed the…
Context: The Union Tourism Ministry recently made a series of amendments in India's e-visa regime, liberalising it further and making it more tourist friendly. The e-tourist Visa, which was introduced…
Context: The Expert Committee led by Anoop Satpathy submitted its report on “Determining the Methodology for Fixation of the National Minimum Wage” to the Government. The Committee was constituted by…
Context: In a major terrorist attack, 40+ CRPF personnel were martyred in J&K’s Pulwama district when a terrorist attacked with an explosives laden vehicle into one of the vehicles of…
Context: Sushil Chandra on February 15, 2019 assumed charge as the new Election Commissioner (EC) of India. He would be working along with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election…
Context: Moving a step ahead towards ensuring optimum use of National Waterways, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) launched a new portal LADIS – Least Available Depth Information System.…
Context: NASA has announced the end of the Opportunity rover’s mission. Opportunity rolled out on to the Martian surface in 2004, 20 days after its twin, Spirit, had landed on…
Context: Indian Air Force is set to demonstrate its full combat and fire capabilities during ‘Exercise Vayu Shakti-2019’ in the Pokharan firing range close to Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan. Akash…
Context: NASA will launch a new space telescope in 2023 that could provide a glimpse of the first moments in the history of the universe and explore how common are…
Context: The NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) to codify, document and share best practices to improve learning outcomes in…
Context: The Art and Culture Minister of Goa has announced that Ghumot, an indigenous earthen drum will soon be notied as a heritage instrument of Goa. Ghumot is an indigenous…
Context: In the shakeup between humans and machines, there is a likelihood of creation of over 133 million new jobs by 2022. However, at the same time, 75 million jobs,…
Context: Global leaders gathered in Dubai for the World Government Summit, a forum dedicated to shaping the future of governments. World Government Summit: The World Government Summit is a global…
Context: The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan scheme will be implemented from today. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan scheme: The scheme announced in the Budget 2019 has proposed to launch…
Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK) beyond 31.3.2019 for three years. National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK): The…
Context: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) in Thiruvananthapuram. A first of its kind research institute that is linked to the Global Virus Network…
Context: Ministry of AYUSH has launched the e-AUSHADHIportal, for online licensing of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs. The portal is intended for increased transparency, improved information management facility, improved data…
Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Up-gradation Scheme (CLCS-TUS) with a total outlay of Rs.2900…
Context: Reserve Bank has imposed monetary penalty of two million rupees each on HDFC Bank, IDBI Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank for non-compliance of various Know Your Customer/ Anti-Money Laundering…
Context: Bihar government has announced a universal old age pension scheme - Mukhyamantri Vridhajan Pension Yojna- MVPY for all people above 60 years of age. The scheme will come into…
Context: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister approved the introduction of Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Bill, 2019 to create more accountability to Indian citizens living abroad.…
Context: World Radio Day is observed every year on the 13th of February to celebrate radio as a forum for information and entertainment, as a bridge of communication for remote…
Context: The decade from 2014 to 2023 could end up being the warmest in over 150 years of records. The figures released by the UK Met Office are based on…
Context: The Parliament passed the Personal Laws (Amendment Bill), 2018 that seeks to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce. The bill was passed after upper house of the Parliament…
Context: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced new measures, under which increasing financial aid and subsidies will be provided to families that have more than three children. The measures were…
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 11, 2019 inaugurated the 13th International Oil and Gas Conference - PETROTECH-2019 at India Expo Centre in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The Prime…
Context: The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has added Hindi as the third official language to be used in the city's courts, alongside Arabic and English. The move is aimed…
Context: Information and Broadcasting Ministry will organize the first annual conference of Media Units in New Delhi on Wednesday. Aim of the Conference: The Conference aims to give a unique…
Context: Delhi Government has launched Zero Fatality Corridor with an aim to curb the number of accidents. The announcement was made by the Minister of Transport, Delhi during the opening…
Context: Government decided to launch a campaign to saturate farmers for financial inclusion under Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Agriculture Ministry in a statement said, the campaign will be launched through…
Context: Scientists have found that Earth's north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise navigation.…
Context: Rising temperatures increase the concentration of aerosols in the atmosphere that cause air pollution. While climate change is warming the ocean, it is warming the land faster, which is…
Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018: The Union Cabinet has approved the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018 for regulation and standardization of education and services by allied and healthcare…
Context: The government has decided to conduct a survey of all agricultural households in the country covering the period from July 2018 to June this year. Objective: The survey aims…
Context: The United Kingdom along with other European nations such as Germany and France on January 31, 2019 set up a new transaction channel called ‘INSTEX’ that will allow companies…
Context: The disaster relief exercise ‘Exercise Rahat’ will be demonstrated in Jaipur, Kota and Alwar in Rajasthan on Feb 11-12. Exercise Rahat: On behalf of the Indian Army, Jaipur based…
Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has approved Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme of Prasar Bharti. An amount of 1 thousand 54 Crore rupees have been approved…
Context: The Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs in February 2019 launched the Shehri Samridhi Utsav, an initiative that aims to extend the outreach of Deendayal Antyodaya Mission –…
Context: President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2017 at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Forty-two artists from the fields including Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional, Folk, and Tribal…
Context: An independent analysis by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have found that earth's global surface temperatures in 2018 were the fourth warmest since 1880. According to…
Context: To further promote the use of toilets and to sustain the open defecation free status of villages across India, the part two of Darwaza Band campaign was launched in…
Context: The second edition of the Asia LPG Summit was inaugurated by Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas at New Delhi. The two-day summit with the theme ‘LPG – Energy…
Context: Two-thirds of Himalayan glaciers, the world’s “Third Pole”, could melt by 2100 if global emissions are not reduced, scientists warned in a major new study. Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment:…
Context: The Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone of three major highway projects with an investment worth Rs 2,345 crores in Odisha. The projects are aimed…
Context: Bharat Rang Mahotsav: The 20th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM), the international theatre festival of India, one of the prominent training institutions in the world was recently held.…
Context: The six-member monetary policy committee headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has lowered the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent in a 4-2 vote. Important decisions…
Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for the establishment of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog for conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny. It will lead to the…
Context: Macedonia signed an accord to join NATO to become the 30th member of the US-led alliance. At a formal signing of the NATO accession protocol, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola…
Context: India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 has been launched successfully from French Guiana. The Ariane-5 rocket lifted off with it from Kourou Launch Base at 2:31 am Indian time, and in…
Context: The Cabinet has approved a proposal for Official Amendments to Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018. The amendments will further strengthen the bill to effectively tackle illicit deposit-taking…
Context: US President Donald Trump announced that he will hold the second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vietnam on February 27th and 28th. The announcement came during…
Context: Bureau of Police Research and Development, BPRD will organize the 2nd National Conference of Micro Missions of National Police Mission in New Delhi. The two-day Conference will discuss the…
Context: The Ministry of Home Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is organising a meeting of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)…
Context: The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) organised a special workshop for 42 youth, who have been victims of communal violence in the past, under the Know My India…
Context: The Election Commission of India will be issuing Braille voter slips for the visually impaired and blind voters in the Lok Sabha elections due this year. The Braille voter slips were already…
Context: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated various development works during his visit to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The developmental works include: Laying of the foundation stones of…
Context: Prime Minister dedicated the 220 kV Srinagar- Alusteng - Drass- Kargil – Leh Transmission System to the nation, a step that would ensure quality power supply to Ladakh region…
Context: Housing and Urban Affairs Minister launched mobile app - Mashoka5 for booking of Bungalow number -5, Ashoka Road in New Delhi for any ceremony. It is a step towards…
Context: The total gross GST revenue collection in the last month, was over One Lakh Crore rupees of which Central Goods & Services Tax, CGST, is 17,763 crore rupees and…
Context: President inaugurated the annual Udyanotsav of the Mughal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Mughal Gardens will remain open for the general public from Wednesday to 10th of next month.…
In News: The Supreme Court on 17 January 2019fixed a February-end deadline for the search committee on Lokpal to recommend a panel of names for appointment of the country’s first anti-graft ombudsman. It also directed the Centre…
Context: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be launching the 30th National Road Safety Week on February 4, 2019 with a host of initiatives planned for generating…
According to some experts, the proposed Rs 6,000 annual direct income support to small and marginal farmers in Budget 2019 is a drop in the ocean. States like Telangana and…
Context: The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2018-19 (Series 6) will be opened from Monday. The issue price of the Bond during this subion period will be three thousand three hundred…
President Cyril Ramaphosa of the South Africa was the Chief Guest at the 70th Republic Day This is the second time a South African Head of State is Chief Guest…
Context: The World Cancer Day 2019 was observed across the world on February 4, 2019 with an aim to unite the world’s population in the fight against cancer. The day…
Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would be launching its latest communication satellite GSAT-31, aboard Ariane-5 on February 6, 2019 from French Guiana. Ariane-5 is the launch vehicle of…
Context: The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival - KGAF, India’s largest multi-cultural street festival, is all set to begin from Saturday. Commemorating 20 years of its inception, KGAF 2019 will celebrate…
Context: The Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) which would be the core of ISRO’s future manned missions was inaugurated at the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru. The Human Space Flight Centre…
Context: 6,000 rupees yearly direct support to farmers through PM-KISAN Programme. 3,000 rupees pension for unorganized sector workers earning up to 15,000 rupees through a mega Pension Scheme - Pradhan…
Context: S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the U.S. would pull out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia. INF Treaty is a crucial Cold War-era treatywhich led to…
Context: The United States is shivering in a deadly cold snap known as a polar vortex. At least eight people have been killed in several states as a result of…
Context: Prime Minister dedicated National Salt Satyagraha Memorial to the nation at Dandi village, situated in South Gujarat on Arabian sea coast. At the memorial site, he also unveiled statues…
Context : India has improved its ranking on a global corruption index in 2018 by three points and moved to 78th position with a score of 41. In the list…
Context: Scientists have warned that the global sea level may be rising faster than previously thought. The research questions the reliability of how sea-level rise is measured. It further stated…
Context: The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has approved the construction of another 560,695 more affordable houses for the benefit of urban poor under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).…
Context : India and China have signed the protocol for exports of Indian tobacco leaves to China. Quality tobacco on par with international standards is available in India at competitive…
Context : Maharashtra Cabinet has decided to give more power to Lokayukta and brought the Chief Minister’s office under its ambit. It is not mandatory for the states to include…
Context : The central banks of the UAE and Saudi Arabia have launched a common digital currency called "Aber", which will be used in financial settlements between the two countries through…
Context : Renowned Hindi writer Chitra Mudgal, Dogri writer Inderjeet Kesar, Kannada writer KG Nagarajappa and Kashmiri story writer Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq were among 24 writers, who were honoured today…
Context : Human Resources Development Ministry signed an agreement with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for India’s Participation in Programme for International Student Assessment- PISA 2021. The student…
Context: Uttar Pradesh state cabinet approved construction of a four-lane Ganga Expressway connecting Prayagraj to Western Utter Pradesh which would cost about 36,000 crore rupees. The government has said that…
In News : Context : Beating the Retreat ceremony, marking the culmination of four days long Republic Day celebrations were held at the historic Vijay Chowk in New Delhi today.…
Context : The Swasth Bharat Yatra, the world’s biggest cyclothon to push people to eat right, culminated in New Delhi. The campaign was flagged-off on 16th October last year on the…
Context : The ICAR tableau in the Republic Day Parade has won the first prize for its Kisan Gandhi theme.Republic Day Parade The Indian Council of Agricultural Research tableau with…
Context : The second edition Pariksha Pe Charcha 2.0 was held on January 29. On this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts interacted with several students, parents and teachers from…
Context : India's fastest indigenous train which will run from Delhi to Varanasi has been named as Vande Bharat Express. It was named Train 18 and now it has been…
Context : The Southern Railway has bagged the number one position for cleanliness in the country. This achievement was under the category of other than Premium Category trains in the…
Context : A special tourist train covering prominent places associated with chief architect of the Indian Constitution Dr BR Ambedkar and Gautam Buddha will embark on its maiden journey on…
Context : The eighth annual pulicat day wil be observed on February 2 at Pulicat to create awareness among people about the importance of protecting the lagoon. The day is…
In News : Context : Rio de Janeiro has been recognised as ‘World Capital of Architecture’ for 2020 by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Rio de…
In News : Context : Earthquakes and tsunamis accounted for most of the 10,373 lives lost in disasters last year, while extreme weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million…
In News : Context : The Israeli and US defence ministries successfully tested ballistic missile interceptors deployed at Israeli airbases. The Arrow 3 interceptor system, designed to shoot down missiles…
In News : Context : Eleven railway stations under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), including five in Assam, have been identified for the upgradation to airport-like standards as part of the Railway's…
In News : Context : In order to provide efficient and time-bound access to the Courts services to litigant public, the Department of Justice has decided to deliver e-Courts services…
In News : Context : The government has instituted an annual award titled Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar. It will be announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary…
In News : Context : The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched the PSLV C 44 carrying kalam sat and Microsat R last night at 11.37 precisely from the older…
Context : Prime Minister has launched the scheme under which a group of Indian diaspora will be taken on a government-sponsored tour of religious places in India twice a year.…
In News : Context : The 9th National Voters’ Day will be celebrated across the country today for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process. The National Awards for…
In News : Context : National Girl Child Day (NGCD)was observed on 24th January with objectives of generating awarenesson the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and create a positive environment around valuing the girl…
In News : Context : In Assam, Railway Protection Force of Lumding Division has taken a significant step towards enhancing the security of women in the North East region. A dedicated…
In News : Context : Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba commissioned the Naval Air Base ‘INS Kohassa’ at Diglipur in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This will be the countries' third…
In News : Context : The Cabinet has approved the creation of National Bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT). Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)…
In News : Context : Fourth edition of Bharat Parv, showcasing the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will be held at Red Fort in the national capital from 26th…
In News : Context : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH will inaugurate the 2nd World Integrated Medicine Forum 2019 on the ‘Regulation of Homeopathic Medical Products; Advancing…
In News : The Ministry of Civil Aviation has unveiled the Vision 2040 document, which highlights the growth potential in different sub-sectors of Indian aviation and the key action steps…
In News : Context : Gujarati poet, playwright and academic Sitanshu Yashaschandra was selected for 2017 Saraswati Samman for his collection of verses (poetry) titled “Vakhar” published in 2009. It…
In News : Context : In Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister for Road Transport and dedicated to the nation Kerrian Gandyal bridge in Kathua district of Jammu. The bridge has…
In News : The government has tabled a constitutional amendment bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and higher education to economically backward sections among the upper castes.…
In News : Context : The annual meet of World Economic Forum (WEF) will begin in Davos. World leaders from across the globe will flock to the ski resort town…
In News : Context : President conferred 2019 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) upon 30 prominent non-resident Indians (NRI’s)/ organisations on the concluding day of 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas held…
In News : Context : Prime Minister will inaugurate the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose museum at Red Fort in New Delhi. PM will unveil the plaque to inaugurate the Museum…
In News : Context : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said India's economy is poised to pick up this year. Key Facts : IMF's World Economic Outlook Update, released…
In News : Context : India Steel 2019 Exhibition and Conference will be held in Mumbai from 22ndto 24th January, 2019. The three-day event organised by Ministry of Steel will help…
In News : Context : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. PM will hold talks with his Mauritian counterpart Pravind…
In News : Context : President will confer the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2019 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Award will be given in two categories:…
In News : First India-Central Asia Dialogue India and the five Central Asia nations on January 13, 2019 showed their support for the inclusive peace process in Afghanistan following the…
In News : Context : The Union Defence Minister inaugurated the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor. During the inauguration, investments worth over Rs 3,038 crore in this defence corridor were…
In News : Sikkim’s ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has decided to include Universal Basic Income (UBI) in its manifesto for the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The state…
In News : Context : The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Armored Systems Complex (ASC), developed by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) at Hazira near Surat in Gujarat. This Armoured…
In News : Context : In Arunachal Pradesh, Defence Minister inaugurated the Diffo Bridge over Chipu River in Lower Dibang Valley District. The bridge is 426 mts in length and…
In News : UNNATI Programme It is a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite development. It is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations…
In News : Context : Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is organising a fortnight of events named Shehri Samridhi Utsav all over the country focusing on urban livelihoods. The…
Context : Prime Minister will inaugurate the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) in Mumbai. The state-of-the-art Museum has been built at a cost of over 140 crore rupees. The…
Context : Prime Minister will inaugurate the 'Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show' at Helipad ground in Gandhinagar. Spread in over 2 lakh square meter areas, this is the country’s largest…
Context : Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the increasing levels of pollution that has choked the capital in recent weeks.…
Context : In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister launched the Rs 50,000-crore farm debt-waiver scheme named 'Jai Kisan Rin Mukti Yojana'. Hailing the scheme as a milestone, CM said it would…
In News : Context : Science and Technology Minister launched DD Science and India Science channels in New Delhi. DD Science is Doordarshan's first ever daily slot on Science and…
In News :
In News : Context : National space agency ISRO has scheduled its first launches this year. PSLV C-44 will lift off from the spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, carrying…
In News : Context : The Women and Child Development Ministry have shortlisted 26 children for the national award this year for their bravery, social service and exceptional achievement in…
In News : Context : Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has decided to expand the capacity of Numligarh Refinery in 3 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum, (MMTPA) to 9 MMTPA.…
In News : Context : The Centre has allocated an additional 6 thousand 84 crore rupees to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MGNREGA. With this the total allocation…
In News : Context : Around two crore devotees took holy dip on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Kumbh Prayagraj. Bathing passed peacefully without any untoward incident. Elaborate security…
In News : Context : Government has constituted a seven-member Group of Ministers (GoM) to boost the real estate sector under the GST regime. Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Nitin…
In News : WHO Goodwill ambassador Yohei Sasakawa to get Gandhi Peace Prize for 2018 Context : Gandhi Peace Prize for 2018 will be conferred on Yohei Sasakawa who is…
In News : Context : Farmers from across the country begin celebrating the harvest festival on the eve of Makar Sankranti. The festival is seen as a celebration of the…
Context : Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports launched the National Youth Parliament Festival 2019 at a function in New Delhi. The theme : The theme of the festival is-…
In News : Context : In Australia, as many as a million fish have died along the banks of the Murray-Darling river system in drought-battered eastern Australia. The banks of…
In News : Context : Gujarat Government has announced that the benefits of 10 per cent quota for Economically Weaker sections of general category in educational institutions and government jobs…
In News : Context : President has given his assent to a bill providing 10 per cent reservation to economically backward section in the general category. After the approval of…
Context : The Cabinet approved the establishment of three more All India Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS to boost healthcare infrastructure in the country. Two of them will be set…
Context : The Election Commission appointed Committee has submitted its report on digital media and campaigning during last 48 hours before polls to the Chief Election Commissioner. The Committee was…
Context : China announced that the Chang'e-4 mission, the first-ever probe to land on the moon's dark side, was a complete success. China National Space Administration (CNSA) said, the scientific…
Context : Delhi police commissioner said improved visibility, enhance service orientation, reaching out to community, and better soft skills are some of the key focus areas of Delhi police. Delhi…
In News : Context : External Affairs Minister will be on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan. Ms Swaraj will be in Samarkand for the First India-Central Asia Dialogue which she…
In News : Context : The Indian Institute of Science, IISc and the University of Agricultural Sciences, UAS in Bengaluru are working on strategies to detect and prevent soil contamination. …
In News: Context: An agreement for Renukaji Dam Multipurpose Project was signed in New Delhi among the States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in the…
In News: Context: Vice President of India will inaugurate the 25th edition of Partnership Summit 2019 in Mumbai. The two-day summit will provide a platform for discussions between Indian and…
In News : Context : The Delhi Police is working on several projects based on cutting-edge technology to improve traffic management system in the city and check errant drivers, senior…
Context : The government launched Web- Wonder Women Campaign to celebrate the exceptional achievements of women who have influenced and impacted society through social media. Aim of the Campaign :…
Context : The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible…
Context : Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution 124th Amendment Bill 2019 providing 10 percent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to general category people with a thumping majority. Lok Sabha…
In News: Govt launches Web- Wonder Women Campaign. Context: The government launched Web- Wonder Women Campaign to celebrate the exceptional achievements of women who have influenced and impacted society through…
In News: 124th Constitution Amendment bill goes for Presidential Assent. Context: Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution 124th Amendment Bill 2019 providing 10 percent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to…
Context: Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has won a fourth term in the just concluded Bangladesh elections, which makes her the longest serving head of government that the nearly…
In News : Context : The Lok Sabha passed the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 by voice vote after a brief discussion. It seeks to provide regulation…
In News : Context : Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a High-Level Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion. The…
In News : India has taken over operations of the strategic Chabahar port in the Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran's southern coast. This is the first time India will be operating…
Indian economy expects to grow at 7.2% in 2018-19 : Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.2 per cent in 2018-19 against 6.7 per cent in the previous fiscal…
In News : Context : Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with Observer Research Foundation is organizing the 4th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi from 08-10 January…
Context : India and Norway have agreed to closely collaborate on ocean economy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The two countries also decided to step up bilateral trade. Prime…
In News : Context : The second edition of Khelo India School Games rechristened asKhelo India Youth Games will be held from January 9-20, 2019 in Pune, Maharashtra. It will…
In News : Context : Women and Child Development Minister conferred National Awards to 97 Anganwadi workers for their exceptional achievements for the year 2017-18 in New Delhi. The award…
In News : Context : In Gujarat, the nine-day long international kite festival kicked off at Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad. More than 150 kite fliers from 45 countries are…
In News : Context : Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI has said food businesses need to comply with new packaging regulations that bar use of recycled plastics and…
In News : Context : Commerce Minister honoured outstanding young entrepreneurs with National Entrepreneurship Awards in New Delhi. The awards aim to recognize and honour outstanding young first-generation entrepreneurs and…
In News : Context : The world Braille Day is being celebrated on January 4. The day is marked remembering the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille…
Context : China has developed a massive bomb, said to be the country's answer to the US-built 'Mother of All Bombs', the most powerful non-nuclear weapon. China's defence industry giant…
In News : Context : The 27th New Delhi World Book Fair has begun at Pragati Maidan. Inaugurating the 9-day Annual Event, Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar expressed happiness…
The government introduced the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in 2016 to resolve claims involving insolvent companies. This code was intended to tackle the bad loan problems that were affecting the…
In News : Context : India's fastest Train 18 will soon start its services between Delhi and Varanasi. The train which will run at a speed of 160 kilometre per…
In News : Context : Union Cabinet has approved the restructuring of National Health Agency as the National Health Authority for better implementation of Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana. …
In News : Context : Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO has planned to set up Space Galleries in various locations in the country. The Space Galleries are expected to disseminate…
In News : Context : Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair has been declared as an authorized Immigration Check post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents…
In News : Context : Parliament has passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2018, with the Rajya Sabha approving it on Thursday. The Lok…
In News : Context : The Cabinet has approved the merger of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda. Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank are transferor banks and…
In News : Context : The Union Cabinet chaired has approved the setting up of a High-Level Committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and measures envisaged…
In News : Context : China's Chang'e-4 probe has successfully landed on the far side of the moon. While past missions have been to the Earth-facing side, this is the…
In News: Samwad with Students (SwS) : As part of the enhanced outreach programme of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a new platform named Samwad with Students (SwS) was launched…
In News : In Jammu & Kashmir, over 250 terrorists killed and around 45 security forces personnel martyred during counter-terrorist operations during last year. Security officials described Year 2018 as…
In News : Context : The Aadhaar and other laws (Amendment Bill) 2018 was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill is to amend the Aadhaar (targeted delivery of financial…
In News : Context : The United States and Israel officially quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the close of 2018. The countries had announced…
In News : Context : Qatar will cease to be a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries today. The country had sent an official notification to the…
In News Context : India and Pakistan have exchanged list of their nuclear installations and facilities with each other under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations.…
Context : The seventh tranche of electoral bonds sale began today. It will continue till 10th of this month. The State Bank of India, SBI has been authorised to issue…
Context : The government has infused 10,882 crore rupees in four public sector banks, including UCO Bank and Syndicate Bank. It is part of 28,615 crore rupees capital infusion to…
Context : Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar on the occasion of 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose…
In News: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister has approved the launching of National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to be implemented by Department of Science &Technology at a…
In News: Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister of India, arrived in Abu Dhabi for a two-day official visit. She is leading a delegation of senior officials to the UAE to…
In News: Navy day is observed on 4th of December every year to celebrate the magnificence, achievements, and role of the naval force to the country. Navy Day is celebrated…
Various meetings on the sidelines of G20Summit In News: The 2018 G20 Summit is being held in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nineteen leaders of the world’s biggest economies…
To attend swearing in ceremony of newly elected President. In 2012 Mohammed Nasheed was ousted of power and later India’s relations with Maldives strangled. The Chinese presence increased after that.…
Democracy is a government of the people, for the people and by the people and which gives equal chance to all the citizens to participate and play a significant role…
The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises of Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam. India’s focus on a strengthened and multi-faceted relationship with…
About East Asia Summit The East Asia Summit (EAS) is the region's premier forum for strategic dialogue. It is the only leader-led forum at which all key partners meet to…
Significance: The PM visit to attend the RCEP partnership negotiation which India is hesitant about. The concerns with RECP are that it is going to be the only multilateral agreement…
River Ganga acts as the lifeline of our country. The river also serves as major source for the agriculture belt apart from that its rich deposit from the Himalayas create…
The Education sectors of India has faced with multi – dimensional challenges. In the year 1950 the challenge before the government was to increase the number of students in the…
Cabinet approves leasing out six airports - Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru through PPP The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the…
India delegates including commerce Secretary are going to China to discuss trade issues which in in favour of China. It raises concern about India’s large trade deficit with China. India…
INS Arihant is the lead ship of India's Arihant classof nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.The 6,000 tonne vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in the port city of Visakhapatnam. Arihant was…
A ‘National Conference on Public Procurement & Competition Law’ is being organised by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in Delhi on 5th November, 2018 with a view to scale…
The benchmark used for calculating the Ease of Doing business is A nation's ranking on the index is based on the average of 10 sub-indices: Starting a business– Procedures, time,…
The most significant scheme out of 12 steps announced by the government is the loan within 1 hour 59-minutes loan- Narendra Modi said the first step taken by the government…
Cabinet approves moving a Resolution in the first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance for amending the Framework Agreement of the ISA for opening up the ISA membership to all…
GS – II “Government Policies and Intervention for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation”. It is a 4 Day event a part of…
October 1 2018 Observed as a day for elderly In the year 2002, UN general assembly highlighted a day for older persons. UN has estimated that by the year 2050…
The erstwhile National Digital Communication Policy 2012 was replaced by National Digital Communication Policy 2018. It is to promote the scheme of ‘Digital India’ to build a robust digital economy…
PM Inaugurates the first airport in Sikkim at Pakyong. Before this, the people from Sikkim has to travel 100 KM to West Bengal to travel in airways. The Chinese border…
What is it? It is a centre funded scheme to provide health care assurance to 10 crore people of India. It is an entitlement-based scheme not enrolment which means the…
PM in his address to the people of India has said that India’s GDP has to reach the target of 5 Trillion $ by 2022. He also emphasized on further…
In the budget 2018 the government of India has planned to launch a very ambitious scheme under which 1.5 lakh health and wellness center will be established. Wellness Centre:- It…
This campaign was launched under the aegis of Swatch Bharat mission. This Swatchhta Hi Seva campaign stands for cleanliness in service as once Mahatma as said that "Sanitation is more…
The Consumer inflation has came down considerably in this quarter this is due to the targeting Regime. At the same time it is difficult to say that this trend will…
The President’s visit to the central European countries of Cyprus, Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The Central Europe is of Vital importance to India as it is our strategic Partner’s Cyprus…
Trade Deficit: India being one of the country with which US has a large trade deficit of around $2 billion. US now singles out India and want to increase the…
India Maintain a High Commission office at the capital city of Cyprus, the Nicosia, Whereas Cyprus also maintains on High Commission in New Delhi which is jointly accredited to Bangladesh,…
Key Features 1PPB use Aadhar Card to open accounts , while biometrics will drive authentication. Transaction and payments. The aim of IPPB is to exploit or take advantage on the…
About BIMSTEC The Sub – regional Organisation known as Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi – Sectoral and Technical and Economic cooperation (BIMSTEC) come into existence in June 1997 Through…
The Third Edition of Indian Ocean Conference was held in Hanoi, Capital city of Vietnam on 27-28 August 2018. Background: The First Conference was held in 2016 – Singapore. The…
PMAY-G aims at providing pucca houses, with basic amenities to all houseless householder and those households living in Kutcha and dilapidated house, by 2022. The Short term objective is to…
It is a scheme under the Umbrella mission Ayushmaan Bharat. It is a pilot Programme of India’s Largest Health Insurance scheme as announced by Prime Minister during his Independence Day…
The North Eastern Region Vision 2020 Document was unveiled by the Government in July, 2008. Subsequently, seventeen thematic groups incorporating sector experts were constituted by this Ministry to develop specific…
Agriculture is Backbone of our economy. It ensures food security of our nation, Substaining human resource etc. But Moving the time of Independence, Our Agriculture contributed for more than 40%…
Recently 6th Minister level talk held between India and Bangladesh Various Contemporary issues was discussed ranging from security to migration to water sharing. Connectivity: The Road access to the state…
Swachh Survekshan – 2018: First Pan-India Survey to measure citizen connect with sanitation in all 4,041 cities and tours of the country. It is third in the series (Previous 2016…
What is GST? It is an indirect tax which has replaced many indirect taxes in India there by eliminating the cascading effect. GST Law in India is comprehensive, multi –…
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