New Biofuels Policy 2018

In news: Union Cabinet approved a national policy on biofuels. Key pointers: The new policy seeks to help farmers dispose of their surplus stock in an economic manner and reduce India’s oil-import dependence. Scope of raw material for ethanol production expanded The policy expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use...

Article 35: The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954, issued under Article 370.

  In news: The Centre has decided not to file any “counter-affidavit” on Article 35A, which has been challenged in the Supreme Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition. The Supreme Court has scheduled further hearing for August 6.   About Article 35A? Article 35A is a provision in the Constitution that empowers the...

‘Methanol Economy’ Concept

Indigenization of technology and developing new technology.   In news: The NITI Aayog is working on a roadmap for full-scale implementation of methanol economy in the country in near future, which would not only curb pollution, but reduce India’s dependence on oil imports as well.   Methanol as an alternative fuel: Methanol is a promising fuel...

‘Fortified rice’ to all poor under NFSA

Biotechnology.   In news: The government is planning to provide fortified rice (enriched with essential vitamins and minerals) to all the poor under National Food Security Act (NFSA) across the country, which would cost about Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,000 crore annually. To begin with the scheme is likely to cover the 115 ‘aspirational’ districts across...

IBSA summit -2018 : Pretoria, S.A.

    In news: 2018 IBSA Ministerial meet was recently held in Pretoria, South Africa. The outcome of this meeting was a document titled IBSA Declaration on South-South Cooperation. This document calls for contribution of each of the member of IBSA forum to contribute to greater understanding of development cooperation as a common endeavour of the...

Geo-Intelligence Asia – 2018, 11st edition: New Delhi

  In news: The Eleventh edition of GeoIntelligence Asia 2018 is being held in New Delhi. It is organised by GeoSpatial Media and Communication with Directorate General of Information System as Knowledge Partners and Military Survey as Co-organisers. Aim of the seminar: The seminar brings together the military, security officials including BSF and Police Forces, Government and...

Global Initiative on Academic Network (GIAN)

 Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.   In news: In a bid to make Indian cities more sustainable, the NITI Aayog has launched a new course on ‘Urban Analytics – Evaluating and Measuring Sustainability of Cities’ at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee. The course was launched under Global Initiative on Academic Network (GIAN). The course will...

India’s first national sport university in Manipur

Governance, Constitution, Governance System, Social Justice and International Relations. Why in news? Recently President Ramnath Kovind has approved the Union Cabinet Ordinance to make the country's first National Sports University in Manipur on June 1, 2018. Some time ago, the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance for establishment of the country's first National Sports University (Special...

Agricultural Welfare Campaign (Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan): 1 June, 2018

  Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Safety and Disaster Management.   Why in news? Keeping in mind the aim of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has started the Agricultural Welfare Campaign (Krishi Kalyan Abhiyaan) from June 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018. Under this campaign, assistance...

Center will calculate the ‘Green GDP’ of states

Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Safety and Disaster Management. In news: India's environmental diversity and prosperity are universally recognized, but its amounts are never determined. From this year, the government will undertake the calculation of district level statistics of the country's environmental assets.   How will it be calculated? Some numbers will be used to...