ANTHROPOCENE – NEW EPOCH For: Preliminary & Mains Topic covers: New Anthropocene epoch and phenomena News Flash Recently, panel of the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) voted in favour of designating a new geological epoch — the Anthropocene. Arrival of new epoch signals the end of the Holocene Epoch, which began 11,700 years ago. The panel plans to submit a formal proposal for the new epoch by 2021 to the International Commission on Stratigraphy, which…
Continue readingHARYANA’S CROP DIVERSIFICATION SCHEME For: Preliminary & Mains Topic covers: Scheme, significance, advantages, Urgent need News Flash Haryana government has decided to discourage rice sowing from the upcoming season, which threatens to deplete the State’s groundwater. Farmers have asked the government to first come out with a mechanism to procure alternative crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) so that farmers are not at the receiving end. Why this move needed? Because…
Continue readingSUMATRAN RHINO For: Preliminary News Flash Malaysia’s last male Sumatran rhino dies. The Sumatran rhino, the smallest species of rhinoceros, was declared extinct in the wild in Malaysia in 2015. Wildlife experts estimate that only about 30 to 80 Sumatran rhinos remain in the world, mostly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and on the Indonesian side of Borneo. Their isolation, caused by habitat loss and poaching, means they rarely breed and may…
Continue readingCENTRAL AND STATE TAXES AND LEVIES SCHEME For: Preliminary & Mains Topic covers: Advantages & Features, Significance News Flash The commerce ministry is considering a major export promotion scheme to ensure expeditious refund of central and state taxes and levies to boost shipments in the wake of global challenges at trade front. The proposal is part of a 100-day action plan prepared by the ministry for the new government which will take office…
Continue readingEXPORT POLICY DRAFT For: Preliminary Topic covers: Features & Significance; ITC-HS News Flash The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has come out with a comprehensive draft of the export policy which includes product- specific rules with a view to provide a ready reckoner for exporters. It is a comprehensive exports policy for all ITC (HS) tariff codes (including items which are ‘free’ for export and do not currently exist in the policy), covering…
Continue readingGURU NANAK PALACE For: Preliminary Topic covers: Information about the Palace and Guru Nanak Dev; ETPB News Flash A centuries-old ‘Guru Nanak palace’ was partially demolished by a group of vandals who sold its precious windows and doors in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The influentials have demolished the building with the connivance of the Auqaf department and sold its costly windows, doors, ventilators and wood. The Palace of Guru Nanak sees a number of…
Continue readingAKASH MISSILE For: Preliminary Topic covers: Akash missile – features, advantages; DRDO News Flash The DRDO successfully test-fired the new version of the Akash surface-to-air defence missile system with a new indigenously-developed seeker in Balasore off the Odisha coast. The missile was developed as part of the Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) other than Nag, Agni, Trishul, and Prithvi missiles. Features Medium range multi-target engagement. Supersonic missile (range around 25km, at altitudes…
Continue readingVINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR For: Preliminary News Flash Today (28th May) is 136th birth anniversary of Hindutva philosopher Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. He was born on this day in 1883 in Bhagur village to father Damodarpant and mother Radhabai; he had two brothers, Ganesh and Narayan, and a sister, Mainabai. Slogan: He popularised the slogan ‘Hinduize all Politics and Militarize Hindudom’. About V.D.Savarkar Veer Savarkar was a great revolutionary in the history of India’s struggle…
Continue readingINCREASING ANAEMIA AMONG CHILDRENS For: Preliminary & Mains Topic covers: Anaemia – causes, symptoms, preventions; World Health Organization, Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System. News Flash In a health camp, conducted jointly by the Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association (NAWA) and the Health Department has reported the high prevalence of anaemia among school-going tribal childrens. NAWA said that of the children and young adults tested, most were found to be anaemic, having haemoglobin counts…
Continue readingVINE SNAKE A group of researchers has discovered a tenth species of the vine snake of genus Ahaetulla after a gap of more than a century. Before this discovery, there were nine species of vine snakes reported from the country. The Ahaetulla laudankia, the newly-discovered snake, was first spotted by researchers in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve near Lulung in Odisha. According to researchers, Odisha is home to three species: the common Indian vine snake, variable-coloured…
Continue reading
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
Continue reading...