INDIAN BID FOR SYLHET AIRPORT TOO HIGH: DHAKA
Focus: GS-I Geography, GS-II International relations Why in news? Bangladesh Foreign Minister said the contract for building an airport terminal at Sylhet was not awarded to an Indian firm because of a high bid and therefore, went to a Chinese firm. Details The construction of a new terminal at MAG Osmani International Airport at Sylhet […]
FORCED DECOUPLING WILL HURT INDIA AND CHINA: CHINESE ENVOY
Focus: GS-II International relations Why in news? As India reassesses its trade relations with China and considers a range of moves to reduce dependencies, China has called for ‘equal’ treatment for its firms and described ‘forced decoupling’ between the two economies as being harmful to both. Details India has rolled out moves to more tightly […]
ICARUS: WHEN SCIENCE CARES ABOUT WILDLIFE
Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology, Prelims Why in news? The International Space Station, orbiting some 240 miles above the planet, is about to join the effort to monitor the world’s wildlife — and revolutionise the science of animal tracking. ICARUS – Details A large antenna and other equipment aboard the orbiting outpost, installed by spacewalking […]
EUROZONE AND U.S. SEE RECORD ECONOMY CONTRACTION
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? The economy of the 19-country eurozone shrank by a devastating 12.1% in the April-June period which is the largest drop on record. The coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy plunging by a record-shattering 32.9% annual rate last quarter and is still inflicting damage across the country. Details Spain, […]
MAPPING EDUCATION INEQUALITIES
Focus: GS-II Social Justice Why in news? The government released the New Education Policy after a gap of 34 years. Among other things the NEP seeks to encourage school education in mother tongue. Data from a recently released National Statistical Office (NSO) survey on education, which was conducted in 2017-18 shows that India’s education landscape […]
CORE SECTOR OUTPUT SHRINKS, FISCAL DEFICIT AT 83% OF TARGET
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? The output of eight core sector industries shrank for the fourth straight month. The Centre’s fiscal deficit for the first three months of fiscal 2020-21 is 83% of the budgeted target for the year. Core Industries Index (CII) The CII showed that the output for the month of […]
DILUTING THE EIA PROCESS
Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology Introduction Around the world, legislative interventions mandating EIAs began to burgeon in the late 1960s. The basic credo of these measures was to ensure that the state had at its possession a disinterested analysis of any development project and the potential impact that it might have on the environment. It […]
IN ASSAM, A TRAIL OF BROKEN BARRIERS
Focus: GS-III Disaster Management Introduction The Hajong community was settled in Dhamor Reserve as refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan in 1960s and each family has an average of three bighas of land for farming. Goalpara saw flash floods earlier, but in the eastern part bordering the North Garo Hills district of Meghalaya in areas along […]
29 TIGERS PRESENT IN DIBANG BLOCK
Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology, Prelims Why in news? An estimated 29 tigers were present in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang-Kamlang-Namdapha Block, according to the Status of Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India report (2018). Significance The estimation comes amid concerns about the proposed diversion of large forest areas around Dibang Valley Wildlife Sanctuary for a power […]
SUPREME COURT LOOKS TO SAVE BOTH WILD ANIMALS AND CROPS
Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology, Prelims Why in news? Supreme Court accentuated the urgent need to find an alternative to killing marauding wild animals as vermin even while protecting crops from them. Details Chief Justice of India heading a three-judge Bench, suggested “explosives that do not kill” but make a lot of noise and “rubber […]