New cryptocurrency bill seeks to ban private players
Context: The Union Government will introduce a Bill to regulate cryptocurrency and ostensibly ban all private cryptocurrencies, along with 25 other pieces of legislation, in the winter session of Parliament that begins on November 2021. Relevance: GS-II: Governance (Government Policies and Interventions, Issues arising out of the design and implementation of policies), GS-III: Indian Economy […]
Railways announces ‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme
Context: To tap the huge potential of tourism, the Indian Railways announced the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme, under which theme-based tourist circuit trains, on the lines of the Ramayana Express, can be run either by private or State-owned operators. Relevance: GS-II: Governance (Government Policies and Initiatives) Dimensions of the Article: About the Bharat Gaurav scheme About […]
Joint Parliamentary Committee on Personal Data Protection Bill
Context: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill 2019, has argued in its report defending the controversial exemption clause that allows the Government to keep any of its agencies outside the purview of the law. The JPC said that a secure nation alone provides the atmosphere which ensures personal liberty and […]
SKM seeks legal backing for MSP, repeal of electricity Bill
Context: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha – the umbrella body of farmer unions that is leading the agitation against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three contentious farm laws – demanded a legal guarantee of remunerative Minimum Support Price (MSP) and withdrawal of the draft of Electricity Amendments Bill, 2020/2021. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Agriculture Pricing), GS-II: Governance […]
Survey on Police and perception of “sensitivity”
Context: According to a survey (SMART Policing Index) conducted by Indian Police Foundation (IPF), a think tank run by retired IPS officers and academics – Police in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh scored the lowest among all States when it came to perception of “sensitivity”. Relevance: GS-II: Governance (Transparency and Accountability, Government Policies and Initiatives) Dimensions […]
Government decides to repeal the three farm laws
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of three contentious farm laws, assuring farmer groups protesting against them for the past year that the legislative process for the repeal would be completed in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Storage, transport & marketing of agro-produce and related issues & constraints; supply […]
India dips by five spots in global bribery risk rankings
Context: A global list by TRACE, an anti-bribery standard setting organisation, measures business bribery risk in 194 countries, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions. Relevance: GS-II: Governance (Accountability and Transparency in Governance) Dimensions of the Article: About the Bribery Risk Matrix Highlights of the Bribery Risk Matrix 2021 The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 Other […]
School enrolment fell during pandemic: ASER
Context: According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021 the percentage of rural children who were not enrolled in school doubled during the pandemic. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice and Governance (Issues related to education, Government Initiatives and Policies) Dimensions of the Article: Highlights of the 2021 ASER report Annual Status of Education Report […]
Rural road schemes get more time
Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-I and II up to September, 2022, and Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas up to March, 2023. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice and Governance (Welfare Schemes, Government Initiatives and Policies) Dimensions of the Article: Pradhan Mantri Gram […]
Cabinet on mobile services in over 7000 villages
Context: The Union Cabinet approved provisioning of mobile services in over 7,000 uncovered villages across five States of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha at an estimated cost of ₹6,466 crore. The project will be funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice and Governance (Welfare Schemes, Government Initiatives and Policies) […]