Annual Survey of Industries

Context: India’s industrial sector is growing at a fast pace, NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam said on Monday while releasing the Annual Survey of Industries. Summary: Industrial Sector Growth: India’s industrial sector showed significant growth during the financial year 2022-23, as revealed by the Annual Survey of Industries by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme …

Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Environment and Conservation   Source: PIB  Context: The Union Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change launched the Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC).   Where? It was launched on the sidelines of the 4th G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Environment and Climate Ministers meeting in …

FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2031

   GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Environment and Conservation   Source: FAO  Context: At a time when the world is reeling under challenges like hunger, COVID-19, ecosystem degradation and inequalities, the presentation of the FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031 is timely.   How? The Strategy rests on the vision of climate-resilient agriculture to transform agri-food …

Managing microplastic pollution in India

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation   Source: DTE  Context: Microplastic pollution – a significant environmental problem, has not attracted much attention in India.   Microplastics: These are tiny plastic particles (less than 5 mm long) that result from both commercial product development (microbeads in personal care products, synthetic fibres from clothing, …

Parliamentary Panel on Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate   Source: HT  Context: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has backed the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023.   About the Bill: It was introduced in the Lok Sabha (March 2023) and was referred to the Standing Committee on Defence …

The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023

 GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Environment, Conservation   Source: DTE Context: The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2023 is expected to be tabled for clearance during the monsoon parliament session that began on July 20, 2023.   The Forest (Conservation) Act 1980: It was enacted to ensure that India’s forest land is not willingly usurped for non-forestry …

Issues with the air pollution control measures in India

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Environmental Pollution    Source: DTE  Context: According to a CSE analysis, air pollution impacts villages and cities almost equally but pollution control measures target only urban India.   Findings of the analysis: Particulate matter (PM) 5 is an extremely potent air pollutant that can penetrate deep into the lungs and trigger …

Tax on online gaming: What the GST Council’s decision says, its implications

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Issues related to the Indian economy   Source: IE    Context: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, in its 50th meeting, decided to levy a uniform 28% tax on full face value for online gaming, casinos and horse racing.   Decision to levy 28% uniform tax on online gaming: Earlier, …

The problem with battery electric vehicles

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Environment/ Science and Technology – Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life   Source: IE  Context: The government of India is solely promoting battery electric vehicles (BEVs), regardless of the problems associated with them.   Types of EVs:   Initiatives for Promoting EVs in India: National Electric Mobility Mission …

Intellectual property protection in agriculture

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights  Source: IE  Context: The Delhi HC upheld an order by the Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), revoking the intellectual property protection granted to PepsiCo India with respect to a potato variety developed by it.   What is the case about? It pertains …

Internationalisation of rupee: Why and what are the benefits?

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Economy   Source: IE  Context: According to the RBI, with India remaining one of the fastest-growing countries and showing remarkable resilience in the face of major headwinds, the rupee has the potential to become an internationalised currency.   What does internationalisation of the rupee mean? Internationalisation is a process that involves …

Solar Geoengineering to counter global warming

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Environment and Conservation/ Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.    Source: DTE  Context: The US is eyeing a controversial tool to counter global warming: Solar geoengineering.   What is Solar geoengineering? Solar geoengineering, also referred to as solar radiation management (SRM) describes a set of …

6 years of GST

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources   Source: HT  Context: With the implementation of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1 2017, India took a huge step towards modifying its indirect taxation system. About Goods and Services Tax (GST):  It is an indirect tax (not …