UPSC Daily Current Affairs

Delimitation in India's Elections

Sep 23, 2023

1. What's Delimitation in Indian Elections? Delimitation is defining electoral constituency boundaries to ensure fair representation, in the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. 2. Why Delimitation Matters? It's crucial to maintain equal population representation, adhering to the "one person, one vote" principle. 3. How's Delimitation Conducted? An independent Delimitation Commission uses census data to establish constituency boundaries... Read More...

Unlocking the Potential of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)

Sep 23, 2023

1. What are RRBs? Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) are financial institutions serving rural and semi-urban areas in India. 2. How many RRBs exist? As of March 31, 2022, there are 43 operational RRBs in India. 3. Who owns RRBs? Ownership is divided among the central government (50%), sponsor banks (35%), and state governments (15%). 4. What's their purpose? Read More...

MSMEs and Digital India: Bridging the Gap for Prosperity

Sep 23, 2023

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of India's economy, contributing significantly to employment, industry, and exports. However, they face numerous challenges that hinder their growth. One promising solution lies in the embrace of digital technologies. Challenges for Indian MSMEs: Limited Access to Finance: Securing affordable credit is a struggle. Market Access Barriers: Expanding beyond local markets is difficult. ... Read More...

Challenges of Jobless Growth in India

Sep 23, 2023

Jobless growth is a persistent challenge in India's economic landscape. Despite economic growth since the mid-1980s, employment conditions haven't seen the desired improvements. The Azim Premji University's recent report highlights several key aspects: Non-Farm Sector Employment: There has been a significant increase in non-farm sector employment over the years. However, this hasn't translated into well-paying regular employment. Most of those moving out of the agriculture sector end up in low-paying casual work. Organised ... Read More...

Disinvestment in India

Sep 23, 2023

What is disinvestment in the context of Indian government-owned enterprises? • Disinvestment refers to the sale of the government's equity stakes in public sector units (PSUs) and state-owned enterprises to private entities or the public Why does the Indian government undertake disinvestment? • Disinvestment is carried out to reduce the government's financial burden, promote efficiency and competitiveness in PSUs, and raise funds for public welfare programs. What were the targets se... Read More...

Basel III Capital Framework for AIFIs (All India Financial Institutions)

Sep 23, 2023

Q1: What is the Basel III Capital Framework? A: The Basel III Capital Framework is a set of international banking regulations Read More...

What is Lithium, Its Uses, and India's Lithium Hunt?

Sep 23, 2023

What is Lithium? Lithium is a chemical element (Li) with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white metal and is the lightest solid element. What are the Uses of Lithium? Lithium has various uses, but it is primarily known for its role in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries , which power many electronic devices like smartphones , laptops , and electric vehicles (EVs) . Lithium is also used in some medications for mood disorders, as it can stabilize mood swings . ... Read More...

New Cold War

Sep 23, 2023

#FollowSRIRAM'SForInternationalRelations What Is a New Cold War, and Are the Chances Slim or Bright? A "new Cold War" refers to a hypothetical geopolitical scenario in which major global powers align into opposing blocs, similar to the Cold War era when the United States led the capitalist bloc and the Soviet Union led the communist bloc. In this scenario, tensions, competition, and rivalries between these blocs could define international relations, with the potential for proxy conflicts, arms races, and ideological struggles. Read More...

Indian Economy 2023-24

Sep 23, 2023

Optimistic About Indian Economy in 2023-24 In the midst of a challenging global economic environment, the Indian economy exhibited resilience and stability in the financial year 2022-23. Several factors contributed to this positive performance: 1. Inflation Control: Despite a surge in inflation (7.8%) caused by global price increases in crude oil, food, fertilizers, and metals, inflation moderated in the second half of the year due to measures taken by the central government. 2. Monetary and Fiscal Polici... Read More...

Small Farmer and Climate Change in India

Sep 23, 2023

How is Climate Change Affecting Small Farmers in India? Q1: What climate-related challenges are smallholder farmers facing in India? A1: Smallholder farmers in India are encountering an increase in droughts and prolonged periods of high temperatures. These changes in weather patterns are affecting their agricultural practices. Q2: How do smallholder farmers expect climate change to impact their crops and farms? A2: Four in 10 smallholder farmers anticipate increased crop failure (43%) and reduced yiel... Read More...

JP Morgan's Inclusion of Indian Government Bonds: Economic Opportunities and Benefits

Sep 23, 2023

#BondWithTheBest StudyWithSRIRAM' Global emerging market bond indices are like lists that show which government bonds from different countries are attractive to investors. When JP Morgan, a big global financial company, includes Indian government bonds in these lists, it means they think these bonds are a good choice. JP Morgan plans to include Indian government bonds in its global emerging market bond indices. Advantages (✓) of Including Indian Bonds in Global Indices: Increased Foreign Inves... Read More...

India,WTO and Food Security

Sep 23, 2023

"Empowering India's Trade Diplomacy at WTO with #SRIRAM's Read More...

Swati Nayak and the Norman E Borlaug Award

Sep 23, 2023

1. Norman E Borlaug Award (NBA): NBA is a prestigious honor in agriculture for significant contributions to research and development. 2. Swati Nayak's Work: Swati Nayak, known as 'Bihana Didi' (Seed Lady), won the NBA for her work with local communities in Odisha. 3. Shahabhagi Dhan Rice Variety: Nayak introduced drought-tolerant Shahabhagi Dhan rice in Odisha, positively impacting crop yields. 4. Internat... Read More...

Vikram and Pragyan Go to Sleep:Basics

Sep 23, 2023

1. What is Chandrayaan-3? Chandrayaan-3 is India's lunar mission, which consists of a lander and a rover designed to explore and conduct experiments on the moon's surface. 2. What happened to the Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover? After a successful soft landing on the moon's surface on August 23, the instruments onboard the lander and rover were active for nearly two weeks. However, on September 3, when the lunar day ended, they were put into 'sleep mode.' Efforts have been made to wake them up, but as of the latest update, ... Read More...

Domestic Savings Rate Plunges:RBI Report

Sep 22, 2023

The latest data on household financial savings, released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has raised concerns among economists and can have significant implications for medium-term growth. Household Savings Decline: Net household financial savings dropped to a multi-decade low of 5.1% of GDP in 2022-23, down from 7.2% the previous year. Possible Reasons for Decline: Households impacted by pandemic-related income setbacks may not have fully recovered. Economic recovery has been primarily driven by corporate profits. High ... Read More...