UPSC Daily Current Affairs

Biofuels

Aug 07, 2023

Food vs. Fuel Trade-off and Ethanol Blending in India: Q: What is the concept of "food vs. fuel" trade-off in the context of ethanol blending in India? A: The "food vs. fuel" trade-off refers to the potential conflict between using agricultural crops for producing biofuels, such as ethanol, and using the same crops for food production. When crops like sugarcane and grains are used to produce ethanol for blending in petrol, it diverts these crops from the food supply chain, potentially affecting food availability and prices. Read More...

Mediation Bill 2021

Aug 07, 2023

1. What does the Mediation Bill, 2021 aim to achieve? Answer: The Mediation Bill, 2021 aims to promote and encourage the use of mediation as an alternative method for resolving civil or commercial disputes, with the objective of reducing the burden on courts and facilitating faster and cost-effective resolution of disputes. 2. What is the maximum time limit for completing mediation proceedings under the bill? Answer: The bill halves the maximum time for completing mediation proceedings from the current duration to 180 days, making the proces... Read More...

Direct Listing of Indian Companies in GIFT City

Aug 07, 2023

What is GIFT City? Answer: GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) is India's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It is a designated area that offers a business-friendly environment for financial services and related activities. What is the recent development regarding listing in GIFT City? Answer: The Finance Minister announced that Indian companies will soon be allowed to directly list on overseas exchanges and the exchanges located in GIFT IFSC (International Financial Servic... Read More...

E-invoicing under GST

Aug 07, 2023

Q: What is e-invoicing under the Goods and Services Tax (GST)? A: E-invoicing under GST is a system where taxpayers generate invoices electronically on a government portal. It was initially introduced for taxpayers with an annual turnover of over Rs 500 crore from October 1, 2020. Q: What is the recent change in the threshold for mandatory e-invoicing? A: Starting from August 1, 2023, the Union government has extended e-invoicing to taxpayers whose aggregate turnover in any preceding financial year is Rs 5 crore or more. Previously, the thresh... Read More...

Drug Safety and Quality

Aug 07, 2023

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Pharma Companies in India Q1: What is Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)? A1: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is a set of quality assurance and control guidelines that ensure pharmaceutical products are consistently produced and controlled to meet the required quality standards. Q2: Why is the Indian government requiring pharma companies to obtain a GMP certificate? A2: The Indian government has mandated the GMP certificate to ensure the production of high-qua... Read More...

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

Aug 07, 2023

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has been a pioneer in the development of ESG reporting in India. In 2012, SEBI introduced the Business Responsibility Report (BRR) as a mandatory ESG reporting framework for the top 100 listed companies in India by market capitalization. The BRR was a significant step forward in the development of ESG reporting in India, but it had some limitations in terms of its scope and depth. In 2021, SEBI released the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) as a new and improved Environmental, social, and corporate governan... Read More...

National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023:Contents and Constitutionality

Aug 07, 2023

Q: What is the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023? A: The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, is a proposed legislation introduced by the Union Government of India to nullify the effect of the Supreme Court's judgment in Government of NCT of Delhi v. Union of India. The bill seeks to give primacy to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) in matters related to the transfer and postings of civil servants serving the Delhi Government. Q: What was the Supreme Court's judgment in the Government of NCT of Delhi v. U... Read More...

ISRO launched seven Singaporean satellites

Aug 05, 2023

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched seven Singaporean satellites using its PSLV rocket from Sriharikota. The main payload, was DS-SAR satellite was developed in Singapore. It will support the satellite imagery requirements of various Singaporean government agencies. The PSLV-C56 mission also carried six co-passenger customer satellites, including technology demonstration microsatellites, nanosatellites, and an experimental satellite. The launch placed all seven satellites into near-equatorial orbits at an altitude of 535 km. This successful launch m... Read More...

All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955 Amended for Childcare by Father

Aug 05, 2023

Single Male Officers' Two-Year Paid Childcare Leave 1. Who is eligible for the two-year paid childcare leave? Single male officers belonging to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFS) are eligible for the two-year paid chldcare leave. 2. When did this change come into effect ? The change allowing single male officers to avail two-year paid childcare leave came into effect on July 29. Read More...

Meri Mati Mera Desh campaign

Aug 05, 2023

What is the 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Answer: The 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign is an initiative launched to honor the brave hearts who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country. It involves installing special inscriptions in panchayats across the nation in memory of these heroes. The campaign was announced during the monthly 'Mann ki Baat' radio broadcast by PM Modi. What is the 'Amrit Kalash Yatra' under the campaign? Answer: The ... Read More...

Black Sea Grain Deal: On and Off

Aug 05, 2023

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched in Istanbul by the Russian Federation, Türkiye, Ukraine and United Nations on 22 July 2022. Through this initiative, a mechanism was established for the safe exports of grain, related foodstuffs and fertilizer, including ammonia, from designated Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to global markets. The purpose of the Initiative is to contribute to the prevention of global hunger, to reduce and address global food insecurity, and to ensure the safety of merchant ships delivering grain and foodstuffs. What has the initiative achieved so far? Read More...

India and Critical Minerals & Minerals Security Partnership (MSP)

Aug 04, 2023

What is the significance of the Critical Minerals List released by the Government of India? The Critical Minerals List is a comprehensive compilation of 30 minerals that are essential for various industrial sectors such as defence, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals, and telecom. The list helps prioritize the exploration and mining of these critical minerals to ensure self-reliance and security in the domain of mineral resources. Does India have these critical minerals? With a few exceptions such as copper, gallium , graphite, cadmiu... Read More...

Green Bonds and Blue Bonds

Aug 04, 2023

What are green bonds ? Green bonds are financial instruments that are specifically used to fund environmentally friendly projects and initiatives. They are issued by governments, municipalities, corporations, or other organizations to raise capital for projects that have positive environmental impacts. (Inke proceeds ko exclusively environmentally sustainable projects ke liye use kiya jata hai jaise renewable energy development, energy efficiency improvements, sustainable agriculture, waste management, energy efficiency.) The proceeds from green bonds are exclusively used for projects such as r... Read More...

Tamil Question in India-Sri Lanka Relations

Aug 04, 2023

What is the "Tamil question" in India-Sri Lanka relations? The "Tamil question" refers to the longstanding issue of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Northern and Eastern provinces, seeking greater autonomy and devolution of powers. The Tamil community has faced historical grievances, including concerns over language, culture, and political representation, leading to tensions in bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka. What was the outcome of President Ranil Wikramasinghe's visit? The leaders ... Read More...

North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) :Expansion and Implications for India

Aug 04, 2023

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance among 31 member states – 29 European and two North American. The most recent country to join is Finland and Sweden is set to join. Article Five Article 5 is the North Atlantic Treaty, which is the founding document of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Article 5 is commonly referred to as the "collective defense clause" and is the essence of NATO's principle of mutual defense. Article 5 means that if any NATO member country faces an armed attack, ... Read More...