The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the continuation of lending under the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) beyond March 2022 till December 2024, with focus on enhanced collateral free affordable loan corpus, increased adoption of digital transactions and holistic socio-economic development of the Street Vendors and their families.   Beneficiaries… Continue reading PM-SVANidhi

In its 2022 Annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended that India be designated a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), i.e., the category of governments performing most poorly on religious freedom criteria.   Details – It has also called for “targeted sanctions” on individuals and entities responsible for severe… Continue reading USCIRF

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Report for 2022 has been released recently.   What are the findings of the report? Global military expenditure – The global military expenditure has reached an all-time high of $2.1 trillion. This was the seventh consecutive year that spending increased. United States, China, India, the United Kingdom and… Continue reading SIPRI Report 2022

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that would require the five permanent members of the Security Council to justify their use of the veto in future.   Highlights of the resolution – The resolution was titled – ‘Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council’.… Continue reading Veto Power

Indian astronomers from the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, have discovered Gaia 20eae, the latest member of episodically accreting young stars.   Details – Scientists have spotted a new member belonging to the extremely rare group of young stars that exhibit episodic accretion.… Continue reading Episodically Accreting Young Stars

Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 has been amended based on the approvals accorded by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).   What are the changes? Going forward all modernisation requirements of the Defence Services and Indian Coast Guard are to be indigenously sourced irrespective of the nature of procurement. Import of defence equipment/sourcing from Foreign Industry of… Continue reading Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020

According to the India Patents report launched by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), Technology Innovation is gaining pace in India with Indian companies having filed 1,38,000 tech patents in India from 2015 to 2021.   What are patents? A patent represents a powerful intellectual property right, and is an exclusive monopoly… Continue reading Patents in India

Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook for 2022 has described the Kuril Islands (which Japan calls the Northern Territories and Russia as the South Kurils) as being under Russia’s “illegal occupation”.   Details – This is the first time in about two decades that Japan has used this phrase to describe the dispute over the Kuril Islands. Japan… Continue reading Kuril Islands

The All-India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey, usually conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) every five years, is set to resume this year after a prolonged break.   What is ‘Consumer Expenditure Survey’? The CES is traditionally a quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey conducted by the government’s National Statistical Office (NSO). It is designed… Continue reading All India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey

A 37-year-old Constitution Bench judgment of the Supreme Court which held that pavement dwellers are different from trespassers may become a game-changer in the Jahangirpuri case.   What is the judgement? The Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation judgment in 1985 ruled that eviction of pavement dwellers using unreasonable force, without giving them a chance… Continue reading Olga Tellis Case