Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unveiled the Payments Vision 2025. The document proposes a host of innovative payment systems and regulation of BigTechs, fintechs, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) systems, introduction of a central bank digital currency (CBDC), etc.   Key highlights – Five key themes — The vision document has five key themes –… Continue reading Payments Vision 2025

NITI Aayog and the Department of Science & Technology (DST) have kicked off deliberations on developing an open-source battery management system (BMS) for two- and three-wheeler EVs. The idea is to develop a BMS solution tailored for Indian conditions.   Background – The idea to develop an open source BMS was first floated in 2021.… Continue reading Battery Management System

Scientists have developed ultra-thin heteroprotein films with excellent thermal, mechanical and pH stability which can pave the way for expanding applications of thin films in biomedical and food packaging industries.   Details – It has been developed by Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institute under the Department of… Continue reading Ultrathin Heteroprotein Film

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified the cost inflation index (CII) for FY 2022-23. The Cost Inflation Index for FY 2022-23 relevant to AY 2023-24 is 331. For the previous year, i.e., FY 2021-22, CII was notified as 317.   What is CII? The CII is an index that is used to… Continue reading Cost Inflation Index

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking that at least three meetings of the Inter-State Council should be held every year to “strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism”.   What is ‘Inter-State Council’? Inter-State Council is a constitutional body which possesses representatives from the Union Government as well… Continue reading Inter-State Council

At the 12th Ministerial Meeting (MC12), World Trade Organization (WTO) members reached a provisional deal on several issues, e-Commerce being one of them.   Background – When e-commerce was still at a nascent stage, in September 1998, the work programme on e-commerce was adopted by the General Council of the WTO. Under the work programme,… Continue reading WTO’s e-Commerce moratorium

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently registered four separate cases on allegations that huge losses to the exchequer were caused by leasing out prime-value land under the Custodian of Enemy Property for India on forged documents.   What is ‘enemy property’? In the wake of the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, there was… Continue reading Enemy Property in India

For the first time, microplastics have been found in freshly fallen ice in Antarctica. Scientists argue that the pollutant poses a major threat to the region’s ecosystem and could increase the melting of snow and ice. The findings, published recently in The Cryosphere journal, bring to light a serious threat to the Antarctic region.   What are… Continue reading Microplastics

International Albinism Awareness Day is observed every year on June 13 to bring about awareness among the people for the prevention of attacks and discrimination against persons with Albinism and also about the rights of people with Albinism.   Details – The theme for International Albinism Awareness Day this year is ‘United in making our… Continue reading International Albinism Day

In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers have claimed that the disease originated in modern day northern Kyrgyzstan around 1338-1339 – nearly 7-8 years before it ravaged large parts of the world.   What was the Black Death? The term Black Death refers to the bubonic plague that spread across Western Asia, Northern… Continue reading Black Death