May 2021

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Context 8th instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) released Scheme Centre transfers an amount of Rs 6,000 per year, in three equal instalments, directly into the bank accounts of all landholding farmers irrespective of the size of their land...

Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive scheme “National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage” Source: PIB National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage For achieving manufacturing capacity of Fifty (50) Giga Watt Hour (GWh) of ACC and 5 GWh of Niche ACC with an outlay of...

SUTRA Model: Eyebrows raised CONTEXT Scientist have raised questions on the government-backed model, called SUTRA, to forecast the rise and ebb of the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists believe that the model may have played a major role in creating the perception that a second wave of the pandemic...

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition Context: Global Methane Assessment released by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) showed that human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45 per cent this decade Details The Climate and Clean Air...

Rani Rudrama Devi and Kakatiya Dynasty Context Rare sculptures of Rani Rudrama Devi unearthed in Khammam village in Andhra Pradesh Details Two rare sculptural portraits of Kakatiya queen Rudrama Devi were unearthed and identified by an archaeologist on the premises of Sangameswara Swamy Temple at Teerthala village in...

Net Zero Producers Forum THEME: Environment CONTEXT Saudi Arabia will join the United States, Canada, Norway, and Qatar in forming ‘Net Zero Producers Forum’ for oil and gas producers to discuss how they can support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Net-zero • Net-zero is also referred...

Child adoption Context How to adopt a child legally( the Hindu) Background There are no unwanted children, just unfound families.   Under Indian law adoption is legal coalition between the party willing for adoption and a child, it forms the subject matter of ‘personal law’ where Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh...

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Judicial Overreach Context Judicial intervention in response to the Union government’s flailing response to the health crisis has reached its apotheosis with the Supreme Court order forming a 12-member national task force Court Intervention and issue involved Concerns about the judiciary encroaching on the executive domain The national...

NITI Aayog’s Great Nicobar Plan Context Green panel allows Great Nicobar plan to advance Background: Earlier, Environment Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has flagged serious concerns about NITI Aayog’s ambitious project for Great Nicobar Island (NITI Aayog vision for Great...

Banganapalle mangoes Context South Korea to get its first taste of A.P.’s Banganapalle mangoes Banganapalle Benisha is a mango variety generally known as The King of Mangoes, named after Banganapalle. An unspoilt obliquely oval specimen presents an unblemished golden yellow thin edible skin. These mangoes are large...