16Feb 2024

UGI USER
35
0

SC STRIKES DOWN ELECTORAL BONDS SCHEME, CALLS IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Why in the news? The Supreme Court rendered a landmark unanimous verdict, declaring the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional and arbitrary. Additionally, critical legal amendments permitting unlimited political donations by wealthy corporations were invalidated. source:toi Violation of Voters’ Rights: The scheme and preceding amendments violated voters’ right to information about political funding under Article 19(1)(a) of …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
51
0

PAYTM BANK’S EXIT FROM UPI UNLIKELY TO BE DISRUPTIVE

Why in the news? The regulatory-mandated exit of Paytm Payments Bank from the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform, a popular digital payment system in India. Out of 90 million Paytm UPI users, only about 15 million exclusively use the app for transactions. source:gyanias What are Payment banks: Payment banks, like Airtel Payments Bank and India …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
59
0

INDIA BECOMES TOP BUYER OF VENEZUELAN CRUDE IN DEC, JAN

Why in the news? India becomes the top importer of Venezuelan crude oil in December 2023 and January 2024 after a hiatus of three years. source:slideserve About Resurgence in Venezuelan Crude Imports: In 2019: Venezuela was India’s fifth-largest oil supplier, providing nearly 16 million tonnes. Recent: Eased sanctions enable Venezuela, an OPEC member, to export …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
44
0

CENTRAL BANKERS’ MODELS NEED TO INCREASE EMPHASIS ON SUPPLY SIDE

Why in the news? Governor Shaktikanta Das of the Reserve Bank of India during the 59th South East Asian Central Banks Governors’ Conference in Mumbai address significant shifts in the global economy source:slideserve What is Monetary policy? Monetary policy refers to the strategies employed by the central bank to regulate the country’s money supply and …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
54
0

STRENGTHENING LEGAL EDUCATION IN INDIA: A PARADIGM SHIFT

Syllabus: GS 2: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education and Human Resources. Why in the News? The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice recently released a report highlighting key recommendations to enhance legal education in India. Understanding Legal Education What is Legal Education? As per …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
44
0

UNBONDED (THE ELECTORAL BONDS VERDICT IS A BLOW FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION)

Syllabus: GS 2 : Governance Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency & Accountability and institutional and other measures. Why in the News? The recent verdict on electoral bonds by the Supreme Court of India marks a significant moment in the realm of political funding and transparency. The decision to strike down the Electoral Bond Scheme (EBS) …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
47
0

PLACES OF WORSHIP AND AN UNSETTLING JUDICIAL SILENCE

Relevance: GS 2- Indian Constitution, Secularism, Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States Why in the News? Supreme Court of India’s verdict in November 2019 addressed the Babri Masjid case. Court allocated the disputed plot of land to the party responsible for the mosque’s desecration and demolition. Court made a glowing reference to …

16Feb 2024

UGI USER
40
0

MEAGRE FUNDS AND RED TAPE HOBBLE INDIAN SCIENCE

Relevance: GS 3 – Government Budgeting, Science and Technology- developments Why in the News? Funding to crucial agencies like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Indian Council of Medical Research and …

15Feb 2024

UGI USER
52
0

CONCERNS OVER EVM BREAKDOWNS

Why in the News? Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, documents obtained through RTI reveal Election Commission concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) breakdown rates. The first-level check (FLC) is an initial technical examination conducted in the six months leading up to elections, supervised by District Election Officers. About Break Downs: During the First-Level …

15Feb 2024

UGI USER
52
0

‘SCIENTISTS SEEK MORE PROTECTIONS FOR ‘LIVING FOSSIL’

Why in the news? Environmental groups are urging the U.S. government to protect the American horseshoe crab, a “living fossil,” due to threats from commercial harvests, habitat loss, and climate change. source:lotusrise Understanding Living Fossils: Coined by English naturalist Charles Darwin in“The Origin of Species,” the concept highlights organisms that have retained ancestral traits through …

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