Pakistan has for the first time joined the US, Russia and China’s trilateral consultations on the Afghanistan peace process. The four countries have jointly urged the Taliban to immediately agree to a ceasefire and begin direct negotiations with the Afghanistan government to end the 18-year violence in the war-torn country. However,India has neither been included… Continue reading India elbowed out of Afghanistan peace talks
Author: ForumIAS
Govt readies plan for second wave of asset monetisation
Government will soon recommend a second list of Public Sector Units (PSU) assets that could be monetised to raise resources for fresh investment by these undertakings. The Union Budget 2019 has set a high target of Rs 1.05 lakh crore from disinvestment for the current fiscal year compared with Rs 90,000 crore in the Interim… Continue reading Govt readies plan for second wave of asset monetisation
Kartarpur Gurudwara: Pakistan agrees to allow year-long visa-free access
Indian and Pakistani officials had met at Wagah border to hold discussions on the Kartarpur corridor. Pakistan has agreed to allow visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and Overseas Citizens of India(OCI) through the Kartarpur corridor. Pakistan has also agreed to let 5,000 pilgrims visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara every day for all seven days… Continue reading Kartarpur Gurudwara: Pakistan agrees to allow year-long visa-free access
India is home to 1,256 species of orchid, says first comprehensive survey
The Botanical Survey of India has published Orchids of India: A Pictorial Guide- the first comprehensive census of orchids of India. According to the publication, the total number of orchid species endemic to India is 388. 757 (60%) of all orchids found in India are epiphytic, 447 are terrestrial and 43 are mycoheterotrophic. The Himalayas,… Continue reading India is home to 1,256 species of orchid, says first comprehensive survey
Law Commission to be formed soon
The Ministry of Law and Justice has initiated the process of setting up of the 22nd Law Commission. The three-year term of the 21st Law Commission under Justice B.S. Chauhan had ended on August 31, 2018. Law Commission of India is non-statutory body. It is established through an order of the Government of India. The… Continue reading Law Commission to be formed soon
Sexual offence cases not being probed in stipulated time: Report
According to the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) analysis, investigation into nearly half the sexual offences cases are not being completed within the stipulated 60-day period in seven states. Crime data from Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand were analysed. A major reason for delay in verdicts is that… Continue reading Sexual offence cases not being probed in stipulated time: Report
Poverty index: how Jharkhand reduced its poor the fastest
Recently, the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report for 2019 has been released. According to the report, across India, the number of people living in multidimensional poverty has decreased from 690.55 million in 2005-06 to 369.55 million in 2015-16. Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh together accounted for 196 million MPI poor people Jharkhand… Continue reading Poverty index: how Jharkhand reduced its poor the fastest
Draft Model Tenancy Act: what govt proposes for house owners, tenants
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MHUA) has released draft of ‘The Model Tenancy Act, 2019’ in public domain. Since land and urban development are state subjects, the central Model Act is not binding on the states unless they draft their legislation based on it. The Model Tenancy Act aims to regulate rental housing… Continue reading Draft Model Tenancy Act: what govt proposes for house owners, tenants
Speed restrictions and sound alerts mooted for protection of dolphins
The Ministry of Shipping has planned to safeguard the population of the Ganges River Dolphin in Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) by restricting the speeds of vessels and blowing sirens and horns. The other measures suggested are a) fitting vessels with propeller guards and dolphin deflectors to minimise dolphin accidents and b) using non-toxic paints… Continue reading Speed restrictions and sound alerts mooted for protection of dolphins
The milestones of Chandrayaan-2, India’s second lunar probe
Chandrayaan 2, India’s second lunar mission, was scheduled to be launched on 15 July from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. However, the launch got delayed due to technical issues. Chandrayaan 2 is ISRO’s first attempt to make a soft landing on the Moon. If successful, India will join the US,… Continue reading The milestones of Chandrayaan-2, India’s second lunar probe
