Developmental projects under the Sabarimala Master plan have been delayed and the pilgrims are unlikely to get more amenities at Sabarimala and in the foothills of Pampa during the upcoming pilgrim season. The Sabarimala master plan envisages a) Infrastructure Development, b) Ecological Sustainability and c) Pilgrim facilities. It encompasses objectives of planned overall development of… Continue reading Sabarimala revamp plans still remain in paper
Author: ForumIAS
1 million species at risk of extinction: UN
UN’s report called the Global Assessment has warned that up to one million of Earth’s estimated eight million plant, insect and animal species is at risk of extinction. The Report has been compiled by UN’s Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). IPBES is the intergovernmental body which assesses the state of biodiversity… Continue reading 1 million species at risk of extinction: UN
Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – May 7, 2019
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RBI raises cap on home loans by SFBs, RRBs
The Reserve Bank of India has decided to increase the housing loan limits for Regional Rural Banks(RRBs) and Small Finance Banks(SFBs). Further,all such loans will be classified by these banks as priority sector loans. The eligibility cap has been increased to ₹35 lakh in metropolitan areas and ₹25 lakh in other centres provided the overall… Continue reading RBI raises cap on home loans by SFBs, RRBs
Indian Navy’s submarine ‘Vela’ of Project 75 launched
Indian Navy has launched Scorpene class Submarine Vela.The submarine has been named Vela after an earlier submarine which was the lead submarine of the erstwhile Vela class. Vela is the fourth of six planned Scorpene-class submarines.The six submarines will replace the Indian Navy’s ageing Sindhughosh and Shishumar class of submarines. Scorpene class submarines is a… Continue reading Indian Navy’s submarine ‘Vela’ of Project 75 launched
After 36 years,Indian Navy’s frontline missile destroyer INS Ranjit to be decommissioned
The Indian Navy’s frontline missile destroyer,INS Ranjit will be decommissioned at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam after having served for 36 years. INS Ranjit was the third of the five Kashin-class destroyers built by erstwhile USSR. INS Ranjit was commissioned on 24 November 1983 by the Indian Navy.It is the third of the five Rajput-class… Continue reading After 36 years,Indian Navy’s frontline missile destroyer INS Ranjit to be decommissioned
New initiative measuring violent deaths worldwide
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute(SIPRI) has launched a new initiative called Global Registry of Violent Deaths(GReVD) to establish the annual number of violent deaths worldwide. SIPRI’s Global Registry of Violent Deaths (GReVD) will count the deaths caused by all forms of violence and display these in an open-source database. This will allow researchers,policymakers and the… Continue reading New initiative measuring violent deaths worldwide
Army to induct 460 Russian origin tanks to add muscle on Pak front
Indian Army has decided to induct an additional 460 Russian-origin upgraded T-90 ‘Bhishma’ battle tanks.This comes after the cabinet committee on security had earlier cleared the license acquisition from Russia. The order to produce the 464 T-90 tanks will soon be given to Avadi Heavy Vehicle Factory(HVF) which works under the Ordnance Factory Board.These tanks… Continue reading Army to induct 460 Russian origin tanks to add muscle on Pak front
Emissions fiasco: No coercive action against Volkswagen, says SC
The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposing a fine of ₹500 crore on Volkswagen AG.The NGT had imposed the fine on Volkswagen for harming the environment. The NGT had fined ₹500 crore for allegedly damaging the environment by using cheat device in its diesel cars sold in… Continue reading Emissions fiasco: No coercive action against Volkswagen, says SC
Discom debt to return to pre-UDAY levels
According to the credit ratings agency Crisil,the debt of state-owned electricity distribution companies(discoms) is set to increase to pre-Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana(UDAY) levels of ₹2.6 lakh crore by the end of 2019-20. The Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana(Uday) was launched in 2015.It envisaged state governments taking over 75% of the utilities debts,thus reducing the interest burden… Continue reading Discom debt to return to pre-UDAY levels
