Author: ForumIAS

Israel seeks ‘big data’ from India  Context Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to India Major agreements Agriculture collaboration using Indian population’s big database: Boosting measures to counter cyberthreats and to “revolutionise” Indian farm production, Israel has proposed to access India’s Big data The idea of big data was brought into the discussion by the Israeli… Continue reading Israel seeks ‘big data’ from India 

No clarity on probe into clinical trial violations Context Nearly seven years after the Indian drug regulator, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) began investigating nine Andhra-based clinical research organisations (CROs) over allegations of coercing people into joining clinical trials, it has refused to share its findings under the Right to Information (RTI) Act… Continue reading No clarity on probe into clinical trial violations

Operation Digital Board in the offing  Context The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) on Monday passed a resolution to take steps towards Operation Digital Board on the lines of Operation Blackboard of 1987, which was started with the purpose of providing minimum basic facilities to all primary schools Operation Digital Board Idea behind it:… Continue reading Operation Digital Board in the offing 

Still a raw deal for many Context World Social Protection Report 2017-19 Report is released by: International Labour Organization Major findings of the report No security: A vast majority of people (4 billion) live without any safeguard against the normal contingencies of life, according to the study Access to only on social protection benefit: Less… Continue reading Still a raw deal for many

Was purandara Dasa born in a Malnad village? Context There is much speculation about where Purandara Dasa, regarded as the pitamaha of Carnatic music, was born. Now, an expert committee constituted by Kannada University, Hampi, has come to the conclusion that it was most likely a small village called Kshemapura (now called Keshavapura) at Araga hobli in… Continue reading Was purandara Dasa born in a Malnad village?

Australia seeks rescue ideas for reef  Context Australia is calling on the world’s top scientific minds to help save the Great Barrier Reef, offering hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund research into protecting the world’s largest living structure. Factors damaging Coral Reef Coral bleaching Farming runoff Development Predatory crown-of-thorns starfish Fund announced Australian government… Continue reading Australia seeks rescue ideas for reef 

Centre to seek comments on farm export policy draft  Context The Commerce Ministry will soon put out a draft Agricultural Export Policy for comments from the public, according to a senior official. Policy aims to boost produce shipments, value addition’ The proposed policy, which aims to boost shipments of farm items by identifying niche products… Continue reading Centre to seek comments on farm export policy draft 

Following the grain trail Context Many States have initiated ‘reforms’ of the public distribution system that are hurting millions of people India’s public distribution system (PDS) is in danger of being derailed in several States across the country. Biometric mix-ups: Jharkhand Jharkhand is a prime example of this problem Specific Reforms were undertaken By mid-2016,… Continue reading Following the grain trail

Goa plea against Mahadayi dams misleading: Karnataka Context Terming the Goa submission challenging Karnataka’s trans-basin diversion of Mahadayi waters into the Malaprabha reservoir as “misleading and contradictory”, State Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil said water has been shared with Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra from the Krishna basin by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) in… Continue reading Goa plea against Mahadayi dams misleading: Karnataka

Haj subsidies to be phased out: Naqvi  Context Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday announced the Centre would phase out subsidies for the annual Haj pilgrimage, two months after his Ministry had taken the decision. Dignity without appeasement It is part of the Modi government’s efforts to empower minorities with dignity… Continue reading Haj subsidies to be phased out: Naqvi