ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 19 April. Click Here for more information.
ForumIAS Answer Writing Focus Group (AWFG) for Mains 2024 commencing from 24th June 2024. The Entrance Test for the program will be held on 28th April 2024 at 9 AM. To know more about the program visit: https://forumias.com/blog/awfg2024
GS 1
Urban problems are not urban in isolation; they are national problems. Cities are in need of duly empowered municipalities and institutional systems and processes for closely coordinated and accountable agencies that can deliver in areas such as sanitation, health, education, mobility and housing.
GS 2
In the wake of the Pulwama attack on February 14, the government has iterated once again its plan for the “diplomatic isolation” of Pakistan.
‘Britain should hand over Chagos islands to Mauritius’
The archipelago is home to the U.S. military base of Diego Garcia, which Washington has taken on lease from Britain
GS 3
Period. It’s time to carry an Oscar
Monga and the 26-minute documentary set in Kathi Khera village in Hapur have been India’s big connect at the Oscars this year.
Drought less probable this year: Skymet
There’s unlikely to be a drought in 2019 as the El Nino — a climate phenomenon linked to drying up of the monsoon rains in India — is likely to peter out by the beginning of the monsoon, according to a forecast on Monday by private weather forecaster Skymet.
Amid a slew of conflicting judicial decisions from different High Courts, the legality of e-pharmacies continues to be questioned by various trade associations such as the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). It represents 8.4 lakh pharmacists who run the brick and mortar pharmacies in neighbourhoods across India.
Before eviction: on SC verdict on forest-dwellers
The Supreme Court’s order to evict, over the next five months, occupants of forest lands who failed to make a successful claim for tenure under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, has once again highlighted the dilemma of reconciling inalienable tribal rights with biodiversity conservation.
The GST rate payable on affordable homes, with effect from April 2019, will come down from 8% to 1%, and all other residential properties outside the affordable segment will attract 5% GST instead of the 12% levied at present.
Adani is the highest bidder for 5 airports
Adani Enterprises Ltd. emerged as the highest bidder for five of the six airports offered for bidding by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The winner would operate, manage and develop the airports for a period of 50 years. The Cabinet has to accord its approval for the same, according to a senior AAI official.
Banks may set repo rate as benchmark
Most commercial banks in India are likely to select RBI’s repo rate as the external benchmark to decide their lending rates, from April 1. The repo rate is the key policy rate of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
