What is the News? Pakistan will be releasing its First new National Security Policy covering a period between 2022 and 2026. What is the focus of Pakistan’s National Security Policy with respect to India? Firstly, the policy focuses on economic diplomacy in the immediate neighbourhood and doesn’t advocate any conclusive measures in ties with any… Continue reading Pakistan’s National Security Policy: Pakistan security policy seeks 100 years of peace with India, but with caveat
Prime Minister inaugurates MSME Technology Center at Puducherry
What is the News? On the occasion of National Youth Day, the Prime Minister has inaugurated an MSME Technology Center at Puducherry. What are Technology Centers? The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) has established Technology Centers(TCs) across the country. These centers have been set up under the flagship Technology Center Systems Program. Purpose… Continue reading Prime Minister inaugurates MSME Technology Center at Puducherry
Union Minister launches Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021 – 2022
What is the News? The Minister of State for Education has virtually launched Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021 – 2022. What is Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar(SVP)? The SVP awards were instituted in 2016-17 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education). Aim: To recognize, inspire and celebrate excellence in sanitation and hygiene practice… Continue reading Union Minister launches Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021 – 2022
DBT-BIRAC supported start-ups InnAccel and NIRAMAI have received World Bank Group and the Consumer Technology Association’s Global Women’s HealthTech Awards
What is the news? The two Startups namely NIRAMAI Health Analytics and InnAccel Technologies have received the Global Women’s Health Tech Awards. These two startups have received support from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and BIRAC. What are the Global Women’s Health Tech Awards? Launched by: The Award was launched in August,2021 by World Bank… Continue reading DBT-BIRAC supported start-ups InnAccel and NIRAMAI have received World Bank Group and the Consumer Technology Association’s Global Women’s HealthTech Awards
Piezoelectric effect: Special electro-active nanoparticles developed for potential applications in touch & acoustic sensor
What is the News? Indian scientists have for the first time proposed an efficient way to induce a property called piezoelectric delta phase in polymer nanoparticles. What is the Piezoelectric Effect? Piezoelectric Effect is the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. One of the unique characteristics… Continue reading Piezoelectric effect: Special electro-active nanoparticles developed for potential applications in touch & acoustic sensor
There must be fair competition in telecom sector
News: The board of Vodafone Idea (Vi) has approved the conversion of part of their liability owed to the government into equity. Accordingly, Rs 16,000 crore of the interest on the deferred spectrum and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) liabilities will now be converted to government equity. This makes the government as the single-largest stakeholder, owning… Continue reading There must be fair competition in telecom sector
Rooftop solar: Why India is now considered to be a laggard globally
News: Rooftop solar installation in India is lagging behind the target. As a part of nationwide revamped target in 2014 for renewable energy installations, at least 40 gigawatt was earmarked for rooftop solar by 2022. However, only 6.11 GW (15 per cent of the target) was achieved as of November 2021. Even the urbanized, high-income cities like Delhi could achieve only… Continue reading Rooftop solar: Why India is now considered to be a laggard globally
Trust deficit: On tech platforms and news publishers
News: CCI has launched a probe against Google, following allegations by the country’s digital news publishers. Read – CCI’s Google probe In the recent years, many countries such as Australia and France have tried to correct the balance between the big tech companies and traditional journalism industry. What is the case in India? In India, the complaint has… Continue reading Trust deficit: On tech platforms and news publishers
Cutting corporate debt
News: Indian companies are deleveraging i.e. that is there is reduction in their borrowed debt. This trend is likely to continue, specially in the present pandemic situation. What are the indicators of deleveraging by Indian companies? The debt-to-equity ratio of listed firms dropped to a six-year low of 0.59 in 2020-21, compared to 0.73 in… Continue reading Cutting corporate debt
Establishing India’s Apple
News: U.S. tech company Apple has reached the $3 trillion-mark in market capitalisation. This now makes it wealthier than most countries. How can India advance towards creating such companies? This will require India to establish ecosystems that are innovation driven. Following are some key steps to achieve this: 1) Sustained public funding to build world-class… Continue reading Establishing India’s Apple
