What is the News? Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has published its Statement of Commitment to Support NGFS [Network for Greening the Financial System] declaration.The declaration aims to contribute to the global response required to meet the climate goals. What is NGFS? NGFS was launched at the Paris One Planet Summit on December 12, 2017.… Continue reading RBI publishes ‘Statement of Commitment to Support Greening India’s Financial System

What is the News? The Prime Minister has inaugurated a 12-foot statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath, Uttarakhand. This was because it is believed that at this place Adi Shankaracharya has attained samadhi at the age of 32 in the ninth century. Who is Adi Shankaracharya? Adi Guru Shankaracharya was an 8th-century Indian spiritual leader… Continue reading Explained: Life, work and legend of Adi Shankara, Advaita master, philosopher nonpareil

What is the News? The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has organized a webinar on “Promotion of Inland Saline Water Aquaculture”. What is Inland Saline Water Aquaculture? Inland saline aquaculture is the farming or culture of aquatic animals and plants using inland (i.e. non-coastal) sources of saline groundwater rather than… Continue reading Department of Fisheries organises a webinar on “Promotion of Inland Saline Water Aquaculture”

What is the News? At the UN climate conference in Glasgow, the Prime Minister raised India’s existing climate targets and also announced a few new targets.  What are the targets announced by the PM, and what is its status? First Target: India will reach its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030. Is this… Continue reading Explained: PM’s climate promises, and how far India is on track to meet them

What is the News? India has registered the logos of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) as its intellectual property. This means that the use of these logos anywhere in the world will now require written permission from India and the payment of a fee. About Darjeeling Himalayan Railway,  Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the… Continue reading India moves to patent the over century-old logos of Darjeeling’s ‘Toy Train’

What is the News? The Madras high court has declared Tamil Nadu legislation unconstitutional, which granted 10.5% internal reservation to the Vanniyar community within an existing 20% quota for the most backward classes (MBC) in the state. Background:  The Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a special Act that divided the existing 20% quota for the… Continue reading Reservation Within quota

What is the News? India and France held a strategic dialogue meeting. It was co-chaired by India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) and the Diplomatic Advisor to the French President. What are the key highlights of the meeting? Strengthen Defence and Security Partnership: India and France have agreed to strengthen defence and security partnership by enhancing… Continue reading India, France agree to expand partnership in defence, security

What is the News? At the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, around 450 financial firms have become members of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero(GFANZ). What is Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero(GFANZ)? GFANZ was launched in April 2021 by UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance and UK Prime Minister’s Finance Adviser… Continue reading Green lending: World’s biggest banks’ latest initiative at COP26 is a step backwards

What is the News? Scientists had predicted that a solar flare will arrive at the Earth in the early hours of November 4.The magnitude of this flare would be such as to trigger spectacular displays of aurora (the coloured bands of light seen in the North and South poles) in the high-latitude and polar regions.… Continue reading The Sun lights up aurorae in high-latitude countries