Current Affairs search results for tag: national
By admin: April 29, 2022

1. AAI first time successfully conducts flight trials using 'GAGAN'

Tags: National Latest Science and Technology

Airports Authority of India (AAI) successfully test fired at Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan using GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) based LPV approach procedures.

  • The successful test is a major achievement and a major milestone in the field of Air Navigation Services (ANS) in the history of Indian Civil Aviation.

  • India is the first country in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve such a landmark.

  • What is LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance)

  • LPV is a Satellite Based Procedure which has been used by the aircraft for landing purposes at Kishangarh Airport (Rajasthan).

  • It permits aircraft guided approaches that are operationally nearly equivalent to Cat-IILS, without the need for ground-based navigational infrastructure. 

  • The service depends on the availability of GPS and GAGAN geostationary satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15) launched by ISRO.

  • Significance

  • The LPV approach will make it possible to land at airports that are not equipped with expensive instrument landing systems, including many smaller regional and local airports.

  • AAI in coordination with Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has implemented Gagan Message Service (GMS) through which alert messages will be sent to fishermen disaster affected people on occurrence of natural calamities like flood, earthquake etc.

  • Additional capabilities of GAGAN are also being explored for its use in non-aviation sectors like railways, surveying, agriculture, power sector, mining etc.

  • About GAGAN

  • It is an Indian Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) jointly developed by AAI and ISRO.

  • This is the first such system developed for India and neighbouring countries in the equatorial region.

  • GAGAN System was certified by DGCA in 2015 for Approach with Vertical Guidance (APV 1) and en-route (RNP 0.1) operations.

  • There are only four Space-Based augmentation systems available in the world - 

  1. India (GAGAN), 

  2. US (WAAS) 

  3. Europe (EGNOS) and 

  4. Japan (MSAS).

By admin: April 28, 2022

2. Release of over Rs 2 lakh cr as GST compensation to States for FY 2020-21

Tags: National Economy/Finance Popular

The Finance Ministry has said that an amount of Rs 2 lakh 78 thousand crore has been released to the states as GST compensation for the financial year 2020-21.

  • The ministry has so far released  7 lakh 35 thousand crore rupees to the States including the assistance released on back-to-back basis. 

  • Presently only Rs 78 thousand 704 crore compensation for the year 2021-22 is pending due to insufficient amount in the fund, which is equivalent to four months' compensation.

  • Normally, compensation for ten months of April to January of any financial year is released during that year and the compensation of February and March is released only in the next financial year. 

  • The GST compensation for eight out of the ten months of 2021-22 has already been released to the states and the pending amount will also be released after the cess amount is deposited in the Compensation Fund.

  • At the time of the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, GST, a constitutional amendment provided that Parliament would, by law, provide compensation to the States for the loss of revenue due to the introduction of the GST, for a period of five years.

By admin: April 28, 2022

3. Labour and Employment Ministry’s 2021 third-quarter survey finds increase of 4 lakh jobs

Tags: Economics/Business National News

According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment's Third Quarter Employment Survey (QES) report, over four lakh jobs were created in nine selected sectors in October-December 2021 in firms with 10 or more workers.

  • The Ministry’s survey, which covered 10,834 units in the third round, found employment had increased from 3.10 crore in July-September 2021 to 3.145 crore in the next quarter. 

  • The survey covered construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation, education, health, housing and restaurants, IT/BPO and financial services.

  • It creates 85% jobs in units with 10 or more workers.

  • The survey does not cover units established after 2013-2014.

  • The manufacturing sector accounted for 39% of the units, followed by education (22%).

  • Overall, 23.55% units provided on-the-job training to workers, while the number was higher in health sector units (34.87%).

  • At the same time, the nine sectors reported 1.85 lakh vacancies, with 81,846 in manufacturing, 47,076 in health and 39,014 in education. 

  • The report said that 86.5% of the vacancies were "in the process of filling".

  • Around 4% of the vacancies could not be filled due to "non-availability of requisite skilled workers".

By admin: April 28, 2022

4. SC fixes final hearing on Sedition Law

Tags: Popular National News

Supreme Court to give final hearing on May 5 on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the offence of sedition under Section 124A of IPC. 

  • A three-member bench of CJI NV Ramana has fixed May 5 for hearing all the petitions related to this case together.

  • Attorney General K.K. Venugopal is assisting the court in the case in the capacity of his constitutional office.

  • The CJI had said sedition or Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code was prone to misuse by the government.

  • Sedition Law

  • Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code provides for the punishment of sedition.

  • The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was enacted in 1860 during the British Raj.

  • The then British government in India feared that religious preachers from the Indian subcontinent would wage war against the government.

  • Throughout the British Raj, this section was used to suppress activists in favour of national independence, including Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi, both found guilty and imprisoned.

  • In 1973, sedition was made a cognizable offence for the first time in India during the tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

  • A cognizable offence means arrest without a warrant. 

  • Constitutional validity

  • After independence, it was found unconstitutional by two high courts, as it violates freedom of expression.

  • The Supreme Court upheld its validity in Kedar Nath Singh v State of Bihar (1962).

By admin: April 28, 2022

5. Union Cabinet approves upgradation of communication to 4G in Naxalite areas

Tags: National Popular

The Union Cabinet approved the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) project to upgrade 2G mobile services to 4G at security locations in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism.

  • This will enable better internet and data services in these LWE affected areas.

  • The project envisages upgradation of 2,542 mobile towers to provide 4G services in LWE areas at a cost of Rs 2,426 crore in 10 states including Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra.

  • All the sites will be upgraded by BSNL at a cost of Rs 2,426 crores.

  • The Union Cabinet also approved the Revised Cost Estimate on "Setting up of India Post Payments Bank".

  • The facility of India Post Payments Bank will be available in all 1.56 lakh branches of post offices, for which an additional Rs 820 crore will be spent.

  • This proposal is in line with the goal of providing mobile connectivity in rural areas and facilitating the delivery of various e-governance services, banking services, tele-medicine, tele-education etc. through mobile broadband in these areas.

  • The Cabinet also gave its approval for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Chile for cooperation in the field of disabilities.

By admin: April 28, 2022

6. Govt approves Rs 60,939 crore subsidy for phosphate-based fertilisers

Tags: Latest Economics/Business National News

The Union Cabinet has approved nutrient based subsidy rates for Phosphatic and Potash, P&K fertilisers for Kharif season-2022.

  • The subsidy will cover the period to September 2022.

  • India provided a subsidy of 571.5 billion rupees for the previous 12 month period ending March 31.

  • A subsidy of Rs 2,501 will continue to be available at Rs 1,350 for every 50 kg bag of crop nutrient diammonium phosphate in local markets.

  • The decision to increase fertiliser subsidies was taken after rising crop nutrient prices in global markets, mainly due to supply chain disruptions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, increased freight traffic and rising energy costs.

  • Background

  • Government is providing Urea and 25 grade P&K fertilisers at subsidised prices to the farmers through fertiliser manufacturers/importers.

  • The subsidy on P&K fertilisers is being governed by the NBS Scheme. 

  • In line with its farmer friendly approach, the Government is committed to ensure the availability of P&K fertilisers to the farmers at affordable prices.

By admin: April 28, 2022

7. Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) Program launched

Tags: Latest National News

The Electronics and Information Technology ministry has launched the Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) programme.

  • It aims to enable manufacturing of microprocessors for the world in India and achieve industry-grade silicon and design by December 2023.

  • IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti will be the Chief Architect of DIRV-programme while S Krishnakumar Rao of C-DAC will be the Program Manager.

  • DIR-V program will see partnerships between Startups, Academia and  Multinationals, to make India not only a RISC-V Talent Hub for the World but also supplier of RISC-V  System on Chips for Servers, Mobile devices, Automotive and Microcontrollers across the globe.

  • The Ministry unveiled India's Strategic Roadmap for Semiconductor Design and Innovation to catalyse the semiconductor ecosystem along with the blueprint of the roadmap for the design and implementation of the DIR-V programme.

By admin: April 28, 2022

8. Cabinet approves opening of Indian Mission in Lithuania

Tags: International Relations Popular

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the opening of a new Indian Mission in Lithuania in 2022.

  • It will help expand India's diplomatic footprint, deepen political ties and strategic cooperation, enable the growth of bilateral trade, investment and economic engagement.

  • It will facilitate stronger people-to-people contacts, allow more sustained political access in multilateral fora and help mobilise support for India's foreign policy objectives.

  • The Indian Mission in Lithuania will better assist the Indian community and protect their interests.

  • This will have a direct impact in increasing domestic production and employment in line with our goal of self-reliant India.

  • India - Lithuania

  • India recognized Lithuania (along with the other Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia) on 7 September 1991 following the acceptance of their independence by the then USSR.

  • India's diplomatic relations with Lithuania were established on 25 February 1992.

  • The Lithuanian language, the oldest surviving Indo-European language, has great similarities with Sanskrit, so it reflects ancient links with India.

By admin: April 28, 2022

9. Union Minister Giriraj Singh launches ‘Azadi Se Antyodaya Tak’ campaign

Tags: National Latest

Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh today launched a 90-day inter-ministerial campaign 'Azadi se Antyodaya Tak' under the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

  • The campaign will be implemented by involving all rural stakeholders such as families of selected freedom fighters, Panchayati Raj Institutions, women's networks, youth groups and students highlighting the achievements of the schemes.

  • The campaign has been launched with a mission to saturate 75 districts of 28 states and union territories with the beneficiary schemes of nine central ministries.

  • Direct assistance to beneficiaries in saturation mode in 17 selected schemes during the campaign, will reach the person at the bottom of the pyramid in rural areas by each of the participating Ministries and Departments.

  • in this campaign the following ministries and department will be involved -

  1. Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment,

  2. Ministry of Women and Child Development

  3. Department of Financial Services, 

  4. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 

  5. Department of Agriculture and farmers Welfare, 

  6. Department of Health and Family Welfare, 

  7. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Labour and Employment.

By admin: April 28, 2022

10. India Tops The World In Real-Time Payment Volumes In 2021

Tags: Popular Economics/Business International News

According to the ACI Worldwide Report on Real-time Transactions, India's real-time transactions are ranked first in the world.

  • In the year 2021, India's real-time transactions have grown to 48.6 billion.

  • China ranks second after India with 18 billion real time transactions.

  • India's transaction volume is more than seven times that of the US, UK, Canada, Germany and France combined (7.5 billion).

  • Brazil, Thailand and South Korea lag behind India and China in terms of real-time transactions of 8.7 billion, 9.7 billion and 7.4 billion respectively.

  • This research has found that more than half (52.71 percent) of consumers worldwide use mobile wallets.

  • Real-time payment transactions worldwide crossed 118.3 billion in the year 2021, a growth of 64.5% on a year-on-year basis.

  • Reason to increase in real-time transactions

  • The rise in the use of digital payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the growth of QR code payments and UPI-based mobile payment apps among merchants, propelled real-time payments into 2021.

  • Consumers are moving from cash to digital real-time payment methods, which means that the share of real-time payments in total payment volume will exceed 70% in 2026.