Where knowledge dwells
World Bank’s Doing Business Report Context : World Bank’s Doing Business Report has been released , India ranks 63 among 190 countries . About Doing Business Report (DBR) : The Doing Business assessment provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle. The DBR ranks countries on theRead More…
Quantum supremacy Context : Researchers at Google say they have achieved ‘quantum supremacy’, in which a computer harnessing the properties of sub-atomic particles did a far better job of solving a problem than the world’s most powerful supercomputer. What is ‘quantum supremacy’? Quantum supremacy is a holy grail for researchers in the field: It’s when the superior potential of quaRead More…
25 years of Pulse Polio Programme in India Context : October 2019 marks 25 years of Pulse Polio Programme in India. About polio : Polio also known as poliomyelitis is a highly contagious viral disease caused due to the attacks the nervous system and children younger than 5 years old are more likely to contract the virus than any other group. Poliovirus usually spreads from person to person thRead More…
World Iodine Deficiency Day Context : World Iodine Deficiency Day is observed on 21 October. Aim : To create awareness of the adequate use of iodine among the people. The day also highlights the consequences of iodine deficiency. About Iodene : Iodine is required for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). It is essential for the normal growth and dRead More…
India Innovation Index 2019 Context : NITI Aayog with Institute for Competitiveness as the knowledge partner released the India Innovation Index (III) 2019. Aim : To create a holistic tool which can be used by policymakers across the country to identify the challenges to be addressed and strengths to build on when designing the economic growth policies for their regions. How it is calculatRead More…
Global Hunger Index 2019 : India ranked lower than Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh Context : India is ranked 102 of 117 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2019, behind its neighbours Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Highlights : Seventeen countries, including Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey, Cuba and Kuwait, shared the top rank with GHI scores of less than five. The share of wasting among chiRead More…
IMF cuts India’s growth projection to 6.1% in 2019 Context : The IMF slashed India’s GDP growth projection for the year 2019 to 6.1%, which is 1.2% down from its April projections. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April said India will grow at 7.3% in 2019. However, three months later it projected a slower growth rate for India in 2019, a downward revision of 0.3%. Reason For downwRead More…
FASTags for vehicles Context : FASTags — a device to make automatic payments at toll booths and will work as Aadhaar to track vehicles. Purpose : Allows the government to track the movement of vehicles across the country. and to make payments of tolls cashless without stopping at toll booths. How its works : A FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to make cashleRead More…
World Bank cuts India’s growth projection to 6% Context : The World Bank declares India’s growth rate is projected to fall to 6%. World bank Report : In the first quarter of 2019-20, the economy experienced a significant and broad-based growth deceleration with a sharp decline in private consumption on the demand side and the weakening of growth in both industry and services on the supply Read More…
NASA’s satellite – ICON Context : NASA launched a satellite named ICON ,to explore the mysterious, dynamic region where air meets space. About “ICON” : The refrigerator-size ICON satellite will study the airglow formed from gases in the ionosphere and also measure the charged environment right around the spacecraft which is at a level of 580 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Read More…