UPSC Daily Important Topic

■ Centre declares Soya Meal as an Essential Commodity up to 30th June, 2022- ✓Recently, the government has notified, under the Essential Commodities Act 1955, to declare ‘soya meal’ as an essential commodity up to 30th June, 2022. ✓This step is expected to stop any unfair practises (like hoarding, black marketing etc) in the market […]

■  Early signs of worsening air emerge in Northeast India- ✓According to an analysis of air quality by the Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment, air quality in India’s northeast States is worsening. ✓As per the study it appears to be under threat by the same sources — vehicles, industry and urbanisation — that have

Economic development • Economic development is the quantitative and qualitative change in an economy. • Economic development refers to the reduction and elimination of poverty, unemployment, and inequality with the context of growing economy. • Economic development means an improvement in the quality of life and living standards, e.g. measures of literacy, life-expectancy and health

Economic growth • Economic Growth is the positive change in the indicators of the economy. • Economic Growth refers to the increment in the amount of goods and services produced by an economy. • Economic growth means an increase in real national income / national output. • It refers to an increase over time in

Program for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India ✓The scheme would provide financial support of up to 50% of the project cost for setting up semiconductor and display fabrication units. ✓The scheme was aimed at making India a global hub of electronic system design and manufacturing, the statement noted. ✓In addition, the

■  Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launches Open Acreage Licensing Programme- ✓Recently, the Government launched the Open Acreage Licensing Programme(OALP)Bid Round-VII for International Competitive Bidding in continuation of its aggressive programme for exploration and adhering to the prescribed timelines. ✓Successful award of Round-VII Blocks would add a further 15,766 sq. km of exploration acreage

■ COMMUNAL AWARD ◇ In August 1932, Ramsay MacDonald, the British Prime Minister, announced a scheme of representation of the minorities, which came to be known as the Communal Award. ◇ The award not only continued separate electorates for the Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans but also extended it to the depressed classes

■  Thar desert expanding fast with land degradation – ✓Recently, the Central University of Rajasthan conducted a study on desertification of the Thar region. ✓The study was undertaken as part of an assessment of the environmentally sensitive areas within the framework of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). ✓The scientists associated with the project

Types of Budgets •Zero Based Budgeting: ✓Zero-based budgeting is a method of budgeting in which all expenses are evaluated each time a Budget is made and expenses must be justified for each new period. ✓Zero budgeting starts from the zero base and every function of the government is analysed for its needs and cost. Budget

Ambergris, the floating gold- •The Crime Branch of the Pimpri Chinchwad police has arrested two persons in Pune and seized 550 grams of ambergris, also known as ‘floating gold’. •The action comes after six persons were arrested in August by the state forest department in Pune for smuggling three kilograms of the substance. ∆  About