- Indian Heritage
- Culture
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
Central Drugs standard Control Organization (CDSCO),
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is the Central Drug Authority for discharging functions assigned to the Central Government under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. CDSCO has nine zonal offices, seven sub-zonal offices, 18 port offices seven central laboratories and six mini labs under its control.
Major functions of CDSCO:
1.Regulatory control over the import of drugs, approval of new drugs and clinical trials, meetings of Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) and Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), approval of certain licenses as Central License Approving Authority is exercised by the CDSCO headquarters.
Under the Drug and Cosmetics Act, the regulation of manufacture, sale and distribution of Drugs is primarily the concern of the State authorities while the Central Authorities are responsible for approval of New Drugs, Clinical Trials in the country, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs, coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organisations and providing expert advice with a view of bring about the uniformity in the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Drug Controller General of India is responsible for approval of licenses of specified categories of Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization Head quarter is located at FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi 110002 and functions under the Directorate General of Health Services.
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
Memorandum of Understanding between India and Kenya on cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 5th December, 2023 between the Government of the Republic of India through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Government of the Republic of Kenya through the Ministry of Information, Communications and digital Economy on cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
Details:
The MoU intends to promote closer cooperation and exchange of experiences and digital technologies-based solutions in the implementation of digital transformational initiatives of both the country.
Implementation strategy and targets:
The MoU shall come into effect from the date of signature of the Parties and shall be remain in force for a period of 3 years.
Impact:
Both G2G and B2G bilateral Cooperation in the field of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) will be enhanced.
No. of beneficiaries:
MoU envisages improved collaboration leading to employment opportunities in the field of IT.
Background:
MeitY is collaborating with number of countries and multilateral agencies for fostering bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the ICT domain. Over the period, MeitY has entered into MoUs/MoCs/Agreements with its counterpart oranizations/agencies from various countries to promote cooperation and exchange of information in the ICT domain. This is in consonance with the various initiatives taken by Government of India such as Digital India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India etc. to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. In this changing paradigm, there is an imminent need for exploring business opportunities, sharing of best practices and attracting investments in the digital sector with the objective of enhancing mutual cooperation.
Over the last few years, India has demonstrated its leadership in implementation of Digital Public infrastructure (DP) and has successfully provided delivery of services to public even during COVID pandemic. As a result, many countries have evinced interest in learning from India’s experiences and entering into MoUs with India.
India Stack Solutions are a DPIs developed and implemented by India at population scale to provide access and delivery of public services. It aims to enhance connectivity, promote digital inclusion, and enable seamless access to public service. These are built on open technologies, are interoperable and are designed to harness industry and community participation which fosters innovative and inclusive solutions. However, each country has unique needs and challenges in building DPI, although the basic functionality is similar, allowing for global cooperation.
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
START-UPS
Launched on 16th January, 2016, the Startup India Initiative has rolled out several programs with the objective of supporting entrepreneurs, building a robust startup ecosystem and transforming India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers. These programs are managed by a dedicated Startup India Team, which reports to the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion (DPIIT).
is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation and Startups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities. The Government through this initiative aims to empower Startups to grow through innovation and design. In order to meet the objectives of the initiative, Government of India is announcing this Action Plan that addresses all aspects of the Startup ecosystem. With this Action Plan the Government hopes to accelerate spreading of the Startup movement:
• From digital/ technology sector to a wide array of sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, social sector, healthcare, education, etc.; and
• From existing tier 1 cities to tier 2 and tier 3 citites including semi-urban and rural areas. The Action Plan is divided across the following areas:
• Simplification and Handholding
• Funding Support and Incentives
• Industry-Academia Partnership and Incubation
B. industrial
Thermal Power Plant
Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station, Madhya Pradesh
The Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh, with an installed capacity of 4,760MW, is currently the biggest thermal power plant in India. It is a coal-based power plant owned and operated by NTPC.
Construction of the plant, which comprised 12 generating units (six 210MW units and six 500MW units), had begun in 1982. The first unit was commissioned in 1987 while the sixth 500MW was commissioned in April 2013. An additional 500MW unit was commissioned in August 2015, increasing the plant’s gross capacity from 4,260MW to 4,760MW.
The plant uses coal from the NCL-operated Nigahi mine and water from the discharge canal of Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station. The turbine manufacturers for the Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station include Russian companies LMZ, Electrosila and the Indian BHEL. The 500MW units were supplied by BHEL.
Mundra Thermal Power Station, Gujarat
The 4,620MW Mundra Thermal Power Station located in the Kutch district of Gujarat is currently the second biggest operating thermal power plant in India. It is a coal-fired power plant owned and operated by Adani Power.
The power plant consists of nine generating units (four 330MW units and five 660MW units). The first 330MW unit was commissioned in May 2009 and the last 660MW unit of the plant commissioned in March 2012. The coal used for the power plant is mainly imported from Indonesia. The plant’s water source is the seawater from the Gulf of Kutch.
The boilers and generators for the first four units were supplied by Babcock & Wilcox and Beijing Beizhong respectively. SEPCO III, China was the EPC contractor for the last five 660MW units, which feature supercritical technology.
The boilers were supplied by Harbin Boiler and the turbine and generators were supplied by Dongfang Machinery.
Mundra Ultra Mega Power Plant, Gujarat
The 4,000MW Mundra Ultra Mega Power Plant (UMPP), also located in the Kutch district of Gujarat, ranks as the third-largest thermal power plant in India. It is a coal-fired power plant owned and operated by Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (CGPL), a subsidiary of Tata Power.
The thermal power plant consists of five 800MW generating units. Construction of the plant began in March 2009.
The first unit of the Mundra UMPP was commissioned in March 2012 and the last unit was commissioned in March 2009. The plant uses 12 billion tonnes of imported coal per annum.
The plant features supercritical boiler technology. Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction was the EPC contractor for this project. The five boilers for the plant were also supplied by Doosan. Toshiba supplied the steam turbine generators.
Sasan Ultra Mega Power Plant, Madhya Pradesh
The Sasan Ultra Mega power plant, located in the Sasan village of the Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh, has an installed capacity of 3,960MW. Owned and operated by Reliance Power, it is one of India’s biggest power plants integrated with a coal mine.
The coal-fired power plant includes six 660MW units and was fully commissioned in April 2015. It utilises coal from the Moher and Moher-Amlohri coal mines and draws water from Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar reservoir for its operations. It supplies reliable and low-cost power to approximately 420 million people across seven states.
Shanghai Electric Corporation supplied the boilers, turbines and generators for the plant.
Tiroda Thermal Power Plant, Maharashtra
The Tiroda thermal power plant is a 3,300MW coal-based power generation plant in Maharashtra, India. Owned and operated by Adani Power Maharashtra, the power plant consists of five 660MW units.
The first unit of the power plant was commissioned in August 2012, while the last unit commenced operations in October 2014. The power plant uses state-of-the-art supercritical technology and draws water from the Wainganga River for its operations.
The power plant covers an area of 454.86ha and is equipped with advanced pollution control equipment, including a 275m-high chimney, a dust extraction and suppression system, and low NOx burners.
Talcher Super Thermal Power Station, Odisha
The Talcher Super Thermal Power Station or NTPC Talcher Kaniha, located in the Angul district of Odisha, is a 3,000MW coal-fired power plant owned and operated by NTPC.
NTPC Talcher Kaniha plant consists of six 500MW units. The first unit of the plant was commissioned in February 1995 and the last unit began operations in February 2005. Turbine manufacturers for the plant were ABB and BHEL.
The coal used by the Talcher Super Thermal Power Station is sourced from the Lingraj Block of Talcher Coal Field. The plant uses water from the Samal Barrage Reservoir on the Brahmani River in Odisha.
Rihand Thermal Power Station, Uttar Pradesh
Rihand Thermal Power Station is located at Rihandnagar, Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh. Owned and operated by NTPC, the coal-fired power plant has an installed capacity of 3,000MW.
The plant consists of six units generating 500MW each. The first unit was commissioned in March 1988 while the sixth unit was commissioned in October 2013.
Coal for the Rihand thermal power station is sourced from Amlori, Amloric expansion, and the Dudhichua mines in Madhya Pradesh. Water is sourced from the Rihand Reservoir built on Son River. The plant supplies electricity to various states in the northern part of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Chandigarh.
Sipat Thermal Power Plant, Chhattisgarh
The 2,980MW Sipat Super Thermal Power Plant in Sipat, Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh, ranks as the eighth-largest thermal power station in India. It is a coal-based power plant owned and operated by NTPC.
The power plant built in two stages is installed with six generating units (three 660MW supercritical units and three 500MW units). The first unit of the plant commenced commercial operations in August 2008, while the last unit was commissioned in June 2012.
Built with an estimated cost of more than $2bn, the power plant was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi Super Thermal Power Station in September 2013. Coal for the Sipat plant is sourced from Dipika Mines of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). The plant uses water from the Right Bank Canal (RBC) originating from the Hasdeo Barrage.
Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station, Maharashtra
The Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station is a 2,920MW power plant in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India. It is the biggest power plant operated by the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company.
The plant is equipped with five 500MW units and two 210MW units. The first unit was commissioned in 1985 while the last commenced operations in 2016.
The power plant draws water from the Erai and Chargaon dams for its operations and meets 25% of the electricity needs of Maharashtra.
NTPC Dadri, Uttar Pradesh
NTPC Dadri or National Capital Power Station (NCPS) owned and operated by NTPC is located in the Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, about 48km from the Indian capital New Delhi. The power station, with an installed capacity of 2637MW (1820MW- coal based and 817MW gas based), ranks as the sixth largest thermal plant in India.
The power station consists of six coal-fired units (four 210MW units and two 490MW units) and six gas-based generating units (four 130.19MW gas turbines and two 154.51MW steam turbines). The first coal-fired unit was commissioned in October 1991 and the last unit was commissioned in July 2010. The gas-based generating units were commissioned between 1992 and 1997.
The coal for NTPC Dadri is sourced from Piparwar Mines, Jharkhand. The gas is sourced from GAIL Hazira-Bijapur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) Pipeline. The water source for the thermal power station is the Upper Ganga Canal.
E.issues
14. Technology
15. Environment
NCR to ensure that the AQI
Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 318 as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In view of significant improvement in the average air quality of Delhi, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) met today to review the current air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/ IITM and accordingly take an appropriate call on the preventive/ restrictive actions under Stage-III of GRAP already in place in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) since 14.01.2024. While comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters of Delhi-NCR, the Sub-Committee observed as under:
- AQI of Delhi has been progressively improving and has been recorded as 316 at 2:00 P.M. which is about 85 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450) and preventive/ mitigative/ restrictive actions under all Stages up to Stage-III are underway, there is a likelihood of sustaining the improvement in AQI. The forecast by IMD/ IITM also do not indicate any significant deterioration and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving and remaining in ‘Very Poor’/ ‘Poor’ category in next few days.
Therefore, keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-III of GRAP impacting a large number of stakeholders and public as well as considering the significant improvement in the average AQI of Delhi and also the forecasts by IMD/ IITM not indicating the average air quality of Delhi moving to ‘Severe’ category in the coming days for which forecast is available, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under GRAP unanimously decided to revoke Stage-III of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect. Actions under Stage-I to Stage-II of the GRAP shall however remain invoked and be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all agencies concerned in the entire NCR and agencies shall keep strict vigil and especially intensify measures under Stage-I & II of GRAP in order to obviate the implementation of Stage-III of GRAP actions owing to AQI level further slipping into ‘Severe’ category.
Further, C&D project sites and industrial units which have been issued specific closure orders on account of violations/ non-compliances of various statutory directions, rules, guidelines etc. under no circumstances shall resume their operations without any specific order to this effect from the Commission.
CAQM Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under GRAP in its earlier meetings had invoked actions under Stage-I, Stage-II, Stage-III and Stage-IV of revised GRAP on 06.10.2023, 21.10.2023, 02.11.2023 and 05.11.2023 respectively. On periodic review of the air quality of Delhi and forecast provided by IMD/ IITM, the Sub-Committee had revoked actions under Stage-IV and Stage-III of GRAP on 18.11.2023 and 28.11.2023 respectively. Further actions under Stage-III of GRAP were re-invoked on 22.12.2023 (revoked on 01.01.2024) and 14.01.2024 respectively.
16. Security
17. Disaster Management