- 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
General Elections 2024, ECI
dvisory to Political Parties, candidates, and Star Campaigners
- No appeal shall be made on the basis of caste/communal feelings of the electors. No activity, which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes/communities/religious/linguistic groups, shall be attempted.
- The political parties and leaders shall not make false statements, utterances without factual basis aimed at misleading the voters. Criticism of other parties or their workers on the basis of unverified allegations or on distortions shall be avoided.
- No aspect of the private life, not connected with the public activities, of the leaders or workers of other parties is to be criticised. Low level personal attacks to insult the rivals shall not be made.
- No temples/mosques/churches/gurudwaras or any places of worship are to be used for election propaganda or electioneering. References which ridicule the relations between devotee and deity or suggestions of divine censure shall not be made.
- The political parties and candidates to refrain from any deeds/action/utterances that may be construed as being repugnant to the honour and dignity of women.
- Unverified and misleading advertisements are not to be given in the media.
- Advertisements masquerading as news items are not to be given.
- Social media posts vilifying and insulting the rivals or posts which are in bad taste or which are below dignity are not to be posted or shared.
- Some genres of indirect/surrogate MCC violations as noticed during previous elections are enumerated for ready reference and record
- Use of inappropriate, abusive at times, vocabulary against star campaigners of other political party(ies)
- False, unquantifiable, unsubstantiated, incorrect, and unverified allegations,
- Slangs conveying divine censure/personal vilification,
- Use of vilifying and demeaning social media posts/ caricature crossing fine line of satire
- Presenting social media posts out of the context, often to spread misinformation or disinformation.
- Misleading advertisements in garb of news items potent with disturbing level playing field just before days of voting
- Personal attack on political rivals and ridiculing the candidates of rival parties
- State Government publishing their welfare schemes in the neighbouring poll going states at opportune time
- Attempts to lure voters, by luring registration for delivery of promises under non-existent schemes which is often akin to bribery of voters through false promises
- Use of name of the candidate to make generalised comments against a group of voters
Political party leaders designated as “star campaigners” under Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, deliver speeches during significant political rallies. It is essential to interpret this within the framework of harmonious and purposive construction, as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and statutory provisions of the Act complement each other. Therefore, while enjoying the privileges granted by Section 77, star campaigners also bear the responsibility of upholding the highest ethical standards during election campaigns.
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
NITI Aayog launches National Birth Defect Awareness Month 2024
This campaign is an effort for observing Birth defect day, which is observed on 3rd of March every year and the National Birth Defect Awareness Month is an initiative in raising awareness for all birth defects and improve the care and treatment for children. The month-long activities are planned under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram of Child Health division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) for creating nationwide awareness at community level.
India has witnessed a significant reduction in the child mortality since inception of National Health Mission. Presently the Neonatal mortality rate is 20 per 1000 live births, Infant mortality rate is 28 per 1000 live births and Under 5 mortality rate is 32 per 1000 live births as per Sample Registration System 2020 Report. Birth defects contribute significantly to perinatal, neonatal and under five morbidity and mortality.
Six percent of children are born with Birth Defects every year worldwide. As per Cause of Death Statistics 2017-19 report of Sample Registration System under Registrar General of India, Birth Defect contributes to 4.9% defects of neonatal mortality and 5.7% of U5MR mortality. Hence, it is imperative that we address this significant issue to improve the survival and health outcome of our children.
Being aware of the impact of Birth Defects on our future generation, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is giving utmost priority to strategies for their identification, prevention and management under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). Early identification with assured linkage to care, support and treatment introduces equitable child health care approach, which in the end will reduce the burden of disability, improve health and ensure development of children born with Birth Defects.
RBSK focuses on early identification and management of birth defects to minimize disability. To achieve this objective, the program screens the children at four different levels
- Comprehensive New born screening at Delivery points
- Screening for visible birth defects in New born by ASHA during home visitation
- Children (6 weeks to 6 years) bi-annually screening at Anganwadis
- Children (6 years to 18 years) screening at Government and Government aided schools once a year
C. Education
D. Human Resources
National Skill Development Corporation
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is the principal architect of the skill ecosystem in the country. It is a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) enterprise working under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India. NSDC was established to catalyse the skilling ecosystem for private sector participation and be the strategic implementation and knowledge partner to Skill India Mission to build efficient vocational training initiatives, empowering India’s youth. NSDC provides support to enterprises, start-ups, companies, and organizations that are creating an impact by offering a world of opportunities in futuristic skills to the potential workforce. The organization develops appropriate models to enhance, support, and coordinate private sector initiatives in skilling by offering funding support to eligible entities, concessional loans to the candidates along with other innovative financial products and building strategic partnerships.
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
B. industrial
Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) registered on ONDC
Almost 5 thousand out of 8,000 registered Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been registered on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) portal for selling the produce online to consumers across the country. The onboarding of FPOs on ONDC to reach out to their buyers in any part of the country is in line with the Central government objective of providing growers with better market access. The move aims to empower FPOs with direct access to digital marketing, online payment, business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions. Over 8,000 FPOs have been registered against government target of 10,000 under a new Central Sector Scheme titled “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs)” launched in 2020 with budgetary provision of Rs 6,865 crore. Aggregation of small, marginal and landless farmers into FPOs help enhance economic strength & market linkages of farmers for enhancing their income. FPOs facilitate farmers with access to improved technology, credit, better input and more markets to incentivize them to produce better quality commodity.
FPOs are provided financial assistance up to Rs 18.00 lakh per FPO for a period of 3 years. In addition to this, provision has been made for matching equity grant up to Rs. 2,000 per farmer member of FPO with a limit of Rs. 15.00 lakh per FPO and a credit guarantee facility up to Rs. 2 crore of project loan per FPO from eligible lending institution to ensure institutional credit accessibility to FPOs. So far, Credit Guarantee has been issued to 1,101 FPOs worth guaranted coverage of Rs 246.0 crore covering more than 10.2 lakh farmers. Matching equity grant amounting to Rs 145.1 crore has been transferred directly to the bank account of the eligible 3,187 FPOs.
Formation & promotion of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into Atmanirbhar Krishi. The initiative enhances cost effective production and productivity and higher net incomes to the member of the FPO. It also improves rural economy and create job opportunities for rural youths in villages itself. This was the major step towards improving farmers’ income substantially.
FPOs are to be developed in produce clusters, wherein agricultural and horticultural produces are grown / cultivated for leveraging economies of scale and improving market access for members. “One District One Product” cluster to promote specialization and better processing, marketing, branding & export. Further Agriculture value chain organizations forming FPOs and facilitating 60% of market linkages for members produce.
The key objectives of the scheme are:
- To provide holistic and broad-based supportive ecosystem to form new 10,000 FPOs to facilitate development of and sustainable income-oriented farming and for overall socio-economic development and wellbeing of agrarian communities.
- To enhance productivity through efficient, cost-effective and sustainable resource use and realize higher returns through better liquidity and market linkages for their produce and become sustainable through collective action.
- To provide handholding and support to new FPOs up to 5 years from the year of creation in all aspects of management of FPO, inputs, production, processing and value addition, market linkages, credit linkages and use of technology etc.
- To provide effective capacity building to FPOs to develop agriculture-entrepreneurship skills to become economically viable and self-sustaining beyond the period of support from government.
- FPOs can be registeredeither under Part IXA of Companies Act or under Co-operative Societies
PM GatiShakti NMP
The 66th meeting of Network Planning Group (NPG)was held on 27 February, 2024 in New Delhi, under the chairpersonship of Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur, to evaluate three projects from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and two projects from Ministry of Railways (MoR).
Highway projects in the Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya and Assam
The first project from MoRTH pertains to the up-gradation of NH 216H in Andhra Pradesh. This Brownfield project spans approximately 120.85 kms, connecting Pedana to Laxmipuram. The objective is to enhance interconnectivity, particularly for Machilipatnam port and Gudiviada and Machilipatnam Railway station.The project aims to provide faster connectivity across the state, thereby boosting economic growth in underdeveloped regions and saving time and cost for inter-city travel.
The second project from MoRTH relates to providing a bypass around Indore city. The project, spanning 141 km through Dhar, Indore, and Dewas districts of Madhya Pradesh is a greenfield project. The corridor, starting near Khandwa village and terminating at NH-52 near Bhardala, aims to reduce traffic congestion in Indore, offering an alternative route and ensuring seamless transportation of goods and people.
The third project is a ring road of approximately 64 kms, around Guwahati city. The proposal includes an elevated structure at Jorabat and a new bridge across Brahmaputra. This project will contribute to decongestion of the Guwahati city and major junctions under Kamrup metropolitan district resulting in reduced travel time and vehicle operating cost, offering a solution to congestion and improving connectivity. The project is expected to provide smooth traffic flow, contributing to overall economic development.
KVIC
he social objective of providing employment.
• The economic objective of producing saleable articles.
• The wider objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building up of a strong rural community spirit.
The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
Its functions also comprise building up of a reserve of raw materials and implements for supply to producers, creation of common service facilities for processing of raw materials as semi-finished goods and provisions of facilities for marketing of KVI products apart from organisation of training of artisans engaged in these industries and encouragement of co-operative efforts amongst them. To promote the sale and marketing of khadi and/or products of village industries or handicrafts, the KVIC may forge linkages with established marketing agencies wherever feasible and necessary. The KVIC is also charged with the responsibility of encouraging and promoting research in the production techniques and equipment employed in the Khadi and Village Industries sector and providing facilities for the study of the problems relating to it, including the use of non-conventional energy and electric power with a view to increasing productivity, eliminating drudgery and otherwise enhancing their competitive capacity and arranging for dissemination of salient results obtained from such research. Further, the KVIC is entrusted with the task of providing financial assistance to institutions and individuals for development and operation of Khadi and village industries and guiding them through supply of designs, prototypes and other technical information. In implementing KVI activities, the KVIC may take such steps as to ensure genuineness of the products and to set standards of quality and ensure that the products of Khadi and village industries do conform to the standards.
The KVIC may also undertake directly or through other agencies studies concerning the problems of Khadi and/or village industries besides research or establishing pilot projects for the development of Khadi and village industries.
E.issues
14. Technology
15. Environment
16. Security
NDIA – MALAYSIA BILATERAL MARITIME EXERCISE SAMUDRA LAKSAMANA
Exercise Samudra Laksamana is underway from 28 Feb – 02 Mar 24 at/ off Visakhapatnam. Indian Naval Ship Kiltan and Royal Malaysian Ship KD Lekir are participating in the 3rd edition of this exercise which has harbour professional interactions followed by the operational phase at sea.
At harbour, crew of both ships will have various professional interactions, Subject Matter Expert Exchange on topics of mutual interest, sports fixtures, and other interactions. These interactions are aimed to enhance knowledge base, share best practices and further cooperation on maritime aspects.
During sea phase, units would be jointly honing skills while conducting various operations at sea.
The exercise aims to strengthen bonds and enhance interoperability between the Indian and Royal Malaysian Navy.
17. Disaster Management