- 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
ECI walks the extra mile to reach at the doorstep of elderly and PwD voters
In a pathbreaking initiative, the Election Commission of India (ECI), for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election, has provided the facility of home voting for the elderly and Persons with Disabilities in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Voters above 85 years of age and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with 40% benchmark disability can avail the optional home voting facility. Voters in this category have already began casting their votes for phase I and II of polling. This initiative marks a significant stride towards ensuring inclusivity and accessibility of the electoral process and in bolstering democratic participation. There are over 81 lakh 85+ aged voters and 90 lakh + PwD voters registered across the country.
Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu had announced that by giving home voting facility to elders and PwDs, it is Commission’s expression of care and respect towards them and hoped that it would set an example for society to adopt it in day-to-day life. Voters who availed the home voting facility in phase 1 polls have expressed gratitude and satisfaction for the ECI initiative. Voting from home takes place with involvement of a full contingent of polling staff and security personnel with secrecy of voting diligently maintained. With this, ECI has taken another decisive step towards facilitating a more equitable and representative democracy, where every citizen’s voice matters, regardless of physical limitations or age.
In Churu, Rajasthan eight PwD voters, all from the same family, exercised home voting facility underlining the strength of India’s electoral democracy. In Chhattisgarh, 87-year-old Indumati Pandey and 86-year-old Sonmati Baghel, from Bastar and Sukma tribal districts, exercised their franchise using the postal ballot at home and expressed their gratitude to Election Commission for the facility. In Maharashtra, ECI polling teams travelled 107 kms to provide home voting facility to two elderly voters in Sironcha town in Gadchiroli district, LWE affected area.
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
C. Education
D. Human Resources
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
IREDA Celebrates Legacy
The occasion served as a platform for the esteemed veterans to recount their experiences and offer inputs for further enriching IREDA’s journey. Former CMDs and Directors commended the rapid growth trajectory of IREDA and applauded the management’s holistic approach towards fostering business success and ensuring the well-being of its workforce, including that of superannuated employees.
Speaking about the significance of the event, CMD, IREDA, Shri Pradip Kumar Das said: “This gathering holds immense significance as it not only honours the contributions of our valued predecessors and superannuated colleagues but also underscores our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration. Their wealth of experience and insights are invaluable assets that will continue to guide us as we navigate the dynamic landscape of renewable energy development. Our growth story is not just about numbers and achievements; it’s about the people who have been the foundation of our success. We are grateful for the wisdom and guidance of our predecessors, and we look forward to leading IREDA to new heights with the same spirit of excellence and collaboration.”
India’s Index of Industrial Production grows by 5.7% in February, 2024
QUICK ESTIMATES OF INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION AND USE-BASED INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2024
(BASE 2011-12=100)
The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) are released on 12th of every month (or previous working day if 12th is a holiday) with a six weeks lag and compiled with data received from source agencies, which in turn receive the data from the producing factories/ establishments.
For the month of February 2024, the Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) with base 2011-12 stands at 147.2. The Indices of Industrial Production for the Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity sectors for the month of February 2024 stand at 139.6, 144.5 and 187.1 respectively. These Quick Estimates will undergo revision in subsequent releases as per the revision policy of IIP.
As per Use-based classification, the indices stand at 148.2 for Primary Goods, 106.2 for Capital Goods, 158.9 for Intermediate Goods and 179.8 for Infrastructure/ Construction Goods for the month of February 2024. Further, the indices for Consumer durables and Consumer non-durables stand at 121.6 and 148.9 respectively for the month of February 2024.
Details of Quick Estimates of the Index of Industrial Production for the month of February 2024 at Sectoral, 2-digit level of National Industrial Classification (NIC-2008) and by Use-based classification are given at Statements I, II and III respectively. Also, for users to appreciate the changes in the industrial sector, Statement IV provides month-wise indices for the last 12 months, by industry groups (as per 2-digit level of NIC-2008) and sectors.
Along with the Quick Estimates of IIP for the month of February 2024, the indices for January 2024 have undergone the first revision and those for November 2023 have undergone final revision in the light of the updated data received from the source agencies. The Quick Estimates for February 2024, the first revision for January 2024 and the final revision for November 2023 have been compiled at weighted response rates of 93 percent, 95 percent and 96 percent respectively.
B. industrial
E.issues
14. Technology
TRAI releases recommendations on “Encouraging Innovative Technologies, Services, Use Cases and Business Models through Regulatory Sandbox in Digital Communication Sector”
elecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today released its recommendations on “Encouraging Innovative Technologies, Services, Use Cases, and Business Models through Regulatory Sandbox in Digital Communication Sector”. In view of new technological developments in 5G/6G, Machine to Machine Communications, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, and others, there is a need to provide an environment in which new technologies, services, use cases and business models can be tested in live networks, or existing functions or processes can be refined. To address this pressing need, the Department of Telecommunications wrote to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on March 10, 2023, requesting, TRAI’s recommendations regarding a regulatory sandbox framework for new services, technologies, and business models in the digital communication industry. In consideration of the DoT reference, the TRAI published a Consultation Paper (CP) on June 19, 2023, inviting feedback from stakeholders.
Regulatory Sandbox (RS) makes real-time but regulated access to telecom network and customer resources, something that is not possible in conventional methods of lab testing or pilots. Specific and generic exemptions in regulations, valid only for RS testing, are granted for testing of new ideas. Regulatory bodies in many countries have established such sandbox frameworks. Providing such a framework for live testing in India will encourage more entrepreneurs to develop solutions for the digital communication industry of the country as well as the world.
Subsequently, the Central Government inter-alia made following provisions in the Telecommunication Act’ 2023 notified on December 24, 2023:
“The Central Government may, for the purposes of encouraging and facilitating innovation and technological development in telecommunication, create one or more regulatory sandboxes, in such manner, and for such duration, as may be prescribed.
Explanation. — For the purposes of this section, the expression “regulatory sandbox” refers to a live testing environment where new products, services, processes, and business models which may be deployed, on a limited set of users, for a specified period of time, with certain relaxations from the provisions of this Act.”
The DoT has also issued guidelines on 11.03.2024 to establish and operate ‘Spectrum Regulatory Sandbox’ (SRS) or ‘WiTe Zones (Wireless Test Zones)’ to promote R&D activities, outdoor testing/experimentation in the field of emerging new radio communications technologies. However, these guidelines do not provide for any connectivity with PSTN/Public commercial network/satellite, for the purpose of testing/Research & Development (R&D) i.e., testing in WiTe Zones does not allow exposure of products to live network environments. Beyond offline/laboratory/WiTe Zone testing, there will be a requirement for testing the products in actual live network environments. Also, apart from exemptions that are related to spectrum, some products may require other types of regulatory relaxations for testing in live network requirements.
Based on the reference received from DoT, stakeholder feedback, and in line with the definition of Regulatory Sandbox as provided in the Telecommunication Act’ 2023, which emphasize on testing of new products, services, processes, and business models in live testing environment on a limited set of users for a specified period of time after obtaining certain regulatory relaxations, the Authority has finalized its recommendations.
The recommendations outline all the relevant components in detail and offer a comprehensive framework for conducting Sandbox testing for the Digital Communication sector. As part of the recommendations, the Authority has outlined the objective and boundaries of the RS framework. The recommended RS framework for Digital Communication sector details the qualification to take part in the RS testing, essential requirements that participants must meet, supporting paperwork needed to demonstrate eligibility, the application, evaluation & approval procedure, the authority to waive or amend rules, validity period, procedures for authorization revocation, and the reporting requirements.
Indian companies or partnership firms, limited liability partnerships or a research institute who have done limited prior testing of their products/services/applications and meet all conditions mentioned in the framework can apply for regulatory sandbox testing. As the RS testing will be carried out in live networks on certain set of users, the framework has kept the security of networks and protection of customers in mind. Accordingly, it has been provided in the RS framework that the applicants will have to, inter-alia, provide details of regulatory exemptions sought, risk mitigation safeguards proposed, consumer protection mechanism suggested, and a well-defined exit strategy as part of their application. To ensure accountability on part of Government agencies involved, strict timelines have been provided for completing the application evaluation process.
The regulatory framework includes clear documentation requirements and application, evaluation & approval procedures to ensure transparency throughout the RS process. Additionally, a detailed reporting mechanism has been defined to monitor the progress and outcomes of regulatory sandbox testing effectively. The framework provides that permission granted under the RS will have a validity period of up to 12 months for testing its product. However, provisions have been incorporated for extending the validity period or to early close/terminate the testing, if so required. An overseeing body has been proposed to monitor and evaluate regulatory sandbox testing so as to keep it on track and take necessary corrective measures, if required.
The Telecommunication Act’ 2023 has already extended the scope of Digital Bharat Nidhi to facilitate innovation and experimentation in the telecom sector by extending suitable financial support. As part of the regulatory sandbox framework, the authority has recognized that some of the innovations can have potential to bridge the digital divide and bring socio-economic advancement to under privileged sections of the society, if deployed on wider scale. However, despite being very promising, such innovation may lack adequate funding support and, therefore, the authority has recommended that such deserving innovations may be considered to get funding support for testing under RS Framework under Clause 25 (b), (c) and (d) of the Telecommunication Act’ 2023.
The recommended Regulatory Sandbox framework is expected to give the Digital Communication industry’s startup ecosystem access to real network environments and other data of telecom network to help test the reliability of new applications before bringing them to market. The framework provides for using cross-sector cooperation in carrying out RS testing with the help of other ministries and agencies. By providing a RS framework that enable various digital communication sector entities to work together in a structured manner, these recommendations are expected to synergize the efforts of innovators, startups, telecommunications companies, government agencies, and regulators to boost innovation and start-up eco system
15. Environment
16. Security
17. Disaster Management