Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Exam Preparation

4th BIMSTEC Summit in Nepal Fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit held in Kathmandu on August 30-31.  The two-day summit witness participation from all members states to hold discussions on trade, security and development of the region. Head of Governments from all member countries viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand are participating in this summit. Bimstec came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.  RCEP meeting in Singapore In Singapore, Trade ministers of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) bloc, including India and China, met in Singapore. RCEP is a mega trade pact that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic cooperation and intellectual property rights. The bloc comprises 10 ASEAN members and their 6 FTA partners- India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Vostok-2018, Russia to conduct th

Govt. constitutes 21 Member Sci-Tech Advisory for PM Central Government has constituted 21-member advisory panel on science, technology and innovation called  PM-STIAC or Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council. PM-STIAC is headed by K Vijay Raghavan (scientific advisor); other members includes VK Saraswat, AS Kiran Kumar, Madhuri Kanitkar, Manjul Bhargava, Shubhas Kak, Baba Kalyani, Ajay Sood, 11 Secretaries and 10 Ministers etc. Mandated to advice PM on science and technology as well as to coordinate implementation of his scientific vision. Centre asks States to ban e-cigarettes Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has issued an advisory to states and union territories to ban manufacturing, advertisement, and sale of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems including e-cigarettes. Many states have already banned these devices including UP, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Mizoram. As per WHO report as many as 30

A daily current affairs digest for IAS, IPS, Civil Services, IBPS, SBI, other banks, Insurance, SSC, Railways and various other competitive exams aspirants. Also helpful for AIIMS, State Services, and various government/ PSU exams. 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill 2017 Passed by Lok Sabha Lok Sabha has passed Constitutional amendment bill to grant National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) a Constitutional status like NCSC and NCST. Currently, NCSC looks after complaints and welfare of the backward class too along with SC and Anglo-Indian, but with this Bill, all the power will be transferred to NCBC. The NCBC will have five members appointed by President. New Articles 338 B talks about composition, powers, mandate, and functions of NCBC, while Article 342 A talks about President's authority to specify backward classes for states and UTs in consultation with Governors. NCBC will have powers of a civil court while investigating or inquiring into any complaints