Jan 31
Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2023: India at 93 among 180 countries💥
★ Released By : Transparency International annually since 1995. To rank 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption
Key highlights
☆ The index uses a scale of 0 to 100 to rank Corruption Perception Index(CPI), where 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).. It uses data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, think tanks and others.
☆ India’s rank – 93 out of 180 countries, with a score of 39. Pakistan scored 29 with a rank of 133 and China, scored 42 occupying rank 76
☆ Denmark topped the index for the sixth consecutive year. followed by Finland, New Zealand and Norway.
☆ Somalia was ranked last, other countries occupying the bottom spots included: Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan and Yemen.
Status Report of Snow Leopards in India💥
★Released by : The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is the National Coordinator for this exercise.
Key highlights
☆ This is the first-ever scientific exercise, which took around 4 years to complete.
☆ As per the assessment, India has an estimated 718 snow leopards in the wild.
☆ Ladakh (477) has the highest number of snow leopard, followed by Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (nine).
☆ India has around 10-15% of global population of snow leopard.
💡Additional Info
| Species | Snow Leopard |
|---|---|
| Specifications | Details |
| Location | Panthera uncia (previously: Uncia uncia) |
| Status | ⋆ The snow leopard inhabits the mountains of central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, ranging from an elevation of about 1,800 metres (about 6,000 feet) in the winter to about 5,500 metres (18,000 feet) in the summer. Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. ⋆ Geographical range in India: Western Himalayas: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas: Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Hemis National Park (Ladakh) has a good presence of Snow Leopard ⋆ Indicator Species: Due to their position as the top predator in the food web, they act as an indicator of the health of the mountain ecosystem in which they live. |
| Threats | Snow leopards are highly threatened due to poaching for its pelt and body parts, a decline in prey base (mostly Blue Sheep and Asiatic Ibex) due to increasing domestic livestock who tend to quickly deplete the high altitude pasture lands ; and retaliatory killings by village communities |
| Protection Status | ⋆ Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I. ⋆ IUCN: Vulnerbale ⋆ CITES: Appendix I. |
Jan 29
AISHE Survey
★Released by : Ministry of Education
Key highlights
☆ The enrollment of females in Higher Education rose from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.07 crore in 2021-22.
☆ The total enrolment in higher education has increased to 4.33 crore in 2021-22 from 4.14 crore in 2020-21.
☆ The Minority Student enrolment has increased to 30.1 lakh in 2021-22 from 21.8 lakhs in 2014-15.
Jan 23
Global equity market rankings
★Released by : T&D India
Key highlights
☆India overtakes Hong Kong as the world’s fourth-largest stock market by market capitalization on January 22.
☆The US maintains the top position with a market cap of $50.86 trillion, followed by China at $8.44 trillion and Japan at $6.36 trillion.
☆India’s market cap stood at $4.33 trillion against $4.29 trillion for Hong Kong.
Jan 21
Four DISCOMs secure A+ rating in latest CSRD report.
★Released by : T&D India
Key highlights
☆ Three leading electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) in Delhi—BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna, and Tata Power—shine with A+ ratings.
☆ Noida Power Company Limited (NPCL) from Uttar Pradesh joins the elite club of A+ rated DISCOMs
☆ RK Singh, the minister, highlights transformative changes in transmission and distribution, reinforcing the government’s commitment to robust power infrastructure.
Jan 18
Global Firepower Rankings 2024: India secured 4th strongest military
★Released by : Global Firepower -annually-updated, statistics-based website tracking defense-related information of 145 nations
Key highlights
☆ United States maintains the world’s most powerful military in 2024, followed by Russia and China.
☆ India ranks fourth globally in military strength, according to the Global Firepower index evaluating 145 countries.
☆ The comprehensive ranking considers factors such as troop numbers, equipment, financial stability, geography, and available resources.
Jan 15
Report on inequality and global corporate power.
★Released by : OXFAM
Key highlights
☆ The world’s five richest men have more than doubled their fortunes from $405 billion to $869 billion since 2020 —at a rate of $14 million per hour
☆ Billionaires collectively gained $3.3tn since 2020, exacerbating inequality amidst global economic challenges.
☆ Over the same period, the total wealth of the poorest 4.77 billion people – making up 60% of the world population – has declined by 0.2% in real terms.
☆ Oxfam advocates for a wealth tax, capping CEO pay, and dismantling monopolies to address wealth concentration.
Jan 14
5th Kaziranga Tiger Reserve Water-bird Count
★Released by : Citizen scientist initiative
Key highlights
☆ The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve have recorded a 27% increase in the number of resident and winter migratory waterbirds.
☆ It was the fifth waterbird census conducted ; from January 9-10 across the 1,302 sq km wildlife reserve, confirmed the presence of 84,839 birds, which was 18,063 more than the number recorded during a corresponding survey in 2021-22.
☆ About Water birds – Aquatic birds, simply called waterbirds, are those species that prefer to live in or around water bodies and are well-adapted to this environment.
💡Additional Info
| Protection Area | Kaziranga National Park |
|---|---|
| Specifications | Details |
| Location | ⋆ It is located in the State of Assam and covers 42,996 Hectare (ha). It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain. ⋆ It is situated on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. The Diphlu River runs through it. ⋆ The National Highway 37 passes through it. ⋆ The landscape is marked by: Tropical moist mixed deciduous forests and tropical semi-evergreen forests, tall grasses, open jungle, and short grasses |
| Status | ⋆ Legal Status: It was declared as a National Park in 1974. It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007. It has a total tiger reserve area of 1,030 sq km with a core area of 430 sq. km. ⋆ International Status: It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. |
| Major Species | ⋆ It is majorly known for the ‘big four’ species— Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger, and Asiatic water buffalo. ⋆ It is also one of the last remaining homes of the endangered and endemic western hoolock gibbon, the only species of apes found in India. ⋆ It is home to approximately 478 species of both resident and migratory birds. ⋆ It is one of the last homes of the critically endangered Bengal florican. |
Jan 13
Swachh Survekshan 2023💥
★Released by : Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Key highlights
☆ City Rankings : Indore cleanest city title for the 7th consecutive year. Surat, consistently second behind Indore in recent years, claimed the top spot for the first time.
☆ Cleanest State Award: Maharashtra 1st. Madhya Pradesh 2nd
☆ Chandigarh received the Safaimitra Surakshit Shehar award for the city with the best safety standards for sanitation workers.
☆ Varanasi was recognized as the cleanest Ganga town.
☆ Sasvad in Maharashtra earned the cleanest city title among those with a population below 1 lakh.
☆ Mhow Cantonment was declared the cleanest cantonment in the country.
Jan 12
States’ Startup Ranking 2023
★Released by : Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
Key highlights
☆ The top five states leading the charge in fostering robust startup ecosystems are Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Himachal Pradesh.
☆ A total of (33) , states and UTs included participated in the exercise, which ranked them under five categories- best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders and emerging startup ecosystems, based on seven Reform Areas spread across 25 Action Points.
☆ Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, are categorised as the top performers.
☆ Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, and Tripura are categorised as ‘leader’.
☆ ‘Aspiring leaders’ category includes Bihar, Haryana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Nagaland while ‘the emerging startup ecosystems’ category comprise Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh, among others.
19th Edition of Global Risks Report 2024, titled as “From Life to Lab: Science in Action”💥
★Released by : World Economic Forum (WEF)
Key highlights
☆ identifies AI-driven misinformation and disinformation are listed as the most severe risks over the next two years
☆ There are four structural forces shaping global risks over the next decade: Climate change, Demographic Bifurcation, Technological Acceleration, and Geostrategic shifts.
☆ Environmental risks, particularly extreme weather, dominate the risk landscape over all time frames.
The cost-of-living crisis and economic risks such as Inflation and economic downturn are significant concerns for 2024.
☆ Interstate armed conflict is identified as a new entrant into the top risk rankings over the next two years.
☆ A deeper divide between global powers, especially between the Global North and South, may lead to challenges in international governance.
Jan 11
India’s most polluted city in 2023: Report
★Released by : Independent think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)
Key highlights
☆ Byrnihat in Meghalaya topped the list of the most polluted cities in India in 2023, closely followed by Begusarai in Bihar and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, according to a report
☆ 227 cities with air quality data available for over 75 per cent of the days in 2023 were studied. CREA report underscores alarming PM10 concentrations in critical areas.
2024 Passport Index💥
★Released by : The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – the largest, most accurate travel information database – and enhanced by Henley & Partners‘ research team
Key highlights
☆ The Henley Passport Index 2024 was released , highlighting the “power” of passports of 199 countries.
☆ France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Singapore lead with visa-free access to 194 destinations.
☆ India stands at the 80th rank in the list of most powerful passports. Its passport has visa-free access to 62 nations. India shares the rank with Uzbekistan
☆The least powerful passport in the world is Afghanistan. It ranked at 104th spot with access to 28 countries. It is followed by Syria (103), Iraq (102), Pakistan (101) and Yemen (100).
Jan 10
World Employment and Social Outlook Trends💥
★Released by : The International Labour Organization
Key highlights
☆ The International Labour Organization predicts a slight increase in the global unemployment rate to 5.2% in 2024.
☆ The rise is attributed to increased joblessness in advanced economies.
☆ The report highlights concerns, especially in high-income countries, where employment growth is expected to turn negative in 2024, with only modest improvements anticipated in 2025.
Indian Railway Freight Activity (IRFA) Index.💥
★Released by : Dun & Bradstreet, in partnership with Jupiter Wagons
Key highlights
☆ Findings reveal that while railway freight operations are largely efficient, cost-effectiveness trumps speed and reliability as the primary demand driver; however, network congestion and damage/loss of goods remain key constraints.
Bottled water holds more microplastics than thought: Study💥
★ Released by : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Key highlights
☆ Research revealed bottled water contains 240,000 plastic fragments per bottle. This increased the number of detectable plastic particles in bottled water by a factor of more than ten and in some cases, 100
☆ These microplastics are nanoplastics, less than a micron in size, and have the potential to cross the blood-brain barrier.
☆ The study used a newly-developed laser technology that can find even the smallest of fragments stimulated Raman scattering microscopy.
☆ Prolonged exposure to microplastics may lead to digestive issues, inflammation, and disrupted nutrient absorption.
Jan 9
Engendering Land Ports in India Report on Gender-Inclusive Framework for Cross-Border Trade in India:💥
★Released by : Land Ports Authority
Key highlights
☆ The main objective of the report is to develop a framework for gender inclusive cross border trade and tourism through land Ports in the country
☆ LPAI Chairman Aditya Mishra emphasized implementing report recommendations to create a gender-neutral environment at land ports.
MSCI Emerging Markets Index 💥
★Released by : Morgan Stanley Capital International. It is an investment research firm that provides stock indexes, portfolio risk and performance analytics
Key highlights
☆ Over the past 8 years, India’s weight starting at 7%, has now reached 17.1%, reflecting the country’s economic resilience and attractiveness to investors.
☆ The rising weightage of the MSCI EM index has contributed to increased capital flows.
☆ After a significant outflow of $33 billion from the 2nd half of 2021 to the 1st half of 2022, India witnessed the highest inflows in the last 11 years.
Jan 5
★Released by : Avatar group, based on a City Inclusion Score (CIS).
Key highlights
☆ The CIS, out of 100, is the aggregate of the Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS) and Social Inclusion Score (SIS) and Citizen Experience Score (CES)
☆ Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad emerged as the Top 5 Cities for Women in India.
Jan 4
★ Released by The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal
Major Findings
☆ China had the highest cancer burden in Asia in 2019 — 4.8 million new cases and 2.7 million deaths. India recorded 1.2 million new cases and 929,600 deaths. Japan ranked third with 887,300 new cases and 437,700 deaths.
Global Corporate Sustainability Index💥
★ Released by SP Global an American publicly traded corporation headquartered in Manhattan
Major Findings
☆ Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc (HZL) secured the top position in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 in the metals & mining sector, ranking above 238 global peers.
☆ Parent Vedanta Ltd rose three ranks to secure the 3rd position globally in the sector.
☆ With enhanced ESG strategies and impressive scores, both companies qualify for inclusion in Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.
Tags: Reports & Indices