By Categories: Daily Current Events

Shri Bhim Sain Bassi takes over as Member of UPSC:-

Shri Bhim Sain Bassi took the Oath of Office and Secrecy as Member, Union Public Service Commission today. The Oath was administered by Shri Deepak Gupta, Chairman, UPSC.

An Officer of Indian Police Service of AGMU cadre of 1977 batch, Shri Bhim Sain Bassi during his career spanning over 38 years has held several important positions like Commissioner, Delhi Police, Special Commissioner (Traffic), Delhi Police, Special Commissioner (Vigilance), Delhi Police, Inspector General, Chandigarh police and DGP, Goa Police.

100 Smart Cities India Conference gets underway in Berlin

Amidst global interest in the initiative of development of smart cities in India, a three day ‘100 Smart Cities India’ Conference got underway in Berlin, Germany today. It was inaugurated by the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu and Germany’s Minister of Nature Conservation, Forests, Building and Nuclear Safety Dr.Barbara Hendrics.

Leading global companies, policy makers and experts are attending the conference being organized to highlight investment opportunities in smart city development set in motion in India.

Google tax kicks in tomorrow

The finance ministry has notified that the equalisation levy (popularly known as Google tax) introduced in this budget, will come into force from June 1.

As of now, it will apply to payments for online advertisements made by Indian business entities to non-residents (such as Google, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook) where the aggregate payment in a financial year to a non-resident exceeds Rs 1 lakh. Only B2B transactions attract this levy.

The equalisation levy of 6% will have to be deducted by a business entity in India which makes payments exceeding Rs 1 lakh in the aggregate in a financial year to a non-resident service provider for specified services.

Hacking scare leads to norms for smartphones

It was recently come to notice that Pakistan Intelligence Agencies were spying on Indian Security Forces by sending malwares in mobile apps such as Top Gun (Game App), mpjunkie (music App), vdjunky (video app), talking frog (entertainment App).

Amid attempts of hacking and data theft by Pakistan and China, the government has come up with a smartphone policy for officials dealing with sensitive information.

To begin with, the government has put curbs on officials connecting their phones to office computers.They will not be allowed to even to charge the phone battery. Also, every such device will have to be approved by seniors.

The rules would apply to armed forces, intelligence officials and personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

Water sensing from the skies in pipeline

According to the estimates from India’s groundwater authority, groundwater irrigation has been expanding at a very rapid pace since 1970s and now accounts for over 60% of the total area irrigated.

About 85% of the rural drinking water supply is also met from groundwater sources. The most significant change in the groundwater scenario is that the share of bore-well irrigation went up from one per cent during 1960-61 to 60% during 2006-07, according to 2008 statistics.

The CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) is working on a plan to map India’s groundwater reserves by a helicopter-based electromagnetic survey.

The heliborne transient electromagnetic technique, as it is called, involves sending electromagnetic pulses to the ground — in timed bursts — and analysing the unique pattern that these waves make as they bounce off the freshwater or saline water reserves.

It would allow mapping potential water reserves nationwide and cost Rs.12,000 crore over 10 years. This approach would be less cumbersome than the manual methods now being used to map the groundwater.

India climbs to 41st slot on competitiveness ranking:

India has moved up three spots from last year to 41 on the IMD World Competitiveness Scoreboard, 2016.

The country’s ranking had fallen to 44 in 2015, from 35 in 2012. Hong Kong replaced the US as the world’s most competitive economy. Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada have got slots in the top 10.

India’s improvement is in sharp contrast to the sagging fortunes of other Asian countries.

competitiveness ranking india

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    Definition:

    Darknet, also known as dark web or darknet market, refers to the part of the internet that is not indexed or accessible through traditional search engines. It is a network of private and encrypted websites that cannot be accessed through regular web browsers and requires special software and configuration to access.

    The darknet is often associated with illegal activities such as drug trafficking, weapon sales, and hacking services, although not all sites on the darknet are illegal.

    Examples:

    Examples of darknet markets include Silk Road, AlphaBay, and Dream Market, which were all shut down by law enforcement agencies in recent years.

    These marketplaces operate similarly to e-commerce websites, with vendors selling various illegal goods and services, such as drugs, counterfeit documents, and hacking tools, and buyers paying with cryptocurrency for their purchases.

    Pros :

    • Anonymity: Darknet allows users to communicate and transact with each other anonymously. Users can maintain their privacy and avoid being tracked by law enforcement agencies or other entities.
    • Access to Information: The darknet provides access to information and resources that may be otherwise unavailable or censored on the regular internet. This can include political or sensitive information that is not allowed to be disseminated through other channels.
    • Freedom of Speech: The darknet can be a platform for free speech, as users are able to express their opinions and ideas without fear of censorship or retribution.
    • Secure Communication: Darknet sites are encrypted, which means that communication between users is secure and cannot be intercepted by third parties.
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    Cons:

    • Illegal Activities: Many darknet sites are associated with illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, weapon sales, and hacking services. Such activities can attract criminals and expose users to serious legal risks.
    • Scams: The darknet is a hotbed for scams, with many fake vendors and websites that aim to steal users’ personal information and cryptocurrency. The lack of regulation and oversight on the darknet means that users must be cautious when conducting transactions.
    • Security Risks: The use of the darknet can expose users to malware and other security risks, as many sites are not properly secured or monitored. Users may also be vulnerable to hacking or phishing attacks.
    • Stigma: The association of the darknet with illegal activities has created a stigma that may deter some users from using it for legitimate purposes.
     
     

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