Space sector contributed ₹20,000 crore to India's GDP in the last decade

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Economic contribution

India's space sector has significantly boosted the country's economy, contributing nearly $24 billion (₹20,000 crore) to the gross domestic product (GDP) in the last decade. The sector has directly supported 96,000 jobs in the public and private sectors.

Multiplier effect and productivity

For every dollar generated by the space sector, there is a multiplier effect of $2.54 on the Indian economy. Moreover, the space workforce in India has proven to be 2.5 times more productive than the country's broader industrial workforce.

Report

These findings were presented by Steve Bochinger, associated executive advisor of Novaspace, during the National Space Day celebrations. The report, prepared by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), evaluates the socio-economic impact of the space sector from 2014 to 2023.

The study was conducted by Indian research firms IconOne and Novaspace, with inputs from representatives of 56 public and private organizations.

Narendra Modi's Ukraine visit was more of a balancing attempt than a peace effort

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Kyiv and meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is being seen as an attempt to balance India's position on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, India has maintained a neutral stance, abstaining from UN resolutions criticising Russia and circumventing Western sanctions.

Significance of the visit

The visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since Ukraine's independence in 1991. During the visit, Modi and Zelensky discussed the ongoing conflict and signed agreements on cooperation in agriculture, culture and medical products.

However, there was no significant progress on the strategic partnership or other key requests from Ukraine.

India's role in conflict resolution

The big question is whether India will play a more active role in peace efforts. So far, India has limited its involvement to diplomatic messaging, without fundamentally changing its stance on the conflict.

Odisha CM launches much-awaited assistance scheme for women

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Friday announced the implementation of the 'Subhadra Yojana'. Under the initiative, one crore poor women aged between 21 and 60 years will be given Rs 50,000 over five years.

Scheme details

The 'Subhadra Yojana' is a key election promise of the BJP, which recently ended the 24-year tenure of former chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Under the scheme, every eligible woman will get Rs 10,000 annually to be disbursed in two installments of Rs 5,000 each on Rakhi Purnima Day and International Women's Day (March 8).

Eligibility criteria

To qualify for Subhadra, women should not be receiving Rs 1,500 or more per month or Rs 18,000 or more per year from other government assistance programmes.

Retrospective effect of BNSS section on detention

On Friday, the Centre announced that Section 479 of the Indian Civil Security Code (BNSS), which governs the maximum detention period for undertrial prisoners, will be applied retrospectively.

Custody implications

Additional Solicitor-General Aishwarya Bhati confirmed that the provision will apply even if the offence was registered before July 1. This means that undertrial prisoners will get the benefit of the new maximum detention limits set by Section 479, regardless of when their offences were registered.

Key details

The retrospective application of Section 479 is aimed at ensuring that the revised detention limits are applied uniformly, providing potential relief to those who have been detained for longer than the newly prescribed maximum period.