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August 22, 2023

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)	The ICSSR plans to develop “Indianised research methodology tools” to study the country’s social and economic changes. ICSSR was established in 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country. Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Education Aim: Review the progress of social science research and give advice to its users; Sponsor social science research programmes and projects and administer grants to institutions and individuals for research in social sciences.
e-Governance Delivery Report	The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) on Monday released the fifth edition of ‘National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) – Way Forward Monthly Report for States/UTs’ on status of e-service delivery across States/UTs.’ Key Findings: The report showed that e-services saturation had reached 69 per cent with the maximum e-services reported in the Local governance and Utility services sector. 21 out 36 States/UTs have achieved saturation of mandatory e-services in the Tourism sector while 17 states have achieved saturation in the Environment sector.
Kothari River Pollution	A report filed by the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board (RPCB) showed untreated sewage is still being discharged directly in the Kothari river, causing pollution, the National Green Tribunal noted. Origin: The Kothari River rises from the Aravalli hills near Devgarh in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. It joins the river Banas in Kotri tehsil. The Bhilwara district relies on the Meja dam, situated on the Kothari River, as a source of drinking water.
Reciprocal Tax	Former U.S. president Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term, has threatened India with reciprocal tax if re-elected in 2024. A reciprocal tax is charged on an import from another country that charges the US a similar amount to export an American product into its market. It effectively functions as a tariff.