# Public wifi networks

• The union cabinet on wednesday approved a proposal for setting up public wifi hotspots across the country via public data offices or PDOs. These PDOs could even be a kirana shop or paan shop.

• This move is aimed at helping accelerate the uptake of broadband internet services.

• The PDOs will not require a license or pay a fee. They only have to register themselves. These PDOs are equivalent to cyber cafes.

# Indus valley civilisation

• A new study has found the presence of animal products including cattle and buffalo meat, in ceramic vessels dating back about 4600 years at seven Indus valley civilisation sites in present day Haryana and Uttar pradesh.

• The study was published on wednesday in the journal of archaeological science.

• This research was conducted as a part of the two rains project of the university of cambridge and Banaras hindu university.

• Researchers analysed the lipid residue in pottery found at ancient sites.

# Maratha quota case

• A five judge constitution bench of supreme court, examining the maratha quota law, sought the assistance of attorney general K.K Venogopal to decide whether a state legislature can specify a particular community as “socially and educationally backward” for granting reservation benefits in educational jobs.

• This bench will examine if the Maharashtra legislature had violated the constitution (102nd) amendment act of 2018 to provide the maratha community reservation.

# Corona vaccine

• An expert committee of Drug controller general of India has kept on hold, the request for emergency use authorisation proposals from serum institute of India and Bharat biotech.

• The Drug controller general of India has asked for more evidence and data from these vaccine makers.

# CAA

• A year after the citizenship amendment act was passed by the lok sabha, the Ministry of home affairs has said that the rules governing the act are still under preparation.

• The information is provided by MHA in a response to RTI filed, seeking information on the status of framing the rules.

# Bill against cow slaughter

• The karnataka legislative assembly on wednesday adopted the karnataka prevention of slaughter and preservation of cattle bills,2020.

• It contains stringent penal provisions ranging from imprisonment of three to seven years and penalty of 50,000 to 7,00,000 rupees for violations.

# Word of the day

• POSHAN – Prime minister’s overarching scheme for holistic nutrition abhiyan. This is aimed at reducing the malnutrition particularly in chidren below 5 years.

# Today in India’s history

• 1905 – Robert koch received the Nobel prize for medicine for his work for Tuberculosis.

• 1907 – Rudyard Kipling, author of ‘The jungle book’ and ‘Kim’, received the nobel prize for literature.

• 1948 – Human rights day.