VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE TNPSC Current Affairs DECEMBER - 2019
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1 - 37 HISTORY 01 . Important Days . Defence National Security and Terrorism . World Organisations – Pacts and Summits . Eminent Persons . Sports and Games . Books & Authors . Awards & Honours . Cultural Panaroma . India & its Neighbours . Appointments – Who is who?
38 38 - 43 POLITICAL SCIENCE .India’s Foreign Policy .Latest Court Verdicts .Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility
44 - 45 GEOGRAPHY 44 .Policy on Environment and Ecology .Natural Disasters – Safeguard Measures
46 - 51 ECONOMICS .New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector .Current Socio 46 - Economic Problems 52 - 60 SCIENCE 52 .Latest Inventions in Science & Technology . Latest Discoveries on Health Science . Mass Media & Communication
61 61 NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENTS
78
78 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
84 84 TAMIL NADU AFFAIRS
90 90 PRACTICE QUESTIONS Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Important Days History
1.1 Important Days
Date Day Theme / Remark NCC celebrates its 71st Raising The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the world’s largest 24-11-2019 Day uniformed youth organization International Day for the The theme for this year is “Orange the World: 25-11-2019 Elimination of Violence against Generation Equality Stands Against Rape”. Women It is celebrated across the country on the birthday of 26-11-2019 National Milk Day Dr. VergheseKurien. The day is celebrated to commemorate the adoption 26-11-2019 Constitution Day of the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949 by Indian Constituent Assembly. The theme for year 2019 is “Communities Make the 01-12-2019 World AIDS Day Difference.” The Pension week aims at enrolling 1 crore recipients under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan 30th Nov - 6th Labour Ministry celebrating (PM-SYM) and 50 lakh recipients under National Dec 2019 Pension Week Pension Scheme for traders and self-employees (NPS- Traders) by March 2020. The BSF was raised in 1965 with the specific purpose of 01-12-2019 BSF Celebrated its Raising Day manning Indian borders as the ‘First Line of Defence’ against infiltration, smuggling, and military assault.
Nagaland celebrated 57th On 1 December 1963, Dr. S Radhakrishnan inaugurated 01-12-2019 statehood day Nagaland as the 16th state of the country. To raise awareness about increasing air pollution and 02-12-2019 National Pollution Control Day educating people about how to control and manage industrial disasters. International Day for the 02-12-2019 Abolition of Slavery
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 1 Important Days Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019
International Day of Persons Promoting participation of persons with disabilities 03-12-2019 with Disabilities and leadership.
04-12-2019 National Navy Day
05-12-2019 World Soil Day Theme : “Stop Soil Erosion, Save our Future”
05-12-2019 International Volunteer Day Theme is “Volunteer for an inclusive future”.
07-12-2019 International Civil Aviation Day
International Civil Aviation Day The theme of ICAD 2019-2023 is “75 years of 07-12-2019 (ICAD) connecting the world”. Armed Forces Flag Day is observed by the Ministry 07-12-2019 Armed Forces flag Day of Defence The aim of organizing this event was to get an on-the- spot response and suggestion to the new system for 07-12-2019 GST Stakeholder Feedback Diwas filing GST Returns to be introduced from next fiscal year. International Anti-Corruption 09-12-2019 Day Theme : “United Against Corruption”
International Anti-Corruption International Anti-Corruption Day Theme of 2019 is 09-12-2019 Day “United Against Corruption”. International Day of Commemoration and Dignity The day is observed to raise awareness of the Genocide 09-12-2019 of the Victims of the Crime of Convention and its role in the prevention of the crime Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime of genocide and to honor its victims. 10-12-2019 Human Rights Day Theme : “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights”
11-12-2019 International Mountain Day Theme : “Mountains matter for youth”
12-12-2019 International Day of Neutrality
International Universal Health The theme for the 2019 UHC Day is “Keep the 12-12-2019 Coverage Day promise”. India had defeated Pakistan in this war and 16-12-2019 Vijay Diwas is celebrated Bangladesh celebrates its independence day on December 16 every year. 18-12-2019 International Migrants Day Theme - We Live Together
2 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Important Days
Aims to enlighten people about the problems related to minorities and their safety. Minorities Right Day 18-12-2019 Minorities Right Day in India in India is observed by the National Commission of Minorities (NCM) in India International Human Solidarity 20-12-2019 Day India celebrates National Farmers Day on 23rd December to commemorate the birth anniversary of the 5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh. He was a farmer’s leader and he had introduced many India Celebrates National 23-12-2019 Farmers Day policies to improve the lives of the Indian farmers. Choudhary Charan Singh Choudhary Charan Singh served as the Prime Minister of India between 28 July 1979 and 14 January 1980. He is often referred to as the champion of India’s peasants. 24th December is observed as the National Consumer Rights Day every year. The Consumer Protection Act National Consumer Rights Day received the President’s approval on December 24, 24-12-2019 2019 1986. Theme: Alternate consumer grievance/dispute redressal Extra News Odisha Govt. launches ‘Jalsathi’ programme International Tea Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Day - May 21 has launched the ‘Jal sathi’ programme to ensure supply of safe drinking water In addition, the United Nations to all households in the state. The Odisha General Assembly CM also launched the ‘Jal Sathi’ App on has recognized the occ asion. The Water Corporation of the tea's medicinal Odisha (WATCO) signed a memorandum properties as of understanding with the women well as cultural federations in Bhubaneswar for the importance. implementation of the programme. The Jal Sathi initiative aims to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to consumers through piped water connections.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 3 Defence, National Security and Terrorism Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 1.2 Defence, National Security and Terrorism Anti-hijacking exercise conducted in Indian Navy test-fires Brahmos Kochi port supersonic cruise missile The Indian Navy, in collaboration with Indian Navy test-fired the BrahMos Indian Coast Guard, Cochin Port Trust supersonic cruise missile, from the and all other concerned stakeholders, Navy’s stealth destroyer INS Kochi. conducted a large-scale anti-hijacking Moreover, the second ship of Project 15-A exercise off the Port of Kochi. ‘Kolkata-class’ guided missile destroyer The Exercise code-named “Apharan” saw test-fired advanced missile during a the participation of multiple agencies, naval drill in west coast. including more than 12 ships and helicopters of the Indian Navy, Indian Milan 2020: Indian Navy to host Coast Guard and Cochin Port Trust. multi-nation military drill in March Apharan was aimed at streamlining Indian Navy will be hosting military drill the response mechanism/preparedness called ‘Milan 2020’ at Visakhapatnam to thwart any attempt by anti-national in March 2020 which will witness the elements to hijack a merchant’s vessel participation of several countries. or attempt forced entry of a rogue/ MILAN stands for ‘Multilateral Naval commandeered merchant vessel into the Exercise’. Kochi harbour. Indian Navy commissions sixth Mitra Shakti: India Sri Lanka Joint Dornier aircraft squadron Military Exercise Indian Naval Air Squadron 314, the The seventh Indo-Sri Lanka joint military sixth Dornier aircraft squadron was exercise was held on December 1, 2019 at commissioned at Naval Air Enclave- Aundh military station. Porbandar on Gujarat coast. Vice Admiral The main objective of the exercise is to Pawar announced that commissioning of build and promote positive relations Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 314 - between the countries. marks yet another milestone in country’s The exercise is scheduled to be conducted efforts towards enhancing maritime at the Foreign Training Node in Pune security and surveillance footprint in the between December 1 and December 14, North Arabian Sea. 2019. India & Japan holds Mine Countermeasure Significance Exercise(MINEX) 2019 The Mitra Shakti exercise was started in A maiden bilateral exercise between 2013 and is conducted annually as a part the Indian Navy and the Japanese of military diplomacy and interaction Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) between the armies of India and Sri have conducted Mine Countermeasure Lanka. Exercise (MINEX) 2019 at Kochi, Kerala.
4 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Defence, National Security and Terrorism Defence Ministry approves purchase MEA hosts 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue, of weapons, military platforms worth Delhi Dialogue XI Rs 22,800 crore Union Ministry of External Affairs will Defence Ministry has approved be hosting 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue acquisition of military platforms and (IOD) and Delhi Dialogue XI at Pravasi weapons worth Rs 22,800 crore. Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. The DAC has also approved procurement Theme for 2019 Indian Ocean Dialogue of Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance is- ‘Indo-Pacific: Re-imagining the Indian (LRMR) Anti-Submarine Warfare P8I Ocean through an Expanded Geography’. aircraft for the Indian Navy. These The 6th IOD which takes place on 13 aircraft would greatly strengthen the December is being organized with Navy's capabilities for maritime coastal assistance of the Indian Council for World surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare Affairs (ICWA). Theme for 2019 Delhi (ASW) and Anti-Surface Vessel (ASV) strike Dialogue is- ‘Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific’. It is being organized with 10th Joint Military Training (JMT) – assistance of Research and Information Singapore and India added Air-Sea System for Developing Countries (RIS), Drill for the 1st time a New Delhi–based autonomous policy research institute. The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Army sign deal for six Apache attack are conducting the 10th Joint Military helicopters Training (JMT) at Kalaikunda, Air Force The deal for six AH-64E Apache attack Station in West Bengal from October 31 to helicopters for the Indian Army, estimated December 12. to cost around $930 million, is likely to The first JMT was conducted in the year be signed early next year. These are in 2008 under the ambit of the Air Force addition to 22 Apaches being inducted by agreement, signed in 2007. the Indian Air force (IAF). For this, India is exercising the optional 'Spike' Artillery Resistance Test clause in the original deal for 22 Apaches, Success that has a provision for 11 helicopters. These missiles, which have been The Army had made a pitch for all of purchased from Israel, have a range of them, but the government had limited it 4 km. They are capable of hitting and to six. destroying the target. The IAF has recently inducted the 2 'spike' missiles were inspected in Mow, first batch of eight Apaches based in Madhya Pradesh. Army officials said the Pathankot. All the 22 Apaches are missiles accurately hit the target. expected to be delivered by 2020 and will These missiles are the fourth generation replace the ageing Russian Mi-35 attack missiles. helicopters in service. Vetrii IAS Study Circle 5 Defence, National Security and Terrorism Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ Joint military 8th India-China joint training exercise exercise between India and Nepal ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ to be held will be held in Salijhandi, Nepal from Dec 7-20,2019 in Meghalaya ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ the Joint military The 8th edition of the joint training exercise between India and Nepal will be exercise between India and China named held in Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of “HAND-IN-HAND 2019” for the year Nepal from 03 to 16 December 2019. 2019 is to be held in Umroi, Meghalaya from December 7-20, 2019. Exercise Indra: Joint tri service The aim of this exercise is to practice joint Exercise between India and Russia planning and conduct of counter-terrorist The Joint tri service exercise between operation in the semi-urban terrain. India and Russia, INDRA 2019 is to be Theme: The theme for the exercise will be held between December 10-19, 2019 in ’counter-terrorism under United Nations Pune. The event is planned for 10 days mandate‘. between army, naval and air force forces Defence Minister addresses Armed of both the countries. Forces Flag Day-CSR Conclave Chief of Defence Staff to come under Defence Minister addresses the Armed RTI Act; NSA-led panel submits report Forces Flag Day-CSR Conclave in New A high-level committee headed by NSA Delhi. Ajit Doval to finalise responsibilities and He has expressed confidence that enabling framework for the proposed the corporate sector will contribute chief of defence staff (CDS) has submitted generously to the welfare of its report to the government. ex-servicemen. The government is likely make an He said common people had generously announcement within next two weeks to contributed to ‘Bharat Ke Veer’ Fund for appoint the CDS who will be the single- the bereaved families of soldiers who laid point military adviser to the government down their lives in the line of duty. as suggested by the Kargil Review Pacific Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2019 Committee in 1999. being held in Hawaii Prime Minister Narendra Modi on The Chief of Indian Air Force (IAF) Air August 15 announced that India will Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh have the CDS as head of the tri-services. Bhadauria is set to participate in Pacific Navy to set up aircraft museum in Air Chiefs Symposium 2019 (PACS 2019) Kolkata being held at Joint Base Pearl Harbor- The Navy will set up a Tupolev TU-142 Hickam in Hawaii (a state of USA). aircraft museum in Kolkata on the lines Theme for 2019’s symposium is: ‘A of the naval museum in Visakhapatnam. Collaborative Approach to Regional Security’.
6 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Defence, National Security and Terrorism DRDO tests QRSAM (missile) successfully ICG conducted ‘Swachchh Samundra The Defence Research Development NW-2019’ off Vadinar in Gulf of Kutch, Organization (DRDO) test fired the Quick Gujarat Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted successfully. The test was conducted at a 2-day regional level pollution response the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, exercise named ‘Swachchh Samundra NW-2019’ at sea off Vadinar in Gulf Odisha. of Kutch (GoK), Gujarat. The aim of QRSAM the exercise was to create a response The QRSAM is a missile developed by mechanism by ICG, by taking actions for DRDO along with Bharat Electronics oil pollution incidents. Limited for the Indian army. In 2007, the BrahMos missile successfully test- proposal of QRSAM was launched as a fired from Chandipur, Odisha replacement for Osa-AK and Kvadrat Land-attack version of the surface- missile systems. The first testing of to-surface supersonic cruise missile QRSAM was conducted in 2017. BrahMos was successfully test fired from Previously, the QRSAM missile testing Chandipur district of Odisha. It was test was conducted in August 2019. fired from a mobile autonomous launcher 5th Edition of ARTECH to be held in at Launch Complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur. New Delhi Philippines to sign Brahmos deal with
Ministry of Defence is to hold ARTECH India in 2020 seminar in New Delhi on 23rd December, Philippines confirmed that signing 2019. ARTEC is Army Technology contract with India for medium range Seminar that is being held since 2016. Brahmos Cruise Missiles. The agreement will be signed in 2020. UAE, US joint military exercise ‘Iron Union 12’ commences Army officer awarded for developing ‘Iron Union 12’, a joint military exercise bulletproof jacket between the ground forces of the UAE Maj.Anoop Mishra was felicitated by and the United States, commenced. ‘Iron Army chief Gen.Bipin Rawat with Army Union 12’ will see the two sides take part design Bureau (ADB) excellence award in joint military cooperation to enhance for indigenously developing Sarvatra combat and tactical capabilities. bulletproof jacket that can provide protection against various ammunition The joint military exercises of the UAE including of spinner rifles. Maj. Mishra Armed Forces with fraternal and friendly is presently posted as instructor at the countries takes place in a manner college of Military Engineering, Pune. He consistent with latest developments was among the four awardees felicitated and reflects the UAE Armed Forces’ by Gen.Rawat. The suit was named determination to stand firmly against all Sarvatra Kawach, it provides protection threats and challenges facing the region. from neck to ankle and upper arms.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 7 Defence, National Security and Terrorism Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 India and France to begin patrolling Mongla and Chattogram declared mission in Indian Ocean Region as Ports of Call under the “Coastal India and France are to launch joint naval Shipping Agreement’ patrolling mission after the Varuna Naval The Ministry of Shipping (MoS) Exercise that was held in May, 2019. announced that Mongla and Chattogram The joint mission is to be executed in (Both in Bangladesh) have been declared the Indian Ocean Region to protect the as Ports of Call under “Coastal Shipping strategic interests of the countries and to Agreement” between India & Bangladesh. check large scale illegal fishing. The Port of Mongla is declared as Port NAVARMS-19: International Seminar of Call under PIWT&T (Protocol on on Naval weapon Systems Inland Water Transit and Trade) and Chattogram port is not part of PIWT&T. The fourth edition of International Seminar-cum Exhibition on Naval World malaria report 2019: India Weapon Systems ‘NAVARMS-19’ is reports 2.6 million fewer malaria scheduled to be held on 12-13 December cases in 2018 2019 at Institute for Defense Studies and The World Health Organization (WHO) Analysis (IDSA), Development Enclave, released a report titled “World malaria New Delhi. report 2019”. The report was on Malarial The theme for 2019 edition is: “Make in cases and steps taken regarding the India – Fight Category: Opportunities disease globally. and Imperatives”. Military Literature Festival organised Pinaka missile successfully test fired in Chandigarh by DRDO The third edition of coveted Military The Pinaka missile was successfully Literature Festival (MLF) is being held at test fired from Odisha coast from the Chandigarh. Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. About Military Literature Festival 2019 Highlights The Fest was led by Punjab Chief The Pinaka missile is a modified version Minister Captain Amarinder Singh with of Pinaka Mk-II rocket. The missile discussions in various aspects of military navigation will be aided by the IRNSS and sharing his experiences of serving (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite country in armed forces. System). All three days also had Clarion Call theatre Pinaka missile events comprising of special audio visual The Pinaka is an artillery missile. It is shows on ‘Josh’, ‘Jazbaaa’ and ‘Junoon’ of capable of striking an enemy territory being part of armed forces. till 75 km of range with high precision. Pinaka was used for the first time in Kargil war
8 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 World Organisations – Pacts and Summits 1.3 World Organisations – Pacts and Summits
Saudi Arabia Assumes 2020 G20 Presidency 2019 NATO Summit held in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia assumes the 2020 Watford, United Kingdom G20 Presidency, 1 December, 2019. The United Kingdom (UK) The Saudi G20 Presidency will focus on "Realizing hosted two day organised Opportunities of the 21st Century for All." 2019 NATO (North Atlantic The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commends the Treaty Organization) Summit work of the Japanese G20 Presidency in 2019 and in London from December will continue to support its efforts to forge global 3-4, 2019. The year 2019 marks cooperation. the 70th anniversary of the This year's G-20 conference was held in Osaka, summit. Japan. It was attended by NATO In the meantime, next year's conference is being leaders and chaired by held in Riyadh, the capital of the Middle East, NATO Secretary General Jens Saudi Arabia. Stoltenberg. COP25 Climate Change Conference The purpose of the summit was to make the heads of state and The 25th UN Climate Change Conference will be heads of government of NATO taking place in Madrid, Spain, and will convene member countries to evaluate from 2-13 December 2019. and provide strategic direction It will feature the 25th session of the Conference for Alliance activities. of the Parties (COP 25) to the United Nations Framework Convention to Combat Climate WHO launches first biosimilar Change (UNFCCC) medicine to treat Breast World Economic Forum Report: India slips Cancer to rank 112 in Gender Gap The World Health Organization The World Economic Forum released its report launched its first biosimilar according to which India ranked 112th in terms medicine to treat breast cancer. of gender gap. The WHO intends to make the The report said that the India was ranked in expensive, life-saving treatment bottom-five in terms of survival and economic affordable for women all over participation. the world. Highlights: India It is an antibody that shows India was in 108th position in 2018. Its performance high efficacy in curing early weakened in the year 2019 according to the report. stages of breast cancers. It was India’s performance was lagging in three out of included in the WHO Essential four metrics used for ranking the countries. Medicines List in 2015.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 9 World Organisations – Pacts and Summits Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 BIMSTEC: International Seminar on WHO launches first biosimilar Climate Smart Farming Systems held medicine to treat Breast Cancer in New Delhi The World Health Organization A three day “International Seminar on launched its first biosimilar medicine to Climate Smart Farming systems” is being treat breast cancer. The WHO intends to held in New Delhi. The seminar is being make the expensive, life-saving treatment organized by the Ministry of Agriculture affordable for women all over the world. and Farmers Welfare. It is an antibody that shows high efficacy in curing early stages of breast cancers. 2000 years old famous Thai massage It was included in the WHO Essential included in UNESCO heritage list Medicines List in 2015. Thailand’s famous 2000-year-old massage, Nuad Thai was added to Poland out of EU’s Climate Neutrality UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, 2050 plan Scientific and Cultural Organization) Poland left 2050 Climate Neutrality prestigious heritage list. Agreement of European Union as the UNESCO removes ‘Carnival of Aalst’ Union demanded for more funds to from Intangible CulturalHeritage List support nuclear power and for economic transition. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), has removed the ‘Carnival of Aalst’ of Belgium UNICEF in association with WCD from its Intangible Cultural Heritage ministry launched youth skilling of Humanity List. The 2019 carnival initiative YuWaah-2019 in India featured a parade float that included In a written reply to a question in the racist and anti-Semitic representations Rajya Sabha, Minister of Women and which mocked the Orthodox Jews. The Child Development (WCD), Smriti Zubin carnival was added to the Intangible Irani has informed that UNICEF (United Cultural Heritage list in 2010 Nations Children’s Fund) in association UNESCO to train 4,000 Indian teachers with the WCD Ministry jointly launched in AI-powered Digital Technology “YuWaah- (Generation Unlimited India)” with the aim to transform the countries UNESCO and Dell Technologies will involved into hubs of education, skilling launch a new education program where and employment for its more than 300 they will train 4,000 Indian teachers in Artificial Technology. million young people aged 10-24 years. The program will aid in GoI step of introducing Artificial Intelligence as a subject in school.
10 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Places in News / Eminent Persons 1.4 Places in News 1.5 Eminent Persons
ASI identified 138 monuments as Right Livelihood Award 2019 honours ‘Must See Monuments’: Govt activists Davi Kopenawa, Greta The Minister of State for Culture and Thunberg, Guo Jianmei and Aminatou Tourism informed Parliament that Haidar Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has Activists Davi Kopenawa, Greta identified 138 monuments as ‘Must See Thunberg, Guo Jianmei and Aminatou Monuments’. This information has been Haidar received the Right Livelihood made available on ‘Must See’ portal of Award 2019, also known as the ASI. ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’. The award ceremony took place at Rohtang tunnel named after Vajpayee Stockholm, Sweden at the end of a Final A day before the birth anniversary event of a ten days long program of of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari celebrations in Germany, Switzerland Vajpayee, the Union Cabinet approved and Sweden. two schemes in his honour: one to Key Points: improve groundwater management in The Right Livelihood Award is awarded villages and the other to rename the to honour people who have answered tunnel being built under the Rohtang the urgent challenges faced by today’s Pass after him. world. The award is also called as the Extra ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ but it does not have any ties with the organization awarding the Nobel prize nor it is similar to the Nobel prize in anyway. American actor Joaquin Phoenix named nd 2019 ‘Person of the Year’ by PETA 2 Committee meet to commemorate Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary held Joaquin Rafael Phoenix, American actor in New Delhi from California, United States (US) has been bestowed with the PETA (People The President of India Shri Ram Nath for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Kovind presided the 2nd meeting of ‘Person of the Year’ Award 2019. Joaquin National Committee for Commemoration Phoenix has been a vegan since the age of of the 150th Birth anniversary (October 2) three and has been a supporter of PETA of Mahatma Gandhi ‘Gandhi@150’ which for a long time. was held in New Delhi.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 11 Eminent Persons Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Mukesh Ambani is the 9th richest DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy-1st person Indian to get honorary fellowship Ambani was ranked 13th 2019 by UK’s Royal Aeronautical in the annual Forbes' rich Society list for 2019. G.Satheesh Reddy, The company became the Secretary Department of first Indian firm to hit the Defence Research and Rs 10 lakh crore market Development (R&D), and valuation mark following Chairman of DRDO a spike in its share price. (Defence Research and Jeff Bezos with a net Development worth of USD 113 billion topped the The Organisation) has been Real-Time Billionaires List of Forbes, awarded the Honorary followed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Fellowship of the Society 2019 by Royal Gates (USD 107.4 billion) and Bernard Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Arnault & family chairman and CEO, With this, he became the first Indian LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton recipient of this prestigious award in over (USD 107.2 billion) in the second and 100 years. third positions, respectively. G Satheesh Reddy is known for his capability to develop indigenous technologies and is famous amongst students as “Junior Kalam” and “Next Sub Lt Shivangi becomes Navy’s first Generation Missile Man”. woman pilot Sanna Marin becomes World’s
Sub Lieutenant Youngest-Serving Prime Minister Shivangi became
the first woman The 34-year-old Sanna pilot for the Indian Marin, was selected by her Navy. She joined Social Democratic party of operational duties Finland to become the at the Kochi naval country’s youngest prime base. minister ever, taking over after resignation of She was inducted into the Indian outgoing leader Antti Navy as SSC (Pilot) as part of 27 NOC Rinne. Sanna who will course in Indian Navy Academy, now be youngest head of Ezhimala and got formally commissioned government in the country’s history, has by Vice Admiral AK Chawla. earlier served as transport minister of Finland.
12 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Eminent Persons Ramaswamy Paiyachchi Mahaparinirvan Diwas-6 December Memorial Hall The nation is paying homage to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas (death anniversary) on 6 December.
IIT researchers to create ‘Gandhipedia’ The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and IIT (Indian Institutes of Technology) Gandhinagar and Kharagpur, Chief Minister Edappadi have joined hands to develop Gandhipedia, an Palanisamy inaugurated online repository of books, letters and speeches the Ramasamy Padiyachchi written by Mahatma Gandhi, to commemorate Memorial Hall, a former freedom his 150th birth anniversary. fighter and former minister. The entire project will be done with the help of The Government of Tamil Nadu Artificial Intelligence (AI). has completed the work of setting In the first phase, over 40 books written by up a bell with a full brass statue Mahatma Gandhi will be digitised and indexed at Cuddalore Manjukuppam at a and their portions which are to be completed cost of Rs 2 crore 15 lakhs. by March 2020, and the remaining four phases Born on September 16, 1918, will be worked on till March 2024. Shiva Chidambara Ramasami was a soldier. People called him National Anti-Doping Agency appoints SS Ramaswamy Padiyachchi. Actor Suniel Shetty as its brand ambassador Indian men’s football team ranked 108th in latest FIFA National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), India’s rankings anti-doping body has selected Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty has been selected as its brand
The Indian men’s football ambassador. NADA hopes that his celebrity th team remained static at 108 status would help its efforts to clean up sports spot in the year-ending FIFA in the country from the menace. rankings. India lost 11 places Jamaicas Toni-Ann Singh bags Miss World throughout the year. With title 1187 total points, India is Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh has bagged the Miss th placed at 19 spot among World 2019 crown at an annual beauty pageant Asian countries headed by held here. With India’s Suman Rao becoming th Japan 28 . second runners-up. France’s Ophely Mezino, who was adjudged first runner-up, while India’s Suman Rao was declared second runner-up
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 13 Eminent Persons Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Nirmala Sitharaman 34th among Portugal sets up Gandhi prize world’s 100 most powerful women: Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa Forbes announced the setting up of a Gandhi Finance Citizenship Education Prize while Minister attending the second meeting of Nationla Nirmala Committee for the Commemoration Sitharaman Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birth has been Anniversary, chaired by president Ram ranked 34th Nath Kovind at Rashtrapathi Bhavan. by Forbes The prize would be inspired by Gandhi’s in ‘The thoughts and quotes, he said, adding that World’s 100 the first edition of the prize would be Most dedicated to animal welfare. Powerful Women’. Climate activist Greta Thunberg (16) becomes youngest TIME’s Person of S.No. Name Country the Year for 2019 1 Angela Merkel Germany
34 Nirmala Sitharaman India Greta Thunberg, 16 year-old Swedish climate activist was named TIME’s Person 54 Roshni Nadar India of the Year for 2019, she is the youngest Malhotra person to be honored with the title in the 65 Kiran Mazumdar- India 92 year history of TIME magazine. The Shaw TIME’s Person of the Year for 2019 award 100 Greta Thunberg Sweden is conferred since 1927, for a person or a group of people who create an impact on Srinivasa Ramanujan Birth Anniversary the important events taking place in the Srinivasa Ramanujan 22nd December year, the selection is done by the editors 1887 Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian of TIME magazine. mathematician who lived during the Key Points: British Rule in India. Greta Thunberg, was born in Stockholm, Death: Sweden, she began a global movement He died on 26th April 1920 in August 2018 creating a campaign In India, the day ‘December 22 has been outside the Parliament of Sweden called declared as the National Mathematics ‘Fridays for Future’, a global student Day, during the inaugural ceremony of movement pushing the government to the celebrations to mark the 125th birth take immediate action on climate change, anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan by her active involvement she became the held at the Madras University Centenary most compelling voice on the significant Auditorium on 26 February 2012. issue of Global Warming faced by today’s world. 14 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Sports and Games 1.6 Sports and Games Abhishek-Jyoti combine claims compound mixed pair gold at Asian Three Indians clinch Golden Target Archery award Abhishek Despite competing in the company of Verma and two of the world’s best shooters Anjum Jyothi Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela, the Surekha young Elavenil Valarivan was able to Vennam close the season as the World No.1 in claimed the women’s air rifle. top honours in compound mixed pair st She will be given the Golden Target event to fetch India’s lone gold at the 21 award by the International Shooting Sport Asian Archery Championships, which Federation (ISSF) in Munich, Germany. ended with the country picking up seven The Golden Target is the award given by medals in all. the ISSF as a “tribute to the best athletes of the year according to the annual ranking Jon Rahm won 2019 DP World Tour in each of the individual Olympic events. Championship Jon Rahm won the 2019 Lakshya Sen wins Scottish Open title DP World Tour Championship in India’s Lakshya Sen has won the Dubai. This is his Scottish Open second title in three badminton men’s years. The award has singles title, crowned him as defeating European Number One Brazilian Ygor Coelho to seal his fourth on the final day at title in 3 months. Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Entering the tournament as the top seed,
the world number 41 registered an 18-21, Rahm shot four-under 68 to reach 21-18, 21-19 win in 56 minutes to claim 19-under 269. He defeated Tommy the title in Glasgow, Scotland. Fleetwood to clinch the title.
Sangram Dahiya, Varsha Varman win double trap national titles Sangram Dahiya and Varsha Varman clinched double trap titles, winning gold at the 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship in New Delhi. In men’s category, Sangram shot 142 out of 150 targets to leave behind former world champion Ankur Mittal, who managed 137 hits over the five rounds of 30 targets each to win a silver.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 15 Sports and Games Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Sports Ministry constitutes new Sports ministry launched logo, jersey committee & mascots of 3rd Khelo India Youth The Union Ministry of Sports has Games 2020 in Guwahati, Assam constituted a 13-member expert The union sports minister Shri Kiren Rijiju committee to review the draft of the launched the 3rd edition of the Khelo India National Code for Good Governance in Youth Games (KIYG) at KarmabirNabin Sports, 2017. Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium in
The committee, chaired by Retired SC Guwahati, Assam. Justice Mukundakam Sharma, will be Over 10,000 students will be participating required to suggest measures for making in a total of 451 medal events. the Draft National Code for Good Governance in Sports, 2017 acceptable to Indian archers bag recurve bronze at all stakeholders. Asian Championships Bhubaneswar and Rourkela to host 2023 men’s hockey World Cup Odisha would continue to be the hotbed of hockey tournaments in the country with the FIH naming the city as the host for the 2023 men’s World Cup. This time, Bhubaneswar (which hosted Indian archers Deepika Kumari and the 2018 WC) would share hosting rights Atanu Das won a bronze medal in the with the Biju Patnaik Hockey Stadium in recurve and compound mixed event at Rourkela. the Asian Archery Championships in Kolkata. National Wrestling Championship They defeated China by 6-2 to clinch the Wrestler medal in the championships. Gursharanpreet Kaur Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik clinch at Senior National Wrestling gold in Senior Wrestling National Championships in C’ships Jalandhar. Asian Star wrestlers Championship’s silver Vinesh Phogat and medallists Gurpreet Sakshi Malik Singh and Sunil Kumar lived up to their registered reputation as both clinched gold medals convincing wins in of the Tata Motors Senior National the finals to claim Wrestling Championship in Jalandhar. gold medals at the This was Gurpreet’s fourth senior Senior Wrestling National Championships national title. in Jalandhar, Punjab.
16 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Sports and Games 21st Asian Archery Championship Caroline Wozniacki, Former World No.1 2019 held in Bangkok, Thailand Tennis Player announced her retirement The 21st Asian Archery Championship Caroline Wozniacki (29), for the year 2019 was held in Bangkok, former World No.1 Thailand. tennis player announced India secured second position in the her retirement from overall medal tally while South Korea tennis after next month’s topped the list. The third position was Australian Open, the first obtained by China. Grand Slam tournament Indian archers Abishek Verma and Jyothi of the year 2019 and WTA (Women’s Surekha Vennam won India’s only gold Tennis Association) event in Auckland. in the compound mixed pair event. Caroline Wozniacki was born in Odense, India’s Jyothi Surekha Vennam won Denmark. silver medal. Russia Banned From Olympics and Swiss player Roger Federer becomes Global Sports for 4 Years Over Doping the 1st living Swiss to have his image The world’s top anti-doping authority- engraved in the Swiss coin World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banished Russia from international competition - including next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo - for four years, the latest and most severe punishment yet connected to a yearlong cheating scheme that has tarnished sports, rendered Russia Roger Federer (38), from Basel a sports pariah and exacerbated tension Switzerland becomes the first ever living between Moscow and the West. Swiss to have his face engraved in the Indian chess grandmaster Swiss coin. Praggnanandhaa wins London Chess Roger’s image was engraved in a 20-Franc Classic 2019 silver coin by the Swissmint, official mint Indian chess grandmaster, Rameshbabu of the Swiss Confederation. Praggnanandhaa (14) was crowned South Asian Games begins in the winner of the London chess classic Kathmandu 2019 with 7.5 points from 9 rounds & shared the title with Anton Smirnov of The President of Nepal Bidya Devi Australia, who also scored 7.5 points. Bhandari opened the South Asian Games The tournament, organized by the World in Kathmandu. The event is scheduled Chess Federation (FIDE), was held at to be conducted for 10 days. Around 487 Olympia London in London, United athletes are participating from India. Kingdom (UK).
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 17 Sports and Games Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019
India achieve their highest medal FICCI India selects Hockey player tally in South Asian Games Rani rampal& shooter Saurabh chaudhary as ‘Sportsperson of the India had claimed 309 medals in the 2016 year 2019’ edition of the South Asian Games and by winning 310 this time around, the Indian women’s hockey team captain contingent has broken their record. India Rani Rampal(25) and Asian Games gold concluded the South Asian Games with medalist shooter Saurabh Chaudhary their highest medal tally in the history of (17) were honored with the ‘Sports the tournament. The contingent was able Person of the Year 2019’ award at the to win 310 medals, which includes 172 FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers gold, 93 silver, and 45 bronze medals. of Commerce and Industry) India Sports Awards-2019 held at FICCI Federation G S Lakshmi (51) becomes first House in New Delhi. woman Referee in Men’s ODI match Gandikota Sarva 2020 Tokyo Olympics: India’s hockey Lakshmi, 51, former Programme announced Indian Cricketer became Indian men will take on New Zealand the first woman referee in in their opening hockey match at the Men’s ODI (One Day the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while the International) match after women’s team will play Rio Games silver overseeing the opening medalist the Netherlands as the draw match of the third series for the quadrennial extravaganza was of the World Cup League 2 held in Sharjah announced in Tokyo. Cricket Stadium, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Extra National Green Corps Eco-club programme meets for the first time
1st International The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Conference on Landslides (MoEFCC) organized an annual meeting of state nodal Risk Reduction and agencies implementing the Eco-club programme for the first time. The event was organized in collaboration with Resilience GEER foundation, Gujarat. The 1st International Conference on ‘Landslides National Green Corps Risk Reduction and The program was launched by the MoEFCC covering Resilience – 2019’ was 1,20,000 schools in India. The program mainly covered held in New Delhi. the School Eco clubs in different states. They are titled NGC students similar to NCC.
18 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Sports and Games Deepak Punia named 2019 UWW’s ‘Junior Freestyle Wrestler of the Year’’ The World Championships silver medalist Deepak Punia was named as the 2019 ‘Junior Freestyle Wrestler of the Year‘ by United World Wrestling (UWW). Punia is the first Indian wrestler in 18 years to win a junior world title at the Junior World Championships held in Talinn, Estonia in August 2019. Awards: Sl.No Award Name Awardee Country 1 Junior Freestyle Wrestler of the Year Deepak Punia India 2 Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year Nihat Mammadli Azerbaijan 3 Freestyle Wrestler of the Year Rahman Mousa Iran Amouzadkhalili 4 Junior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year Kerem KAMAL Turkey 5 San Marino Athlete of the Year Myles Nazem Amine San Marino (America) 6 Junior Women’s Wrestler of the Year Yui SUSAKI Japan
Sahitya Akademi Award Liverpool win maiden FIFA Club Tamil writer Cho Dharman has won the 2019 Sahitya Akademi award for his novel Sool, depicting the life of the World Cup people in the lower rung of society at Urulaikuddi village Liverpool beat in Thoothukudi district. He published his first short story Brazil's Flamengo 1-0 in 1992 and followed by a novel Dhoorvai. The novel to win the FIFA Club Koogai received critical acclaim and it won him the Iyal World Cup at Doha's award of the Canada-based Tamil Literary Garden. Khalifa International Shashi Tharoor wins Akademi’s 2019 award for english Stadium. It is the first time The Sahitya Akademi announced its annual literary awards for 2019 for works in 23 languages, including one Liverpool have won for Shashi Tharoor’s non-fiction book about British rule in the competition, India. which features each continent's An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India’ by Mr.Tharoor, who is a Congress MP, was selected in the champions, and they English category. became only the second English team to lift the trophy after Manchester United in 2008
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 19 Sports and Games Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 CBI officer BP Raju wins ‘India Cyber Virat Kohli tops the Forbes India Cop of the Year’ 2019 award given by celebrity list 2019 NASSCOM-DSCI The Forbes India magazine has B.P Raju, CBI (Central Bureau of published its list of celebrity 100 for the Investigation) officer won ‘India Cyber year 2019. This ranking was based on Cop of the Year 2019’ award given by the estimation of their annual earnings NASSCOM (National Association of through professions and endorsement of Software and Services Companies)-DSCI celebrities. (Data Security Council of India) in the According to the list of celebrity 2019, Annual Information Security Summit Indian Cricket team captain Virat kohli held at Gurugram. has become the first sportsman to gain He received the award for cracking a the top spot for the first time with the fraud case in an online entrance exam annual earnings of `252.72 crore. Kohli conducted by an engineering college in replaced Bollywood superstar Salman Rajasthan. Khan, who had been at the top for the previous three years. Actor Akshay th Mirabai Chanu bags Gold in 6 Qatar Kumar is at the second position followed International Cup in Doha by Salman Khan. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (24), the Former World Forbes List: Virat Kohli only world champion weightlifter won the Indian in Forbes 2019 list of world’s women’s 49kg category gold medal highest-paid athletes, released on Jun 13, to open India’s account at 6th Qatar 2019 International Cup being held in Doha. Akshay Kumar only Indian on the Forbes Chanu lifted 83kg in snatch and 111kg Celebrity 100 list for 2019, released on Jul in clean and jerk to finish on top of 17, 2019 podium. However, her performance was Ukrainian Lifter stripped of Olympic way below her personal best of 201 kg gold which she lifted during this year’s World Ukrainian weight lifter Oleksiy Torokhity Championships in Thailand. was stripped of his 2012 Olympic gold The French duo of Anais Michel (172kg) medal for doping, the International and Manon Lorentz (165kg) took won the Olympic committee announced. silver and bronze medals respectively. The 33-year-old, who triumphed in the 105kg division, was disqualified after a re-analysis of his urine sample revealed a positive test for testosterone. Torokhity has been banned for two years. At the 2012 event, Iran’s Navab Nasirshelal had take silver with Poland’s Bartlomiej Bonk winning bronze.
20 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Books & Authors
1.7 Books & Authors HRD ministry launches 3 books Book titled “Hemant Karkare -A Daughter’s -Kumbh, Garam pahad and Dilliki Memoir” by JuiNavare released Bulbul (Sindhi edition) penned by Dr. Anita bhatnagar Jain Marking the 11th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, a book Union Minister of Human Resource titled “Hemant Karkare - A Daughter’s Development (HRD) Shri Ramesh Memoir” by Jui Karkare Navare was Pokhriyal Nishank has launched 3 books released in Prerna hall of police club in for children namely Kumbh, Garam Mumbai, Maharashtra. Pahad and Dilliki Bulbul (Sindhi edition) in New Delhi. Christopher Paolini’s first science fiction The 3 books, penned by Dr. Anita novel titled “To Sleep in a Sea of Stars” Bhatnagar Jain (an officer of Indian Bestselling American author Christopher Administrative Services (1985 batch), are Paolini’s next, which will also be his first a collection of stories for children and science fiction novel, will be published by have documented the environmental Pan Macmillan. issues & topics like socio-cultural unity, The book, titled “To Sleep in a Sea of cultural heritage along with the message Stars”, published under Macmillan’s Tor of save environment in a very lucid imprint, will be Paolini’s departure from manner. his much loved four-book fantasy series, “Inheritance Cycle”. The book will be DPIIT invites applications for first published in September 2020. ever National Startup Awards 2020 Union Minister launches Braille The Department for Promotion of edition of the book “Exam warriors” Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) authored by PM Narendra Modi under the Union Ministry of Commerce Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister and Industry has announced institution for Social Justice and Empowerment of first ever National Startup Awards. launched the Braille Edition of the book The award was launched by Piyush “Exam Warriors” authored by Prime Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Minister (PM) Narendra Modi. The book Industry and Railways. The applications was prepared by Braille Press of Rajasthan for the awards are open till 31 December Netraheen Kalyan Sangh, Jaipur, India. 2019. Vice President released book ‘Turbulence and Triumph’ by Rahul & Bharathi in New Delhi The Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled ‘Turbulence and Triumph: The Modi Years’ in New Delhi. The book is jointly authored by Rahul Agarwal and Bharathi S Pradhan and is published by Om Books International.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 21 Books & Authors Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Gadkari releases booklet at Agro ‘Borderman’ yearly magazine Vision 2019 released by Nityanand Rai, Minister Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin of State for Home Affairs Gadkari has released a booklet called The yearly magazine called ‘Borderman’ ‘Convergence of National Highway was released by Nityanand Rai, Minister improvement/construction with of State for Home Affairs on the occasion water conservation and groundwater of 55th raising day of BSF (Border Security recharge‘ at Agro Vision-2019 in Nagpur, Force) organized by the Ministry of Maharashtra Home Affairs. The Vault of Vishnu The 55th raising day of BSF (Border The next book of Ashwin Sanghi, an Security Force) was celebrated on the 1st Indian writer, named ‘The Vault of of December 2019. Vishnu’ will be released in the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) by Westland T.N. bags organ donation award publications. For the fifth consecutive year, Tamil The Jaipur Literature Festival is the Nadu received the Best State Award World’s largest free literature festival and in cadaveric organ donation from the takes place between 23rd to 27th January Nation Organ and Tissue Transplant 2020. Organisation, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. City police SKOCH Award for The State received the best performing cleanliness hospital award for the Rajiv Gandhi The Greater Chennai police received the Government General Hospital (RGGGH), Union government’s SKOCH Award and an award for plastic surgeon under the category ‘Swachh Police V.Ramadevi for performing a bilateral Station’, for maintaining cleanliness at hand transplant at the Government all its police stations. This follows the police’ efforts to clear up abandoned Stanley Medical College Hospital. and unclaimed vehicles from all station premises. Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrashekar Rao releases book on Book on Punjab’s militancy by Inderjit Kaleshwaram project Singh Jaijee & Dona Suri released Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao, Chief A new book titled “The Legacy of Minister of Telangana released a book Militancy in Punjab: Long Road to named “Kaleswaram project: Telangana Normalcy‘” by civil rights activist Inderjit Pragathi Ratham (Kaleswaram project: Singh Jaijee and journalist Dona Suri was The Telangana Development Chariot) at released. Pragati Bhavan. The book was authored Publisher: The book is published by by Sridhar Rao Deshpande. ‘SAGE’.
22 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Books & Authors Viswanathan Anand launches New book by R. Balakrishnan autobiography 'Mind Master' The new book 'Journey of a Civilization: Releasing his book ‘Mind Master’, Anand, Indus to Vaikai' will be released at the in conversation with N. Ram, Chairman, Anna Centennial Library in Chennai. THG Publishing Private Limited. Tony Joseph, author of 'Early Indians', Achievements published by Justice R.Magadevan. Anand is considered one of the best contemporary chess players in the world, Extra especially renowned for his versatility. He is a five-time winner of the World Chess Championship and was the undisputed CM Jaganmohan Reddy to inaugurate World No.1 from 2007 to 2013. In 2007 he was presented with the Padma Vibhushan, first Virtual Police station at AU in India’s second highest civilian award for his Andhra Pradesh achievements in chess. The government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) inaugurated the first Virtual Police Abanindranath Tagore’s Book ‘Nalak’, Station at the Andhra University (AU) translated to English by Urbi Bhaduri in Visakhapatnam, AP. The concept of Virtual police station was initiated by AU Abanindranath Tagore’s Book ‘Nalak’ Vice-Chancellor Prasad Reddy, it aims to featuring the journey of life of Gautama provide security to students. Buddha, was translated to English by By using these facilities students can Urbi Bhaduri, and was published by file their complaint easily which will be Niyogi Books. forwarded to police officials after being The English translation of the book has inspected by the control room. The system no chapters and has been featured in pen includes an inbuilt complaint monitoring and ink style including a theme inspired and action-taken mechanism which will by Buddhist tankha paintings. make it easy for the students to get their complaints answered. Operation ‘Clean Art’ to crack down on illegal trade in mongoose hair Operation Clean Art was the first pan India Operation to crack down on the smuggling of mongoose hair in the country. There are six species of mongoose found in India and we have mostly recovered (in the rains) grey mongoose (hair) announced by H.V.Girisha, Regional Deputy Director, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), New Delhi.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 23 India and its Neighbours Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 1.8 India and its Neighbours 1.9 Awards & Honours Jnanpith for Malayalam poet Rare Buddha statue in Pak museum Akkitham Eminent Malayalam pet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, popularly known as Akkitham, has been chosen for the 55th Jnanpith Award, according to an announcement by the The Islamabad Museum has put on Jnanpith Selection Board. display a rare statue of Lord Buddha’s Born in 1926, Mr.Akkitham is one of the head after retrieving it from its reserves revered names in Malayalam poetry. where it was locked for decades NDTV wins International Press The sculpture from the period between Institute India award for Excellence the 3rd and the 4th century AD in Journalism was discovered by the first Italian
archaeological mission in Pakistan that India’s private news channel NDTV was led by Giuseppe Tucci in the Swat has been awarded International Press Valley area. Institute India award for excellence in journalism by the India chapter of The statue was excavated in the Swat Valley by a mission led by Dr Giuseppe the Vienna-based International Press Tucci. Although the mission began Institute. NDTV was awarded for its digging in the valley in 1956, the artefact ‘expose of the conspiracy to scuttle’ the was excavated sometime in the 60s and it Kathua rape and murder case probe. was last displayed in a museum in 1997. Archaeologist honoured in Bangladesh Fifth NITI Aayog–DRC Dialogue Held Noted archaeologist R.Nagaswamy was in Wuhan honored at the Silver Jubilee International Conference of Art in Dhaka by Bangladesh The Fifth Dialogue of NITI Aayog and Development Research Centre (DRC), of Culture Minister for his contribution to the State Council, People’s Republic of art, archaeology, history and culture. China, was held in Wuhan, China. The Khel Ratna Award Indian delegation was led by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju presents the while the Chinese delegation was led by Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award to Indian Ma Jiantang, Party Secretary of DRC wrestler Bajrang Punia
24 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Awards & Honours President of Ethiopia has won the Indian NGO to receive climate action Nobel Peace Prize award Ethiopia Prime Minister Abi Ahmad A project led by NGO Mahila Housing Ali received the Nobel Peace Prize at Sewa a ceremony in Oslo. The Nobel Prize Trust to organize and empower women in Physics, Physics, Economics, Peace, in low-income households to increase Literature and Chemistry is honored their resilience to climate change will get with annual Nobel Prizes. a UN award next month. Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize for It is one of the 15 recipients of the 2019 2019 was announced on October 11 in United Nations Global Climate Action Stockholm, Sweden's capital. Ethiopia Awards. Prime Minister Abi Ahmad Ali, 43, has been selected for the Nobel Peace Prize. Floating school project of Bangladesh The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony wins Aga Khan Architecture Award was held in Oslo, Norway. Floating school project of Bangladesh wins Aga Khan Architecture Award. Southern Railway wins energy Bangladesh is a land of water. conservation awards It is a floating school named ‘The Southern Railway has won accolades at Arcadia Education Project’. ‘The Arcadia national level for its energy conservation Education Project’ in South Kanarchor of efforts for the year 2018-19. Southern Bangladesh is an innovative concept. Railway headquarters bagged certificate of merit under the transport sector/ zonal Miss South Africa 2019, ZozibiniTunzi railway category. Erode Railway School won the 68th edition of Miss Universe bagged the first prize in railway school 2019 category while Podanur Railway School Zozibini Tunzi, 26, Miss South Africa was awarded certificate of merit. 2019, was crowned Miss Universe 2019 by Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018 during Odisha wins ‘World Habitat Award’ the 68th edition of the Miss Universe for OLHM- Jaga Mission Pageant held in Atlanta, Georgia. Odisha won the ‘World Habitat Award’ for Jaga Mission also called Odisha CII award for The Hindu Group Livable Habitat Mission (OLHM), a slum THG Publishing Pvt. Lt. (The Hindu land titling project executed for the benefit Group of Publications) received the CII of millions of urban-poor people living Award for Customer Obsession 2019 in slums. The award was given by the for Recognition for Active Customer World Habitat, a UK (United Kingdom) Engagement and Special Recognition: based organization which gives the Leveraging Digital Technologies for award annually to recognize innovative Superior Customer Experience. housing projects around the world.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 25 Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 M.Ummul Khair has been chosen for Rahul Adhikari awarded 2019 the Helen Keller Award Karmaveer Chakra by iCONGO and M.Ummul Khair had United Nations been a struggle all along Gold-Medalist from for this 33-year old Indian Institute of disability rights lawyer. Technology Roorkee She has been chosen for (IIT-R) & founder of the Helen Keller Award, International instituted by Mind- Changemaker Olympiad tree and the National Rahul Adhikari, was Centre for Promotion of conferred with 2019 Employment for Disabled People. Karmaveer Chakra She is the only person from South India Award REX Karmaveer Global to win the award this year, and the award Fellowship at the REX CONCLiVE held recognises her as a role model. in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
‘Practices’ wins Golden Peacock at About Karmaveer Chakra Award:
50th IFFI It is national people’s award for citizen social action and a global civilian
The jubilee edition of the International honours instituted by the International Film Festival of India came to a close Confederation of NGO (iCONGO) in with Blaise Harrison’s Particles winning partnership with the United Nations the top award, the Golden Peacock. (UN). Described by the jury as “an ambitious yet modest film about being a teenager”, December Art Festival inaugurated the film won a cash prize of` 40 lakh. Music and arts festivals help youngsters experience and understand the cultural Manisha Kulshreshtha wins 28th treasures of the country. Bihari Puraskar Mr.Purohit earlier conferred the title Noted writer from ’Gaana Padhamam’ on Hyderabad Rajasthan, Manisha Brothers and Carnatic music duo Kulshreshtha, was D.Raghavavchary and D.Seshachary; awarded the 28th Bihari ‘Naatya Padhmam’ on Danseuse Puraskar for 2018 for her Urmila Sathyanarayanan; ‘Naataka novel ‘Swapnapash’. Pradhamam’ on actor and writer Visu The award is presented by and ‘vaadya Padhmam’ on Tavil Vidwan the KK Birla Foundation T.R.Subramanian. and is for writers of Rajasthani origin.
26 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Awards & Honours Soma Roy Burman appointed new Ballon d’Or 2019: Lionel Messi and CGA, becomes seventh woman to Megan Rapinoe win awards hold the post Lionel Messi was named The government the best player in the announced it has world for a record sixth appointed Soma Roy time when he took home Burman, a 1986-batch the Ballon d’Or at an Indian Civil Accounts awards ceremony in Service Officer, as the Paris. The Argentinian new Controller General moved ahead of of Accounts (CGA). Cristiano Ronaldo, who Burman is the 24th CGA has won the trophy five and is the seventh times and finished third in the men’s woman to hold this position. Prior to this, rankings this time behind Liverpool’s Burman served as the Additional Virgil van Dijk. Megan Rapinoe, star of Controller General of Accounts in the USA’s World Cup winning side, won the office of CGA, handling the critical areas women’s award. Messi, 32, received his of accounting rules, policy and reforms, first Ballon D’Or in 2009, and over the financial reporting, data analytics, cash past decade has gone on to become the and budget management. most celebrated player in football and perhaps the greatest to play the game.
27th Ekalabya Award 2019 – Odisha weightlifter Tony Joseph JhilliDalabehera wins 2019 Jhilli Dalabehera, Odisha weightlifter has been Shakti Bhatt awarded the 27th Ekalabya Award 2019, the annual First Book award organized by Indian Metals Public Prize Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) managed by IMFA English (Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys limited) group. author Tony The award comprises a cash prize of Rs.5 lakhs Joseph has th along with citation. won the 12 ‘Shakti Bhatt Honours for Unnikrishnan, Rajendra Gangani First Book Prize’. He was Musician P.Unnikrishnan and Karthak exponent Pandit Rajendra awarded for Gangani were honoured with the titles ‘Sangeetha Choodamani’ his 2018 book, and ‘Nritya Choodamani’, respectively, at the 64th Margazhi “Early Indians: Mela of Krishna Gana Sabha there are nearly 150 sabhas in The Story of Chennai, which host about 2,500 music concerts, dance recitals, Our Ancestors lecture demonstrations, dramas and bhajans all in December, go and Where We a long way to prove the worth of the city and its citizens. Came From“.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 27 Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Centre releases list of best police stations, Andaman's Aberdeen tops them all Aberdeen in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the best police station in India, followed by Balasinor in Gujarat and AjkBurhanpur in Madhya Pradesh. These rankings were based on a rage of parameters such as addressing the number of offences related to property disputes, crime against women and crime against weaker sections at a police station. State District Police Station Ranking Andaman & Nicobar Andaman Aberdeen 1 Islands Gujarat Mahisagar Balasinor 2 Madhya Pradesh Burhanpur AjkBurhanpur 3 Tamil Nadu Theni AWPS Theni 4 Arunachal Pradesh Dibang Valley Anini 5 Vishwa Kala Puraskhar Award AICTE honours SRM with Swachhta Visva Kala Sangam presented the Ranking Award award to Carnatic musician Neyveli The objective of the award is to draw Santana Gopalan and flute musician the attention of institutions towards the Ronumajumdar at Visva Kala Puraskhar Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. 2019 in Chennai. Award for Rescue Mission to Tamil Nadu Hindi Poet Viswanath Tiwari Coast Guard from UP to be honoured with Gangadhar National Award The National Coast Guard Search and Rescue
Award from the Federal Government has been Renowned awarded to the Coast Guard of Tamil Nadu at a Hindi poet, function in Delhi on December 18. This is the first Vishwanath time the Tamil Nadu Police has received this award. Prasad Tiwari is to President Ram Nath Govind conferred be honoured National Florence Nightingale awards 2019 with the Gangadhar National Award, Ram Nath Kovind, President of India bestowed 36 during the 53rd Foundation awardees with the National Florence Nightingale Day celebration of Sambalpur Awards 2019 at an event in Vigyan Bhawan, New University, Odisha. Delhi. Viswanath was the former The award was given to Late LiniSajeesh from President of the Sahitya Kozhikode, Kerala, who died while on duty caring Akademi between 2013-2014 for a Nipah (NiV) virus infected patient in Kerala. and was born in Kushinagar, The award was received by her spouse Sajeesh. Uttar Pradesh (UP).
28 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Awards & Honours 4 diplomats honoured with 2019 Telangana’s Kamareddy district was ‘Diwali – Power of One Award’ at New awarded by UNICEF for effective York, US implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission 2019 United Nations International Children’s and Education Fund (UNICEF) has awarded Kamareddy district of Telangana for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission in water sanitation and hygiene sectors for the year 2019. Kairat Abdrakhmanov – Former Foreign Popular marathi actor Sharad Minister and Permanent Representative ponkshe wins Janakavi P Sawlaram of Kazakhstan to the UN. memorial award 2019 Nicholas Emiliou– Former Permanent Sharad Ponkshe (52), an Indian film actor Representative of Cyprus to the UN. and writer, mainly working in Hindi and
Frantisek Ruzicka– Former Chef de Marathi cinema, was awarded prestigious nd Cabinet to the President of the 72 Session Janakavi P Sawlaram Memorial Award of the UN General Assembly(UNGA) and 2019 at Thane in Maharashtra for his Permanent Representative of Slovakia contribution in the field of cinema and to the UN. Volodymyr Yelchenko- theatre. The award consists a cash prize Permanent Representative of Ukraine to worth of ` 25,000, a citation and shawl. the UN. Also, Marathi Actress, Usha Naik was also awarded the Ganga-Jamuna Award Key points 2019. The ‘Diwali – Power of One Award’ were established by the Diwali Foundation SASTRA-Ramanujan Award for USA, Inc in 2017. Warwick University faculty Ken Ono, vice-president, American Padmeswar Gogoi, Educationist Mathematical Society and Thomas bestowed with the First edition of Jefferson Professor of Mathematics, Siu-Ka-Pha Awards 2019 University of Virgina. He made the remark Padmeswar Gogoi, was bestowed with while inaugurating the international the first edition of Siu-Ka-Pha award for conference on number theory at the the year 2019 by the Central Committee SASTRA Deemed University campus at of Different Ethnic Groups and the Kumbakonam, when he also gave away organizations of the Golaghat district the SASTRA-Ramanujan Award to Adam Harper Assistant Professor, University of at the Siu-Ka-Pha Samannay Kshetra in Warwick, England. Golaghat, Assam.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 29 Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Sundram Fasteners’ Suresh Krishna Tamil Nadu Chief Co-operative gets ‘Quality Ratna’ award Banking Agency: Received National CII Institute of Quality, in its 27th Quality Award for Best State Agency Summit held in Bengaluru earlier this Tamil Nadu State Leadership Co- week, bestowed India’s first ‘Quality operative Bank of India has been Ratna’ award to Suresh Krishna, recognized and honored with the Chairman, Sundram Fasteners Ltd. National Award for the year 2019 as the In 1998, Suresh Krishna was named best state agency in India. the founder of TQM (Total Quality The State Co-operative Bank has been Management) Consortium in India in selected as the best state agency for the conjunction with the Japan Industrial year 2009-2019, on behalf of the National Management Federation. Disabled Financial Development At a recent event in Bengaluru, the Corporation (NDFF). award was presented to him by Sir T.V. Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu, Sadananda Gowda. presented the National Award for the Gurugram-based Startup Blue Sky Best State Agency in India at a ceremony Analytics application ‘Zuri’ wins held in the Indian capital. ‘Space Oscars’ award Indian Shooters Divyansh, Elavenil The Gurugram- based startup program and Saurabh receive Golden Target has created an application called ‘Zuri’ Award from ISSFGolden Target award that won the Copernicus Masters Award from ISSF also called Space Oscars, under the social Indian Shooters, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Entrepreneurship category. The award from Jaipur, Rajasthan ElavenilValarivan, was given by the Earth observation from Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu and program managed by the European Saurabh Chaudhary, from Meerut, Uttar Commission (EU) in partnership with Pradesh received the Golden Target the European Space Agency (ESA). The Award from International Shooting Sport application was developed by Gurgaon- Federation (ISSF) at its headquarters in based startup Blue Sky Analytics. Munich, Germany. T.N. bags Krishi Karman award for the fifth time Amitabha Bagchi wins 2019 DSC Tamil Nadu has yet again bagged Prize
the Krishi Karman Award for its th The 8 edition of the IME Nepal Literature performance in agricultural production. Festival, held at Pokhara, concluded with The award has been given for oilseeds the announcement of the winner of DSC production. This was the fifth time that Prize for South Asian Literature 2019. the State received the award under various categories since 2011-12.
30 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Awards & Honours 2020 Crystal Award: World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced the Winners of 26th Annual Crystal Award for the year 2020. The Crystal Awards recognizes as well as celebrates the achievements of leading artists. The annual awards are hosted by World Economic Forum’s World Arts Forum. WEF’s 2019 Crystal Award Recipients Jin Xing – China’s media personality. She was recognized for her leadership in shaping inclusive cultural norms Theaster Gates – Chicago-based artist. He was recognized for his leadership in creating sustainable communities Lynette Wallworth¬ - Australian artist. She won for her leadership in creating inclusive narratives Deepika Padukone - Indian actress. She won the award for her remarkable leadership in raising mental health awareness.
Writer Anand bags Ezhuthacha Award Ben Stokes has won the prestigious Kerala Chief Minster BBC Sports Personality of the Year Pinarayi Vijayan 2019 award presented the Stokes is only the fifth cricketer, and Ezhuthacha Award for the first since Andrew Flint off in 2005, the year 2019 to writer to have received the honor since it Ananh began in 1954. The award, announced, (P.Sachidanandan) at 15 December, is part of BBC's annual Thiruvananthapuram. sporting awards, and celebrates the best The award carries a purse of `5 lakh. The of British sport, with the public voting on author has penned novels such as shortlisted candidates. Aalkootam, Maranacertificate and Marubhoomikal Undakunnathu. Union Rural Development Ministry Aditya became 1st child from Kerala selected UT of J&K for National award to receive Bharat Award for bravery Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir The Bharat award for bravery was has been selected for the national award announced. Aditya K. of Ramanattukara, by Union Rural Development Ministry for Kozhikode, Kerala became the first child best performance in the implementation from the State to receive the highest of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana honour award for bravery, the Bharat (PMGSY). The entire road length has award. He was awarded for saving 20 been sanctioned for up-gradation of people from a burning bus on the move. existing road infrastructure with 10-year The awards will be presented by Prime maintenance Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the Republic Day event in New Delhi on January 26,2020.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 31 Latest Historical Events Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National Award for Director of Human Resources in India 1.10 Latest Historical Events The Indian Public Relations Association th is holding an annual national seminar to 35 anniversary of Bhopal Gas improve the management skills of public Tragedy sector consultants. The awards were The 35th anniversary of Bhopal Gas given two awards, NLC, India's Best Tragedy is being observed across the Social Responsibility Agency and Best country. It is one of the world’s worst Enforcement of Right to Information Act. industrial disaster that claimed thousands This is the 5th consecutive year that NLC of lives on the night of December 2, 1984. and India have won the award for the The disaster took place in a pesticide best implementation of the Right to production plant, named the Union Information Act Carbide India Limited (UCIL). Tamil Isai Sangam honours musicians The leak of 40 tonnes of deadly methyl Violin maestro A. Kanniyakumari was isocyanate gas on the intervening night conferred the title “Isai Peraringnar” and of December 2 and 3, 1984. musician A. Balasubramaniya Odhuvar the “pann Isai Peraringar” award at the annual Tamil Isai Festival organized Sri Lanka formally releases ‘Vistas of by Tamil Isai Festival organized by Prosperity and Splendor’ Tamil Isai Sangan. President of Tamil Sri Lankan government has formally Isai Sangam P.R. Gokulakrishnan and released its new National policy honorary secretaryof the Sangam A.C. Framework titled ‘Vistas of Prosperity Muthiah were present on the occasion. and Splendor’. Extra News The framework is meant to guide the government ministries and departments International Astronomical Union in implementing their policies. names a star after Indian Woman It is aimed at achieving fourfold outcome Scientist of being a productive citizen, a contented The International Astronomical Union family, a virtuous, disciplined and just (IAU) named a white yellow star in society and a prosperous nation. Sextans Constellation as “Bhibha” and Maintaining GDP growth rate of 6.5% its planet as “Santamasa” or higher under the macroeconomic program, achieving a per capita income Highlights : The star has been named exceeding 6,500 US dollar during 2020 to Bhibha honoring Indian Woman Scientist 2025 are one of the key objectives of the Bhibha Choudhury who discovered suba- framework. tomic particle pi-meson. Bhibha means a bright beam of light in Bengali. The name Santamasa in Sanskrit means clouded.
32 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 India and its neighbours 1.11 India and its neighbours Lahore-Wagah shuttle train service resumes operation after 22 years Global Migration Film Festival The shuttle train service between Lahore organised in Dhaka and Wagah railway station resumed The Global Migration Film Festival operation on 15 December 2019 after a (GMFF) was organized in Dhaka, gap of 22 years. The train would complete Bangladesh. The festival screened three round trips daily as well as will 15 films on the theme of “migration provide the travelling facility to over and its various aspects”. The festival 1,000 passengers in three trips. was organised by the International The train service was operational between Organisation of Migrants (IOM) and Wagah to Lahore since the partition of Dhaka University Film Society with the India in 1947 till 1997 but was closed support of the European Union. due to certain operational and security Pakistan's Former dictator Pervez reasons. Musharraf sentenced to death 2nd Annual India-Bhutan Development
Pakistan's former dictator General Cooperation Talks held in New Delhi Pervez Musharraf was sentenced to nd death in absentia in the high treason The 2 annual India-Bhutan Development case for subverting the Constitution in Cooperation Talks were held in New 2007, becoming the first military ruler Delhi. to receive the capital punishment in the 2020 cooperation talks venue: During country's history. Musharraf is the first the talks, it was also decided to hold the military ruler convicted for subverting next Development Cooperation Talks for the Constitution. the year 2020 in Thimphu, Bhutan on a India Builds Girls’ Hostel for Nepal mutually agreed date. Armed Police Force School The Indian govt. has committed assistance of `4,500 crores for implementing The Government of India has constructed ` Girls’ Hostel for Nepal Armed Police Force development projects and 400 crores for (APF) School in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. transitional trade support facility during th The project was implemented by Nepal the Bhutan’s 12 Five Year Plan (2018 – 2023). Armed Police Force (APF). The project India-China discuss border issues in compliments effort of Government of New Delhi Nepal in augmenting infrastructure in Indian and Chinese representatives met the field of education. in New Delhi for the 22nd time to discuss About Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) School the border issued between the countries. It is an academic institution created This is the first meeting of the under APF Welfare Service Centre of representatives since the second informal Nepal Armed Police Force. The school summit between PM Modi and President was founded in 2005 and it has over 21% of girls students. Xi Jingping that was held at Chennai in October 2019. Vetrii IAS Study Circle 33 Appointments – Who is who Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 1.12 Appointments – Who is who? Sundar Pichai promoted as Alphabet Inc. CEO Suman Billa to join UNWTO as Sundar Pichai promoted as Alphabet Director Inc. CEO after Google co-founders Larry Suman Billa, IAS, who Page and Sergey Brin have announced was Joint Secretary in the that they are stepping down from the Ministry of Tourism, leadership role of the parent company Government of India, Alphabet. will join UN World Alphabet and Google no longer need two Tourism Organisation CEOs and a President and Sundar Pichai (UNWTO) as Director. will be the CEO of both Google and The Appointments Alphabet. Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister, had approved his appointment last week. As per sources, he will take charge in the UNWTO Ripu Daman Bevli named as Plogging headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Ambassador of India In 1979, World Tourism Day created, to be Union Minister for Youth Affairs & celebrated every year on 27th September. Sports (MYAS) Kiren Rijiju felicitated Ripu Daman Bevli, popularly known Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of as Plogman of India and named him as Defence Staff Plogging Ambassador of India. General Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of Defence What is Plog Run?
Staff. He will end his It is a unique way of picking up garbage tenure as the Army Chief while jogging. It was added to Fit India in December 2019. Movement as a unique way of combining He will take over as the cleanliness and fitness. Plogging Run first Chief of Defence combines the Fit India Movement and Staff – a four-star position being created as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
part of a defense management overhaul. First Fit India Plogging Run was held on He will get a term of 2 years as the CDS. 2 October 2019 in which more than 36 He took over as the 27th Chief of Army lakh people participated in over 62,000 Staff on 31 December 2016 after General locations across India. Dalbir Singh retired.
Dr Sangita Reddy appointed as the President of FICCI for 2019-20 Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group was appointed as the President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the year 2019-20, during FICCI’s 92nd Annual Convention in New Delhi.
34 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Appointments – Who is who Girish Chandra Chaturvedi appointed Lt.Gen. Manoj Kukund Naravane next as chairman of National Stock Army Chief Exchange Vice-Chief of Army, India’s leading stock Lieutenant General exchange the National Major Mukund Stock Exchange (NSE) Naravane, has been has appointed public appointed the next interest Director Girish Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Army Chandra Chaturvedi officials confirmed. as its new chairman. He is the senior most officer in the Army The appointment was after Gen.Rawat and the government has done after market regulator Securities gone with the seniority principle in the and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) appointment. He will have a tenure till approval. Chaturvedi replaced Ashok April 2022 till his superannuation Chawla, who resigned as a chairman in January 2019 Mallika Srinivasan, chairman of TAFE appointed as a board member of Uddhav Thackeray sworn in as USIBC Maharashtra Chief Minister Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman of Tractors Uddhav Bal Thackeray was sworn-in as and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) was th the 18 chief minister of Maharashtra. appointed as one of the board members The 59-year-old Uddhav Thackeray is the of the United States (US)- India Business first of his family to be the chief minister Council (USIBC), a global board of the US of Maharashtra. Chamber of Commerce. The appointment is to take immediate effect as she joins a prestigious list of Chief Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed as Executive Officers (CEO) and executives the 33rd Foreign Secretary of India on USIBC 35-member board. The Government of India as appointed the Sridhar Patra appointed CMD of Senior Diplomat and Indian ambassador NALCO to the United States, Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla as the next Foreign Secretary. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet He is the 33rd foreign secretary of the (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed Sridhar country. He replaces Vijay Gokhale. Patra as the new chairman-cum-managing Shringla will take charge after the director (CMD) of National Aluminium completion of Vijay Gokhale’s two-year Company Limited (NALCO). NALCO term on January 29, 2020. was established on 7 January, 1981, with its registered office at Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 35 Appointments – Who is who Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Chandrayaan-2 director out of 3rd Moon mission M Vanitha, who was the project director for Chandrayaan-2, is no longer going to Extra be retained in the Chandrayaan-3 team. News Ritu Karidhal, whose team was responsible Nagpur Resolution to empower for the mission, continues to be mission citizens adopted at conference director for Chandrayaan-3. Vanitha has organised by DARPG in Nagpur. been replaced by P.Veeramuthuvel from ISRO headquarters. The ‘Nagpur Resolution’ which is an approach to empower citizens, was Mallika Srinivasan, chairman of TAFE adopted during the 2-day organised appointed as a board member of USIBC Regional Conference on ‘Improving Public Service Delivery – Role of Mallika Srinivasan, Governments’, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Chairman of Tractors and The conference was organised by the Farm Equipment Limited Department of Administrative Reforms (TAFE) was appointed as and Public Grievances (DARPG) one of the board members along with Maharashtra govt and the of the United States (US)- Maharashtra State Commission for Right India Business Council to Public Services’ collaboration. (USIBC), a global board of the US Chamber Nagpur Resolution: of Commerce. The appointment is to take ff The conference had conducting of six immediate effect as she joins a prestigious technical sessions during the 2-day event. list of Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and ff Previously, Shillong Declaration and executives on USIBC 35-member board. the Jammu Resolution were adopted for Sethuraman Panchanathan to be good governance in 2019. appointed as the National Science Brexit coins ordered again for new Foundation January 2020 deadline The USA President Donald The UK government has ordered a new Trump has chosen Indian- set of commemorative coins to mark the American computer scientist latest Brexit deadline of January 31, 2020 Sethuraman Panchanathan after having to melt down thousands to lead the National Science with missed deadlines this year. Foundation (NSF). The Royal Mint had commissioned He will replace France Cordova when her special coins to mark the UK's scheduled 6-years-old term as the NSF Director ends exit from the European Union (EU) first in 2020. The position of NSF Director will by March 29 this year and then October be fixed by the Senate of the state. 31 this year, both deadlines which were missed amid parliamentary deadlock.
36 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Cultural Panorama 1.13 Cultural Panorama Manipur Sangai Festival 2019 being organised in Imphal Ocean Dance Festival 2019 starts in The 2019 edition of Manipur Sangai Cox Bazar Festival is being organised from 24- The Ocean Dance Festival 2019 kicked off 30 November in Imphal. Every year in Cox Bazar of Bangladesh. in November, Gateway of North-East region, Manipur celebrates the ‘Sangai The festival is being organised by the Festival’, which was named after the Nrityajog which is the Bangladesh wing State animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered of World Dance Alliance (WDA). The deer found only in Manipur. festival aims to expand cultural tourism in Bangladesh. About Sangai deer
The theme of this year’s festival is Endangered (EN) - IUCN.
‘Bridging the distance’ or Durotter Endemic species found only in Manipur, India. Shetubandhan. State animal of Manipur th 20 Edition of Hornbill festival began Habitat: in Nagaland on December 1 Floating marshy grasslands, Phumids, of The 20th edition of the Hornbill the Keibul Lamjao National Park, located festival began in Heritage Kisama, an in the southern parts of the Loktak Lake Amphitheatre in Kohima, Nagaland, it is (largest freshwater lake in eastern India) Phumdi - floating mass of entangled also the 57th Statehood Day of Nagaland. vegetation formed by the accumulation The festival is organized by Nagaland of organic debris and biomass with soil. Government and is celebrated for the promotion of tourism and for the Madhya Pradesh to host “Namaste exhibition of the state’s tradition and Orchha” festival 2020 in Orchha culture. Madhya Pradesh (MP) Tourism The festival included colourful display Department is going to organize a 3-day of Naga culture themed as “Colours of Cultural Festival ‘Namaste Orchha 2020’ in Nagaland”. Orchha from March 6 – March 8 ,2020 with National Tribal Dance Festival to be the aim to promote MP Tourism through held in Raipur Orchha &especially to attract tourists. A National Tribal Dance Festival will be held in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur from December 27 to 29. Nearly 1,400 artists belonging to 151 art troupes from 23 states and guest artists from six countries including Sri Lanka, Belarus, Uganda and Bangladesh will participate in the three-day programme.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 37 Latest Court Verdicts Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 POLITICAL 2. SCIENCE 2.1 Latest Court Verdicts SC uses extraordinary powers to grant divorce to couple Chief justice forms panel of two SC Marriages are said to be made in heaven judges to expedite trials in sexual and broken on earth, the Supreme Court assault cases said while using its extraordinary powers to do “complete justice” and grant Chief Justice of India SA Bobde formed divorce to a couple whose marriage has a panel of two Supreme Court judges to irretrievably broken down to the state of speed up clearing sexual assault cases, a “dead letter”. reported Bar and Bench. A Bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and K.M. The judicial committee of Justices Joseph said the ground of “irretrievable Subhash Reddy and MR Shah will breakdown of marriage” was yet to be monitor, supervise and make suggestions recognised by the divorce law. for expeditious trial in cases relating to Hence the court had to resort to its rape and POCSO across the country. extraordinary powers under Article 142 The judicial committee of Justices Subhash of the Constitution to dissolve irreparable marriages, which remains outside the Reddy and MR Shah will ‘monitor, statutes despite two reports by the Law supervise and make suggestions’ for Commission of India recommending its speedy trials. insertion Extra News Andhra pradesh cabinet approves Disha bill, 2019 to make criminal cases against women in 21 days Key Points: The amended law mandates The Andhra Pradesh (AP) state Cabinet the completion of investigation in 7 days and chaired by chief minister (CM), Yeduguri subsequent court trial in the next 14 days so Sandinti (YS) Jagan Mohan Reddy, has that the sentence can be given within 21 days. approved the A.P. Disha Bill, 2019 that The curre t law gives 4 months to go to trial in makes it mandatory to settle cases of such cases. New Provision: The bill amended atrocities against women in 21 days and provisions in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and punishment including a death penalty for Sections 354-E and 354-F in the IPC have also the offences of rape and gang-rape. The been created to deal with harassment of women new bill, the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law via social media, digital mode & molestation / (amendment) Act, 2019, called as A.P Disha sexual assault of children respectively Act, 2019. 38 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 India’s Foreign Policy | Political parties and Political system in India 2.2 India’s Foreign Policy Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal Lokpal Chairman Justice (retired) Pinaki India and Sweden set to expand ties Chandra Ghose launched the new logo for Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf held the apex anti-corruption ombudsman. A extensive talks with President Ram Nath new motto, ‘Ma Gridhah Kasyasvidhanam Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealthy, Modi to expand overall bilateral was also adopted. A logo designed by cooperation in diverse areas including Prashant Mishra, a resident of Prayagraj in trade and investment, innovation and in Uttar Pradesh, was finally selected. culture. The King and President Kovind, Description of the Symbol the sides signed three pacts providing for cooperation in polar science, innovation Ombudsman Judges Session and research and in maritime spheres. People Picture of three Human India-Sweden High-Level Policy Dialogue Inquiry Asoka Chakra stone formation student on Innovation Policy, discussing ways to expand engagement in research and Law The shape of the Book in orange development. Judicary Two hands with tricolor will form a Unique balance
Santhali language spoken for first 2.3 Political parties and time in Rajya Sabha 'Santhali' reverberated in Rajya Sabha for Political system in India the first time in 67 years since its inception when BJD MP Sarojini Hembram spoke SPG Bill passed amid Opposition in the language of the tribal community walkout Santhals. The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the She belongs to Santhal community, special protection Group (Amendment) Hembram raised the issue of conferring Bill, 2019 which will now protect only Bharat Ratna to Raghunath Murmu, the the Prime Minister and members of his inventor of the 'OlChiki', the script used immediate family residing with him at in Santhali language. his official residence. It will also provide Santhali language security to former Prime Ministers and Santali also known as Santhali, is the their immediate family members staying most widely-spoken language of the with them at the residence allotted for Munda subfamily of the Austroasiatic a period of five years from the date on languages, related to Ho and Mundari, which they cease to hold office. spoken mainly in the Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 39 Political parties and Political system in India Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Social Security Code Bill Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill, 2019 introduced in Lok Sabha The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 seeks The social security code bill was to provide for protection of personal data of introduced in Lok Sabha. The bill individuals, and establishes a Data Protection paves way for universalization of Authority for the same. Applicability: Personal data is data which pertains to characteristics, social security of 50 crore workers traits or attributes of identity, which can be used in the country. to identify an individual. The Bill categorizes Key Features of the bill certain personal data as sensitive personal data. The bill proposes setting up of This includes financial data, biometric data, a social security fund to fulfill caste, religious or political beliefs, or any other benefits such as medical cover, category of data specified by the government, pension, death and disablement in consultation with the Authority and the benefits including gig workers. concerned sectoral regulator.
World’s Deepest land canyon Parliament passes ship recycling bill discovered under Denman glacier in Antarctica The deepest canyon on land on earth is found in the Denman glacier in East Antarctica. The discovery was done by Glaciologists at the University of California Irvine (UCI), California and was presented at the American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting The bill restricts and prohibits the use or held in San Francisco. installation of hazardous material, which applies CSIR, BHEL signs MoU to push irrespective of whether a ship is meant for ‘Make in India’ initiative recycling or not. Ships to be recycled in India shall be required to obtain a Ready for Recycling The Council of Scientific & Certificate in accordance with the HKC-Hong Industrial Research (CSIR) Kong International Convention for the safe and has signed a Memorandum of environmentally sound recycling of ships. Understanding (MoU) with The Hong Kong International Convention for Khadi and Village Industries the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling Commission (KVIC) on promotion of Ships, 2009 (the Hong Kong Convention), of honey production Khadi outlets was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in to also display CSIR products. Hong Kong, China in 2009. It was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2009.
40 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.4 Govt – Welfare oriented 2.0 to be launched across India Govt schemes, their utility Centre is launching nationwide vaccination drive to prevent eight diseases under Intensified Mission ‘One nation, one ration card’: Centre Indradhanush 2.0 across the country. The makes standard format government's flagship scheme is aimed The Centre has designed a standard at immunizing children under the age format for ration cards as it moves ahead of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases. with 'one nation, one ration card' initiative The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, and has asked state governments to whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, follow the pattern while issuing fresh tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and ration cards. Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Japanese Currently, the central government's encephalitis and hemophilus influenza ambitious initiative is being implemented are also being provided in selected areas. on a pilot basis in a cluster of six states. Over 88.5 per cent children and pregnant It wants to implement this facility across women have been vaccinated under the country from June 1, 2020. routine immunization in Rajasthan and a Under this initiative, eligible beneficiaries target has been set to reach 100 per cent would be able to avail their entitled food- under this campaign. grains under the National Food Security Govt launches 4th round of Regional Act (NFSA) from any Fair Price Shop in Connectivity Scheme-UDAN the country using the same ration card.
The states have also been told to have a The Union Government of India has launched the fourth round of UDAN 10-digit standard ration card number, (UdeDesh Ka AamNagrik) to enhance wherein first two digits will be state code the connectivity to regional areas of and the next two digits will be running the country. This phase is to focus on ration card numbers. Hilly states, North East Region, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Islands. Indian Railways offers 50% concession for Youth participating in the “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” programme In order to facilitate the travel of youth participants of “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” program, Indian Railways has decided to grant 50% concession in basic fares of Second/ Sleeper Class to youths with earnings emoluments of not more than `5000/- per month for travelling from one State to another State to take part in ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ programme. This concession has been granted as a special case and it is admissible only in the normal train services and not for booking of Special Trains/Coaches.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 41 Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Lok Sabha passes bill to extend Annual solar eclipse on Dec 26 in India SC-ST quota in legislatures A day after the world celebrates Xmas on Lok Sabha unanimously passed December 25, a partial solar eclipse will be a Constitution amendment bill to visible in India along with several other extend reservation to SCs and STs countries. in Lok Sabha and state assemblies This will be an annular solar eclipse in by another 10 years even though the some parts of India and elsewhere which opposition slammed the government happens on December 26, 2019 when the for not giving the benefit to the Moon covers the Sun’s centre, leaving the Anglo-Indian community. sun’s visible outer edges to form a "ring of The bill was passed with 352 members fire" voting in favour and none against it. From India, annular phase will be visible Responding to the debate on the in the morning after sunrise from some Constitution (126th) Amendment Bill, places within a narrow corridor of southern Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad part of the country (parts of Karnataka, asserted that quota in legislatures for Kerala & Tamil Nadu) and it will be seen SCs and STs was required to build a as partial solar eclipse from the rest part of new political leadership of the two the country. communities. The narrow corridor of annular phase of The reservation for SCs, STs and the eclipse will pass through the southern Anglo-Indians given for the past part of the country through certain places 70 years in Lok Sabha and state like Cannanore, Coimbatore, Kozhikode, assemblies was due to end on January Madurai, Mangalore, Ooty, Tiruchirappalli 25, 2020. etc.
GoI flagship scheme, AMRUT extended by 2 years The Government of India extended the deadline of its flagship scheme AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) by two more years. The mission was launched in 2015 by PM Modi promising 139 lakh water connections and 145 lakh sewer connections by March 2020. The expenditure of the mission was estimated as ` 77,640 crores. AMRUT scheme After its launch, Rajasthan was the first state to submit its State Annual Action Plan (SAAP). The plan is submitted by the state governments to the centre. With the help of the plan the centre formulates city level estimation of budget required to avail water supply, draining system, sewerages, digital and internet facilities, industrial and transport facilities, etc
42 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Problems in Conduct of Public Elections NIFTEM to conduct National Organic Indian Railways offers 50% Festival of Women Entrepreneurs concession for Youth participating Union Ministry of Food Processing in the “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” Industries (MoFPI) and Union Ministry programme of Women and Child Development In order to facilitate the travel of youth (MoWCD) signed a Memorandum participants of “Ek Bharat Shrestha of Understanding (MoU) to organize Bharat” program, Indian Railways has ‘National Organic Festival of Women decided to grant 50% concession in basic Entrepreneurs’. The event will be planned and organized through National Institute fares of Second/Sleeper Class to youths of Food Technology Entrepreneurship with earnings emoluments of not more and Management (NIFTEM), Sonepat, than `5000/- per month for travelling Haryana. NIFTEM is an academic from one State to another State to take institution under the administrative part in ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ control of Union Ministry of Food programme. Processing Industries. This concession has been granted as a special case and it is admissible only in Govt. Aims to provide broadband the normal train services and not for access to all villages by 2022 booking of Special Trains/Coaches. The government announced a new ‘mission’ aimed at providing broadband access in all villages in the country by 2.5 Problems in Conduct of 2022, entailing investments of around `7 lakh crore from various stakeholders. Public Elections The National Broadband Mission will facilitate universal and equitable access Election Commission to implement to broadband services across the country, registration tracking system “PPRTMS” especially in rural and remote areas.” The Election Commission of India (ECI) The mission envisages stakeholder reviewed the political parties’ registration ` investment of $100 billion ( 7 lakh crore), process and decided to implement new including `70,000 crore from Universal guidelines and “Political Parties. Service Obligation Fund (USOF) in Registration Tracking Management coming years System” (PPRTMS), related to the Phase III of Pradhan Mantri Gram registration process effective from Sadak Yojana launched January 1, 2019. The PPRTMS will be implemented Union Minister of Rural Development, through an online portal in order to track Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri the status of the applicants. Guidelines: Narendra Singh Tomar launched the The guidelines for this purpose are made third phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram available in the election commission’s Sadak Yojana. website https://eci.gov.in.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 43 Policy on Environment and Ecology Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 3. GEOGRAPHY
3.1 Policy on Environment and Ecology Undersea telecom cables can be used Guru Ghasidas National Park to become as earthquake monitoring networks Chhattisgarh’s 4th tiger reserve Fibre-optic cables that make up the global Chhattisgarh government announced undersea telecommunications network that the state is set to have Guru Ghasidas may help researchers assess offshore National Park in Kotiya district as its earthquakes, and hidden geologic fourth ‘tiger reserve’. structures in the depths of the ocean, This decision was taken in 11th meeting of Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board chaired according to a study. by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The The study, published in the journal National Tiger Conservation Authority Science, describes an experiment which (NTCA) had approved to declare Guru turned a 20 kilometre section of undersea Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve fibre-optic cable into the equivalent of in 2014. 10,000 seismic stations monitoring quakes Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh: At along the ocean floor. present there are three tiger reserves The researchers, including those from the in state: Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in University of California (UC) Berkeley Bilaspur, Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in the US, recorded a 3.5 magnitude in Gariaband and Indravati Tiger Reserve earthquake, and seismic scattering from in Bijapur district. underwater fault zones during their four- day experiment. Global temperature will rise 3.2 degree Celsius by 2100: UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2019 The latest UNEP Emissions Gap Report-2019 warns that the average temperature of the Earth may rise by 3.2 degrees Celsius by 2021. Despite all the scientific warnings and political commitments emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) couldn’t decrease globally. A report released prior to the United Nations Climate Conference COP- 25 to be held in Spain from December 2 states that GHG emissions have increased by 1.5 per cent since the last decade. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have reached an all-time high figure of 55.3 gigatons.
44 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Natural Disasters – Safeguard Measures Etawah Lion Safari inaugurated in Country's tiger population up by 750 Uttar Pradesh in 4 yrs to 2,976 The Etawah Lion Safari, formally known Environment, Forest and Climate Change as Etawah Safari Park was thrown open Minister Prakash Javadekar recited in the for public in Uttar Pradesh without the Rajya Sabha that tiger population in the lion segment. It is a drive-through safari country has increased by 750 in the last park located in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh four years to 2,976. and is one of the biggest safari parks in The Country’s geographical area of forest Asia with an area of 350 hectares (860 cover has increased by 17.374 sq km acres). In 2014, the first pair of lions between assessments of 2007 and 2017. reached the safari and has now at least 18 lions roam in the premises. The wildlife 'Earth's most uninhabitable place officials entrusted with this project found' visited England’s Longleat Safari Park for inspiration. Researchers have found an aquatic environment on the Earth with UNDP launches Accelerator Lab in complete absence of any forms of life, an New Delhi advance that may lead to an improved The United Nations Development understanding of the limits of habitability. Programme (UNDP) has launched The study, published in the journal the India chapter of its new initiative, Nature Ecology and Evolution, revealed Accelerator Lab in New Delhi. The that any form of microbial life was absent objective behind launching lab is to in the hot, saline, hyperacid ponds of the address some of the most pressing issues Dallol geothermal field in Ethiopia. facing India, including air pollution, through innovation. To achieve its 3.2 Natural Disasters – objectives, the UNDP has also partnered Safeguard Measures with NITI Aayog ‘s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM). Typhoon Kammuri hits Philippines Central Government has decided Typhoon Kammuri hits Philippines to deploy drones to destroy hidden disrupting people’s daily routine. Over Marijuana plants three lakh people were moved out from The central Government has decided their homes and the Ninoy Aquino to deploy drones to destroy marijuana International Airport was shut down plantations before it reaches the hands of and about 500 flights were cancelled. the drug cartels. The decision has been The storm also affected the South part taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs of Manila where thousands of athletes (MHA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau were gathered for the regional South (NCB). Asian Games (SEA).
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 45 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019
4. ECONOMICS 4.1 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector
Walmart Inc launches supplier GOVT. Extends 15th finance panel development programme in India term US-based retail major Walmart Inc The Union Cabinet approved the launched a supplier development extension of the term of the 15th Finance program in India with the aim to train Commission. 50,000 small and medium entrepreneurs The term had been extended till October enabling them to scale up and become 30. The first report, for financial year part of global supply chains. The 2020-21, will be submitted in the coming initiative called the Walmart Vriddhi months before the Union Budget, and the Supplier Development Program, aims to train these 50,000 micro, small and second report for the period 2021-26 will medium-sized enterprises (MSME) by be presented by October 30, 2020. setting up 25 institutes strategically This will effectively mean the 15th near manufacturing clusters across the Finance Commission’s recommendations country in the next five years. The first will be applicable for six years and not such institute is expected to open in the conventional five-year period. March 2020. India is already among the The extension will help the N.K.Singh-led top five sourcing markets for the retail panel to examine comparable estimates giant globally, and the new initiative is for financial projections. part of its long-term commitments to the country.
Challenges ahead for most Indian non-financial companies in 2020: Moody's Investors Service Driven by sluggish economic growth and slowing earnings, credit conditions will weaken for most Indian non-financial companies in 2020 announced by Moody's Investors Service Moody's expects India's GDP growth to slow to 6.6 per cent in 2020, weaker than in previous years, with limited prospects for government stimulus measures to improve credit conditions in the near term. Funding conditions also remain tight, slowing demand for consumer goods and leaving banks selective in extending loans to companies.
46 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Aditya Birla Finance becomes first 15th Finance Commission submits its company to list commercial papers report for 2020-21 to President on stock exchanges President of the 15th Finance Committee, Aditya Birla Finance Ltd (ABFL), the Non- NK Singh, presented the report for Banking Financial Company (NBFC) arm the financial year 2020-21 to President of Aditya Birla Capital, has now become Ramnath Govind. The 15th Finance the first company to list its commercial Committee report for the financial year papers (CPs) on stock exchanges. 2020-21 was ordered to be submitted on The move comes after stock exchanges- the 27th of last month. the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and NK Singh submitted a financial statement NSE (National Stock Exchange), came to President Ramnath Govind in Delhi. out with a framework for listing of commercial papers (CPs), in a bid to According to the report, the time limit broaden investors’ participation in such for submitting the financial committee's securities. report for 2021-26 has been given until October 30 next year. Shipping Ministry approves Loktak Inland Waterways Project in Manipur Xiaomi launches service “Mi Credit” Union Ministry of Shipping (MoS) has in India for Android phones approved long pending demand of Xiaomi has formally launched its lending Government of Manipur for development platform “Mi Credit” in India for Android of Loktak Inland Waterways Project in phones. the north eastern state. The request for According to platform “Mi Credit” development of this project was made by individuals can avail up to Rs 1 lakh loan. Loktak Development Authority. Xiaomi has roped in Aditya Birla Finance Ltd, Money View, Early Salary, Zest Exim Bank sanctioned $500 million money and Credit Vidya as the current LoC to Bangladesh for defence lending partners for Mi Credit service. procurement India’s EXIM bank (Export Import Bank of Reliance is a track record - worth India) has provided $500 million (Rs 3561 Rs 10 lakh crore crore) Line of Credit (LoC) to Bangladesh The market value of Reliance Industries for defence-related procurement in has crossed Rs 10 lakh crore. the neighbouring country. The EXIM On the Bombay Stock Exchange, bank entered into an agreement with Reliance's current market value is Rs Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division 10.01 lakh crore. (AFD) in this regard on April 11, 2019. Shares of Mukesh Ambani Company The agreement became effective from closed at Rs. 579.95 November 7, 2019 and the utilization The Bombay Stock Exchange, for the first period of the loan is 10 years from the time in its history, reached 41 thousand date of signing the agreement. and 120 points between trading.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 47 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Canada’s CPPIB commits to invest up India in the midst of significant to $600 million in National Investment slowdown: IMF and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India India is now in the midst of a significant Canada Pension Plan Investment Board economic slowdown, the International (CPPIB) has agreed to invest up to $600 Monetary Fund has said, urging the million in the National Investment and government to take urgent policy Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India actions to address the current prolonged through the NIIF Master Fund. CPPIB’s downturn. commitment includes a $150 million in In its report released Monday, the the NIIF Master Fund and co-investment IMF Directors noted that India’s rapid rights of upto $450 million in future economic expansion in recent years has opportunities to invest alongside the lifted millions of people out of poverty. NIIF Master Fund. However, in the first half of 2019, a combination of factors led to subdued ADB trims growth forecasts as Asia's economic growth in India. biggest economies slow Bharat Bond ETF first cut India's growth is now seen at a slower 5.1% in 2019-20 The Asian Development India’s first bond exchange-traded fund Bank (ADB) has trimmed its forecasts (ETF) is just a few weeks away from for economic growth in developing Asia being rolled out. The Bharat Bond ETF, this year and next year as growth in the Edelweiss Asset Management will People's Republic of China (PRC) and launch it soon, after nearly two years India is weighed down by both external of deliberation with the government of and domestic factors. In South Asia, India. India's growth is now seen at a slower The former finance minister Arun Jaitley 5.1% in fiscal year 2019 (2019-20) as had made announcements relating to the foundering of a major nonbanking bond ETFs in his Budget speech of 2018. financial company in 2018 led to a rise in It is a low-down on the structure of the risk aversion in the financial sector and a product and some pointers for investors credit crunch. to benefit from. NSE launches interest rate options on 10-yr govt bonds 1st Pashu Kisan Credit Cards of India, National Stock Exchange launched distributed in Bhiwani, Haryana interest rate options on ten-year The 1st Pashu Kisan credit cards (Animal Government bonds. The exchange husbandry Credit Card) in India were recorded a turnover of 5,926 contracts on distributed to 101 animal farmers in the first day of its launch. The exchange has Bhiwani district of Haryana. These added one more instrument to the fixed credit cards were launched to promote income derivatives asset class. Interest animal husbandry and agribusiness. The rate options will provide institutional haryana govt has also set a target to to investors with the ability to manage risk issue 10 lakh Pashu Kisan Credit cards by through a non-linear product. March 2021. 48 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Reliance Industries topples IOC to RBI’s launched special operation to become largest company on Fortune forcefully lower interest rates. India 500 list To forcefully bring down the rate of Reliance Industries (RIL) ended Indian interest in the economy, the RBI would Oil Corporation’s (IOC) 10-year reign as buy Government Securities (G-Secs) with India’s largest corporation on the Fortune a 10- years maturity while, at the same India 500 list. The Mukesh Ambani- time, sell government bonds with just led conglomerate also became the first one-year maturity both worth `10,000 privately-held and the only company crore each. Globally termed as ‘Operation apart from the state run oil-refiner to top Twist’ for quite sometime, economics the list since it was first published in 2010. have been expectating the Central bank to launch this special manoeuvre so that rate th st 7 Economic Census: India’s 1 cuts by it could lead to a commensurate digital census launched in New Delhi drop in the rate of interest in the economy. 7th edition of the Economic Census was ‘Operation Twist’ is the name given to launched in New Delhi. To carry out the a monetary policy tool that the Jerome economic census, Ministry of Statistics Powell- led US Federal Reserve had and Program Implementation (MoSPI) started to influence the rate of interest tied up with Common Service Centres in the world’s largest economy. The Network (CSCN). CSC is an SPV (Special process involves buying and selling of Purpose Vehicle) under Ministry of both short-and long-term government Electronics and IT (MeitY). It is for the bonds- depending upon its objective first time the census is being conducted in relating to rates-at the same time. digital platform named ICT (Information SEBI signs pact with Kazakhstan’s and Communication Technology). AFSA for mutual co-operation Infosys launches distributed apps powered by blockchain tech Markets regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has signed a Infosys announced the launch of bilateral memorandum of understanding three blockchain-powered distributed (MoU) with Kazakhstan-based Astana applications for government services, Financial Services Authority (AFSA) insurance, and supply chain management for mutual co-operation and technical domains. assistance. These comprehensive applications About Securities and Exchange Board of designed as ready-to-subscribe business India (SEBI) networks ensure quick deployment, It is responsible for regulating Securities interoperability across disparate systems market in India. It was first established of value chain stakeholders and a wide in 1988 as a non-statutory body for variety of use cases involving other regulating securities market and was digital technologies like IoT, Analytics as given Statutory Powers on 30 January well 1992 through Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Act, 1992. Vetrii IAS Study Circle 49 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 in Rajya Sabha Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Earlier, it was passed in Lok Sabha on December 9 after a long debate. This bill has to be introduced in Rajya Sabha. The BJP has issued a whip for its Rajya Sabha MPs for December 10 and 11. What is Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019? The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill-2019 will provide Indian citizenship to the six minority communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. These six communities are - Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Christian and Sikhs. At present, it is mandatory for a person to stay here for at least 11 years to get citizenship of India. The bill will reduce this period to six years. It will enable people from these communities to get Indian citizenship in six years. It will make some amendments to the Citizenship Act 1955 to provide legal aid for citizenship. About the bill: The Union Cabinet approved the draft law on 4 December 2019, while it was passed by the Lok Sabha with 311 MPs voting in favour and 80 against the bill. It is likely to be passed by the Rajya Sabha on 11 December. The bill was first introduced in 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government, but was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 to grant citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis facing persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan - but excludes Muslims. The bill aims to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who entered India on or before 31 December 2014, eligible for Indian citizenship. It also seeks to relax the requirement of residence in India for citizenship by naturalisation from 11 years to 5 years for these migrants. The bill exempts the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura, included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution from its applicability. These tribal areas include Karbi Anglong in Assam, Garo Hills in Meghalaya, Chakma district in Mizoram, and Tribal Areas district in Tripura. It also excludes the areas regulated through the Inner Line Permit which includes Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. The bill includes new provisions for cancellation of the registration of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). The criteria include OCI registration through fraud, imprisonment for two or more years within five years of OCI registration and when it's a matter of India's sovereignty and security. PM Modi holds 1st meeting of Cabinet Committee on Investment & Growth The newly formed Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth held its first meeting as the government looked at boosting spending to bring back a sputtering economy on track. The panel has four other members - Home Minister Amit Shah, Highways and MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce & Railways Minister Piyush Goyal. 50 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Current Socio-Economic Problems ADB approves $ 490 million loan to SEC releases final list for local body upgrade roads in Madhya Pradesh polls Asian Development Bank (ADB),an Tamil Nadu Election Commission has international development finance declared that in the final list 2,31,890 institution has inked a $490 million loan candidates will be contesting in the rural agreement with Government of India local body elections on December 27 (GoI) for upgrade about 1,600 km of and 30. According to a release 3,20,994 Madhya Pradesh(MP) state highways nomination were received to contest for (750km) & major district roads- MDRs 91,975 posts- village panchayat ward (850km) from single-lane to two-lane member, panchayat president, union widths in the state. This project will be a public-private partnership (PPP) through ward and district ward member post in the hybrid-annuity model (HAM), 27 districts across the state. After scrutiny for this, an additional $286 million 3,643 papers were rejected ,48,891 with investment will be mobilized by the state. drew their nominations and candidates This project will be a public-private were declared elected unopposed for partnership (PPP) through the hybrid- 18,570 posts. annuity model (HAM), for this, an additional $286 million investment will be mobilized by the state. 4.2 Current Socio-Economic Bharat Bond ETF subscribed 1.7 times Problems Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), the country’s first corporate bond exchange DHFL becomes 1st financial services traded fund aimed to retail investors, saw firm to be taken to NCLT a strong response, with the issue getting The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has subscribed around 1.7 times. referred Dewan Housing Finance Corp. NEFT transaction facility to be Ltd (DHFL) to the National Company available 24×7 for customers from Law Tribunal (NCLT) for insolvency December, 16, 2019: RBI proceedings, making it the first financial services player to go NCLT for a possible The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed the round-the-clock (24×7) debt resolution. transactions facility under the National DHFL has a debt of ` 83,873 crore. As Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system per the statutory inspection of DHFL to customers on all days including conducted by the National Housing Bank, weekends and holidays from December the DHFL showed a serious deterioration 16, 2019. As per the recommendation in its finances. of Nandan Nilekani-led Committee on Digital Payments panel, RBI directed banks to withdraw the charges levied on the NEFT transactions.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 51 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 5. SCIENCE
5.1 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
Govt propose to set up new rocket 1st night trial of Agni-III Missile held launch pad near Kulasekarapattinam at Abdul Kalam island ITR, Odisha in Tamil Nadu The first night trial of the nuclear capable Union Government is planning to Agni-III surface-to-surface ballistic set up a new rocket launch pad near missile was carried out from a mobile Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu. launcher at the Integrated Test Range At present, the Indian Space Research (ITR) at APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the organisation (ISRO) has two launch pads coast of Odisha. at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDCC) in Boeing's Starliner Lands Safely Back Sriharikotta, Andhra Pradesh. to Earth After Aborted Space Station BRUIE to hunt for life on distant ocean Mission worlds Boeing's Starliner NASA recently displayed a new spacecraft returned underwater robot for a mission that to Earth, landing could one day search for life in ocean safely in the New worlds beyond earth. The robot, known Mexico desert. as Buoyant Rover for Under – Ice Exploration (BRUIE), is being developed The journey is for underwater exploration in extra- being hailed as terrestrial, icy waters. It could be used to a major achievement despite failing to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa or Saturn’s complete a core objective: docking at the moon Enceladus. international space station. Japan launches world’s 1st liquid hydrogen transport ship, ‘Suiso frontier’ Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd,a Japanese public multinational corporation has launched the world’s 1st ocean-going liquid hydrogen carrier ship designed to carry liquid hydrogen at minus 253 ° C produced in south coast of Australia to unload in Kobe, Japan. The liquid hydrogen carrier tank has been named as ‘Suiso Frontier’ at a ceremony held at Kobe Works yard, Japan
52 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology India conducts successful trial of Intel’s design and engineering facility indigenously made Prithvi-2 missile opens in Hyderabad India has successfully conducted Intel India opened a 3,00,000 sq ft Design and another night trial of its indigenously Engineering Centre in Hyderabad, a facility developed nuclear capable Prithvi-2 the tech major expects will make significant missile from a mobile launcher of contributions to its critical global products. the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at One of the important tasks the 1,500-seater Chandipur in Odisha coast. facility will focus on is the Exascale Earlier, the flight test of surface-to- Computing project. surface missile was carried out barely IIT Kanpur develops drone called ‘Prahari’ a 15 days after two back-to-back Students of IIT-Kanpur have developed a trials of Prithvi-2 were conducted drone named ‘Prahari’ which can not only successfully at night from same base carry a load of about 4 to 5 kilograms but on 20 November. can also patrol sensitive zone for three hours CSIR Developed Anti-Diabetes Medicine continuously. The autonomous system The diabetic population in the country (drone) consists of an unmanned helicopter is close to hitting the alarming mark with drone catching net. ‘Prahari’ is unique of 69.9 million by 2025, which denotes in this way that it can chase, outrun and that the country is expected to capture the rogue drone. This system has witness an increase of 266%. Council been developed by Prof Abhishek and of Scientific and Industrial Research Prof Mangal Kothari of the department of (CSIR) developed scientifically aerospace engineering and their team of validated herbal product NBRMAP- students. DB as anti-diabetic formulation and the knowhow for the product was licensed to M/s AIMIL Pharma Ltd., Delhi who are manufacturing and marketing it as BGR-34, across the country. 'T-Taxi' cell phone processor for drivers MG Motor unveils its first electric T-Taxi, a new cell phone processor that car in India unites drivers and drivers who own The automaker plans to bring in a personal vehicles, was unveiled in long-range electric SUV named ZS Chennai. next month MG Motor is betting on T-Taxi Co-operative Service Union the upcoming EV to establish the has announced that there will be no brand in the domestic market South additional charges for congestion during Korea’s Hyundai Motor was the first peak hours. to launch a long-range electric vehicle in India, Kona, which has found wide acceptance among affluent retail customers. Vetrii IAS Study Circle 53 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Chennai Engineer Who Alerted NASA A Chennai-based engineer has been credited by NASA for alerting them about the presence of the debris of the lander of Chandrayaan 2, India's ambitious moon mission. Shanmuga Subramanian, 33, found the debris from the Vikram moon lander that scientists had been looking for and helped guide them to the spot where it had crashed. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had lost contact with the lander Vikram following its launch from Chandraayan 2 moon orbiter on September 6 when it tried to make soft-landing near the moon's south pole.
ISRO sets up Space Technology Cells Mozhugampoondi is India's best in premier institutions panchayat The Indian Space Research Organization Mozhugampoondi village in will set up five Space Technology Cells Tiruvannamalai district has been selected at the premier institutes in order to carry as the best implementation of the central out research activities. It includes IISc, government program. Under the Central IITs in Kharagpur, Bombay, Madras and Government's 'Mission Antyodaya', the basic facilities required for the villages Kanpur. are provided. Space Technology cell In this project, the village of The Technology cells will consist of Thiruvannamalai district, Arani, next professors and scholars associated with to Mozhugampoondi village has been the institute. Under the programme, the selected as the best performing village experts will conduct space technology in India. It topped the charts. This research and applications. year's rankings for the central and state governments are based on road Swachh Bharat Mission achieves its maintenance, drinking water, electricity, urban target education and rural development. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs announced that urban areas of 35 states World’s First fully electric commercial have been declared Open Defecation Seaplane takes test flight in Canada Free. It includes 4,167 cities. The target The World’s first fully electric commercial has been achieved through third party aircraft takes test flight in Vancouver, verification. Canada. Highlights It is manufactured by Harbour Air and According to the ministry, the target has Magnix and involves a six-passenger been achieved by constructing 65.81 lakh DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver with a households toilets as against the target of 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni500 59 lakhs. In order to achieve the target, propulsion system, and was piloted by the ministry had launched ODF+ and Greg McDougall, founder and Chief ODF++ protocols. Executive of Harbour Air.
54 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology India’s Cartosat-3 plus 13 nano 50th PSLV launch carries radar satellite satellites put in orbit India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) marked its ‘Golden Jubilee’ launch by injecting India’s advanced radar imaging satellite RISAT-2BR1 and nine other customer satellites from Japan, Italy, Israel and the U.S., into their intended orbits. The PSLV, which has a history of successful launches of payloads that include Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission and the space recovery mission. New China-Brazil earth resource satellite named “CBERS-4A” launched into space China and Brazil’s jointly developed earth The ‘sharpest eye in the sky’, India’s observation satellite named China-Brazil Cartosat-3, and 13 other nano satellites Earth Resources Satellite- 4A (CBERS-4A). belonging to two companies in the U.S. The satellite along with 8 other satellites, lifted off successfully from the Satish was launched under a bilateral programme Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. that would enhance cooperation among
The Cartosat-3 is a high resolution imaging the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China satellite that will help large-scale urban and South Africa) nations. It was planning, infrastructure development, launched from Long March-4B rocket in and coastal land use, among others. The satellite is also likely to have a military the northern Chinese province of Shanxi. use since it provides the highest-ever spatial resolution of about a foot. City gets an online waste exchange Police launches “MP e-cop” an Chennai has become the first city to have application to ensure women’s safety an online waste exchange for municipal in Madhya Pradesh solid waste. Residents who want to sell their waste The Madhya Pradesh (MP) police have online will be able to contact 2,600 scrap launched an application named ‘MP dealers and other agencies across the city. e-cop’ to ensure the safety of women. The Madras Waste Exchange, which is The MP e-cop app includes SOS (an both a web portal and an application. international code signal for extreme Has been conceptualized by the Smart distress) facility which will send an alert City Mission, with support from the SMS (Short Message Service) to 100 and Union Ministry of Housing and Urban any five phone numbers fed in the app as Affairs. The web portal is www. soon as the button is pressed. madraswasteexchange.com.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 55 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Tata Motors unveils Nexon Electric International Astronomical Union SUV names new star ‘Sharjah’ Tata Motors has uneviled the Nexon The International Astronomical Union Electric Vehicle (EV), which will be (IAU) has announced new names of its commercially launched in January 2020. newly discovered star and its planet. The Targeted at personal car buyers, this EV star ‘HIP 7943’ was named as “Sharjah” is powered by Ziptron technology and and one of its planet (exoplanet) was is expected to be priced between ` 15 named as “Barjeel”. Lakh and ` 17 lakh. The company calls The announcement was made during a it’India’s own Electric SUV’. The EV will press conference of IAU in Paris, France come with a warranty of eight years or during the centenary celebration of the 1,60,000 kms. Whichever is earlier, on union (IAU). battery and motor. It will have a range of Star Sharjah: Appreciating the 300 km in a single charge. achievements of Sharjah, which is the Capital of Arab Culture, Capital of NASA to launch rover ‘MARS 2020’ in Islamic Culture and also has the name of the year 2020 World Book Capital, the star was named NASA (National as “Sharjah”. Aeronautics and Barjeel meaning: A barjeel is a wind Space tower that directs the flow of wind, where Administration) the air can be recirculated as a form of air announced to conditioning. Barjeel is an exoplanet to launched its Sharjah. Planets orbiting their stars are rover ‘MARS called exoplanets. 2020’ in the year AP CM Jagan launched ‘Netanna 2020. Capturing features: ‘Mars 2020’ has Nestham’ welfare scheme for weavers 23 cameras, most of them are colour
cameras. The rover also two microphones The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh to capture not only the first sounds of a (AP) Shri Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mars landing but also Martian wind and Mohan Reddy launched a scheme for the rover’s chemical-analyzing laser zaps. weavers named “Nethanna Nestham” at Dharmavaram of Anantapur district. Part of BrahMos missile found off The aim of the scheme is to provide ` Cuddalore coast 24,000 per annum for each handloom India successfully test fired two supersonic weaver family. BrahMos missiles to check their precision The scheme would provide financial aid in hitting long distance targets. The object to about 85,000 families across the State with an inscription ‘BrahMoas BIFP-04’ in for a period of 5 years. Thus, each family bright red colour may weigh close to 70 would get ` 1.2lakh at the end of 5 years. kg.
56 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Latest Discoveries in Health Science 5.2 Latest Discoveries in Health Science Discovery of skin infection in Kerala World’s lowest dose-volume Rota for the first time in India virus vaccine by Bharat Biotech For the first time in India, cattle in launched in New Delhi Kerala have been diagnosed with skin The Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah and skin tumors. Last week, the Central Naidu launched world’s lowest dose Government reported to the World volume vaccine for Rotavirus at a function Veterinary Health Organization that the in New Delhi. The oral rotavirus vaccine disease had been detected in India. called “ROTAVAC 5D” is developed by Cows living in tropical areas have high Indian manufacturer Bharat Biotech. The first generation of the vaccine prior immunity. But milk production is low. to ROTAVAC 5D was ROTAVAC. It was The whitening revolution was caused by developed by the Bharat Biotech under the increase in demand for milk. a public-private partnership with the Home ministry alerts on Android bug govt’s department of biotechnology(DoB) ‘StrandHogg’ vulnerable to cyberattack and other international partners. It also The Union Ministry of Home Affairs required much lower temperature for storage and in higher doses for full (MoHA) sent an alert to all States warning efficacy (efficiency). about a bug in Android operating system (OS) called ‘StrandHogg’. It is a real-time Apollo Hospitals Bangalore launches malware application which would pose first dedicated robot-assisted cardiac as genuine applications and access all the surgery unit in India users’ data. All android device versions Apollo Hospitals including latest android version 10, are Bangalore, one of vulnerable to this bug. the most advanced Mutation in smell gene found to be multi-specialty associated with asthma tertiary care A multi-in-situational study by Indian hospitals in the researchers has shown that a variant of city and part of the an olfactory gene (OR2AG2) is a novel Apollo Hospitals candidate for Asthma. This is the first Group announced the launch of the first time in India a four-generation large dedicated robot-assisted cardiac surgery family with high asthma prevalence has unit in India. been studied for the said purpose. A milestone in the history of The gene was validated in a north Indian cardiovascular surgery in the country, cohort of 141 children with asthma and the robot-assisted cardiac surgery unit 130 controls. About 80% of children with will offer patients with complex cardiac asthma carried a copy of the gene variant. disease treatment with robotic-assisted minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Vetrii IAS Study Circle 57 Mass Media & Communication Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019
5.3 Mass Media & Communication NVIDIA announces world’s largest Microsoft rolls out the K12 Education GPU-accelerated cloud-based super Transformation Framework in India computer Microsoft rolled out its K12 Education NVIDIA has announced a new kind of Transformation Framework more widely GPU-accelerated supercomputer in the to schools across India at the second cloud on Microsoft Azure. edition of the Microsoft Education Days NDv2 super computer is designed in Gurgaon. to handle demanding AI and high Teachers and students from schools across performance computing applications, India also demonstrated the innovative using up to 800 NVIDIA V100 Tensor ways in which they are digitally Core GPUs interconnected on a single. transforming education by bringing in Mellanox Infini Band backend network, AI, gamification, personalization and making it the world’s largest GPU- simplifying STEM (science, technology, accelerated cloud-based supercomputer. engineering, mathematics) learning for students. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched Housing ministry launched Credit- Mobile app “Madhu” for e-learning linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal The Chief Minister of Odisha Shri “CLAP” Naveen Patnaik launched an e-learning Shri. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of mobile phone app named “Madhu App” State (MoS- Independent Charge) for for students by providing video lectures Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and exercise in Odia language prepared launched the Credit-linked Subsidy by highly qualified educationists and Services(CLSS) portal named “CLAP” teachers. (CLSS Awas Portal). The link to the portal The is named after freedom fighter social is https://pmayuclap.gov.in/ reformer Madhusudan Das. Centre launches EChO Network to catalyze cross-disciplinary leadership in India Government of India launched EChO Network, a national program to provide a template for cross-disciplinary leadership in India. The network specifically focuses on increasing research, knowledge, and awareness of Indian ecology and the environment. About EChO Network: Founding Partners of EChO Network: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), India Climate Collaborative (ICC), Round Glass and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE). Objective: To bring together leaders and individuals working hard to make a positive difference for Indian ecosystem and to share knowledge and synergize their efforts under umbrella of science.
58 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Mass Media & Communication Google report claims over 500 HRD Ministry launches Kartavya Portal attempts of government-backed On the occasion of 70th Constitution Day snooping from India also known as Samvidhan Divas observed There were more than 12,000 warnings on 26 November 2019, Union Human sent to users across 149 countries that Resource Development (HRD) Minister they were targeted by government- launched the kartavya.ugc.ac.in portal for backed attackers, according to a new holding monthly essay competitions for report by Google’s Threat Analysis students. Group (TAG). The portal was launched as part of year US saw over 1,000 such government- long ‘Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan’ backed phishing attacks while being observed throughout the country. countries like Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos and South Korea also saw between Amazon’s Audible launches app 500 and 1,000 such attempts. “Audible Suno” in India Culture Ministry launches a portal Amazon’s audio book company Audible to showcase Indian culture has launched a new app “Audible Suno” in India. This app features original audio Union Minister of State (M/s) for Culture and Tourism (IC) launched series which aims to expand Audible’s the Indian Culture web portal, reach in India’s highly competitive digital http://www.indianculture.gov.in, entertainment and streaming space. which brings together all the cultural Haryana Police became the first to resources of the country on one introduce ‘Trakea’ software in FSL platform. The Indian Culture portal was envisioned by Union Ministry of Culture and was developed by a team from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open Haryana police have introduced a software University (IGNOU), over a course of named “Trakea” to enable foolproof three years. security of the samples collected in Forensic This project is a part of Prime Minister reports. Narendra Modi’s Digital India Haryana became the first State in the initiative to showcase information country to introduce this unique barcoding about the rich tangible and intangible system. cultural heritage of India both at home Trakea has recently been bestowed with and abroad. National SKOCH Police Silver Award at New Delhi.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 59 Mass Media & Communication Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Software to translate SC judgments in 9 languages An advanced software, assisted by artificial intelligence, has been developed to translate Supreme Court judgements in nine vernacular languages and there are plans to expand it, Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told Rajya Sabha. Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software (SUVAS), a machine learning tool trained by Artificial Intelligence to be used for translating Supreme Court Judgments into vernacular languages, was introduced on November 26, 2019, Prasad told the Upper House during Question Hour.
Potash mineral resources found in Nagaur& Bikaner The Minister of Mines, Coal and Parliamentary Decade of 'exceptional' Affairs, Prahlad Joshi informed the Lok Sabha heat likely to be today that, Potash mineral resources have been hottest on record found during surveys conducted by Geological The last decade has been Survey of India, GSI, an attached office of Ministry one of “exceptional” of Mines in Nagaur and Bikaner Districts of heat around the Rajasthan. The Minister was responding to a query world, and was almost raised by Rashtriya Loktantrik Party member, certainly the hottest on Hanuman Beniwal of Nagaur constituency during record, while the oceans the question hour. have also warmed to record levels and grown Special court in Chennai to hear POCSO markedly more acidic. cases Temperatures for the Senior High Court Judge Vineet Kothari years from 2010 to 2019 inaugurated a special court to hear cases of child were about 1.1º C above trafficking in India. The Madras High Court has the average for the recommended that POCSO Act start a special pre-industrial period, court to investigate and resolve child sex offenses. showing how close After considering these recommendations, the the world is coming to Government of Tamil Nadu decided to set up a the 1.5ºC of warming special court in Tamil Nadu. On the basis of this, the that scientists say will first phase of the order was issued on November 19, to open a special court in 16 districts including cause dramatic impacts, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, extreme weather Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari. and the loss of vital ecosystems.
60 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event 6. NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENT
Assam government will set up 100 Prime Minister Modi launches Fit organic markets for selling organic India School grading system in products schools across India In a move to incentivize organic farming, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has Assam government will set up 100 organic launched the Fit India School grading markets for selling organic products. system in schools across the country. The Chairing a meeting of Agriculture grading will be in 3 categories. During the department Chief Minister Sonowal also launch PM Modi also appealed all schools directed Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to enroll in Fit India ranking system to to allot suitable lands in their respective make it a mass movement and spread awareness. He also urged students and districts. teachers to participate in ‘Fit India Week’ Sonowal asked the Managing Director to be organized by as many as 22,000 of Assam Seeds Corporation Limited to Central Board of Secondary Education produce seeds to the tune of Rs. 200 crore. (CBSE) schools across the country. The University of Natural Agriculture was started in Goa National Tribal Craft Mela- 2019 being held in Bhubaneswar Indian Railways sets up Institute of Chief Minister Financial Management in Hyderabad of Odisha The Indian Railway Institute of Financial Naveen Management (IRIFM) has been set up in Patnaik Hyderabad, Telangana. inaugurated th This new entity is set up to impart the 8 National professional training in management Tribal Craft Mela at State Tribal Museum of railway finances. The project was Complex in Bhubaneswar. As a part of conceived and constructed by Rail Vikas Odisha Government’s ‘5Ts’ initiative, Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 85 (which is aimed at achieving progress crore. through Transparency, Teamwork, About Indian Railways Institute of Technology, Time and Transformation) Financial Management 45 Supplementary Readers prepared IRIFM institution is based on a 14-acre in 21 Tribal languages were released simultaneously by Chief Minister on the campus at Moula-Ali, Secunderabad. occasion of Tribal Mela. Vetrii IAS Study Circle 61 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Delhi Assembly first in India to host CRY Report on Crime against Children Commonwealth Youth Parliament in India In a first, the Delhi Assembly along The Child Rights and You recently with the Lok Sabha will host a three- released a report “How Vulnerable are day Commonwealth Youth Parliament Children in India to crime?”. The report starting from November 25. was based on the analysis of National Talking to reporters, Assembly Speaker Crime Records Bureau for 2016-17. Ram Niwas Goel announced 47 The report says that the states of Madhya participants from 24 Commonwealth Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh topped the countries will participate in the event. list of states for crimes against children. Eleven participants will be from India. There were over 19,000 cases in both the It is for the first time that an Indian states. The highest increase in crimes Legislature is hosting the Commonwealth between the years 2016 and 2017 was Youth Parliament and the event has seen in Jharkhand. The Child labor in generated a lot of interest amongst the the country saw a substantial increase of youth 126%. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be the State’s 1st Vulture Conservation to set chief guest at the event to be inaugurated. up by UP Government The participants, in the age group of 18 to In a major step 29 years. to conserve the DEFCOM INDIA 2019 seminar being endangered held in New Delhi vulture A two-day seminar ‘DEFCOM INDIA population, the 2019’ is being held at Manekshaw Centre Uttar Pradesh in New Delhi from 26-27 November 2019. government The theme for seminar is – will set up the ‘Communications: A Decisive Catalyst state’s first vulture for Jointness’. conservation and The prestigious DEFCOM journal breeding centre was also released during the seminar. in farenda area of DEFCOM 2019 exhibition showcased Maharajganj district. cutting edge communication solutions According to Environment from industry and gave officers from Minister, there has been a three services an opportunity to gain sharp decline in the population insights on technology and industry of vultures in the country capabilities. which has come down from It is jointly organised by the Corps of 40 million to 19,000 in a Signals and Confederation of Indian span of over three Industry (CII). decades. 62 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event MSME minister Nitin gadkari address ‘3.7% food samples unsafe, 15.8% 11th edition of Agrovision exhibition sub-standard’ 2019 held in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping & Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has inaugurated the 11th edition of Agrovision 2019 , an Agricultural exhibition based on the theme “Smart Technologies for Sustainable Development” held at Reshimbagh Ground, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
India has 96 universities ranked, Data released by the Food, Safety and including 20 brand new entries in QS Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on World University Rankings: Asia 2020 enforcement of norms has noted that 3.7% of the samples collected and analysed India has 96 universities ranked, were found unsafe, 15.8% substandard including 20 brand new entries in the and 9% samples had labeling defects. QS World University Rankings: Asia 2020. The Indian Institute of Technology India’s first Maritime Museum in Bombay (IITB) leads nationally at overall Gujarat 34th place, and it is followed by IIT Delhi (IITD) in the 43rd place and by IIT Madras (IITM) in the 50th position. Only Mainland China is more represented than India, with 118 featured universities. Among these, 4 stands in the top 10 list.
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) reported 8 The Government of India is planning to Indian universities are placed among the establish a National Maritime Heritage top 100. Museum at Lothal in Gujarat. The museum will also act as an independent 80% Quota In Private Jobs For Locals research center for archaeology of boat building, reconstruction of maritime Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh history and materials traded. It will Koshyari announced that the Maha Vikas hold display of salvaged materials from Aghadi government is concerned over shipwreck sites in Indian Ocean waters. unemployment and it will enact a law to Lothal is an ancient city of Indus Valley ensure 80 percent reservation in private Civilization. It was discovered in 1954 by sector jobs. the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India).
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 63 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 UP govt launches immunisation India becomes 1st country to make campaign against Filaria entire Haj process digital Uttar Pradesh government is launching India has become the 1st country to make a massive immunization campaign the entire process for pilgrims going on against the filariasis or Filaria. The central Haj completely digital. government has set the year 2021 as the Digital pre-tagging: It has been arranged deadline for complete eradication of filaria by the airlines, so that Haj pilgrims have in the country. Filaria is spread by infected all kinds of information in India itself, mosquitoes, especially through the such as which room of which building parasitic Culex fatigans female mosquito. in Mecca Medina and what number bus India’s 1st Ganga Centralised aqua lab after landing at the airport will have to be to be set up in Dehradun, Uttarakhand taken, will get it. The Uttarakhand state forest minister e-MASIHA: In this App, information Shri Harak Singh Rawat laid foundation related to the health of each Haj pilgrim stone of India’s first Ganga centralized will be available online. aqualab at Wildlife Institute of India HGO: Haj Group organizers (HGO) have (WII) Dehradun, Uttarakhand. also been linked to the 100% digital tax portal http://haj.nic.in/pto/. Bihar topped in acute respiratory infections among children under-5 yrs Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh offers free police drop facility women Non-Government Organization (NGO), at night Save the Children released a report titled “Situation Analysis of Pneumonia Driving at women safety, the Punjab in India”. The report was on respiratory Government announced police escort infections in children. As per the report, for those travelling late at night. Chief Bihar recorded the highest prevalence Minister made it clear that women, of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) travelling between 9 pm and 6 am, could among children under the age of 5 years call 100, 112 and 181 to seek police help when compared with the 5 high burden for the pick-and-drop facility if they are states between September 2018 and June stranded outside. 2019. Bihar had 15.9% of prevalence of The decision came at a time when the ARIs. The other states in the top 5 ranking entire nation is clamouring for providing includes, Uttar Pradesh (2nd), Jharkhand safety to the womenfolk in the wake of (3rd), Madhya Pradesh (4th) and Rajasthan (5th). rising incidences of atrocities
Tamil Nadu to set up language lab in BHU to teach Tamil A language lab will be set up in the Banaras Hindu University to teach Tamil quickly and easily to speakers of other languages. Rs 9.20 lakh will be allotted for the purpose.
64 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event National Public Procurement Only 3% target of pulses and seeds Conclave held in New Delhi achieved under the Pradhan Mantri Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 3rd edition (PM-AASHA) scheme of National Public Procurement Conclave According to the data released by the (NPPC) in New Delhi. Agriculture Ministry in the Lok Sabha the The two-day conclave was organized production of pulses has been only 1.08 by Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in lakh tons so far but the target of the PM- association with Confederation of Indian AASHA scheme is to produce 37.59 lakh Industry (CII). metric tons of crops. Online courts, artificial judges in About Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay china Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA): The Chinese government is constantly The aim of the PM-AASHA scheme is promoting the use of the Internet and to safeguard the income of farmers by modern information technologies in the increasing the MSP (Minimum Support field of justice. For its part, authorities Price) of the Kharif crops with the principle have set up e-commerce courts through of 1.5 times the cost of production. The the most popular 'WeChat' social network scheme includes three main sections the in China. Price Support Scheme (PSS), the Price In such courts set up for the Zuma 12 Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and provinces, the public can sue by ‘WeChat ’. the Pilot of Private Procurement and With these eCommerce courts, cases are Stocklist Scheme (PPPS). quickly and accurately concluded. This in turn reduces the workload for judges in China. Sarai Sewage Treatment Plant inaugurated in Uttarakhand King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden inaugurated Sarai Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Uttarakhand. The Swedish King and Queen are on a five-day visit to India to strengthen bilateral ties. About Sarai Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) It is the first STP to be completed under Hybrid Annuity (HAM) Based Public Private Partnership Model (PPPM). The 14 million litres per day (MLD) Sarai STP has been constructed at a cost of Rs.41.40 crore under Centre government’s Namami Gange Programme. Namami Gange – National Mission for Clean Ganga is an Integrated Conservation Mission (ICM), approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 65 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 First Mega Food Park of Central India Mumbai Central railway station-1st inaugurated to receive FSSAI’s ‘Eat Right Station’ Union Minister for Food Processing certification Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Steel The Mumbai Central station of Western Silo based Avantee Mega Food Park in Railways was conferred with the ‘Eat Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. This is the first Right Station‘certification with a 4-star food park of central India. rating by the Food Safety and Standards Vice president Venkaiah Naidu Authority of India (FSSAI). With this certification, it became India’s first “Eat launched “Poshan Anthem” in New right station”. Delhi The certification was done as part of the The Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah ‘Eat Right India’ movement launched in Naidu launched the ‘POSHAN Anthem’ 2018 by FSSAI. at an event organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development Goa to host 2nd edition of Startup (MoWCD) in New Delhi. The anthem India Global Venture Capital Summit was launched to spread the message of 2019 the importance of nutrition. nd Anthem: The lyricist of the POSHAN The 2 edition of Startup India Global anthem was Shri Pasoon Joshi and its Venture Capital Summit is being composer was singer Shri Shankar organized in Goa for Fund Managers and Mahadevan. Limited Partners of Top Global Venture Capital (VC) Firms. Rajasthan bags four prizes for NREGA The summit is being organized by Rajasthan has bagged four prizes for its Department for Promotion of Industry performance under the National Rural and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under Union Employment Guarantee (NREGA) Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in Scheme. partnership with Goa Government.
The prizes were given by the Union Theme for Startup India Global Minister of Rural Development Narendra Venture Capital Summit 2019 is- ‘India Singh Tomar to zila parishad and Opportunity- Investing in tomorrow panchayat officials of Kota, Dungarpur, together’. Bhilwara and Jaisalmer districts
4th India Water Impact Summit held ICG organises 18th National Maritime in Delhi Search and Rescue Board meeting The Union Minister of Jal Shakti The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) organized inaugurated the fourth water impact 18th National Maritime Search and Rescue summit in New Delhi. Theme: Financing Board (NMSARB) meeting in New Delhi. of High Impact projects in the water sector
66 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event Jal shakti minister Gajendra singh Only Aadhar authenticated bank addresses 4th India water impact accounts to get PM-Kisan payments: summit 2019 held in New Delhi Govt The Union Minister of Jal Shakti, The Government of India has notified Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has that the fourth installment of the PM- addressed the 4th India Water Impact KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Summit 2019 with the theme “Valuing Nidhi) income support scheme due in December 2019 will be transferred only Water|Transforming Ganga” held with to Aadhar authenticated bank accounts the focus on integrated water resources of more than 50 million beneficiaries. management in urban and rural areas at This will be the first time since the launch the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. of this scheme on 24 February 2019, that On this occasion, Shekhawat also the government is insisting on mandatory released the report on River Restoration condition of Aadhar seeding. and Conservation – A Concise Manual and Guide, and Documents on “cGanga About Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Hubs”. Nidhi (PM-Kisan) Yojana It is a Central Sector scheme with 100% Human Library event held in Mysuru funding from Centre Government. Under PM-Kisan Yojana, the central government Human Library, a concept which seeks to provides income support of Rs.6,000 per replace books with humans, was held in year to all farmer families in country. The the City of Palaces, Mysuru, Karnataka. income support is paid in installments of It was organized by international non- Rs.2,000 every four months. profit organization- Human Library for Nagaland extends Inner Line Permit first time in Mysuru. regime to Dimapur district The objective of this event was to break The state government of Nagaland past long-standing prejudices and has extended Inner Line Permit (ILP) stereotypes by creating a safe framework regime to Dimapur district, which is the for conservation by using a library commercial hub of the state. Dimapur analogy of lending people rather than was the only district that was not under books. ILP regime unlike the rest of Nagaland, which came into being in 1963. Haryana CM inaugurates Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Gurgaon The Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar has inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Gurgaon, built at a cost of Rs 38 crore. The center will connect all government buildings and police stations in the city with fiber network, but currently 160 government buildings and police stations in the city have been connected with fiber network. The center has online real time access, evaluation and reporting of data for decisions, paperless work, Wi-Fi with high-speed internet facilities
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 67 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Alliance Air flags off flight from Guwahati TRIFED Celebrates 100 days of to Dimapur to Imphal under UDAN-RCS Prime Minister Van Dhan Yojana Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TRIFED updated the media on the Air India, today flagged-off its first flight completion of ‘100 days of Pradhan operations between the capital city of Assam, Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY)’, Guwahati to Dimapur, the largest city of a national programme driven by Nagaland, to the capital city of Manipur, TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Imphal, making it the 236route under the Affairs, aimed at empowering Regional Connectivity Scheme – UdeDesh tribal all over the country to make KaAam Nagrik, RCS-UDAN, under the them entrepreneurs. Government of India. Alliance Air continues to focus on new routes Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana to connect regional destinations. The airline (PMVDY) has been awarded12 new routes under UDAN- On April 14th, 2018 Hon’ble Prime 3.1, which are being launched progressively in Minister of India has announced the coming year bringing new destinations on the launching of Van Dhan Yojana India’s air map. in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh under 2nd startup India Global Venture Capital which one Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Summit 2019 held in Goa was set up, as a pilot project.
nd The 2 edition of the Startup India Global Digital Exhibition on history of Venture Capital Summit, organized by the Constitution of India being held Department for Promotion of Industry and in New Delhi Internal Trade (DPIIT), in partnership with Govt of Goa, was held in Goa. The ‘Digital Exhibition on History The summit was organized for fund managers of Constitution of India’, was and limited partners of top global venture inaugurated in New Delhi by Dr. capital firms. The theme for the 2019 summit Jitendra Singh, Minister of State was “India Opportunity – Investing in tomorrow (M/S) for Development of North together”. Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Setting Up of Indian Institute of Skills Grievances & Pensions, Atomic The Government of India has approved the Energy and Space. proposal for setting up of Indian Institute It will be organised for two days of Skills (IISs) in 3 locations in the country from 9-10 December 2019 namely Mumbai, Kanpur and Ahmedabad. The vision behind setting up IIS is to build world-class skill training centres by learning from and imbibing best practices from internationally renowned existing skill institutions.
68 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event Workshop on Bamboo cultivation to Draj Bridge for all-weather connectivity be held in Jammu inaugurated in J&K’s Rajouri
In Jammu and Kashmir, a first of its kind Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir workshop on Bamboo cultivation will Girish Chandra Murmu, inaugurated be held on 19th and 20 of this month in Draj Bridge in Rajouri, J&K. Jammu. The workshop will focus on the It is an important bridge for the military as promotion of Bamboo cultivation in the potential Kandi areas of Jammu and its well as for socio-economic development value addition as an economic activity of J&K’s Rajouri District as a whole. and generate entrepreneurship and This bridge will facilitate all-weather and employment opportunities. speedy movement of Army troops and locals. India Skills Report: Maharashtra with Union Minister Amit Shah lays highest employable talent foundation for Bharat Vandana Park in Dwarka, New Delhi The India Skills Report was released jointly by the CII (Confederation of Indian Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Industry), AICTE (All India Council for Affairs (MHA) presided over in the Technical Education), UNDP (United ceremony to lay foundation stone for Nations Development Program) and AIU the Bharat Vandana Park, Dwarka, New (Association of Indian University). Delhi. The report provides employability of Key Points: citizens in the country across the states
and. The report also ranked the cities The park, to become a major tourist based on the availability of employment. attraction covering an area of 200 acres at The report was prepared based on a a cost of Rs.550 crores is located near the survey that assessed 300,000 candidates Indira Gandhi International Airport and from 35 educational institutes across 28 metro station. states and 9 Union Territories. The park is to be developed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and will NPL scientists develop ink to stop be completed by March 2022 fake passports and currency notes Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi expressway The Council of Scientific and Industrial to be named after late Bal Thackeray Research (CSIR) and National Physical Laboratory (NPL) developed an ink to The Mumbai state cabinet Maharashtra combat the problem of fake printing of minister Eknath Shinde has approved to passports and counterfeiting of currency name the under-construction Mumbai- notes. The ink has a new security feature Nagpur super communication Samruddhi of protecting itself against duplicity expressway after Shiv Sena party founder Key facts of the discovery late Bal Thackeray. The ink was produced based on single Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi expressway: excitable dual emissive luminescent It is a 700-km super expressway, which is pigment. scheduled to be completed in 2021
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 69 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Prime Minister Modi addressed Ekal 20th edition of GeoSmart India Vidyalaya Sangathan in New Delhi Conference 2019 in Hyderabad, The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Telangana Modi addressed Ekal Vidyalaya 20th edition of GeoSmart India conference Sangathan in Gujarat through Video 2019, was held in Hyderabad, Telangana message from New Delhi. from December 3-5, 2019. It was the The Ekal Vidyalaya Sangathan largest geospatial event of India with spearheads ‘Ekal School Abhiyan’ which the aim of bringing the geospatial and aims to promote the education among emerging technologies together. rural and tribal children. Key Words:
PM Modi announced to set up 400 new The theme of the 2019 conference was ‘Eklavya Model residential schools’ by “Ignite – Innovate – Integrate”. 2022 across the country, so as to ensure that children in tribal areas are not Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted university deprived of quality education. heads’ conference Nilgiri Mountain Railway conducts Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted a conference special service for foreign tourists of 46 Heads of Central Universities and Institutes of Higher Learning in The UNESCO-recognized Nilgiri several fields including agriculture, Mountain Railway (NMR) conducted pharmaceuticals, aviation, design, a special service for foreign tourists. 71 petroleum and energy. tourists from several countries, including Each of these institutes will be the USA, the UK and France travelled instrumental to the realization of the by a special steam engine service from country’s socio-economic goals. Coonoor to Ooty. They were presented with special Govt organised symposium on “Scope mementoes and gift hampers as well as of Science of Ayurveda in Global served with the replica of the original Health” Edmonton type cardboard ticket. Ministry of AYUSH organised a The NMR is one of the few railways in Symposium on “Scope of Science the world that uses the unique rack and of Ayurveda in Global Health” pinion system, with its special third rail in coordination with Ministry of to negotiate gradients en route from External Affairs. Ambassadors/High Mettupalayam in the foothills of the Commissioners and diplomats of 61 Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu to Ooty, countries attended the symposium. The the Queen of Western Ghats. aim of the event was to sensitize all the Ambassadors/High Commissioners and impart them with the information about advance research & recent developments in Ayurveda.
70 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event Kerala's first all-transgender BEE organized International workshop on canteen to open in Palakkad Energy Efficient Cooling Kerala’s first transgender The Bureau of Energy Efficiency(BEE), a statuary canteen would be inaugurated body under Union Ministry of Power, conducted at the Palakkad civil station. The an International Workshop on ‘Energy Efficient canteen would be run by Oruma Cooling’ at Scope Convention Centre in New transgender Kudumbasree unit, Delhi. supported by the social welfare The two-day international workshop was department, district panchayat organised as part of ‘Energy Conservation Week’ and the Kudumbasree Mission. being celebrated from 9- 14 December 2019 CII organizes “Steeling India-2019” “Environmental Sustainability and Economic Development” The Confederation of Indian Industry organized Summit held in Delhi “Steeling India 2019” conference, a drive to increase metal intensity in key sectors. Summit on “Environmental Sustainability and Economic GEM launches national outreach programme Development” was held in ‘GeMSamvaad’ Delhi. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Government e-commerce portal GeM has Climate Change addressed launched a national outreach program called ‘GeM the summit with the concerns Samvaad’, to bring on-board more local sellers. about the depleting ozone layer The outreach programme will take place from 19 and the emission of Cfcs and Dec 2019 to 17 Feb 2020 and will cover all States Hfcs. and Union Territories (UTs) of the country.
PM Modi chaired 1st meeting of National Ganga Council in Kanpur, UP The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 1st meeting of the National Ganga Council in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP). The aim of the council was to reinforce the importance of a ‘Ganga-centric’ approach in all departments of the concerned states as well as relevant Central Ministries. The council was responsible for superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of River Ganga Basin, including Ganga and its tributaries. `20,000 crores allocated: Various initiatives undertaken by the govt like Namami Gange project in 2014 were reiterated. The Central Government, for the 1st time made commitment of ` 20,000 crores for the period 2015-20 to the five states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal) through which Ganga passes, to ensure adequate and uninterrupted water flows in the river
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 71 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Vande Bharat Express In Gujarat, solar energy is helping To import complete train sets by floating farmers double their income global tenders and the stiff resistance that Farmers covered under pilot Scheme followed from senior railway officials Surya Shakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) get and political parties, the Ministry of more money from selling power than Railways has accorded sanction to the farm produce. Integral Coach Factory (ICF) here to roll Farmers in Gujarat are reaping a out 45 rakes (720 coaches) of the Vande rich harvest from their solar power Bharat Express. installations, quite literally doubling their The Railway Board cleared the decks incomes. for the ICF to proceed with the The Gujarat government launched a pilot procurement process immediately project of its farmer-oriented scheme with the specifications issued by Surya Shakti Kisan Yojana (SKY), aimed the research Designs and Standards at setting up solar pumps on farmland Organization(RDSO). and facilitating farmers to sell the surplus power generated to the grid and earn This is a huge success for the ICF that extra money. manufactured Train18, India’s first Semi- highspeed train, in a record 18-month Madhya Pradesh CM to inaugurate time in 2018. The indigenously built self- International Film Festival in propelled train, launched as Vande Bharat Khajuraho Express between New Delhi and Varanasi The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kamal Nath will inaugurate the February, has been acknowledged as one International Film Festival in Shilpkala of the most successful products of the village of Khajuraho. Films from Make in India campaign the country and abroad including Bundelkhandi will be screened at the MSME Minister launches ‘Khadi Tapra Talkies made for the festival. The Rumal’ stitched by militancy affected International Khajuraho Film Festival is women of J&K being organized by the Prayas Sanstha in collaboration with the State Government Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Nitin FICCI organizes 9th Global sports Gadkari launched the sale of ‘Khadi summit ‘TURF 2019’ in New Delhi Rumal’ stitched by militancy affected FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of women of Nagrota town of Jammu and Commerce and Industry), an association Kashmir. of business organizations in India, has The aim is to provide employment to the organized the 9th edition of Global Sports women in the terrorist affected areas as Summit ‘TURF 2019‘ & India sports well as create employment opportunities awards 2019 at the FICCI Federation for militancy affected families of J&K. house in New Delhi
72 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event India leads world in pollution-linked First SEZ in Tripura to focus on agro- deaths with about 2.3 million in based food processing 2017: GAHP Report The Government of India approved According to the new report, “2019 the first SEZ (Special Economic Zone) Pollution and Health Metrics: Global, at Sabroom, Tripura in October 2019. Regional and Country Analysis” released Recently, it was announced that the by Global Alliance on Health and SEZ will primarily focus on agro-based Pollution (GAHP), India leads the world food processing. Union Government is with about 2.3 million (23,26,771 deaths) expected to invest around Rs 1550 crore in 2017 in terms of premature deaths due in the project. to pollution. Highlights India is followed by China (18,65,566 The SEZ is to be developed by the deaths) & Nigeria (2,79,318 deaths). The Tripura Industrial Development United States (US), the world’s third Corporation. most populous country with 325 million The SEZ is expected to generate 12,000 people, stood at 7th position (1,96,930 skilled jobs. The zone will attract more deaths). private investments as its location is Pollution death per 1 lakh population: In nearer to Chittagong Port. terms of total untimely deaths per 1 lakh population due to pollution, Chad ranks National conference on ‘Uniformed 1st with 287 deaths, followed by Central Women in Prison Administration’ African Republic (251) & North Korea begins (202) .while India ranks 10th in this list Union Minister of State for Home affairs with (174). inaugurate a National Conference on ‘Uniformed Women in Prisons NPR data was first collected in 2010 Administration’ begins in Central The data for National Population Register Academy for Police Training in Bhopal, (NPR) was first collected in 2010 and Madhya Pradesh. West Bengal was one of the five States In this Conference, uniformed women that used the requisite information for officers and staff of all the states planning various beneficiary schemes, a from Jail Wardens up to Director senior government official said. Inspector General’s level, members The other States which used the NPR of non-governmental organizations, data collected by the Registrar General representatives of academic institutions of India (RGI) on behalf of the Centre and officers of other government were Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Manipur and departments are taking part in the Rajasthan. conference. The NPR was updated in 2015 by seeding it with biometric details of Aadhaar.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 73 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 FM Nirmala Sitharaman chairs 38th “Environmental Sustainability and GST council meeting in New Delhi Economic Development” Summit Union Minister for Finance & Corporate held in Delhi Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has Summit on “Environmental Sustainability chaired the 38th Goods and Services Tax and Economic Development” was held in (GST) Council Meeting in New Delhi. Delhi. Highlights of 38th GST Council Meet: Union Minister of Environment, Forest The GST council has decided to levy and Climate Change addressed the uniform tax on lottery will be effective summit with the concerns about the from March 01,2020 at 28%. The council depleting ozone layer and the emission was also decided to give exemption from of Cfcs and Hfcs. upfront amount payable by entities in which the central / state government 16th Orange Festival begun in holds 20 % stake on long-term lease of Tamenglong, Manipur industrial or financial infrastructure The 16th edition of the State level Orange plots. Festival began at Manipur. The 3-day Background: festival which will be held until 18, 2019 When GST was implemented on 1 July was inaugurated by Manipur’s Chief 2017, the states were promised that the Minister (CM) at district headquarters revenue loss would be repaid by the Tamenglong. Center. The compensation amount was The festival is conducted annually by the fixed at 14 per cent of the total revenue Manipur govt under the sponsorship of received in the base year 2016-17. On 20 North Eastern Council (NEC), to promote September 2019, the GST Council met last the fruit and encourage its growers. time at its 37th meeting. About GST: 5th EAC meeting of 15th Finance It is an indirect tax (or consumption Commission held in New Delhi tax) imposed in India on the supply of The 5th meeting of the Economic Advisory goods and services. Goods & services tax Council (EAC) of the 15th Finance separated into 5 different tax slabs for Commission was held in New Delhi. collection of tax. It includes,0%, 5%, 12%, In the meeting, possible macro 18% and 28%. assumptions related to real growth, inflation, ongoing structural reforms, ICG organises 18th National Maritime tax revenue including GST, adherence Search and Rescue Board meeting to Fiscal Responsibility and Budget The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) organized Management Act and fiscal transparency 18th National Maritime Search and Rescue were discussed. Board (NMSARB) meeting in New Delhi.
74 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event GoI to organize more than 100 Hunar IIT-H fellow launches Vaccination on Haats in next 5 years Wheels in collaboration with Gates The Ministry of Minority Affairs will Foundation organize more than 100 Hunar Haat in the Jigneh Patel, a fellow at Center for next five years. The move aims to increase Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CHE) at employment opportunities to craftsmen, Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) artisans and culinary experts and also to Hyderabad has launched a ‘Vaccination increase their market exposure. on Wheels Clinic’ in Pune city’s PCMC area, Maharashtra. The one of its kind service has been started th Uttrakhand to host 11 Regional in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Quality Conclave Gates Foundation. The 11th Regional Quality Conclave (RQC) He had received a grant for the service is being organized at Rudrapur, district under the Foundation’s ‘Grand Challenges Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand. Explorations’. He then founded Jivika Healthcare to provide this vaccination service.
Kerala sets 2024 deadline for Semi High- Railway Board revamp will Speed Rail project see cut in strength The Thiruvananthapuram–Kasargode Semi The Union Cabinet approved HighSpeed Rail Corridor (SHSR), a proposed high- the restructuring of the speed rail corridor in India that would connect Railway Board, including Thiruvananthapuram with Kasaragod in Kerala is reduction in the Board expected to be completed by 2024. strength as well as merger Recently, centre had also given in-principle approval of the different cadres into to the Rs.56,000 crore Thiruvananthapuram- a central service called the Kasaragod SHSR corridor project. The order was Indian Railway Management issued by Union Ministry of Railways. Service (IRMS). About Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Semi- The government said High Speed Rail (SHSR) corridor project this would help end This 532km double-line project is a joint venture “departmentalism”, of Government of Kerala and Union Ministry of while ensuring smooth Railways. functioning of the Railways SHSR named as Silver Line, is envisaged to and expending the decision cut travel time between Thiruvananthapuram -making process. and Kasaragod from 12 hours to 4 hours and is expected to fast-track the economy of Kerala
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 75 National – Diary of Event Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 2nd follow-up committee meet by India, Afghan & Iran on Chabahar pact held in New Delhi The 2nd meeting of the Follow-up Committee for implementing trilateral Chabahar Agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran was held in New Delhi. The meeting was held at the level of Joint Secretary/ Director General. Agreement to include Mormugoa and New Mangalore Port from India: During the meeting, it was agreed to include Mormugao (Goa) and New Mangalore Port (Karnataka) from India in addition to JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust), Mundra(Gujarat), Kandla(Gujarat) and Cochin(Kerala) ports as part of designated route under the Chabahar Agreement. Progress in port operations: ff These 3 countries headed a steady progress in port operations by India Ports Global Ltd company since the company took over the port operations Shaheed Beheshti Port at Chabahar in December 2018. ff Over 5 lakh tons of cargo were handled successfully which also included exports from Afghanistan through Chabahar Port which began in February 2019.
PM Modi attends centenary Chilai-Kalan: 40-day period of extreme celebrations of ASSOCHAM cold begins in Kashmir PM Modi addressed the Associated The traditional 40-day period of harshest Chambers of Commerce and winter in Kashmir known in the local Industry in New Delhi. The event parlance as ‘Chillai-Kalan’ began on 21 was organized to commemorate 100 December 2019, with the upper reaches years of ASSOCHAM. The event of valley receiving snowfall. Chillai- was organized under the theme Kalan period which is known for sub-zero Theme: New India Aspiring for 5 temperatures, frozen lakes and river, will trillion USD end on 31 January 2020.
NASVI, FSSAI to jointly organise National Street Food Festival The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) and food regulator FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) are jointly organizing National Street Food Festival (NSFF) at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi during 25-29 December 2019. This year is the 11th edition of National Street Food Festival. Ever since its inception in 2009, this festival, has helped mainstream various street vending communities. Theme of 2019’s festival– ‘Healthier Diets’. The idea is to focus various initiatives of FSSAI around healthy eating through gamification (in an interactive manner through games and quizzes). A footfall of around 75,000 people are expected to visit the festival.
76 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 National – Diary of Event First Tripartite Agreement on Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund The department of fisheries (GoI), NABARD and Tamil Nadu Government signed an agreement to implement Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund (FIDF). The tripartite agreement set a total of Rs 7522 crores to address the infrastructure requirement of fisheries sector. Role of NABARD NABARD provides concessional financing to fisheries infrastructure facilities through state governments under FIDF. It is the Nodal Loaning Entity of the fisheries department. It also supports fisheries under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) Fisheries in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is the home of 10 lakh fisher families. The state is ideal for brackish water fisheries, marine fisheries and inland fisheries. Tamil Nadu ranks fourth in totalfish production in the country. India ranks second in the world fish production. The fisheries sector in the country contributes to 1% of GDP of the country.
Union Cabinet Clears NPR update, census A meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved over ` 3,941.35 crore for updating the National Population Register (NPR) across the country, barring Assam, and ` Geneva to host first Global Refugee 8,754.23 crore for conducting the Census Forum of India, 2021. The first ever Global Refugee Forum is The Citizenship Rules, 2003, however, being held in Geneva, Switzerland. It is state clearly that the Centre, by issuing being jointly hosted by United Nations an order, can decide a date to prepare the NPR. They also provides for the Refugee Agency (UNHCR) along with creation of a National Register of Indian Government of Switzerland. Citizens (NRIC),or the NRC, which is India-US 2+2 Dialogue held at being bitterly opposed by people across Washington the country, that will flow from data gathered in the NPR. India and United States held security According to the Rules, a person’s dialogue in Washington. This was their citizenship status will be decided by local second 2+2 dialogue. officials – whether or not the person will figure in the NRIC or not.No new law or rules are needed to conduct this exercise across the country.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 77 International Affairs Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 7. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India ranks 44th in 2019 Nomura’s India-Netherland: “Water 4 change”, Food Vulnerabiligy Index an urban water management system Japanese company Nomura Global The Centre for Water Resources Market Research released a report titled Development and Management “2019 Nomura’s Food Vulnerability (CWRDM), operating under the Index” (NFVI). The report was about 50 Government of Kerala has launched the countries, most vulnerable to the food “Water 4 Change”. Under the project, six prominent institutions from Netherlands price surge. will perform a long-term research India ranked 44th in the list out of the total and field level action on urban water 110 countries taken for analysis. management systems along with Indian scientists. Global Diplomacy Index 2019 India attends WATEC Conference in The 2019 Global Diplomacy Index was Israel released by Sydney-based Lowy Institute.
The index gives the latest statistics The Jal Shakti Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat represented India at the and marking about how the world’s WATEC Conference that was held in Israel. diplomatic networks are expanding and, The Water Technology and Environment in certain cases, shrinking. The index Control (WATEC) conference helps to get ranked 61 countries across the world. updates on technologies related to water India to host SCO forum of Young and environmental management. Scientists and Innovators 2020 China due to introduce face scans for India will host the Shanghai Cooperation mobile users Organisation (SCO) Forum of Young People in China are now required to have Scientists and Innovators in 2020. their faces scanned when registering new The 5th Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation mobile phone services, as the authorities Organisation (SCO) Member States seek to verify the identities of the country's Heads of Ministries and Departments of hundreds of millions of internet users.
Science and Technology and Permanent The government wants to protect the legitimate rights and interest of citizens Working Group on S&T Cooperation in cyberspace. China already uses facial concluded in Moscow, Russia. recognition technology to survey its population.
78 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 International Affairs Australia to return 3 idols to India in Abu Dhabi selected as world’s leading January sports tourism destination Abu Dhabi (UAE) has been selected as the world’s leading Sports tourism Destination at the 26th edition of the World Travel Awards (WTA) being held in Muscat, Oman. This is the 7th time in a row that Abu Dhabi has been selected for this coveted award. The award is the latest in several Three culturally significant artifacts’ a prestigious accolades gained by Abu pair of ‘Dwarapala’ (door guardians) Dhabi, including being selected as the from Tamil Nadu and one ‘Nagaraja’ West Asia’s Leading Business Tourism (Serpent King) from either Rajasthan Destination at the West Asia edition of or Madhya Pradesh, purchased from WTA and Best City Break at the UK’s idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor will Selling Travel Agents’ Choice Awards. be returned to India by the Australian Sports tourism has been labelled by government during Prime Minister Scott the United Nations World Travel Morrison’s visit to India in January 2020. Organisation, UNWTO, as one of the The artefacts which were held by the fastest-growing sectors of tourism National Gallery of Australia (Gallery), worldwide. were purchased in good faith, but extensive research undertaken by New Zealand volcano eruption the gallery has led to its decision to At least five people were killed, up to voluntarily return these artefacts to India. 20 injured and several reported missing While the Dwarapalas from Tamil Nadu after a volcano that is a tourist attraction are announced to be from the 15th century, suddenly erupted off the coast of New the Nagaraja, dated 6th to 8th century, is Zealand's North Island. from Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh. White Island, where the volcano erupted Both India and Australia are party to spewing a plume of ash thousands of feet the UNESCO 1970 Convention on the into the air. Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the About 50 people, New Zealanders as well illicit Import, Export and Transport of as foreign tourists, were feared to have Ownership of Cultural Property. been nearby and several were seen near the rim of the crater minutes before the eruption.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 79 International Affairs Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 India ranks 5th and China tops the list of Saudi Arabia elected to UNESCO’s invasive use of Biometrics: Comparitech world heritage committee A study done by Comparitech, Britain- Saudi Arabia was elected to UNESCO’s based tech research firm, states that India World Heritage Committee for the first ranks 5th along with Taiwan, Indonesia time. The announcement comes after the and the Philippines in the list of invasive Kingdom was elected to the UN heritage body’s executive board for 2019-2023. use of Biometrics while China, Malaysia There are five sites in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan come before India in the list. that are currently on UNESCO’s World India’s performance could have been Heritage List: Al-Ahsa Oasis, Al-Hijr worse if the Aadhar, India’s national Archaeological Site (Madain Saleh) in biometric database had been under the AlUla, Al-Turaif district in Diriyah, Historic access of Police and other investigation Jeddah, and rock art in the Hail region. agencies. The report also stated that the countries from the European Union had Switzerland to seek closer ties with a lower score because of the General Data India at BioAsia 2020 Protection Regulation (GDPR) which The BioAsia 2020 is scheduled to be held involves the controlling and processing in Hyderabad in between February 17 of personal information. and 19, 2020. The Ministry of Industries and Commerce and IT informed that List of top Ranks in the invasive use of Switzerland will serve as India’s partner Biometrics: at the conference. BioAsia 2020 Country Rank Score The BioAsia 2020 is a comprehensive out of 25 framework hosted by the Government China 1 24 of Telangana. It is dedicated to investors, Malaysia 2 21 health care, pharma, biotechnology and startups. Theme: Today for Tomorrow Pakistan 3 21 The United States of 4 20 World’s New Nation: Bougainville gains America(USA) independence from Papua New Guinea India, Indonesia, the 5 19 The South Pacific Archipelago of Philippines, Taiwan Bougainville voted to become independent of Papua New Guinea. Around 98% of 73 Countries join Climate Ambition 1,81,067 voters voted to get independent Alliance at COP25 from Papua New Guinea.
Around 73 countries have joined the Bougainville Climate Ambition Alliance (CAA) at It is the largest the COP25. The alliance is led by Chile island of the and was launched at the Climate Action Solomon Islands Archipelago. The island Summit, New York in 2019. They will has the world’s largest copper deposits. also work towards COP-26 that is to be The most widely spoken language in the held at Glasgow, UK. country is Halia
80 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 International Affairs Thailand elected as a member of the Ranked 129, India marginally improves World Heritage Committee in human development index in 2018 Thailand has been elected as a member of India climbed one spot to 129 among the World Heritage Committee. 189 countries in the 2019 Human It was selected during the 22nd session of Development Index, according to a report the General Assembly of States Parties to by the United Nations Development the World Heritage Convention in Paris. Programme (UNDP). In India, 27.1 crore The representatives from 193 countries people were lifted out of poverty from cast their votes to fill nine vacant seats 2005-06 to 2015 -16, UNDP India resident on the 21-member World Heritage representative Shoko Noda said. Committee. India ranked 130 last year. The steady The term would end in 2023. Also, the progress was due to nearly three decades committee will reconsider Bangkok's of rapid development, which had seen a proposed listing of the Kaeng Krachan dramatic reduction in absolute poverty, Forest Complex and also PhuPhrabat along with gains in life expectancy, Historical Park in 2020. education, and access to health care. India’s Pavilion inaugurated at The overall index, given in the 2019 International Book Fair in Mexico HDI report of UNDP, showed that India scored 0.647 in 2018, as against 0.643 in Minister of State for Human Resource the previous year. Development Sanjay Dhotre inaugurated The score is calculated in the range the India Pavilion at International Book of zero to one. India’s development Fair in Guadaljara, Mexico. initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan India is the ‘Guest of Honour Country’ in book fair and becomes the first Asian Dhan Yojana (for financial inclusion) and country to participate as ‘Guest of Ayushman Bharat (for universal health Honour’ in the Fair. This fair is the biggest care) were crucial in ensuring that “we book fair in the Spanish-speaking world. meet our promise to leave no one behind and fulfill PM's vision of development Cabinet approves Social Security for all”, she said. Agreement between India and Brazil According to HDI, South Asia was the The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi fastest-growing region, witnessing 46 per gave its approval for signing Agreement cent growth during 1990-2018, followed on Social Security between India and by East Asia and the Pacific at 43 per cent. Brazil. India’s HDI value increased by 50 per The Social Security Agreement is being cent (from 0.431 to 0.647), which places signed by India with several other it above the average for countries in the countries in order to protect the interests medium human development group of the professionals and skilled workers (0.634) and above the average for other living abroad. South Asian countries (0.642).
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 81 International Affairs Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 India to Host International Geological World's oldest artwork uncovered in Congress 2020 Indonesian cave th India is set to host the 36 International An Indonesian Geological Congress (IGC) in New Delhi cave painting during the first week of March 2020. that depicts a
The theme for next year conference is prehistoric ‘Geosciences: The Basic Science for a hunting scene Sustainable Development’. could be the India and IGC: India is the only Asian country to host the IGC event twice. India world's oldest had earlier hosted the event for the first figurative time in 1964, which was 22nd IGC artwork dating back nearly 44,000 years, a discovery that points to an advanced India is world’s third largest producer artistic culture, according to New of scientific articles: US Report Research. Spotted two years ago on the According to a latest report by US island of Sulawesi, the 4.5 metre (13 foot) National Science Foundation (NSF), India wide painting features wild animals has emerged as the world’s third largest being chased by half-human hunters publisher of science and engineering articles. wielding what appear to be spears and As per the statistics compiled in report, ropes, announced by the study published China has topped the list followed by USA. in the journal Nature This hunting scene Key Highlights of Report is to our knowledge currently the oldest China tops the list as it accounts for pictorial record of storytelling and the 20.67% of all global publications in earliest figurative artwork in the world. scientific articles. India: emerged as world’s third largest publisher of science UN Medal awarded to Indian and engineering articles after China peacekeepers to support the people (5,28,263) and US (4,22,808) in 2018, with of South Sudan about 1,35,788 science and engineering Indian peacekeepers have been articles were published in country. recognized for their strong contribution to building peace in conflict-affected Trump Officially Establishes US Space South Sudan as well as for going above Force with 2020 Defense Bill Signing and beyond their duties to support local President Trump has signed the 2020 communities. Almost 850 Indian troops National Defense Authorization Act received the United Nations Medal for and with it directed the establishment of their dedication and sacrifice serving so the U.S. Space Force (USSF) as the sixth far away from home to protect civilians branch of the armed forces. The Space and build durable peace in South Sudan. Force is part of the Department of the Air Currently, 2,342 Indian troops and 25 Force, much as the U.S. Marine Corps is police personnel are deployed with the part of the Department of the Navy. The new branch will be stood up over the next UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). 18 months
82 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 International Affairs Indian-American named 1st woman 17th India-EU Summit 2020 to be held Chief Technology Officer of US' in Brussels communications commission The President of European Council Indian-American Dr Monisha Ghosh Charles Michel invited Indian Prime has been appointed as the first woman Minister Shri Narendra Modi to attend Chief Technology Officer at the US the 17th India-EU summit in early 2020. government's powerful Federal The summit which will be held at Communications Commission. Brussels, Belgium, is aimed at expanding She will advise Indian-American strategic partnership with Europe. Chairman of the FCC Ajith Pai and the Key Points: agency on technology and engineering The summit will focus on areas such issues, and work closely with the Office as Bilateral Trade and Investment of Engineering and Technology. Ghosh Agreement (BTIA), Europol, counter- will take charge on January 13 next year. terrorism, Euroatom, climate change, etc. BTIA is a Free Trade Agreement President Donald Trump Impeached (FTA) between India and EU in the year in the House of Representatives. launched in 2007 The House of Representatives of the US has voted to impeach President Donald Afghanistan becomes 1st country to Trump. recognize Indian Pharmacopoeia The voting of impeachment was on The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) has been the grounds of abuse of power and recognised formally by the National obstruction of Congress. President Trump Department of Regulation of Medicines will be the third president in U.S. history and Health Products of the Ministry to be impeached. of Public Health of Islamic Republic of The other two Presidents who were Afghanistan. impeached were President Andrew IP is an officially recognized book Johnson in 1868 and President Bill Clinton of standards as per the Drugs and in 1998. Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 Allegations on Trump: thereunder. It specifies the standards of The House chamber voted 230 to 197 drugs manufactured and marketed in to adopt the first of two impeachment India in terms of their identity, purity articles. One of the allegations is he and strength. misused the power of his office to To ensure the quality of medicinal pressure Ukraine to investigate the products, the legal and scientific standards Bidens. are provided by Indian Pharmacopoeia The House voted 229 to 198 on a Commission (IPC) in the form of Indian second article that accused him of Pharmacopoeia (IP). obstructing Congress.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 83 Tamilnadu Affairs Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 8. TAMILNADU AFFAIRS
Workshop on water security A modern park at Adyar River on ` 8 inaugurated crore Tamil Nadu sets the agenda for other The state-of-the-art park, including a States to follow in the country, and it will playground and a snack complex, is set also set an example in water conservation to be built on the Adyar River, including with the launch of the Water Security the metropolitan Chennai corporation. and Climate Adaptation in rural India Tree Growing in Miyawaki : The (WASCA) workshop. 'Miyawaki' tree planting method was “Jalsakthi Abhiyan of the Central invented by the Japanese botanist Akira government and “Kudimaramathu’ Miyawaki. According to the philosophy of the State government are being implemented in the State to make it a of space-free adakkad, this method leader in implementation of schemes. involves digging a deep pit and pouring The WASCA project, involving various biodegradable debris into the trees. departments like Forests, Rural Of these, up to 30 dozen folk trees can Development and Horticulture is aimed be grown in one place. Furthermore, this at water security, poverty alleviation, and does not require maintenance after three climate resilience”. years.
Tamilnadu is leading in the field of Wastewater treatment projects in female entrepreneurs Israel and Sweden start at ` 88 crore Tamil Nadu has the largest number of In developed countries, including Israel female entrepreneurs in Indian states, and Sweden, 100 percent of the sewage according to a study. It states that there water is dumped into the Porur lake by are more female entrepreneurs in the the Indirect Potable Reuse system. states of Kerala and West Bengal, next to The project for refining it and providing Tamil Nadu. drinking water to the people of Chennai It is noted that 80 per cent of women are has begun at ` 88 crore. employing their own investments, rather than using government subsidies. The findings are based on research by the She at work website, which employs female entrepreneurs.
84 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Tamilnadu Affairs Chief Minister inaugurates Tirupattur TN govt inks MoUs worth ` 5,027 and Ranipet districts crore at investment conclave Chief minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami The Tamil Nadu government signed inaugurated Tirupattur and Ranipet nine Memoranda of Understanding as Tamil Nadu’s 35th and 36th districts, with various companies, including ITC respectively. Paperboard, BYD of China and Mitsuba The Tirupattur district was created after Sical, with investment worth Rs 5,027 the Vellore district was trifurcated into crore that would create 20,351 jobs. Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur. The The MoUs were signed at the Investment announcement of its creation was made and Skill Development Conclave during the Chief minister’s Independence Day speech in Chennai in August. organised by the government and The new district, spread over an area officiated by Chief Minister Edappadi K of 1,797,92 sq.km with a population Palaniswami. of 11,11,812, will have two revenue The government has also signed divisions. knowledge partnership with DRDO Vaniyambadi and Tirupattur, and IIT-M for the proposed Tamil Nadu Vaniyambadi; four taluks: Tirupattur, Defence Industrial Corridor which Vaniyambadi, Natrampalli and Ambur; would be helpful in making the State an 15 firkas; 195 revenue villages; seven aerospace and defence manufacturing panchayat unions; four municipalities; hub. three town panchayat unions; 207 village panchayats; and three Assembly Exam to Possibility Public School constituencies in parts under its Students to Find Opportunity and jurisdiction. Higher Education The Chief Minister announced several The Central Human Resources new projects, including a sandalwood research station at Tirupattur and water Department, with the help of the National supply schemes for 45 village panchayats Education Research and Training Council in Vellore, Tirupattur and Ranipet. (NCERT), has designed the 'Tamanna' Skill Selection System. Botanical Glass House in Ooty Accordingly, the selection will take place in a total of 7 topics as Verbal and The Indoor Garden Linguistic. Heritage Park is According to the school education being developed in department, on the effective selection of Chennai for the first Tamil Nadu Some changes have been time in a colorful made to the choice of Tamanna designed palette like the by NCERT. Glass House Garden at Ooty Botanical Garden.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 85 Tamilnadu Affairs Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 ADB, India sign $451 million loan to T.N. gets a pat on the back strengthen Power Connectivity in Tamil Nadu for its transplant record Government of India and Asian Development In a year that saw organ Bank (ADB) has signed a $451 million loan for donations dip in the state, strengthening power connectivity between Tamil Nadu, for the fifth northern and southern parts of Chennai – consecutive year, received Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) which an award from the National is part of East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC). Organ and Tissue Transplant ECEC is India’s first coastal economic corridor. Organisation (NOT-TO). Key Highlights of Project According to Transplant It will help establish extra-high-voltage Authority of Tamil Nadu transmission link between Coimbatore and (TRANSTAN) data, the State Virudhunagar. It will also build operational has had 1,326 deceased donors capacity of TANTRANSCO (Tamil Nadu from 2008 till date. A total of Transmission Corporation) by supporting a 7,783 organs, including 4,712 financial restructuring plan and improved major organs such as heart, monitoring system for social and environmental lungs, liver and kidneys, were impacts. TANTRANSCO is state-owned donated. company responsible for transmission. This year, TRANSTAN has done a 10-year compilation About Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor of post-transplant data of (CKIC) patients. Through this exercise, East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) of which data on how well patients are CKIC is a part, covers 2500km of India’s coastline. doing after transplants and Asian Development Bank (ADB) is lead partner survival rates are available. of Government of India for developing ECEC and will invest $500 million in infrastructural 'NABARD Rural Festival' development of the project. National Handloom Exhibition in Chennai TamilNadu get 13 awards for rural development Handicrafts Exhibition on The Tamil Nadu rural development department behalf of NABARD Bank in received 13 awards from the centre of effective Chennai. implementation of rural development schemes, including MGNREGA, the 100-day job guarantee A national exhibition of products scheme. The state received awards in the category made by rural artisans and of state, district, panchayat union and village handloom weavers on behalf panchayats in program like MGNREGA, National of the National Agriculture Rurban Mission and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Rural Development Bank Grameen Kaushalay Yojana. The rural (NABARD) was held at the development department received 31 national Mother Teresa Girls' Complex awards this fiscal in Valluvarkottam, Chennai 86 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Tamilnadu Affairs ADB approves $206 million loan to Odisha government included its develop water supply, sewerage agriculture department in state’s “Mo infrastructure in 5 cities of Tamil Nadu Sarkar” scheme Asian Development Bank (ADB), a The Odisha Government included the regional development bank has signed department of agriculture and farmer’s $206 million loan agreement with empowerment in the “Mo Sarkar” scheme Government of India (GoI) to develop as an expansion of the ‘5T’ initiative. The water supply ,sewerage infrastructure plan will soon be implemented by the in 5 cities (Ambur, Tiruchirappalli, Department of Higher Education (DHE). Tiruppur, Madurai and Vellore) of Tamil Key Points: Nadu (TN) and also enhances capacities The ‘Mo Sarkar program’ also called nd of urban local bodies (ULBs) for improved ‘My Government’ was launched on 2 October 2019, it was first implemented service delivery. in the department of Home and Health. Key Points: The aim of the program is to provide The first project under the program service with dignity to people who amounting to $169 million targeting the are coming to government offices for cities of Chennai, Coimbatore, Rajapalayam, different purposes Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, and Vellore is currently under implementation. Concept of 3 capitals to be considered in Andhra Pradesh 6th World Tamils Economic Conference Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister indicated The Madras Development Society and that the state could have three capitals. The state government has been aiming World Tamils Economic Foundation at the decentralized development and as will organize the 6th World Tamils part of it, the AP will have three capitals Economic Conference and the Chennai instead of Amaravati alone. Global Economic Summit 2019, between During a short discussion on progress December 28 and 30 at Hotel Le Royal of construction of Amaravati, the Chief Meridien. Minister announced that, the Legislature capital may remain in Amaravati, 17th-Chennai International Film Festival Executive capital may be shifted to The 17th Chennai International Film Visakhapatnam and the High Court in Festival, on behalf of the Indo Cine Kurnool. Appreciation Foundation, is set to begin on the 12th of this month at the Art Gallery. Exercises first, classes later: Minister The festival, which runs until the 19th, School Students will start their day with features 130 films from 55 countries. 75 15 minutes of physical exercise, School lakhs has been provided on behalf of the Education Minister K.A.Sengottaiyan. Government of Tamil Nadu.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 87 Tamilnadu Affairs Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 T.N. tops in coverage under micro- Maternal mortality ratio in Tamil Nadu irrigation In the current year, Aranthangi Health Tamil Nadu has emerged as the topper in District has recorded 10,065 deliveries coverage of area under micro-irrigation without maternal deaths, making it the (MI) this year. model district in Tamil Nadu. Of about 3.64 lakh hectares brought The World Health Organization has under MI, Tamil Nadu accounts for determined how many mothers die per around 1.39 lakh hectares, accounting for 100,000 live births. 130 deaths per lakh 38% of the total coverage in the country, people in India. according to the website of the Pradhan The World Health Organization has set a Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, a scheme target of reducing it to 70 by 2030. But it aimed at improving on-farm water use is currently 63 in Tamil Nadu. The health efficiency through a number of measures department is working to reduce this such as MI. further Gujarat comes next to Tamil Nadu with a coverage of 77,858 hectares and Andhra Kerala launches ‘Vijayamritham’ Pradesh, 52,027 hectares. Maharashtra & ‘Sahachari’ schemes to support comes fourth with around 36,831 hectares differently-abled people and Uttar Pradesh with 25,680 hectares. As a motivation and helping hand for The Central government sanctioned the differently-abled persons, the state installation of 17,500 solar agricultural Governmnet of Kerala has launched 2 pump sets in the State. This has been social welfare schemes – ‘Vijayamritham’ done under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan and ‘Sahachari’. These schemes also Urja Suraksha evam Uttham Mahabhiyan applicable to NSS (National Service (PM-Kusum) scheme Scheme), NCC (National Cadet Corps) Indigenous Faith Day celebrated in and Student Police Cadet (SPC) units Arunachal Pradesh working for their care and welfare. Vijayamritham: It provide onetime cash Donyi Polo Cultural & Charitable award to meritorious differently abled Trust and Indigenous Faith & Cultural students who have scored high marks Society of Arunachal Pradesh celebrated in Degree/ Equivalent courses, Post ‘Indigenous Faith Day’ on 1st December. Graduate (PG) & Professional courses. The celebrations were held at Pasighat Sahachari scheme: This scheme is aims with religious fervour. to provide encouragement to NCC/ The day is celebrated to protect and NSS/SPC units functioning in schools promote the indigenous faith and tribal who offer assistance to differently abled tradition to keep the ethnic identity of the students with over 40% disability in their studies as well as other extra-curricular local tribes. activities.
88 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Tamilnadu Affairs Anna University’s name shouldn’t change after getting Institute of Eminence status Anna University the status of Institution of Eminence (IoE) from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), the government of Tamil Nadu has formed a committee to study the possibility of bifurcation of the university into an IoE and an affiliating university. The order stated that a cabinet meeting was conducted in November to consider the proposal to bifurcate the erstwhile Anna University into Anna Institute of Eminence (Anna IoE) and Anna University, by amending the Anna University Act, 1978. It has also been decided to get a clear response from the government of India regarding the applicability of the state’s reservation policy on Anna University after granting of the IoE status. Madras High Court cannot be renamed Chennai most vulnerable to The Madras High Court has rejected the cyberattacks among metros Union Law Ministry’s request to change Chennai continued to be the most the name of the Madras High Court to a vulnerable city among metros to cyber Tamil Nadu High Court. attacks to the second quarters of 2019 A meeting of all the judges of the Madras (August-October), according to the High Court recently took place. The findings of ‘Cyber Threat Monitor’, by meeting also discussed the letter sent by K7 computing. Despite a 2% decrease in infection rate from the last quarter, the Union Law Ministry to the High Court Chennai still remains the most vulnerable regarding the renamed the Madras High at 46%. Among metro cities, cyberattacks Court as the Tamil Nadu High Court. in Delhi ballooned in the second quarter It has been decided at the jury meeting with a 6% increase in the quarter on that the names of Chartered Courts such quarter infection rate, according to the as the Madras High Court and the Bombay report. The infection rate in cyber city, High Court and the Calcutta High Court Hyderabad is 41% from 39% recorded have not been changed and the Madras last quarter , while Bengaluru and Pune High Court is in the Union Territory of experienced 39% and 35% of cyberattacks, Puducherry. similar to the previous quarter. Odisha govt reduced subsidy to farmers under KALIA scheme to ` 4,000 per annum from ` 10,000 The Odisha government has reduced the amount of aid given to farmers under the KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme from Rs 10,000 to Rs 4000 per year. This decision was taken by the state government after merging the KALIA scheme with Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- KISAN) yojana. Keeping similarity between the two schemes, small farmers will be given Rs 6,000 rupees for 2019-20 from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and Rs 4,000 rupees from 2020-21 under the KALIA Scheme ,so that they can get ten thousand rupees annually.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 89 Practice Questions Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 10. PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Who is the highest executive head of state? (A) Chief Minister (B) Home Minister (C) Governor (D) Chief Justice of High Court 2. When was World AIDS day observed? (A) December 01 (B) December 02 (C) November 31 (D) November 30 3. Golconda Fort frequently seen in news, where is it located? (A) Andrapradesh (B) Telengana (C) Odisha (D) Madhya Pradesh 4. Which state won ‘organ donation award’ awarded by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare? (A) Kerala (B) Uttar Pradesh (C) Karnataka (D) Tamilnadu 5. Which country introduced Mandatory Face Scan for Phone Users? (A) USA (B) Japan (C) China (D) India 6. Where is Siachen Glacier located? (A) Jammu and Kashmir (B) Ladakh (C) Sikkim (D) Himachal Pradesh 7. With which country India Signed agreement to create a new Innovation policy? (A) Switzerland (B) Sweden (C) Singapore (D) Japan 8. Who was awarded “Gold Wing Award” recently? (A) Shivangi (B) Mohana Singh (C) Avani Chaturvedi (D) Bhawana Kanth 9. A voter from rural area from Tamilnadu has to vote, how many votes in local body election? (A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 6 10. Which city Police awarded Skoch Governance Award recently? (A) Thiruvananthapuram (B) Bangalore (C) Greater Chennai (D) Mumbai 11. Which of the following bank internet banking service hit by Technical Glitch recently? (A) SBI (B) ICICI (C) HDFC (D) IOB 12. Who is appointed as new President of European Commission? (A) Ursula Von der Leyen (B) Christine Lagarde (C) Jin Liqun (D) Klaus Schwab 13. Recently Poshan Anthem is launched, what is the target year of Govt. to eliminate malnutrition in India? (A) 2020 (B) 2021 (C) 2022 (D) 2024 14. INSTEX barter system related to (A) Money for Gold (B) Gold for Oil (C) Coal for Oil (D) Specified Good for Oil 15. Which Railway station in India gets 1st Eat Right Station certificate? (A) Mumbai Central (B) Chennai Central (C) Gorakhpur Railway Station (D) Egmore Railway Station 16. Where will be National maritime heritage museum build, with which of the following country’s help? (A) Mumbai, UK (B) Kolkata, UK (C) Goa, Portugal (D) Lothal, Portugal 17. PPRTMS Portal related to (A) Central Vigilance Commission (B) Central Information Commission (C) Election Commission of India (D) Tamilnadu State Election Commission 18. Which of the following missile test firing was recently failed when it is test in night? (A) Agni - 1 (B) Prithvi – 2 (C) Agni - 2 (D) Prithvi - 1 19. Which organization released “World Malaria Report – 2019”? (A) World Health Organization (B) United Nation Development Program (C) Lancet (D) EIU
90 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Practice Questions
20. Who is awarded lifetime achievement award for Public Service 2019 by ET? (A) Prathiba Patil (B) Narendra Modi (C) Nirmala Sitharaman (D) Arun Jaitly 21. Which State Govt launched Madhu-an e-learning app? (A) Andrapradesh (B) Delhi (C) Odisha (D) Karnataka 22. When was Indian Navy day observed? (A) 02 December (B) 03 December (C) 04 December (D) 05 December 23. Recently election commission announced Jannayak Janta Party as state party of which of the following state? (A) Haryana (B) Punjab (C) Jharkhand (D) Madhya Pradesh 24. What is the India’s first corporate bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)? (A) Nifty (B) Shariah (C) Bharat Bond ETF (D) Gold ETF 25. Who is known as the custodian of Foreign Reserve in India? (A) Finance Minister (B) Comptroller and Auditor General (C) Reserve Bank of India (D) Finance Secretary 26. Which of the following state’s Farmer Welfare Scheme KALIA is linked with Pradhan Mandri Kisan Scheme? (A) Odisha (B) Maharashtra (C) West Bengal (D) Jharkhand 27. Blue Flag certification related to which of the following? (A) Capacity Building (B) Beaches as Tourism sites (C) Heritage Symbols (D) Sea related Industries 28. India’s monetary polices are determined by Monetary Policy Committee, which is recommendation of which of the following committee? (A) Bimal Jalan (B) Rangarajan (C) P. Chidambaram (D) Urjit Patal 29. Where is 3rd Khelo India youth games to be held? (A) Mumbai (B) Pune (C) Guwahati (D) New Delhi 30. Mahaparinirvan Diwas related to which of the following personality? (A) B.R. Ambedkar (B) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (C) J.P. Kripalini (D) Deendayal Upadhyaya 31. Who is the first transgender to be appointed as Govt. hospital nurse? (A) Anbu Ruby (B) Anitha (C) Nilima (D) Jeniffer 32. BGR-34- A drug frequently seen news, is curative drug of which of the following disease? (A) Cancer (B) Malaria (C) Chickengunya (D) Diabetes 33. Operation Clean Art related to (A) Mongoose (B) Tiger (C) Asiatic Lion (D) One horned Rhino 34. Who is recently appointed as senior security Advisor of Ministry of Home affairs? (A) Ajit Doval (B) Vijay Kumar (C) P.K. Mishra (D) N.K. Singh 35. What is the Expansion of NEFT? (A) National Electrical Fund Transfer (B) National Electronic Fund Trust (C) Network Electronic Fund Transfer (D) National Electronic Fund Transfer 36. With which country National Agricultural Research organization planned to develop a new variety cotton? (A) Brazil (B) USA (C) Uganda (D) Turkey 37. When will Southern Indian states gets an opportunity to see partial solar eclipse? (A) December 24 (B) December 25 (C) December 27 (D) December 26 38. What is the first tribal language that is used in Rajya Sabha recently? (A) Bodo (B) Dogri (C) Maithili (D) Santhali
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 91 Practice Questions Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019
39. In which of the following institution ISRO setup Space Technology Incubation Centre (S-TIC)? (A) NIT, Warangal (B) NIT, Rourkela (C) NIT, Trichy (D) NIT, Hamirpur 40. Where is 54th DGsP, IGsP conference held? (A) Pune, Maharashtra (B) Mumbai, Maharashtra (C) Hyderabad, Telangana (D) New Delhi 41. When was GST stakeholder Feedback Diwas observed? (A) 01 July (B) 01 December (C) 07 December (D) 08 December 42. The delimitation of local bodies done by which of the following organization? (A) State Legislature (B) State Election Commission (C) Parliament (D) Election Commission of India 43. What is total value of National Investment and Infrastructure Funds (NIIF)? (A) $ 2 Billion (B) $ 3 Billion (C) $ 4 Billion (D) $ 5 Billion 44. What is the objective Van Dhan Yojana? (A) To enhance livelihood of tribal gatherers and artisan (B) To enhance income of unorganized sector workers (C) To enhance skills of ICT employees (D) To enhance capacity of Central Govt. workers 45. Which of the following committee related to 2002 – Gujarat riots? (A) Justice Rohini Commission (B) Kaka Kalelkar Commission (C) Nanavati-Mehta Commission (D) Srikrishna Committee 46. Which state passed Disha bill to ensure rape verdicts in time bound manner? (A) Telengana (B) Andrapradesh (C) Odisha (D) Delhi 47. Rushikula rookery coast frequently seen in news located at (A) Andhra Pradesh (B) West Bengal (C) Odisha (D) Goa 48. Which country became world’s newest country after passing a successful referendum? (A) Papua New Guinea (B) Catalonia (C) Quebec (D) Bougainville 49. In which country fully electric commercial aircraft takes its first flight? (A) USA (B) Canada (C) Japan (D) Mexico 50. Where is NAVARMS-2019 an International Seminar-cum-Exhibition on Naval Weapon System going to be held? (A) Visakhapatnam (B) Kochi (C) Chennai (D) New Delhi 51. “Draj Bridge” recently seen in news located at which of the following state? (A) Nagaland (B) Jammu & Kashmir (C) Sikkim (D) Ladakh 52. When was Arms act enacted at which an amendment is recently proposed in Indian Parliament? (A) 1950 (B) 1951 (C) 1958 (D) 1959 53. Which of the following ministers going to be participate the two-plus-two dialogue between India and USA? (A) Home Affairs and External Affairs (B) External Affairs and Finance (C) External Affairs and Defence (D) Defence and Home Affairs 54. Who became the first Indian to play 150 Ranji matches? (A) Sairaj (B) Muzumdar (C) Wasim Jaffer (D) Devendra Bundela 55. From Dhaka to which of the following Indian tourism spots Bangladesh government inaugurated direct bus services? (A) Bhuvaneshwar, Gangtok (B) Gangtok, Imphal (C) Darjeeling, Gawahati (D) Gangtok, Darjeeling 56. World’s oldest hunting artwork has been uncovered recently in which country? (A) Indonesia (B) Australia (C) China (D) South Africa 57. Which film has been named the best film of the year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association? (A) Parasite (B) The Irishman (C) Leave no Trace (D) IT Chapter 2
92 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Practice Questions
58. ‘Sohae’ satellite launching station is located in which country? (A) Japan (B) South Korea (C) China (D) North Korea 59. What is the expansion of NFRA? (A) National Forest Recreating Association (B) Non Formal Regulating Authority (C) National Financial Reporting Authority (D) Non-Banking Financial Regulating Authority 60. Which of the following two organisations are jointly planning to train 4000 Indian Teachers in Artificial Technology? (A) World Bank + IMF (B) IBM + Dell (C) UNESCO + Dell (D) TCS + CTS 61. According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data 2019-20, which state generated largest power through renewable energy? (A) Kerala (B) Gujarat (C) Karnataka (D) Tamilnadu 62. Where is 3-day National Tribal Dance festival going to be held? (A) Raipur (B) Guwahati (C) Gangtok (D) Kohima 63. Parivara, Talwara and Siddi tribes are recently seen in NEWS, residing in which of the following state? (A) Kerala (B) Andrapradesh (C) Telangana (D) Karnataka 64. Which of the following organization compiled Seventh Economic Census? (A) Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (B) Ministry of Finance (C) Central Statistical Office (D) Reserve Bank of India 65. Who named as TIME magazine’s person of the year – 2019? (A) Xi Jinping (B) Vladimir Putin (C) Donald Trump (D) Greta Thunberg 66. Where is India’s first International Financial Services Centre established? (A) Maharastra (B) Gujarat (C) Delhi (D) West Bengal 67. Mumbai – Nagpur Samruddhi express way named after which of the following personality? (A) Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (B) Chhatrapati Shivaji (C) Bal Thackeray (D) Udhay Thackeracy 68. Which of the following committee is appointed to recommend ways of loss prevention and minimization in General Insurance Industry? (A) Lodha Committee (B) T.L. Alamelu Committee (C) V.S. Sirpurkar Committee (D) Nandan Nilekani Committee 69. NASA recently mapped wind circulation of the which of the following planet? (A) Venus (B) Mars (C) Saturn (D) Jupiter 70. Which state recently set up a first virtual Police Station in the country? (A) Odisha (B) Telangana (C) Andra Pradesh (D) Jharkhand 71. Which state police recently Awarded Presidents colours in the recognition of meritorious service and gallantly? (A) Tamil Nadu (B) Kerala (C) Gujarat (D) Andra Pradesh 72. Rohne and Rabodin coking coal mines are allocated to CPSEs to increase production of coking coal where are these mines located? (A) Odisha (B) Chhattisgarh (C) Jharkhand (D) West Bengal 73. VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi) initiative launched by (A) Vodafone (B) Jio (C) Bharti Airtel (D) TRAI 74. “Iron Union – 12” – A joint military exercise conducted between which of the following countries? (A) UAE, USA (B) Saudi Arabia, USA (C) UAE, Saudi Arabia (D) Japan, USA 75. How many species are added recently in IUCN “Red List of threatened species” recently? (A) 1839 (B) 1840 (C) 1841 (D) 1842
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 93 Practice Questions Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019
76. Where is “Namaste Orchha” – a cultural festival going to be held? (A) Maharastra (B) Madhya Pradesh (C) Uttar Pradesh (D) Odisha 77. Accessible India Campaign related to (A) Entrepreneurs (B) Tax payers (C) Differently abled (D) Transgender 78. Which organization awards crystal award – 2019? (A) World Economic Forum (B) International Monetary Fund (C) European Union (D) United Nations General Assembly 79. Where is 36th International Geological Congress going to be held? (A) Russia (B) Indonesia (C) India (D) Australia 80. When was International Tea Day observed? (A) December 13 (B) December 14 (C) December 15 (D) December 16 81. Which ministry decided to create Sustainable Development Cell (SDC) recently? (A) Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate change (B) Ministry of Renewable Energy (C) Ministry of Coal (D) Ministry of Power 82. Who is newly appointed as chief of the Army staff? (A) Bipin Rawat (B) Karambir Singh (C) Bimal Verma (D) Manoj Mukund 83. Which state police became first to introduce Trakea Software for Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL)? (A) Punjab (B) Andrapradesh (C) Telangana (D) Haryana 84. Glory Run – A running expedition planned between which of the following cities? (A) Kargil to Kolkata (B) Kargil to Kohima (C) Kargil to Itanagar (D) Kargil to Agartala 85. Which gram panchayat ranked first place in the ranking of panchayats for implementing Mission Antyodaya Scheme? (A) Gangadevipalli (B) Molugamboondi (C) Hivere Bazar (D) Punsari 86. Where is 16th edition of Orange festival held recently? (A) Meghalaya (B) Manipur (C) Mizoram (D) Assam 87. When is Minorities Rights Day in India observed? (A) December 17 (B) December 18 (C) December 19 (D) December 20 88. Who is the author of “Honour Bound”? (A) Gurcharan Das (B) Shashi Tharoor (C) Sarosh Zaiwalla (D) Amartya Sen 89. Which of the following state implements Suryashakti Kisan Yojana? (A) Andrapradesh (B) Maharastra (C) Tamilnadu (D) Gujarat 90. Where is Surya Kiran Military exercise held between India-Nepal? (A) Salijhandi - Nepal (B) Rajasthan - India (C) Kathmandu – Nepal (D) Lucknow - India 91. Saksham Anganwadi launched by which Ministry? (A) Ministry of Health and Family affairs (B) Ministry of Science and Technology (C) Ministry of Women and Children (D) Ministry of Human Resource Development 92. According to US National Science Foundation, which country produces most Scientific and Technology Research papers in the world? (A) China (B) India (C) USA (D) Japan 93. 50th World Economic Conference is going to be held in which of the following place? (A) Davos - Switzerland (B) Moscow - Russia (C) Paris - France (D) London – United Kingdom
94 Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii's Current Affairs, December - 2019 Practice Questions
94. When was the National Mathematics Day observed? (A) 21 December (B) 22 December (C) 23 December (D) 24 December 95. What is the main objective of “Hunar Haats”? (A) Double the Income of Farmers (B) To support Artisans and Craftsman (C) Skill Development for Teachers (D) Skill Development for Students 96. Which of the following organization is going to set up 500 skill hubs and labs in Govt schools? (A) Finance Ministry (B) NITI Aayog (C) Ministry of Skill Development (D) Ministry of Youth Affairs 97. According to recent survey of Indian Government which of the following state tops in coverage under micro irrigation? (A) Gujarat (B) Maharashtra (C) Andhra Pradesh (D) Tamil Nadu 98. In which of the following year the Current Parliament House Building was completed? (A) 1919 (B) 1927 (C) 1947 (D) 1950 99. Galapagos archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage site is located in which of the following country? (A) Japan (B) China (C) Ecuador (D) USA 100. Chilai-Kalan an annual winter session started in which of the following state? (A) Himachal Pradesh (B) Arunachal Pradesh (C) Jammu and Kashmir (D) Haryana
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C A B D C A B A B C 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 C A C D A D C C A D 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 C C A C C A B D C A 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 A D A B D C D D C A 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 C B C A C B C D B B 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 B D C C D A A D C C 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 D A D A D B C B B C 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 C C C A B B C A C C 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 C D D B B B B C D A 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 C A A B B C D B C A
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