JANUARY to MARCH 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS
JANUARY to MARCH 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS
PHILIP KOTLER PRESIDENTIAL AWARD The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, received the first-ever Philip Kotler Presidential award in New Delhi. The Award focuses on the triple bottom-line of People, Profit and Planet. It will be offered annually to the leader of a Nation. “Shri Narendra Modi is selected for his outstanding leadership for the nation. His selfless service towards India, combined with his tireless energy has resulted in extraordinary economic, social and technological advances in the country.”
PUDUCHERRY BAN ON SINGLE USE PLASTIC The cabinet of Puducherry has agreed to ban the production, sale and use of single-use plastic products from March 1 2019 A massive awareness drive will be planned before the ban commence. This came after the Tamil Nadu government decision to ban on plastic from 1st Jan 2019.
WOMEN OF INDIA ORGANIC FESTIVAL The 6th edition of Women of India Organic Festival has been organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development at Leisure Valley Chandigarh
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The festival aims to encourage Indian women entrepreneurs and farmers to connect with more buyers and thus, empower them through financial inclusion, while promoting organic culture in India. Through this festival, the Ministry also aims to educate people about its various initiatives and schemes relating to women and children Over 200 women have come from all over India together at Leisure Valley, which has become the epicenter of an organic extravaganza. The Festival is showcasing over 1,000 varied organic products, including fabric, wellness, grains, seeds, jewellery, bakery items and a lot more.
NEW SERIES OF SOVERIGN GOLD BONDS Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds-2018-19. The government decided to issue new series of sovereign gold bonds between January 14 and January 18 at Rs 3,214 per gram The Bonds will be sold through banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices, and recognised stock exchanges viz., National Stock Exchange of India Limited and Bombay Stock Exchange Limited.
NATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2019 Government of India has observed National Youth Day on 12th January 2019. The day is observed every year to mark the birth anniversary of swami Vivekananda nanda. Swamiji was born on January 12th 1863. The National Youth festival for 2019 was started by Union Youth & Sports minister Sri Rajvardhan Rathore at New Delhi The theme for 2019 National Youth Day is “Be the voice of New India- Find Solutions & Contribute to policy” As a part of Youth Day the minister also launched National Youth Parliament at New Delhi
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COIN AND STAMP ON GURU GOBIND SINGH LAUNCHED Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative coin and stamp on Guru Gobind Singh to mark the 350th birth anniversary. The Tenth Guru of Sikhs- Guru Gobind Singh has been a source of inspiration for many through his teachings and ideals.
PRAVASI BHARTIYA DIVAS The center observed the annual celebrations of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas on January 9th and 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations will be held from 21-23 January, 2019 at Varanasi. Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth will be the chief guest. This day is observed every year to mark the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa on January 9th 1915.
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DEMOCRACY INDEX 2019 The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the Democracy Index which ranks 167 countries by 60 indicators across five broad categories. India is ranked at 41st place with a score of 7.23/10 This report classifies countries in to I. Full Democracy II. Flawed Democracy III. Hybrid Regime
GANGAJAL PROJECT Giving a major push to develop and enhance Tourism infrastructure in Agra, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched a series of development projects worth Rs. 2900 Crores for the Agra city and the adjoining areas. The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, Gangajal project, which will provide Agra with better and more assured water supply, at an estimated cost of Rs.2880 crores. Gangajal project aims to bring 140 cusecs of Ganga water to Agra. This will help meet the drinking water demands in the city.
WORLD HINDI DAY OBSERVED World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10 every year, marking the anniversary of first World Hindi Conference which was held in 1975 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. National Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year on September 14. On that day in 1949, the constituent assembly adopted Hindi, written in Devanagari script, as the official language of the Union. Eleventh World Hindi Conference was held at Port Louis, Mauritius, 2018
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME Sikkim’s ruling party, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), has decided to implement a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to all residents of the state. State Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling has decided to include UBI in its manifesto ahead of the state assembly election in 2019 and aims to implement the scheme by 2022. UBI is a scheme that a number of economists have talked about and it works well in developing countries. It has been tested even in India, debated within the Finance Ministry as early as 2017.
KHELO INDIA YOUTH GAMES 2019 Khelo India Youth Games started at Pune from January 9, 2019 with an aim of Grassroots level hunt for sportspersons This is the second edition the games which is an initiative of the Central Government, has expanded in its scope, and will allow participants to compete in two categories, (Under 17) and (Under 21), this year. In its new form, the games, which will be known as the Khelo India Youth Games, also allows students from colleges and Universities to compete.
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The other highlight of this year's games is that the national-level competition is moving out of the Capital and will be held in Maharashtra, which bid for the games, along with Assam and Jharkhand. This time, the games will be held in Pune, known as the city of students, from January 9 - January 20, 2019. MEDAL TALLY Rank State Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Maharashtra 85 62 81 228 2 Haryana 62 56 60 178 3 Delhi 48 37 51 136 4 Karnataka 30 28 19 77 5 Tamil Nadu 27 35 25 87 6 Uttar Pradesh 23 25 40 88 7 Punjab 23 19 30 72 8 Gujarat 15 9 15 39 9 West Bengal 13 15 16 44 10 Kerala 12 16 30 58
WINTER SESSION OF PARLIAMENT Winter Session 2018 of Parliament Concludes with a Productivity of Lok Sabha 47% and that of Rajya Sabha 27%; 5 Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament during the Session During the Session, 17 Bills (12 in the Lok Sabha and 05 in Rajya Sabha) were introduced. The Lok Sabha passed 14 Bills and while the Rajya Sabha passed 04 Bills during the session. During the Session, Second Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2018-19 and the related Appropriation Bill was introduced, discussed and passed by the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha also passed two important Bills namely the Aadhar and other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. Three Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, (i) the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2018 (ii) the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 and (iii) The Companies (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 which were promulgated by the President, were considered and passed by Lok Sabha. The Bills are presently in Rajya Sabha. Apart from the above, the other major highlight of the Session is the passing of the Constitution (One Hundred Twenty Four) Amendment Bill, 2019 which will provide reservation in services and educational institutions for economically weaker sections in general category. The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Central Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple (Disabilities) Amendment Bill, 2018; the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2019 were passed by both Houses of Parliament. In the Lok Sabha, 1 Short Duration Discussion under Rule 193 was held on the Rafael Deal. Another Short Duration Discussion on natural calamities in various parts of the country, particularly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha with special reference to cyclones like Gaja, Titli, etc. was initiated in Lok Sabha and remained inconclusive.
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Proclamation issued by the President on the 19th December, 2018 under article 356 of the Constitution of India in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir was discussed and adopted in the Lok Sabha on 28.12.2018 and in the Rajya Sabha on 2nd and 3rd January, 2019 respectively.
NANDAN NILEKANI COMMITTEE Nilekani Panel to strengthen the Digital Payments Ecosystem and suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments in the country was constituted by The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) RBI has provided the following terms of reference for the committee: I. To encourage digitization of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitization. II. Reviewing the existing status of digitization of payments in the country, identifying the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggesting ways to bridge them. III. Assessing the current levels of digital payments in financial inclusion. IV. Suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments. V. Suggest a medium-term strategy for deepening of digital payments.
GITA GOPINATH Gita Gopinath has joined International Monetary Fund as its 11th chief economist. She is the first woman to occupy the post of chief economist of IMF. The Chief Economist is also the Director of the Fund’s Research Department and is responsible for providing independent advice to the Fund on its policy issues, integrating ideas of the research in the design of policies, conveying these ideas to the policymakers inside and outside the fund and managing all research done at IMF.
AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA Airports Authority of India (AAI) has imposed a ban on single-use plastic items at its 129 airports across the country these include banning of single-use plastic items like straws, plastic cutlery, plastic plates etc. The AAI informed, on the basis of a third-party assessment carried out by Quality Council of India (QCI), 16 of its airports have been declared as Single-Use Plastic Free. The QCI will complete its assessment of total 34 airports, which are managed by the AAI, by 31 of this month.
Makaravilakku Festival It is an annual festival held on Makar Sankranti in Kerala, at the shrine of Sabarimala. The festival includes the Thiruvabharanam procession and a congregation at the hill shrine of Sabarimala. It is a practice performed by tribal’s in the forest of Ponnambalamedu
Ashok Chakra for Nazir Wani President Ramnath Kovind has presented India’s highest Peacetime gallantry award, Ashok Chakra to Lance Naik “Nazir Wani” posthumously Nazir Wani has killed two terrorist in Operation Shopian Ashok Chakra is awarded for courage , self sacrifice and can be compared to Param Vir Chakra
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Padma Awards 2019 It is one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year. These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. PADMA VIBHUSHAN (4) S.No Name Field State 1. Ms. Teejan Bai Art-Vocals-Folk Chhattisgarh
2. Shri Ismail Omar Guelleh (Foreigner) Public Affairs Djibouti
3. Shri Anilkumar Manibhai Naik Trade & Industry- Infrastructure Maharashtra Shri Balwant Moreshwar 4. Art-Acting-Theatre Maharashtra Purandare
PADMA BHUSHAN- (14) S.No Name Field State 5. Shri John Chambers (Foreigner) Trade & Industry- Technology USA 6. Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa Public Affairs Punjab 7. Shri Pravin Gordhan (Foreigner) Public Affairs South Africa 8. Shri Mahashay Dharam Pal Gulati Trade & Industry-Food Processing Delhi 9. Shri Darshan Lal Jain Social Work Haryana 10. Shri Ashok Laxmanrao Kukade Medicine-Affordable Healthcare Maharashtra 11. Shri Kariya Munda Public Affairs Jharkhand 12. Shri Budhaditya Mukherjee Art-Music-Sitar West Bengal 13. Shri Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair Art-Acting-Film Kerala 14. Shri S Nambi Narayan Science & Engineering-Space Kerala 15. Shri Kuldip Nayar (Posthumous) Literature & Education (Journalism) Delhi 16. Ms. Bachendri Pal Sports- Mountaineering Uttarakandh 17. Shri V K Shunglu Civil Service Delhi 18. Shri Hukumdev Narayan Yadav Public Affairs Bihar
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PADMA SHRI- (94)
S.No Name Field State
19. Shri Rajeshwar Acharya Art-Vocal-Hindustani Uttar Pradesh
20. Shri Bangaru Adigalar Others-Spiritualism Tamil Nadu
21. Shri Illias Ali Medicine-Surgery Assam
22. Shri Manoj Bajpayee Art-Acting-Films Maharashtra Science & Engineering- 23. Shri Uddhab Kumar Bharali Assam Grassroots Innovation 24. Shri Omesh Kumar Bharti Medicine-Rabies Himachal Pradesh
25. Shri Pritam Bhartwan Art-Vocals-Folk Uttarakandh
26. Shri Jyoti Bhatt Art-Painting Gujarat
27. Shri Dilip Chakravarty Others-Archaeology Delhi
28. Shri Mammen Chandy Medicine-Hematology West Bengal
29. Shri Swapan Chaudhuri Art-Music-Tabla West Bengal
30. Shri Kanwal Singh Chauhan Others-Agriculture Haryana
31. Shri Sunil Chhetri Sports-Football Telangana
32. Shri Dinyar Contractor Art-Acting-Theatre Maharashtra Ms. Muktaben Pankajkumar 33. Social Work-Divyang Welfare Gujarat Dagli 34. Shri Babulal Dahiya Others-Agriculture Madhya Pradesh
35. Shri Thanga Darlong Tripura Art-Music-Flute 36. Shri Prabhu Deva Art-Dance Karnataka
37. Ms. Rajkumari Devi Others-Agriculture Bihar
38. Ms. Bhagirathi Devi Public Affairs Bihar Science & Engineering 39. Shri Baldev Singh Dhillon Punjab Agriculture 40. Ms. Harika Dronavalli Sports-Chess Andhra Pradesh
41. Ms. Godawari Dutta Art-Painting Bihar
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42. Shri Gautam Gambhir Sports-Cricket Delhi
43. Ms. Draupadi Ghimiray Social Work-Divyang Welfare Sikkim
44. Ms. Rohini Godbole Science &Engineering-Nuclear Karnataka
45. Shri Sandeep Guleria Medicine-Surgery Delhi
46. Shri Pratap Singh Hardia Medicine-Ophthmology Madhya Pradesh
47. Shri Bulu Imam Social Work-Culture Jharkhand Ms. Friederike Irina 48. Social Work-Animal Welfare Germany (Foreigner) 49. Shri Joravarsinh Jadav Art-Dance Folk Gujarat
50. Shri S Jaishankar Civil Service Delhi
51. Shri Narsingh Dev Jamwal Literature & Education Jammu & Kashmir
52. Shri Fayaz Ahmad Jan Art-Craft-Papier Mache Jammu & Kashmir
53. Shri K G Jayan Art-Music-Bhakti Kerala Shri Subhash Kak Science & Engineering- 54. USA (Foreigner) Technology 55. Shri Sharath Kamal Sports-Table Tennis Tamil Nadu
56. Shri Rajani Kant Social Work Uttar Pradesh
57. Shri Sudam Kate Medicine-Sickle Cell Maharashtra
58. Shri Waman Kendre Art-Acting-Theatre Maharashtra Shri Kader Khan 59. Art-Acting-Films Canada (Posthumous-Foreigner) 60. Shri Abdul Gafur Khatri Art-Painting Gujarat
Shri Ravindra Kolhe (Duo)* Medicine-Affordable Healthcare Maharashtra 61. Ms. Smita Kolhe (Duo)* Medicine-Affordable Healthcare Maharashtra
62. Ms. Bombayla Devi Laishram Sports-Archery Manipur
63. Shri Kailash Madbaiya Literature & Education Madhya Pradesh
64. Shri Ramesh Babaji Maharaj Social Work-Animal Welfare Uttar Pradesh Shri Vallabhbhai Vasrambhai 65. Others-Agriculture Gujarat Marvaniya
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66. Ms. Gita Mehta (Foreigner) Literature & Education USA
67. Shri Shadab Mohammad Medicine-Dentistry Uttar Pradesh
68. Shri K K Muhammad Others-Archaeology Kerala
69. Shri Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Medicine-Affordable Healthcare Jharkhand
70. Shri Daitari Naik Social Work Odisha Shri Shankar Mahadevan 71. Art-Vocals-Films Maharashtra Narayan 72. Shri Shantanu Narayen (Foreigner) Trade & Industry-Technology USA
73. Nartaki Natraj Art-Dance-Bharatnatyam Tamil Nadu
74. Shri Tsering Norboo Medicine-Surgery Jammu & Kashmir
75. Shri Anup Ranjan Pandey Art-Music Chhattisgarh
76. Shri Jagdish Prasad Parikh Others-Agriculture Rajasthan
77. Shri Ganpatbhai Patel (Foreigner) Literature & Education USA
78. Shri Bimal Patel Others-Architecture Gujarat
79. Shri Hukumchand Patidar Others-Agriculture Rajasthan
80. Shri Harvinder Singh Phoolka Public Affairs Punjab
81. Ms. Madurai Chinna Pillai Social Work-Microfinance Tamil Nadu
82. Ms. Tao Porchon-Lynch (Foreigner) Others-Yoga USA
83. Ms. Kamala Pujhari Others-Agriculture Odisha
84. Shri Bajrang Punia Sports-Wrestling Haryana
85. Shri Jagat Ram Medicine-Ophthalmology Chandigarh
86. Shri R V Ramani Medicine-Ophthalmology Tamil Nadu Social Work- 87. Shri Devarapalli Prakash Rao Odisha Affordable Education 88. Shri Anup Sah Art-Photography Uttarakandh
89. Ms. Milena Salvini (Foreigner) Art-Dance-Kathakali France Literature & 90. Shri Nagindas Sanghavi Maharashtra Education-Journalism
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91. Shri Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry Art-Lyrics Telangana
92. Shri Shabbir Sayyad Social Work-Animal Welfare Maharashtra
93. Shri Mahesh Sharma Social Work-Tribal Welfare Madhya Pradesh
94. Shri Mohammad Hanif Khan Shastri Literature & Education Delhi
95. Shri Brijesh Kumar Shukla Literature & Education Uttar Pradesh
96. Shri Narendra Singh Others-Animal Husbandry Haryana
97. Ms. Prashanti Singh Sports-Basketball Uttar Pradesh
98. Shri Sultan Singh Others-Animal Husbandry Haryana Social Work- 99. Shri Jyoti Kumar Sinha Bihar Affordable Education 100. Shri Anandan Sivamani Art-Music Tamil Nadu
101. Ms. Sharada Srinivasan Others-Archaeology Karnataka Literature & 102. Shri Devendra Swarup (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh Education-Journalism 103. Shri Ajay Thakur Sports-Kabaddi Himachal Pradesh
104. Shri Rajeev Tharanath Art-Music-Sarod Karnataka
105. Ms. Saalumarada Thimmakka Social Work- Environment Karnataka
106. Ms. Jamuna Tudu Social Work- Environment Jharkhand
107. Shri Bharat Bhushan Tyagi Others-Agriculture Uttar Pradesh
108. Shri Ramaswami Venkataswami Medicine-Surgery Tamil Nadu
109. Shri Ram Saran Verma Others-Agriculture Uttar Pradesh
110. Shri Swami Vishudhananda Others-Spiritualism Kerala
111. Shri Hiralal Yadav Art-Vocals-Folk Uttar Pradesh
112. Shri Venkateswara Rao Yadlapalli Others-Agriculture Andhra Pradesh
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India and Kuwait 2019 Indian Cabinet has approved the MOU with Kuwait on Recruitment of Domestic Worker This MOU will benefit around 300000 Indian workers deployed in Kuwait which include 90000 female workers It provided for structured framework and a security for Domestic Workers The MOU is valid for five years with automatic renewal, It has ensures to set up an Joint Committee for implementing the MOU
UDAN Scheme Airport Authority of India had signed an MOU with Swedish Aerospace & Defense Company for implementing Civil Aviation scheme UDAN The MOU targets Air Traffic Management system solutions for Airports under UDAN scheme UDAN stands for Ude Desh Ki Aam Nagarik. Or also called Regional Connectivity Scheme The objective of the scheme is to make air travel affordable and widespread, to boost inclusive national economic development, job growth and air transport infrastructure development of all regions and states of India
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India Africa Field Training Exercise (IAFTX) - 2019
The final planning conference to work out the modalities for Indian Africa Field Training Exercise (IAFTX)- 2019 is being conducted at Pune on 23-24 January 2019. Delegates from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique, Uganda, Niger & Zambia attended the conference. Indian Africa Field Training Exercise (IAFTX)-2019 was conducted at Aundh Military Station and College of Military Engineering, Pune from 18 March to 27 March 2019. The joint training exercise is being conducted with more than a dozen African countries & India. It aims at synergizing humanitarian mine action and joint peace operations. The initial planning conference for the exercise was held in December 2018. The IAFTX-2019 is a positive step towards growing political and military ties with the member nations of African continent and will boost the already strong strategic cooperation between the countries.
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The Bloomberg Innovation Index 2019 The Bloomberg Innovation index examines each country in range of areas including education, research and development and manufacturing with a list of 60 most innovative countries. The countries are ranked on the basis of their overall ability to innovate considering seven-equal weighted metrics such as R & D intensity, manufacturing value added, productivity, high tech density, tertiary efficiency, patent activity and researcher concentration Each economy has been assigned a score from 0-100 on the basis of seven equal-weighted metrics. South Korea retained the global crown in the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation Index. India is placed at 54th spot in Bloomberg Innovation Index with a score of 47.93 out of 100.
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Union Cabinet has approved Currency Swap with SAARC countries The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval for amendment to the ‘Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for SAARC Member Countries’ to incorporate a ‘Standby Swap’ amounting to USD 400 million operated within the overall size of the Facility of USD 2 billion and build in flexibility with respect to modalities of its operation, such as period of swap, roll over, etc. after due consideration of conditions of requesting SAARC member countries and domestic requirements of India. The incorporation of ‘Standby Swap’ within the approved SAARC Swap Framework would provide necessary flexibility to the Framework and would enable India to provide a prompt response to the current request from SAARC member countries for availing the swap amount exceeding the present limit prescribed under the SAARC Swap Framework. RBI will negotiate the operational details bilaterally with the Central Banks of the SAARC countries availing the Standby Swap.
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2019 at Varanasi The 15th edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was held at Varanasi on 21st January 2019. For the first time in the history of Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, the event is being held in Varanasi, the cultural and spiritual capital of India. The theme for PBD 2019 is "Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India". Several world leaders of Indian origin will share their insights into the role of Indian Diaspora for a New India. Major events includes Youth PBD Youth PBD: The opening day on 21st January will mark the Youth PBD with the focus on the generation next especially from Uttar Pradesh. The young Diaspora will engage with its counterparts back home in India.
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External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj along with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, MoS sports and Youth affairs, Colonel Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore will share the dais with Member of Parliament from New Zealand Kanwal Jeet Singh Bakshi and MP from Norway Himanshu Gulati among others.
Horticulture Production in India 2017-18 Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare releases the 2017-18 Final and 2018-19 1st Advance Est. of Area and Production of Horticulture Crops According to the report, Nation witnesses record production of 311.7 MT Horticulture Crops in 2017-18, 3.7% higher than the previous year and 10% higher than past 5 years’ average production The following table summarizes the All-India Final Estimates: 2017-18 and 2018-19(1st Advance Estimates)vis- a-vis2016-17: 2017-18 2018-19 Total Horticulture 2016-17 (Final) (First Adv. Est.)
Area 24.85 25.43 25.87 (Million Ha)
Production 300.64 311.71 314.67 (Million Tonnes)
Carnot prize for Minister Piyush Goyal Union Minister for Railways, Coal and Corporate Affairs Piyush Goyal was selected for the prestigious Carnot prize for his contribution towards sustainable energy solutions by by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. The Carnot Prize is the Kleinman Center’s annual recognition of distinguished contributions to energy policy through scholarship or practice. The award in the energy sector is named after French physicist Nicolas Sadi Carnot who recognised that the power of the steam engine would “produce a great revolution“ in human development. The 2018 Carnot Prize is a recognition of India’s efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the nation charts the path towards eliminating energy poverty with sustainable energy solutions, the statement said.
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE PERIODIC TABLE (IYPT) UNESCO declared 2019 has International Year of the Periodic Table. The Periodic Table of Chemical Elements is one of the most significant achievements in science, capturing the essence not only of chemistry, but also of physics and biology. It is a unique tool, enabling scientist to predict the appearance and properties of matter on the Earth and in the rest of the Universe. 2019 will be the 150th anniversary since Dmitry Mendeleev discovered the Periodic System and has been proclaimed the “International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements” (IYPT2019).
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The initiative for IYPT2019 is supported by IUPAC in partnership with the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), European Association for Chemical and Molecular Science (EuCheMS), the International Council for Science (ICSU), International Astronomical Union (IAU), and the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IUHPS). It was submitted by numerous organizations from over 50 countries around the world.
Digital Currency - Aber The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) central bank (UAECB) and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) have announced that the interbank digital currency they are co-developing will be called “Aber.” The Objective of launching the common digital currency project ‘Aber’ is for use in financial settlements between the two countries through Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies.
Corruption Perception Index 2018 India has improved its ranking on a global corruption index in 2018, the annual index released by Transparency International India rose by three points to 78 in the list of 180 countries in the world, while China ranked 87 and Pakistan 117 in 2018, the Transparency International said in its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2018. The top countries on the list are Denmark and New Zealand, with scores of 88 and 87 respectively. Somalia, Syria and South Sudan are at the bottom of the list, with scores of 10, 13 and 13 respectively.
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Ganga Expressway The Government of Uttar Pradesh has approved for the construction of World’s Longest Expressway. The expressway will provide a better and speed connectivity between Prayagraj and Western Uttar Pradesh The total cost of the project is 36000 Cr and with the length of 600 KM
Mohammed Shami The fast Bowler of India is the first fastest Cricketer to take 100 wickets in ODI Internationals He reached this achievement in 56 ODI games. Before Shami, Ifran Patan reached the fleet in 59 ODIs Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Survey India has decided to Particparte in 2021 PISA which does survey on child education. India before participated in the survey in 2009 The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students who are nearing the end of their compulsory education. PISA assesses how well they can apply what they learn in school to real-life situations. Over 90 countries have participated in the assessment so far which began in 2000. Every three years students are tested in the key subjects: reading, mathematics and science.
International Day of Education 2019 The first ever International Day of Education is observed on January 24th On 3 December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted with consensus a resolution proclaiming 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. The adoption of the resolution 73/25 “International Day of Education”, co-authored by Nigeria and 58 other Member States, demonstrated the unwavering political will to support transformative actions for inclusive, equitable and quality education for all. UNESCO, as the specialized United Nations agency for education, will facilitate the annual observance of the Day in close collaboration with main education actors.
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Vande Bharath Express Minister of Railways & Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal launched Vande Bharat Express for Train 18, acknowledging it’s made-in-India status. This train set has been manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in the period of 18 months under 'Make in India' program. Vande Bharat Express is the next major leap for Indian Railways in terms of speed and convenience. It is India's first semi-high speed train equipped with world class passenger amenities. It can achieve high speeds (max speed of 160 kmph) due to faster acceleration & deceleration and will reduce journey time by 25% to 45%. Scheduled commute between New Delhi & Varanasi will take approximately 8 hours making it 40-50% faster than the fastest train currently connecting these two cities. Vande Bharat Express incorporates many modern features which debut for the very first time on Indian Railways. It has been provided with ‘State of the Art’ passenger amenities like On-board wifi entertainment, GPS based passenger information system, CCTVs, bio-vacuum toilets, rotating chairs in executive class, etc. at par with global standards. It also has provision of Divyang-friendly facilities. It will have 16 coaches with Chair Car type configuration with 2 Executive Class Chair Cars and 14 Chair Cars. Further, it has intelligent braking system with power regeneration for better energy efficiency thereby making it cost, energy and environment efficient.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 19 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Nari Shakti: Hindi Word of the year 2018 The word Nari Shakti was chosen as Hindi word of the year 2018 by Oxford Dictionary at Jaipur Literary Festival The word Nari Shakti means a symbol of women empowerment and denotes the self of women in India
Australian Open 2019 The 2019 Australian Open tournament took place at Melbourne Park from 14 to 27 January 2019. It was the 107th edition of the Australian Open, the 51st in the Open Era, and the first Grand Slam of the year. The tournament consisted of events for professional players in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Junior and wheelchair players competed in singles and doubles tournaments. The 2019 Australian Open was the first Australian Open to feature final set tie-breaks. Novak Djokovic of Serbia won the men's singles title at the 2019 Australian Open, defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the men's final. Naomi Osaka of Japan defeated Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 to win the women's singles title.
Successful Flight Test of LRSAM Indian Navy has launched Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) has been successfully test fired from INS Chennai against an incoming aerial target flying at low altitude. The missile destroyed the target with a direct hit. All the mission objectives have been met. LRSAM has been jointly developed by Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), India and M/s Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel for the Indian Navy. Diffo Bridge inaugurated at Arunachal Pradesh Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the 426.60 metre long Pre Stressed Concrete Box Girder type bridge over Diffo River on Roing-Koron-Paya road in Arunachal Pradesh. Dedicating the bridge to the nation, the Raksha Mantri praised the commendable work being done by Project Udayak, Border Roads Organization (BRO) in this region. Smt Sitharaman appreciated completion of this prestigious bridge which would provide uninterrupted access between Dibang valley and Lohit valley region of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh and an all-weather Road to the troops deployed on the China Border.
Indian Sign Language Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot Launched ‘2nd Edition of ISL Dictionary’ for Hearing Impaired Persons at New Delhi This is organized by ‘Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC)’ under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), M/o Social Justice & Empowerment at a function here today. The first edition of the dictionary with 3000 words was launched on 23rd March 2018.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 20 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
The second edition, dictionary includes total 6000 words under the categories of academic, legal, medical, technical and everyday terms. According to Census 2011, there are 50.71 lakh hearing impaired persons in India. Most of the hearing impaired persons use Indian Sign Language to communicate. The aim of the dictionary is to help spread the use of ISL and result in better education and employment opportunities for hearing impaired persons. The dictionary is intended to serve as a resource for ISL teachers, ISL learners, teachers of the hearing impaired, interpreters, parents of hearing impaired children, researchers, etc.
Southern Coast Railway Zone The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved setting up of a Railway Zone at Vishakhapatnam and a new division with headquarter at Rayagada by reorganizing the existing South Central Railway and East Coast Railway. Setting up of the new Railway Zone will bring optimality with regard to size and scale of railway operations and also to meet the persistent demand and aspirations of the people of the area. This is made following the AP reorganization Act of 2014 under Item 8 of Schedule 13
Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) The Minister for Human Resources Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar has launched the Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) for providing industry apprenticeship opportunities to the general graduates exiting in April 2019 through the National Apprenticeship Promotional Scheme (NAPS). The program aims to enhance the employability of Indian youth by providing ‘on the job work exposure’ and earning of stipend. SHREYAS will be a major effort in this direction to make our degree students more skilled, capable, employable and aligned to the needs of our economy so that they contribute to country’s progress and also obtain gainful employment. The program is basket comprising the initiatives of three Central Ministries, namely the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and the Ministry of Labor & Employment viz the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), the National Career Service (NCS)and introduction of BA/BSc/BCom (Professional) courses in the higher educational institutions.
International Court of Justice & Diego Garcia In a 13-to-1 decision, the International Court of Justice has ruled that the UK should give the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius, the archipelagic nation that once owned them. The ruling covers Diego Garcia, the strategic American naval base on a British-controlled atoll. Britain captured Mauritius from the French in 1810 and ruled it until independence in 1968. Prior to the advent of Mauritian self-rule, Britain separated the Chagos Islands and designated the archipelago an overseas territory.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 21 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
The UK claims that the islands are its own sovereign territory, but allows that they will become part of Mauritius' sovereign territory According to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, the British decided to keep the Chagos Archipelago in order to accommodate America's interest in Diego Garcia. The island is an ideal location for a naval station, far from population centers but within reach of multiple theaters in the Middle East, East Africa, Central Asia and the Indian Ocean. Beginning in 1968, the UK and US removed an estimated 1,000-1,500 inhabitants from the island and built a secure military facility, which has served a critical defense function for fifty years.
Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) and RBI Reserve Bank of India has removed three banks namely Dhanalakshmi Bank, Allahabad Bank and Corporation Bank from PCA PCA lays out the case for structured early intervention and resolution by regulators for banks that become under- capitalised due to poor asset quality or vulnerable due to loss of profitability. To ensure that banks don't go bust, RBI has put in place some trigger points to assess, monitor, control and take corrective actions on banks which are weak and troubled. The process or mechanism under which such actions are taken is known as Prompt Corrective Action.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 22 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
PCA matrix - areas and risk thresholds Area Risk thresholds - 1 Risk thresholds - 2 Risk thresholds - 3 Capital (Breach of Up to 250 bps below More than 250 bps but not In excess of 312.50 either CRAR) or indicator <10.25% but exceeding 400 bps below indicator bps below indicator CET 1 ratio) 7.75% upto 162.50 bps <7.75% but 6.25% more than <3.625% below indicator <6.75 but 162.50 bps below but not 5.125% exceeding 312.50 bps below indicator <5.125% but 6.625% Asset Quality (Net Negative ROA for two Negative ROA for three Negative ROA for non-performing consecutive years consecutive years four consecutive advances ratio) years Leverag Tier 1 4.0% but 3.5% (leverage < 3.5% (leverage is over 28.6 times Leverage ratio is over 25 times the Tier 1 the Tier 1 capital) capital)
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile Tested Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired indigenously developed Quick Reach Surface-to-Air missiles (QRSAM) from ITR Chandipur, off the Odisha Coast. The two missiles were tested for different altitude and conditions. The test flights successfully demonstrated the robust Control, Aerodynamics, Propulsion, Structural performance and high maneuvering capabilities thus proving the design configuration. Radars, Electro Optical Systems, Telemetry and other stations have tracked the Missiles and monitored through the entire flights.
4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare inaugurated the ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’. The global intergovernmental meeting on digital health is being hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP). Digital governance is good governance and bridging a digital divide must be achieved through technology that is low cost.
91st Oscar Awards 2019 The 91st Oscars recognizes the biggest film stars in Hollywood and the behind-the-scenes talent that make movies possible.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 23 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Best Picture : “Green Book” Director : Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma” Actor : Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody” Actress : Olivia Colman, “The Favourite” Supporting Actor : Mahershala Ali, “Green Book” Supporting Actress : Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk” Original Screenplay : “Green Book” Adapted Screenplay : “BlackKklansman” Foreign Language Film : “Roma” Animated Feature : “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” Documentary Short : “Period. End of Sentence.”
National Institute of Design Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, inaugurated National Institutes of Design (NID) at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Jorhat in Assam through video conference from New Delhi on 22nd February 2019. Both institutes are autonomous institutions under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. With design and innovation taking prime importance in many sectors, policies, and schemes of the government like "Make in India”, “Skill India”, “Digital India”, “Startup India”, and “Smart City initiatives” to name a few, it is imperative to promote design education. The National Design Policy 2007 had recommended setting up design institutes on the lines of NID, Ahmedabad in other parts of India to promote design programs. Four new NIDs have been set up in Andhra Pradesh (Amaravati), Assam (Jorhat), Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal) and Haryana (Kurukshetra) with a total outlay of Rs. 434 crore. New NIDs in different regions of the country will help produce highly skilled manpower in design which, in turn, will create job opportunities, both direct and indirect, by providing sustainable design interventions for crafts, handloom, rural technology, small, medium and large-scale enterprises and outreach programs for capacity, capability and institution building.
National War Memorial The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated the National War Memorial to the nation in a solemn ceremonial function tomorrow on February 25th. The National War Memorial, near India Gate in New Delhi, is a fitting tribute to our soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation, post-independence. The National War Memorial also commemorates the soldiers who participated and made the supreme sacrifice in Peace Keeping Missions, and Counter Insurgency Operations.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 24 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
The layout of the National War Memorial comprises four concentric circles, namely, the ‘Amar Chakra’ or Circle of Immortality, the ‘Veerta Chakra’ or Circle of Bravery, the ‘Tyag Chakra’ or Circle of Sacrifice, and the ‘Rakshak Chakra’ or Circle of Protection.
POSHAN ABHIYAAN The Ministry of Women and Child Development conducted first National workshop on POSHAN Abhiyaan involving all the States and Union Territories at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, New Delhi. The Ministry organised the day long workshop with participation from all the states/UTs to provide a complete orientation on the POSHAN Abhiyaan,to explain the key components of the Abhiyaan, to provide handholding in using the softwares involved, and to augment the convergence with the different Ministries involved in implementing the Abhiyaan for improved Nutritional outcomes. Launching the five e-ILA (e-Incremental Learning Approach) courses and two ECCE(Early Childhood Care and Education) software modules, Sh.Rakesh Srivastava,Secretary, WCD has said that the Government has approved a 3-year budget of ₹ 9046.15 cr, commencing from 2017-18, for POSHAN Abhiyaan. e-ILA is an online system where programme functionaries will become more effective by learning to plan and execute each task correctly and consistently through methodical and ongoing capacity building.
Afghanistan begins export to India via Chabahar port Afghanistan has begun exports to India through Iran’s Chabahar port, as the landlocked country turns to overseas markets to improve its economy at Zaranj city This move will result in healthy cooperation between India, Iran and Afghanistan. 23 trucks carrying 57 tonnes of dried fruits, textiles, carpets and mineral products were dispatched from Zaranj to Chabahar port to be shipped to Mumbai. The Iranian port provides easy access to the sea to Afghanistan and India has helped developed this route to allow both countries to engage in trade bypassing Pakistan.
Seoul Peace Prize Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Seoul Peace Prize on his tour to South Korea The prime minister was conferred the honour for his efforts in promoting global peace and harmony through inclusive economic growth and for improving quality of life. The Prime Minister accepted the award and dedicated it to the people of India. The Prime Minister was awarded the prize money of $200,000 that he contributed to the Namami Gange fund.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 25 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavors to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) following the criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. India was first time invited as a Guest of Honor in its 46th Session at UAE
Swasth Immunised India Campaign Swasth Immunised India aims to build a robust campaign aimed at spreading awareness on the importance and benefits of immunisation among the masses. The campaign will also work towards dispelling myths and misconceptions pertaining to the administration of vaccination among Indians. The primary aim of the campaign is to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of vaccine administration, advocating its acceptance and building a strong immunization outreach in the country. Government of India has appointed Kareena Kapoor Khan as its Brand Ambassador
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 26 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Festival of India in Nepal The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Kathmandu with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India celebrated ‘Festival of India in Nepal’ from 19 February to 22 March 2019 to rejoice the existing age-old multifaceted relations between India and Nepal. The Festival of India in Nepal aimed to consolidate and strengthen our existing age-old relations, reinforcing sensibilities, affinities and shared cultural bonds between the people of our two countries.
1st Mega Food Park of Tripura Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti inaugurated Sikaria Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd at Village Tulakona in Agartala. This is the first Mega Food Park in the state of Tripura. The Mega Food Park has been set up in 50 acre of land at the cost of Rs. 87.45 crore. Government of India has accorded approval of a financial assistance of Rs. 50.00 Crore to the project. The food park is having facilities of fully operational Dry warehouse and material handling of 5000 MT, Pineapple canning and Pulping line of 2 MT/Hr each, Packing Unit, Ripening Chambers of 40 TPD, Cold Storage of 5000 MT with Frozen Storage of 1000 MT, Quality Control, Research & Development Centreetc. It also has fully developed Industrial plots for setting up processing units and Standard Design Factory (SDF) Sheds to provide ready to move in facility for micro and small enterprises. The Mega Food Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and generate a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 Crore annually. The Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 5000 people and benefit about 25000 farmers in the CPC and PPC catchment areas.
HRD Minister launches Operation Digital Board The Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched Operation Digital Board to leverage technology in order to boost quality education in the country. It will also help in provisioning of personalised adaptive learning as well as Intelligent Tutoring by exploiting emerging technologies like Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics. An expert committee has worked out optimum configuration of the Digital Class Rooms under ODB. The spread of educational technology and connectivity has given an opportunity to resolve this issue and aim at equity in educational standards.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 27 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Aero India 2019 Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the 12th biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru. This edition of Aero India, for the first time, combines the defence and civil aviation segments into a holistic event with the co-involvement of the defence and civil aviation ministries in the event. More than 600 Indian Companies and 200 Foreign Companies are participating and witnessing the largest Air show of Asia. Government took massive Recapitalization Policy In order to boost the economy and increase the growth , Government of India has infused 48,239 Cr in to 12 government banks This move is taken following Mission Indradanush of Union Budget 2019
Light Combat Aircraft Tejas MK I set its operations Indian Air Force (IAF), formally declared of its Final Operational Clearance (FOC) of the Tejas Aircraft FOC involves addition of key capabilities to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) aircraft which are Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities. Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked weapons and general flight envelope expansion. Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) of the aircraft took place in the year 2013 and IOC standard Aircraft were inducted into IAF No. 45 Squadron, in July 2016. The IAF Squadron has since flown over
The first ever Diesel to Electric Converted Locomotive Inaugurated The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Guru Ravidas Birth Place Development Project to mark Ravidas Jayanti celebrations and flagged off the first ever Diesel to Electric Converted Locomotive at Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 28 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
In line with the Indian Railways' Mission of 100 percent electrification, Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi has developed a new prototype Electric Locomotive converted from Diesel Locomotive. After its mandatory trials, the Prime Minister inspected the locomotive and flagged it off. Indian Railways has decided to convert all Diesel Locomotive to Electric Locomotive during its mid-life rehabilitation and utilize them till their codal life. The project is a step towards saving traction energy cost and also cut down on carbon emissions. Diesel Locomotive Works took just 69 days to convert two WDG3A Diesel Locos into a Twin Electric WAGC3 locomotive of 10,000 HP.
The European Parliament has voted for a complete ban on a range of single-use plastics European Union backed a ban on plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers and balloon sticks. The proposal also calls for a reduction in single-use plastic for food and drink containers like plastic cups. The measure still has to clear some procedural hurdles, but is expected to go through. The EU hopes it will go into effect across the bloc by 2021. The UK will also have to incorporate the rules into national law if the ban becomes a fully-fledged directive before the end of a Brexit transition period.
Tashigang, Himachal Pradesh Election Commission of India is all set to conduct 2019 general elections for India starting from 11th April. There are around 10.35 lakh polling stations in India and Tashigang, Himachal Pradesh is the highest polling station in the world. The village of Tashigang is situated in the Spiti valley, which lies less than 30 kilometers from the Indo-China border. It will cater to 48 voters. Electoral bonds Electoral bonds will allow donors to pay political parties using banks as an intermediary. Although called a bond, the banking instrument resembling promissory notes will not carry any interest. The electoral bond, which will be a bearer instrument, will not carry the name of the payee and can be bought for any value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh or Rs 1 crore. As per provisions of the Scheme, electoral bonds may be purchased by a citizen of India, or entities incorporated or established in India. A person being an individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals. Only the registered Political Parties which have secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last Lok Sabha elections or the State Legislative Assembly are eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds. The electoral bonds are aimed at rooting out the current system of largely anonymous cash donations made to political parties which lead to the generation of black money in the economy.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 29 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to strike down the ‘Electoral Bond Scheme 2018’ and amendments in the Finance Act, 2017, which allow for “unlimited donations from individuals and foreign companies to political parties without any record of the sources of funding”.
Multi Dimensional Poverty Index 2018 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development reaffirmed the importance of multi-dimensional approaches to poverty eradication that go beyond economic deprivation. The 2018 MPI answers the call to better measure progress against Sustainable Development Goal 1 – to end poverty in all its forms; and opens a new window into how poverty - in all its dimensions – is changing.
Government notifies Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules 2019 Health and Family Welfare Ministry have notified the Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019 with an aim to promote clinical research in the country. The new rules will change the regulatory landscape for the approval of new drugs and conduct of clinical trials in the country. These rules will apply to all new drugs, investigational new drugs for human use, clinical trial, bioequivalence study and Ethics Committee. It has reduced the time for approving applications to 30 days for drugs manufactured in India and 90 days for those developed outside the country. The rules stated that in case of no communication from Drugs Controller General of India, the application will be deemed to have been approved. It said the requirement of a local clinical trial may be waived for approval of a new drug if it is approved and marketed in any of the countries to be specified by the Drugs Controller General with the approval of the government. The new rules will ensure patient safety, as they would be enlisted for trials with informed consent. The ethics committee will monitor the trials and decide on the amount of compensation in cases of adverse events.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 30 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Mission Shakti PM in his address to nation has announced the successful conduction of Mission Shakti The successful conduct of Mission Shakti has made India the fourth nation in the world, with the capability to successfully target satellites through an Anti-Satellite Missile. The Prime Minister said that India follows the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family.
"Candidate Connect" and "Share You Voted" Social-networking gaint the Facebook launched two new India-specific tools called "Candidate Connect" and "Share You Voted", to boost civic engagement on its platform during the general elections. While "Candidate Connect" will help people learn more about candidates, the "Share You Voted" will provide people with polling information and enable them to announce and celebrate their vote.
Global Energy Transition index India has moved up two places to rank 76th on a global energy transition index, which has ranked 115 economies on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 31 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
The report is released by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) Sweden remains on the top on this annual list and is followed by Switzerland and Norway in the top three. The WEF said energy systems have globally become less affordable and less environmentally sustainable than they were five years ago, though access to energy has improved with less than 1 billion now living without access to electricity. It said India is amongst the countries with high pollution levels and has a relatively high CO2 intensity in its energy system.
Young Scientist Programme Indian Space Research Organisation has launched a special programme for School Children called “Young Scientist Programme” which is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger ones with the intent of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space activities. ISRO has chalked out this programme to “Catch them young”. The residential training programme will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays and it is proposed to select 3 students each from each State/ Union Territory to participate in this programme every year covering CBSE, ICSE and State syllabus. Those who have finished 8th standard and currently studying in 9th standard will be eligible for the programme.
AUSINDEX-19 The third edition of AUSINDEX, an acronym for Australia India Exercise is scheduled to commence at Visakhapatnam on 02 April 19. The aim of the exercise is, “To strengthen and enhance mutual cooperation and interoperability between the IN and RAN, providing opportunities for interaction and exchange of professional views between the personnel of the two navies”. A sign of strengthening of bilateral and defence cooperation between the two countries as envisaged in the Framework for Security Cooperation (FSC) announced by the Australian and Indian Prime Ministers in 2014. The maiden edition of the exercise was held in September 2015 at Visakhapatnam. Australia hosted the second edition of the exercise off Freemantle in June 2017, wherein ships of the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy (IN) exercised with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships and submarines.
World Meteorological Day 2019 March 23rd of every year is observed as World Meteorological Day to mark the establishment of World Meteorological Organization in 1950 The theme for this year is “The sun, The Earth and the Weather”
Shaheed Diwas observed March 23rd of every year is observed as Shaheed Diwas marking the hanging of three extremist freedom fighters namely – Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukdev
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 32 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged to death 11 hours before the scheduled time for the Saunder's murder case. The day they were executed is celebrated as Martyrs' Day throughout the country.
Indian Accounting Standards Indian Accounting Standard (Ind-AS) is the Accounting standard adopted by companies in India and issued under the supervision and control of Accounting Standards Board (ASB), which was constituted as a body in the year 1977. ASB is a committee under Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) which consists of representatives from government department, academicians, other professional bodies’ viz. ICAI, representatives from ASSOCHAM, CII, FICCI, etc. The Ind AS are named and numbered in the same way as the corresponding International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). National Advisory Committee on Accounting Standards (NACAS) recommended these standards to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). MCA has to spell out the accounting standards applicable for companies in India. As on date MCA has notified 39 Ind AS. This shall be applied to the companies of financial year 2015-16 voluntarily and from 2016-17 on a mandatory basis.
World Water Day 2019 World Water Day is an annual UN observance day that highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of events. These can be educational, theatrical, musical or lobbying in nature The theme for 2019 is “Water for All”
World Down syndrome Day 2019 Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health. In December 2011, the General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (A/RES/66/149). The General Assembly decided, with effect from 2012, to observe World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March each year, and Invites all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Down Syndrome Day in an appropriate manner, in order to raise public awareness of Down syndrome. For WDSD 2019, Down Syndrome International focuses on “Leave no one behind”
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 33 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
World Happiness Report 2019 The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. 2019 World Happiness Report focuses on happiness and the community: how happiness has evolved over the past dozen years, with a focus on the technologies, social norms, conflicts and government policies that have driven those changes. United Nation Sustainable Development Solution Network releases this report every year Finland topped the list in 2019 and India ranked 140th compared to 133 in 2018
Mitra shakti-VI Exercise MITRA SHAKTI is conducted annually as part of military diplomacy and interaction between armies of India & Sri Lanka. The joint exercise for the year 2018-19 is conducted from 26 March to 08 April 2019 in Sri Lanka. Troops from 1st Battalion the BIHAR Regiment of the Indian Army and Gemunu Watch Battalion of Sri Lankan Army would be jointly undertaking the exercise. The aim of the exercise is to build and promote close relations between armies of both the countries and to enhance ability of joint exercise commander to take military contingents of both nations under command. The exercise will involve tactical level operations in an international Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist environment under United Nations mandate.
Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 19) Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 19) is the largest War Game of the Indian Navy The exercise had commenced on 07 Jan 19 and was planned to be terminated by 10 Mar 19. The major combat units of the Indian Navy including the Carrier Battle Group with INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships, submarines and aircraft swiftly transited from exercise to operational deployment mode as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated. About 60 ships of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard and 60 aircraft were part of TROPEX 19.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 34 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Cyclone Idai Tropical Cyclone Idai was one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. The long-lived storm caused catastrophic damage in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, leaving more than 1,000 people dead and thousands more missing. Idai is the second-deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the South-West Indian Ocean basin, behind only the 1892 Mauritius cyclone. Special Olympics World Summer Games 2019 The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games was a multi-sport event for athletes with intellectual disabilities in the tradition of the Special Olympics movement. It was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from March 14–21, 2019. A total of 7,500 Athletes Participated in the event
Global Environment Outlook report 2019 The UN has published the sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO) report and is most comprehensive report on the state of the global environment since the fifth edition in 2012. The GEO is often referred to as UN Environment’s flagship environmental assessment. The first publication was in 1997 and was originally requested by Member States. It is a flagship report because it fulfills the core functions of the organization, which date back to the UN General Assembly resolution that established the UNEP in 1972.
Arecanut (supari) gets GI Tag On March 4, the Registrar of Geographical Indications, Government of India, accorded a GI tag, Also called ‘Sirsi Supari’, to arecanut grown in Sirsi, Siddpaur and Yellapur taluks of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. The Totagars’ Cooperative Sale Society (TSS) Ltd, a Sirsi-based agri cooperative, is the registered proprietor of the GI ‘Sirsi Supari’. The World Intellectual Property Organisation defines GI as a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. AFINDEX-19 The inaugural edition of the Africa-India Field Training Exercise-2019 (AFINDEX-19) culminated on 27 March 2019 after a validation exercise and an impressive closing ceremony at Foreign Training Node, Aundh Military Station, and Pune. This exercise is conducted by Indian Army and 17 African Nations namely Benin, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe The exercise was also attended by observers from three African nations i.e. Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Mozambique.
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad 35 AEE_January to March Current Affairs
Joint Military Exercise Sampriti - 2019 India and Bangladesh with the aim of defence cooperation launched a joint military exercise called Sampriti- 2019 and was conducted at Tangail, Bangladesh from 02 March to 15 March 2019. This is the eighth edition of Exercise Sampriti, commenced at the Bongobondhu Cantonment, Tangail The Bangladesh contingent was represented by 36 East Bengal Battalion, while Indian side was represented by 9th Battalion the Rajputana Rifles. The aim of the exercise is to increase mutual cooperation, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies through interoperability and joint tactical exercises.
Appointments & Awards SNo. Person in News Subject 1 Karambir Singh New Navy Chief from 1st April 2019 2 Ajit Kumar Mohanthy New Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) 3 Justice Pinaki Chandra 1st Lokpal 4 PV Ramesh New Director General of National Archives of India 5 SA Bobde New Executive Chairmen for National Legal Service Authority 6 Govind Prasad Sharma New Chairmen for National Book Trust 7 Hina Jaiswal 1st Women Flight Engineer of Indian Air Force 8 Sushil Chandra New Election Commissioner 9 GC Anupama President of Astronomical Society of India 10 Rishi Kumar Shukla New CBI Director 11 Gita Gopinath First Female Chief Economist appointed for IMF 12 President Ram Nath Kovind Awarded with Highest Civilian award of Croatia “Grand order of the king of Tomislav” 13 Marcelo Gleiser of Brazil Templeton Prize 2019 for Science & Spirituality 14 Karen Uhlenbeck of USA Abel Prize for Mathematics 15 Sateesh Reddy (DRDO Missile System Award Chief) 16 Sanjay Subramanyam Dan David Prize of Israel (Historian) 17 Dr Divya Karnad Future for Nature Award 2019 18 CNR Rao (Scientist) Sheik Saud International Prize 19 Narendra Modi Philip Kotler Presidential Award 2019
ACE Engineering Publications Hyderabad • Delhi • Bhopal • Pune • Bhubaneswar • Lucknow • Patna • Bengaluru • Chennai • Vijayawada • Vizag • Tirupati • Kolkata • Ahmedabad