CTRRENS AFFAIRS

DIGESS.

Most Important current affairs collected for school students from The HINDU / The Indian Express / Press Information Bureau etc..

synergies in creative thinking and 2019‟ held between BSF and BGB 2 in Tripura technology-based learning.

(BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) concluded a 6. April 2019 to March 2020 declared three-day „Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019‟ as a part of „Confidence Building as Construction Technology year Measures‟ between the two border guards.   The exercise was named after a hill range P situated 8 km west of Comilla Township in r Bangladesh, which is home to an ancient i Buddhist archaeological site in the m region. e  The main objective of this exercise was to plan and conduct anti-smuggling and anti- M criminal activity related operations with i ultimate aim of achieving better joint n operational efficiency and border i management in the area of responsibility s of respective BSF and BGB Battalions t participating in the joint exercise. er Narendra Modi declared April 2019-

5. NITI Aayog‟s Atal Innovation March 2020 as Construction-Technology year at the Construction Technology India- Mission partners with Adobe to 2019 Expo-cum-conference in New Delhi. enhance creativity in ATL Schools  Construction-Technology year emphasizes the role of advanced technology to meet the increasing demand for housing in the country.  The declaration of Construction year aims to give the housing sector a new pace by using the latest technologies available in the world.  India has even launched the Global Housing Technology Challenge to fast-track the construction of affordable housing and meet  Government think tank NITI Aayog the target of constructing 1.2 crore houses partnered with software major Adobeto by 2022. develop creative skills and spread digital 7. Usha Thorat-led task force to literacy among school children in India.  The Statement of Intent (SOI) signed by ensure stability of external value NITI Aayog and Adobe as part of the Atal of rupee Innovation Mission will open Digital Disha Programme across 100 schools under the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).  The Digital Disha Programme, which is expected to touch the lives of 1 million students by 2020, is aimed at driving

MARCH 2019

based MMAD communications (IRCTC‟s  The Reserve Bank of India constituted an technology partner). 3

eight-member task force on offshore rupee markets, headed by Usha Thorat former 9. The Centre bans Jamat-e-Islami Deputy Governor, to look into issues J&K for 5 years related to the markets and recommend appropriate policy measures to ensure the stability of the external value of the rupee.  The Centre has banned the Jamat-e-Islami  The terms of reference of the task force Jammu and Kashmir (JIJK) for five years. include assessing the causes behind the  The Jamaat is in close touch with terror development of the offshore rupee outfits and is supporting extremism and market; study the effects of the offshore terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere. markets on the rupee exchange rate and  The notification comes barely a few days market liquidity in the domestic market; and after the Jammu and Kashmir Police recommend measures to address concerns, arrested around 100 cadres of the group in if any, that may arise out of offshore rupee the state. trading.  The Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JIJK) is a cadre-based religious -political 8. IRCTC launches Its Own Digital organisation in Jammu and Kashmir (J & K), Payment Gateway „IRCTC iPay‟ distinct from the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

 Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has launched its own digital payment aggregator called „IRCTC iPay‟.  IRCTC iPay will provide payment options 10. ISRO launches 'Yuva Vigyani like credit card, debit card, unified Karyakram' for school children payment interface and international card.  This will help reduce the gap between IRCTC and banks which will eventually lead to a substantial reduction in payment failures.

 ISRO Scientists will impart basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the young ones with the intent of arousing their  The back-end support will be provided by interest in the emerging areas of Space D activities. e  Two weeks “Catch them young” l residential training programme will be held h during summer holidays to select 3 students i

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from each State and Union Territory, Classes covering CBSE, ICSE and State syllabus. 4

 The government has asked scientific institutions in the country to mentor young minds in the area of basic science.  President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Bhagwan Lal Sahni as the 11. Karnataka launches chairman of the newly „Jalamrutha‟ scheme for water constituted National Commission for conservation Backward Classes (NCBC).  Kaushalendra Singh Patel, Sudha Yadav and Achary Talloju have been appointed as members of the commission.  The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was given constitutional status by Parliament in 2018, after repealing the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.

13. Indore awarded the cleanest city in Swachh Survekshan 2019  Karnataka chief minister „H D awards Kumaraswamy‟ has initiated the „Jalamrutha‟ initiative which is a water conservation scheme.  The objective of the initiative to create awareness among the people of the state about the invaluable nature of water and the need to conserve it at any cost.

 The state of Karnataka has announced the year 2019 as „Jalavarsha (year of  Indore has been awarded India's cleanest water)‟ city for the third straight year in the central government's cleanliness Swachh 12. Bhagwan Lal Sahni appointed Survekshan 2019 (SS 2019) awards. Chairman of the National  The second and third positions in the category were grabbed Commission for Backward by Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh) and Mysore (Karnataka).  The New Delhi Municipal Council area was given the 'Cleanest Small City' award, Gauchar (Uttarakhand) was adjudged the 'Best Ganga Town' in the central government survey.  The 'Cleanest Big City' award has been bagged by Ahmedabad, while Raipur is the 'Fastest Moving Big City'.  Ujjain has been the adjudged the 'Cleanest Medium City' and Mathura-

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Vrindavan bagged the tag of the 'Fastest  Tech giant Google unveiled a new free Moving Medium Cities'. app 'Bolo' that aims to help children in 5

 Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) has been primary school learn to read in Hindi and declared as the cleanest capital. English. PM releases new series of coins for Divyang  The free app uses Google's speech kids recognition and text-to-speech technology.  The app features an animated character 14. Prime Minister Narendra 'Diya', who encourages children to read Modi has released the new series stories aloud and helps if the child is unable of visually-impaired friendly to pronounce a word.  It also lauds the reader when she completes circulation coins in the the reading. denomination of Rs 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs  The users are a not asked for details like 10 and Rs 20. email ID and gender for logging into the app.

16. Janaushadhi Diwas is being celebrated across the country

 Various new features have been incorporated in the new series of circulation coins to make it easy for the visually impaired to use them.

 The coins are characterised by the  Janaushadhi Diwas has been celebrated increasing size and weight from lower to across the country on March 7th higher denominations.  Prime  The newly-included coin of Rs 20, will be a Minist 12-sided coin with no serrations (rest round er shape). Naren  The rest of the denominations would be of dra the round shape. Modi addre 15. Google launches 'Bolo' app to ssed f tutor children to read in Hindi, ive English thous and Janaushadhi stores across the country through video-conferencing on the occasion.  More than five thousand 50 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana Kendras (PMBJP) are functional in 652 districts. The Janaushadhi Kendras are providing quality medicine at an affordable price.

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17. Ajit Kumar Mohanty appointed 19. Union Government announces 6 Bhabha Atomic Research Centre chief

 Scientist Ajit Kumar Mohanty has been appointed Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC), the country's new Rs 20 coin premier multi-disciplinary nuclear research facility for a period of three years.  He is at present Director, Physics Group in BARC and Director, Saha Institute of Nuclear  The union Government has announced a Physics. new Rs 20 coin, come in 12-edged polygon  The BARC is India's premier nuclear (dodecagon) shape. research facility based in Mumbai.  According to the Finance Ministry, the new  It is a multi-disciplinary research centre Rs 20 coin will be made in copper (65%), with extensive infrastructure for advanced zinc (15%) and nickel (20%) for the outer research and development covering the ring. entire spectrum of nuclear science,  While the inner ring (centre piece) will be engineering and related areas. 75% copper, 20% zinc and 5% nickel.  It will be 27mm (milli meters) and weigh 18. President Kovind presents Nari 8.54 grams. Shakti Puraskar 2018  The Lion Capitol symbol of Ashoka Pillar with the legend “Satyamev Jayate” below it  President Ram Nath Kovind presented the will be inscribed on its front side. 2018 in New Delhi.  The words “Bharat” in Hindi and  Nari Shakti Puraskar is the highest civilian “INDIA” in English will be there on the honour for women in India. right and left-hand side of the symbol  This year, 44 awardees have been selected respectively. for these Puraskar.  Ministry confers Nari Shakti Puraskar to 20. India‟s first oil museum to women and institutions in recognition of come up in Guwahati their relentless service towards the cause of women empowerment and social welfare.  This year, the Nari Shakti Puraskar has also been awarded to a One Stop Centre and to a state which has shown exceptional progress in improving child sex ratio at birth under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.

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 The GI tag will provide more windows of opportunity to the traditional sugarcane 7 farmers in Marayoor.

22. 'Metro Man' Sreedharan appointed a principal advisor to MRTCs in J&K

 India‟s first oil museum will come up in Guwahati, Assam.  It will be named KB Malaviya National Oil Museum. KB Malaviya is called the father of India‟s hydrocarbon industry.  Assam was the first state where oil was discovered and produced for the first time  The Jammu and Kashmir Governor in the country. administration has approved the  All major oil and gas companies ONGC, appointment of „E Sreedharan‟ (86-years) OIL, HPCL, BPCL, EIL will jointly work for as the principal advisor to two mass rapid the museum. transit systems to be built in Jammu and Kashmir. 21. Kerala‟s Marayur Jaggery gets  The governor administration has approved Geographical Indication Tag setting up of two MRTCs Jammu Mass Rapid Transit Corporation and the Srinagar Mass Rapid Transit Corporation for the two capital cities.  Sreedharan is a retired IES (IRSE) officer and is popularly known as the "Metro Man".  Sreedharan is known for changing the face of public transport in the country with his leadership of building the Konkan Railway and the Delhi Metro.

 Idukki‟s The Marayoor Jaggery, the traditional and handmade product from Idukki district of Kerala received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Central Government.  The Marayoor jaggery finally managed to get the GI Tag after two years of continuous efforts by the Agricultural Department of the state.

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23. India's internet base crosses nonviolent protest against the British salt 8 500 million mark monopoly. The Dandi March gained worldwide attention and given a major booster to the Independence movement.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and all those who marched with Bapu to Dandi in pursuit of justice and equality. Eighty nine years ago, on this day Mahatma Gandhi embarked on the iconic Dandi March.  According to a newly released Kantar IMRB ICUBE report, Internet user base in India has exceeded 500 million marks. 25. Areca nut gets „Sirsi supari‟  It is likely to reach 627 million by the end of geographical indication tag 2019.  The number of internet users is estimated to be 566 million as of December 2018 (annual growth -18%).  The report finds 493 million Indians (total user base-87%) are defined as regular users, having accessed the internet in the last 30 days.  Around 293 million active internet users reside in urban India, while there are 200 million active users in rural India.

24. Dandi March Anniversary  Arecanut (supari or betel nut) is the latest entrant in the list of agricultural  The 24-day march lasted from March 12 to produce with a GI (geographical indication) tag.  The Registrar of Geographical Indications (Government of India) accorded a GI tag, „Sirsi Supari‟, to areca nut grown in Sirsi, Siddpaur of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka.  The World Intellectual Property Organisation defines GI as a search sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities due to that origin.

April 6 in 1930 and was seen as a direct

action campaign of tax resistance and

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 The Vice , Shri M. 9 Venkaiah Naidu has announced that he 26. SBI Yono App to allow cardless withdrawals would undertake a nationwide campaign on promoting the rule of law, democracy, sustainable development and peace.  Emphasizing the need for creating greater awareness among the people on the importance of strengthening the rule of law, eliminating corruption, promoting peace and sustainable development and ending regional and social disparities,  Shri Naidu declared that he would take up all these issues as also the need for a united action to stamp out terrorism during his visits to other countries.  Expressing his disappointment over the recent decision of China to block the proposal of the United Nations Security Council to declare Jaish-e-Mohammed  A part of SBI's digital banking platform, You Chief, Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, Only Need One (YONO), the cardless cash Shri Naidu said it underlined the need for withdrawal service will be available across expansion of UN Security Council. 16,500 ATMs of the bank in the country.  Such SBI ATMs will be called YONO Cash Point. 28. Goa CM Manohar Parrikar  After installing the YONO app on their passed away phones, SBI account holders will have to set a 6-digit YONO PIN for withdrawing cash.  Once a request for withdrawing cash is placed, a 6-digit code will be sent to the user's phone via SMS, which will then have to be entered into a YONO Cash Point.

27. Vice president to undertake a nationwide campaign

 Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar (63- years) passed away in Panaji on 17th March 2019 after a prolonged illness.  Parrikar was diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment in February last year. The popular leader would be remembered for his efforts in infrastructure and education development in the state and bringing the International Film Festival of India to Goa in 2004. for his role as the union defence minister and his dynamism. MARCH 2019

 A six-time MLA and former Defence Minister, Mr Parrikar was born on 13th 10 December 1955.

29. Former SC Judge Justice PC Ghose to be India's first Lokpal

 Mr. Sawant (former Speaker) represents Sankhalim constituency in Goa Assembly.

31. Fifteenth Finance Commission holds meeting on issues of Environment, Forest and Climate

 Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Pinaki change Chandra Ghose is set to be India's first anti-  The Commission may consider corruption ombudsman of India. proposing measurable performance-based  His name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and eminent jurist Mukul Rohatgi.  Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who is part of the committee, did not attend the meeting.  His was among the top 10 names shortlisted by the Lokpal Search Committee.  Justice Ghose's appointment has come nearly five years after the Lokpal Act was notified on January 16, 2014. incentives for States, at the appropriate level  The law provides for a Lokpal at the Centre of government, in following areas (i) and Lokayuktas in states to probe cases of Achievements in implementation of flagship corruption against public servants. schemes of Government of India, disaster resilient infrastructure, sustainable 30. Pramod Sawant sworn in as development goals, and quality of Goa Chief Minister expenditure; (ii) Progress made in  BJP leader Pramod Sawant (46-years) was sanitation, solid waste management and sworn-in as the new Chief Minister (11th) of bringing in behavioral change to end open Goa. defecation.  Goa Governor Mridula Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Sawant.  He succeeded Manohar Parrikar, who died on Sunday after a prolonged battle with advanced pancreatic cancer. MARCH 2019

32. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh digital payments and enhance financial inclusion through Fintech. 11 appointed as next Navy Chief  The RBI has requested the committee to give recommendations in 3 months in this regard.  The objective of the conclave is to shape India‟s continued ascendancy in FinTech, build the narrative for future strategy and policy efforts, and to deliberate steps for comprehensive financial inclusion

34. All eight members of Lokpal takes the oath of office

 Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been appointed as the next Navy Chief.  He will succeed Admiral Sunil Lanba who retires on 31st May 2019.  Currently, Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is serving as the Flag Officer Commander -in- Chief of the .  He has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the .

33. RBI appoints a five-member  The Chairperson of the anti-corruption committee to deepen digital ombudsman Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose (country's first Lokpal) administered the payments oath of office to all eight members of the „Lokpal‟.  Former Chief Justices Dilip B. Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, and Abhilasha Kumari and sitting Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court Ajay Kumar Tripathi are the judicial members who took the oath.  Besides Chairperson, the President Ram Nath Kovind had appointed four Judicial members and four Non-Judicial members as Lokpal.  The non-judicial members are former first woman Chief of Sashastra Seema Bal  According to RBI Governor Mr. Archana Ramasundaram, Dinesh Kumar Shaktikanta Das, The Reserve bank of Jain(ex-Maharashtra Chief Secretary), India (RBI) has appointed a 5-member Mahender Singh (former IRS officer) and committee under the chairmanship Indrajeet Prasad Gautam (ex-IAS officer). of Nandan Nilekani to further deepen 

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INTERNATIONAL 12

35. US, N Korea fail to strike a deal at Hanoi Summit

criteria of information/data that are further required, and look at the working procedure and time frame for further development of the document.  The United States and North Korea have

failed to reach a formal deal at two- 37. Zero Discrimination Day: day North Korea– United States Hanoi st Summit 2019 held at the Metropole Hotel in 1 March Hanoi, Vietnam.  The talk has ended with no agreement after the US refused North Korean demand to lift all international sanctions.  This was the second meeting between North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump following the first meeting in June 2018 in Singapore.

36. AYUSH-WHO Working Group  Zero Discrimination Day is an annual day Meeting on Benchmarks for celebrated by the UN and other Training in Yoga begins international organisations.  The objective of the day to promote equality before the law and in practice  A three-day Working Group Meeting, throughout all the member countries of the organised jointly by the Ministry of AYUSH UN. and WHO, to review the WHO  Campaigners in India have used the document “Benchmarks for Training in occasion to speak out against laws that Yoga” began in New Delhi. 16 yoga make discrimination against the LGBTI experts will review the draft document of community more likely, especially Section whom, 11 are from the US, UK, Canada, 377 of the Indian Penal Code which Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, criminalizes homosexuality. Japan, Australia and Malaysia.  The meeting will discuss the challenges in training of Yoga, review and discuss the scope and structure of the working draft document, identify the type, scope and MARCH 2019

38. India attends OIC meet for first could have formed on the sea floor four 13 time billion years ago.  The study focuses on how the building blocks of life form in hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. It could offer clues to how life started on Earth. Hydrothermal vents are places on the seafloor where warm water from under the Earth‟s crust

 External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj mixes with near-freezing seawater. These attended the inaugural plenary session of vents form natural chimneys, which play the 46th meeting of OIC‟s Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi during host to all kinds of ocean life. March 1-2 at the invitation of her UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed 40. ICC rejected BCCIs plae to Al Nahyan. She addressed the inaugural isolate Pakistan from nations that plenary session as a guest of honour.  The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation supports terrorism (OIC) meeting, which has the theme “50 years of Islamic cooperation: the roadmap for prosperity and development” coinciding with the organisation‟s 50th anniversary, will discuss challenges facing the Muslim world.

39. NASA created a deep ocean conditions in lab to study origins of life

 International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appeal to isolate Pakistan from the list of nations that supports terrorism.

 The announcement was made at the ICC  Scientists from NASA, the U.S. space board meeting in Dubai. The BCCI had agency, have reproduced deep ocean made the appeal following the Pulwama conditions in the lab to re-create a life that terror attack, which left 40 CRPF personnel dead on February 14. MARCH 2019

 Since Pakistan was a permanent member of 42. India, Japan hold inaugural 14 space dialogue the ICC, it would not be possible to isolate it unless it is supported by all Test-playing countries. India has been raising the issue of terror emanating from Pakistan at various international forums for a long time.

41. International Women's Day being observed On 8th March

 The inaugural India-Japan Space Dialogue was held in New Delhi.  The dialogue brought together Ministries and agencies related to outer space in the two countries and provided an opportunity for information exchange on the respective space policies.  Discussions were also held on bilateral cooperation between JAXA-ISRO, their space industries, global navigation satellite system, space situational awareness, space security and space-related norms.

 International Women's Day (IWD) is 43. Bilateral joint exercise being celebrated every year on 8th between India, Oman to begin from March to highlight the achievements of 12th March women while calling for greater equality.  It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.  The UN Women‟s theme for 2019 is “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”.  International Women's Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe.  Women's Day was first observed on 28th February 1909 in New York, USA.

 The third edition of the bilateral joint exercise between India and Oman „Al Nagah 2019‟ will begin from 12th March at Jabel Al

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Akhdar Mountains in Oman (end on 25th of molecules remain tightly bound to March). the regolith until surface 15  The objective of this exercise is to enhance temperatures peak near lunar noon interoperability in counter-terrorist 45. Indian and Pak delegations operations in semi-urban mountainous terrain. hold talks on Kartarpur  India-Oman bilateral security ties have continued to develop since the beginning of India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation meetings in 2006.  The exercise will go a long way in enchaining understanding of capabilities and strengthening camaraderie between both the Armies.

44. NASAs LRO spotted water molecules moving around the dayside of moon  The delegations from India and Pakistan are holding talks at Attari border town in Punjab to finalize the modalities for the Kartarpur Corridor.  According to MEA spokesman "Talks begin between India and Pakistan to discuss and finalize the modalities for the Kartarpur Corridor, at Attari, Amritsar, that will facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit the holy shrine of Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur".  The corridor will connect „Dera Baba Nanak‟ (in Gurdaspur district-India) to the  NASA Scientists have observed water „Gurdwara Darbar Sahib‟ (in Kartarpur in Narowal district of Pakistan). molecules moving around the dayside of  The Kartarpur Gurudwara (Darbar Sahib the moon using NASA‟s Lunar Kartarpur) is situated on the banks of river „Ravi‟, considered to be the first gurdwara Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). ever built.

 Measurements from the Lyman Alpha

Mapping Project (LAMP) instrument

aboard the LRO of the sparse layer of 46. WEF recognised Naresh molecules temporarily stuck to the surface Lokesh as Young Global Leader helped characterize lunar hydration changes for 2019 over the course of a day. Lunar water can potentially be used by humans to make fuel or to use for radiation shielding or thermal management. Water

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 WHO recommends annual influenza vaccination as the most effective way to 16 prevent „influenza‟.

48. Vienna placed at the top position in the Mercer‟s Quality of Living Survey 2019

 According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), Andhra Pradesh IT minister „Nara Lokesh‟ has been recognised as the Young Global Leader,  The list has 127 of the world's most promising social activists, business leaders, public servants, artists and technologists under the age of 40.  The Austrian capital Vienna topped the new  The individuals are expected to take part in Mercer Quality of Living Survey. the five year-programme that will help them  Thirteen out of the world‟s 20 best places to to identify new ways to learn new ideas. live are in Europe.  Zurich, Switzerland's biggest city, came in 47. WHO launches new global second place for overall quality of living, influenza strategy followed by Auckland, Munich and Vancouver in joint third place.  Luxembourg was named as the safest city in the world, followed by Helsinki in Finland and the Swiss cities of Basel, Bern and Zurich.  Mercer's annual index ranks 231 cities around the world on factors including political stability, crime, personal freedoms, healthcare, education, housing, recreation and public transport  World's 3 worst cities for quality of living

 The World Health Organization (WHO) has - Baghdad, Iraq,Bangui, Central African released a Global Influenza Strategy for Republic and Sana'a, Yemen 2019-2030 to protect all people from the threat of influenza.  The objective of the strategy is to prevent seasonal influenza, control the spread of influenza from animals to humans, and prepare for the next influenza pandemic.‟  Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complications and for health care workers.

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 This collaboration hopes to contribute to 49. “Recycling into the Future”: 17 Global Recycling Day 2019 bilateral relations and beget mutual benefits for the two countries.

51. Cyclone Idai hits Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe

 Global Recycling Day 2019 was celebrated on 18th March 2019 to encourage the world to think „resource not waste”.  The theme of the global recycling day 2019  According to the UN and government was “Recycling into the future”. officials, „Cyclone Idai‟ has affected more  Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 than 1.5 million people in the three southern to help recognize, and celebrate, the African countries Mozambique, Zimbabwe importance recycling plays in preserving and Malawi. our precious primary resources and  Cyclone Idai‟ killed nearly 150 people, left securing the future of our planet. hundreds more missing and stranded tens of thousands who are cut off from roads and 50. India and Afghanistan signed telephones in mainly poor, rural areas an MoU on digital education  Hardest hit is Mozambique‟s central port city initiatives of Beira where the airport is closed, electricity is out and many homes have been destroyed.

52. Pune-based firm developing software to operate the world‟s largest ground telescope in Hawaii

 The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Afghanistan government at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras to

work on a digital education initiative  A Pune-based IT firm is developing software for the world‟s largest ground-

MARCH 2019

based telescope „Thirty Metre Telescope  Fitch Ratings cut India‟s FY19 GDP growth (TMT)‟, likely to come up on Mauna Kea in forecast to 7.2% from 7.8% on December 6. 18

Hawaii.  The rating agency has also cut growth  The telescope is being constructed jointly forecasts for FY20 and FY21 to 7% from by India, US, China, Japan 7.3% and 7.1 per cent from 7.3%, respectively. 53. World Meteorological day  Fitch Ratings is dual-headquartered in New York (US) and London (UK).

55. Finland tops Global Happiness Index for the second straight year

 The United Nations' (UN) World Meteorological Day is annually held on or around 23rd March to remember the World Meteorological Organization's establishment on that date in 1950.  The theme of WMD 2019 is „The Sun, the Earth and the Weather‟.  As per UN World Happiness Report, Finland has been ranked tops as the happiest 54. Fitch cuts India GDP growth country in the world for the second year.  The report was released by the Sustainable forecast for FY20 to 6.8% Development Solutions Network for the United Nations on March 20 which was declared as World Happiness Day by the UN General Assembly in 2012.  Indian figures at 140th place(seven spots down from last year) on this year's UN World Happiness Report.  The report ranks countries on six key variables that support well-being: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity.  Canada and is likely to become operational in the mid-2020s.

 According to Credit rating agency „Fitch‟,  India is building the telescope‟s complex India‟s economic growth forecast for the optical structure, called the Segment next financial year starting April 1, to 6.8% Support Assembly (SSA). from its previous estimate of 7%.

56. Italy becomes first G7 nation to join China‟s BRI  Despite a warning by United States, Italy joined China‟s signature foreign policy Belt and Road initiative (BRI), making it the first G7 country to officially do so.

MARCH 2019

China and Italy also a Memorandum of Understanding in this regard. Already, 19 China has signed BRI cooperation agreements with over 40 countries.  Facing the third recession in a decade, Italy 58. Israelis discover 'world's has defended its action saying that Chinese longest salt cave' investment is good for their country.

57. WEF‟s global Energy Transition index: India ranks at 76th position

 Israeli researchers have discovered the world‟s longest salt cave named „Malham‟.  The cave stretches for over 10-

 India has been ranked at 76th position kilometres (6.25 miles), through Mount among 115 countries in the global energy Sodom (Israel's largest mountain) and transition index.Overall, India has moved spills out to the southwest corner of the up two places from 78th last year. adjacent Dead Sea.  China is ranked even lower than India at 82nd position, though it ranks very high at seventh place in the world for regulation and political commitment.  Sweden remains on the top in the index. Switzerland and Norway ranked at second and third position respectively in the index.  Among major economies, the United Kingdom (UK) is ranked seventh. Singapore has been ranked thirteenth, while Germany, Japan and the US have bagged the seventeenth, eighteenth and the twenty- seventh place respectively]  The index is compiled by the Geneva- based World Economic Forum (WEF)

MARCH 2019

KNOV SHE SERUICE Introducing all the 26 services one gets on qualifying UPSC Civil Service Examination

THE INDIAN TRADE SERVICE (ITS) 20

The Indian Trade Service (ITS) is an organized Group „A‟ central service that you can get into if you clear the UPSC civil services examination. The service started in 1977 and the first batch of officers to come through the UPSC CSE joined in 1986. Its cadre controlling authority is the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) which is an attached office under the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The head of the DGFT is the Director General of Foreign Trade. The chief mandate of the ITS is to take care of India‟s foreign trade and commercial activities.

ITS Officers Functions

 Implementing the provisions of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992; Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012; Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), 2009-2014; Handbook of Procedure, Volume-I, 2009-2014; ITC (HS) Classification of Export and Import Items, 2012; and Handbook of Procedure, Volume-II (Standard).  Formulating policy in international trade.  Promoting exports.  Implementing trade policy.  Negotiating international trade deals and commercial diplomacy.  The officers can also be sent on deputation to work in other ministries and departments and also to international organisations like World Bank, ADB, UN organisations, etc.

MARCH 2019