CONTENTS

S. No. Chapter Name Page No.

1. 1. UNION BUDGET 2021-22 1-8

2. ECONOMIC SURVEY 2020-21 9-13

3. International And Bilateral 14

4. National 15-17 5. States 18-20 6. Economy and Banking 21-25 7. RBI Updates 26-27 8. Schemes & Initiatives 28-29 9. Cabinet Approvals 30

10 Science and Technology 31-33

11. Defence 34

12. Awards and Honours 35-36 13 Sports 37

14. Obituaries 38

15. Reports, Indices and Ranking 39-40

16. Committees 41

17. Summits and Conferences 42

18. Appointments 43-44

19. Days And Themes 45 20. Books and Authors 46 21. Defence Exercises And Operations 46

22. Current Affairs Practice questions 47-59

•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 1. UNION BUDGET 2021-22

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman 2021-22 as against Rs. 94,452 crore in Budget presented the Union Budget 2021-22 on Estimates of 2020-21 – an increase of 137%. February 1, 2021 for the 3rd time in a row with 2.Physical and Financial Capital and Infrastructure multiple new schemes.This was the first The following initiatives are under this vision. paperless budget. The Union Government has ➢ Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI) launched a dedicated Union Budget Mobile app ➢ Rs. 1.97 lakh crore in next 5 years for PLI schemes for both Android and Apple smartphones. The in 13 Sectors Finance Minister read out the document from a ➢ To create and nurture manufacturing global Made-in- tablet.She presented the budget champions for an AatmaNirbhar Bharat 2021-22 which lasted around 1hour 50 minutes. ➢ To help manufacturing companies become an integral part of global supply chains, possess core The Budget 2021-22 mainly rests on six pillars competence and cutting-edge technology 1. Health and Wellbeing ➢ To bring scale and size in key sectors 2. Physical & Financial Capital, and Infrastructure ➢ To provide jobs to the youth 3. Inclusive Development for Aspirational India 3.Inclusive Development for Aspirational 4. Reinvigorating Human Capital India 5. Innovation and R&D ➢ Various schemes under the fields of Agriculture, 6. Minimum Government and Maximum Governance Fisheries, Migrant Workers and Labourers, Financial 1.Health and Wellbeing Inclusion are covered in the vision of “Inclusive ➢ Regarding Health and Wellbeing, budget focused on Development for Aspirational India” strengthening three areas; i.e, Preventive, Curative, and Wellbeing.There was Rs. 2,23,846 crore outlay for Health and Wellbeing in Budget Estimates of 1 IACE (Indian Academy of Competitive Exams) www.iace.co.in Toll Free: 1800-270-9975, Ph: 9533200400

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4.Reinvigorating Human Capital ➢ National Commission for Allied Healthcare ➢ Educational, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Professionals already introduced to ensure Welfare are covered in “Reinvigorating Human transparent and efficient regulation of the 56 allied Capital” healthcare professions 5.Innovation and R&D ➢ The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill introduced for the same in the nursing The following are the highlighted points under profession “Innovation and R&D” ➢ Proposed Conciliation Mechanism with a mandate ➢ Modalities of National Research Foundation for quick resolution of contractual disputes with announced in July 2019 – CPSEs ➢ 50,000 crore outlay over 5 years ➢ 3,768 crore allocated for the first digital census in ➢ To strengthen overall research ecosystem with a the history of India focus on national-priority thrust areas ➢ 300 crore grant to the Government of Goa for the ➢ 1,500 crore for proposed scheme to promote digital diamond jubilee celebrations of the state’s liberation modes of payment from Portuguese ➢ National Language Translation Mission (NTLM) to ➢ 1,000 crore for the welfare of Tea workers especially make governance-and-policy related knowledge women and their children in and West available in major Indian languages Bengal through a special scheme ➢ PSLV-CS51 to be launched by New Space India Limited (NSIL) carrying Brazil’s Amazonia Satellite Other key sectors and some Indian satellites Affordable Housing As part of the Gaganyaan mission activities ➢ To promote affordable housing in the country, the ➢ 4 Indian astronauts being trained on Generic Space government has extended the time period of taking Flight aspects, in Russia loans to buy such houses by one year i.e till 31st of ➢ The first unmanned launch is slated for December March 2022. To keep up the supply of affordable 2021 houses, the Minister said that affordable housing ➢ 4,000 crore over five years for Deep Ocean Mission projects can avail a tax holiday for one more year – survey exploration and conservation of deep-sea till 31st of March, 2022. biodiversity Agriculture 6.Minimum Government, Maximum ➢ To provide adequate credit to farmers, the Governance government has enhanced the agricultural credit ➢ The following schemes were covered in “Minimum target to 16.5 lakh crore rupees in next fiscal with a Government, Maximum Governance” focus on ensuring increased credit flows to animal ➢ Measures being undertaken to bring reforms in husbandry, dairy, and fisheries. Tribunals to ensure speedy justice

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Fishery ➢ One Nation One Ration Card – One Nation One ➢ Government has planned to invest in the Ration Card plan is under implementation by 32 development of modern fishing harbours and fish states and UTs, reaching about 69 crore landing centres. 5 major fishing harbours – Kochi, beneficiaries, covering 86 per cent of total Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, and Petuaghat – beneficiaries. She said the remaining 4 states and will be developed as hubs of economic activity. UTs will be brought under One Nation One Ration Card plan in next few months. Rural Infrastructure Development ➢ Jal Jeevan Mission- Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) will ➢ Government has also enhanced the allocation to the be launched to provide universal water supply in all Rural Infrastructure Development Fund from 30,000 4,378 Urban Local Bodies with 2.86 crore household to 40,000 crore rupees. tap connections to be implemented over 5 years, ➢ Government has also decided to integrate 1,000 with an outlay of 2 lakh 87 thousand crores. more mandis with e-NAM to ensure transparency ➢ Urban Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0- Urban Swachh and competitiveness in agricultural market. Bharat Mission 2.0 to be implemented with a total ➢ A professionally managed Development Financial financial allocation of over 1.41 lakh crores over a Institution will be set up to provide, enable and to period of 5 years from 2021 to 2026. act as catalyst for infrastructure financing. A sum of ➢ To tackle the problem of air pollution 2,217 crore 20,000 crore rupees to be provided to capitalise this rupees will be provided for 42 urban centres institution.

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Health Transportation ➢ PM Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana – A new ➢ By March 2022, another 8,500 kms will be centrally sponsored scheme, PM Atma Nirbhar undertaken to complete an additional 11,000 kms of Swasth Bharat Yojana, will be launched with an national highway corridors. outlay of about 64,180 crores over 6 years. This will ➢ have prepared a National Rail Plan be in addition to the National Health Mission. for India – 2030 to create a ‘future ready’ Railway ➢ Mission Poshan 2.0- To strengthen nutritional system by 2030; It is expected that Western content, delivery, outreach, and outcome, the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) and Eastern DFC Supplementary Nutrition Programme and the Poshan will be commissioned by June 2022. Abhiyan will be merged and Mission Poshan 2.0 ➢ A new scheme will be launched at a cost of 18,000 will be launched to improve nutritional outcomes crore rupees to support augmentation of public bus across 112 Aspirational Districts. transport services. Textile ➢ 3,500 km of National Highway works in the state of ➢ Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) will be Tamil Nadu at an investment of 1.03 lakh crores has launched in addition to the Production Linked been proposed. These include Madurai-Kollam Incentive scheme to create world class infrastructure corridor, Chittoor-Thatchur corridor. Construction in exports. Seven Textile Parks to be established will start next year. over 3 years.

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➢ 1,100 km of National Highway works in the State of Power at an investment of 65,000 crores has been ➢ A revamped power distribution sector scheme will proposed. This includes 600 km section of - also be launched with an outlay of over 3.05 lakh Kanyakumari corridor in Kerala. 675 km of highway crores over 5 years. works in the state of also announced at ➢ A Hydrogen Energy Mission will be launched in a cost of 25,000 crores including upgradation of 2021-22 for generating hydrogen from green power existing road- – Siliguri. sources as announced by the Prime Minister ➢ Two new technologies – ‘MetroLite’ and Narendra Modi in November 2020. ‘MetroNeo’ will be deployed to provide metro rail ➢ Seven projects worth more than 2,000 crores will be systems in Tier-2 cities and peripheral areas of Tier- offered by the Major Ports on Public Private 1 cities. Partnership mode in Financial Year 21-22 . ➢ National Highway works of around 19,000 crores ➢ Government has provided additional capital infusion are currently in progress in the State of Assam. of 1,000 crore rupees to Solar Energy Corporation of Further works of more than 34,000 crores covering India and 1,500 crore rupees to Indian Renewable more than 1300 kms of National Highways will be Energy Development Agency to give a further boost undertaken in the State in the coming three years. to the non-conventional energy sector.

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Human Recourses ➢ Finance Minister has provided 1,000 crore rupees for the welfare of Tea workers especially women and ➢ To generate an additional 1.5 lakh jobs, efforts will their children in Assam and West Bengal. A special be made to bring more ships to India from Europe scheme will be devised for the same. and Japan for recycling with a capacity of around 4.5 Million Light Displacement Tonne (LDT) which Income Tax will be doubled by 2024. ➢ National Faceless Income Tax Appellate Tribunal ➢ Government has decided to extend social security Centre to be set up. Communication between the benefits to gig and platform workers for the first Tribunal and the appellant shall be electronic and time. Minimum wages will apply to all categories of personal hearing if needed, it is proposed to be done workers, and they will all be covered by the through video-conferencing. Employees State Insurance Corporation. ➢ Government has extended the eligibility for claiming ➢ Government has provided 15,700 crore rupees to tax holiday for start-ups by one more year – till MSME sector in the next fiscal, more than double of 31stof March, 2022. this year’s Budget Estimates. ➢ Senior citizens of 75 years of age and having only ➢ Government has allocated 3,768 crore rupees for the pension income are exempted from filing their forthcoming Census, which will be the first digital income tax returns. census in the history of India.

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Customs duty ➢ Government has increased FDI limit from 49 to 74 ➢ Customs duty rates on chemicals have been per cent in Insurance Companies and allowed calibrated to encourage domestic value addition and foreign ownership and control with safeguards. to remove inversions. Apart from other items, ➢ Government has proposed to infuse 20 thousand customs duty on Naptha to 2.5 per cent is being crore rupees to re-capitalized Public Sector Banks. reduced to correct inversion. ➢ Asset Reconstruction Company and Asset ➢ Gold and silver presently attract a basic customs Management Company will be set up to tackle the duty of 12.5 per cent. Since the duty was raised from stressed asset of Public Sector Banks. This company 10 per cent in July 2019, prices of precious metals will help to consolidate and take over the existing have risen sharply. To bring it closer to previous stressed debt and then manage and dispose of the levels, custom duty on gold and silver is being assets to Alternate Investment Funds. rationalized. ➢ Government plans to complete strategic Finance disinvestment in BPCL, , Shipping ➢ To make the nation a 5 trillion US dollar economy, Corporation of India, Container Corporation of the government has committed nearly 1.97 lakh India, IDBI Bank, BEML, , Neelachal crores, over 5 years starting the FY 2021-22. Ispat Nigam limited among others in the next fiscal.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ Other than IDBI Bank, government will also take up ➢ It has also increased the unit cost of Eklavya Model the privatization of two Public Sector Banks and one Residential Schools in tribal areas from 20 to 38 General Insurance company in the year 2021-22. A crore rupees and that of 48 crore rupees in hilly and bill in this regard will be introduced in the Budget difficult areas. session of Parliament itself. Medical ➢ The government will also bring the IPO of LIC ➢ Government has decided to set up National Nursing ➢ Government has also decided to revise the definition and Midwifery Commission to ensure transparency, under the Companies Act, 2013 for Small efficiency and governance reforms in the nursing Companies by increasing their thresholds for Paid up profession. The Government will bring a bill in this capital from not exceeding 50 Lakh rupees to not regard. exceeding 2 crore rupees and the turnover from not Defence exceeding 2 crore rupees to not exceeding 20 crore ➢ Union Budget 2021-22 has given historic push to rupees. defence modernization by increasing defence capital ➢ Fiscal deficit for the financial year 2021-22 pegged outlay by 18.75 per cent. at 6.8 percent. ➢ The allocation under capital expenditure which Education relates to modernization and infrastructure ➢ Government will also set up 100 new Sainik Schools development of Armed Forces has been significantly in partnership with NGOs, private schools and increased. states. ➢ The allocation under Capital of over 1 lakh 35 ➢ Government will bring legislation this year to set up thousand 60 crore rupees for Financial Year 2021-22 Higher Education Commission of India. It will be an represents an increase of 18.75 per cent over umbrella body having 4 separate vehicles for Financial Year 2020-21 and 30.62 per cent over standard-setting, accreditation, regulation, and Financial Year 2019-20. This is the highest ever funding. increase in capital outlay of Defence in the last 15 ➢ Government will also set up a Central University in years. Leh to ensure access to higher education in Ladakh. ➢ The Capital allocation for DRDO has been increased ➢ Government has allocated 35,219 crore rupees for to over 11 thousand 375 crore rupees. the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme till 2025-2026, to benefit 4 crore SC students.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 2.ECONOMIC SURVEY 2020-21

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled FY22 is assumed as 11.5 % based on IMF Economic Survey 2020-21 in the Parliament on January estimates. 29, 2021. The survey is generally presented a day SAVING LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS AMIDST before the Union Budget.But,this year, the survey was A ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY CRISIS presented earlier because the day-before-budget is a ➢ COVID-19 pandemic engendered a once-in-a- Sunday. The Economic Survey 2020-21,authored by a century global crisis in 2020 where 90 per cent of team led by Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurty V. countries are expected to experience a contraction Subramanian has eanalysed various key topics of the in GDP per capita and India’s efforts focused on economy. This year's economic survey is being saving lives and livelihoods by its willingness to delivered in an e-book format. The Finance Ministry take short-term pain for long term gain. has also launched an official Economic Survey app for ➢ While the lockdown resulted in a 23.9 per cent smooth access to the document.Theme of Economic contraction in GDP in Q1, the recovery has been a Survey 2020-21: #SavingLives& Livelihoods V-shaped one as seen in the 7.5 per cent decline in #VshapedRecover Q2 and the recovery across all key economic indicators Economic Survey 2020-21 Highlights BANKING SECTOR GDP GROWTH ➢ According to Economic Survey 2020-21, Gross ➢ The Economic Survey 2020-21 has projected that Non-Performing Assets ratio of Scheduled India's real GDP growth to be 11.0% in FY 2021-22 Commercial Banks decreased from 8.21 per cent at and nominal GDP to be around 15.4%, which is the the end of March 2020 to 7.49 per cent at the end of highest since independence. September 2020. ➢ India to become the fastest growing economy in ➢ This has to be seen in conjunction with the asset next two years as per IMF.The real growth rate for classification relief provided to borrowers on FY21 has been taken as -7.7% (MoSPI) in account of the pandemic, says the Economic Economic Survey 2020-21 and real growth rate for Survey.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ Further, the Survey notes that Capital to risk- share of Agriculture and Allied Sectors in Gross weighted asset ratio of Scheduled Commercial Value Added (GVA) of the country at current Banks increased from 14.7 per cent to 15.8 per cent prices is 17.8 per cent for the year 2019-20. between March 2020 and September 2020 with ➢ The contribution of livestock in total agriculture improvement in both Public and Private sector and allied sector GVA (at Constant Prices) has banks. increased from 24.32 per cent (2014-15) to 28.63 ➢ The recovery rate for the Scheduled Commercial per cent (2018-19). Livestock sector contributed Banks through Insolvency & Bankruptcy code-IBC 4.19 per cent of total GVA in 2018-19. (since its inception) has been over 45 per cent. ➢ During the last 5 years ending 2018-19, Food ➢ Due to the pandemic, initiation of Corporate Processing Industries (FPI) sector has been growing Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) was at an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of suspended for any default. The suspension along around 9.99 per cent as compared to around 3.12 with continued clearance has allowed a small per cent in Agriculture and 8.25 per cent in decline in accumulated cases. Manufacturing at 2011-12 prices. ➢ Credit growth of banks slowed down to 6.7 per cent HEALTH as on January 1, 2021. ➢ The Economic Survey 2020-21 has strongly SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATINGS recommended an increase in public spending on ➢ Never in the history of sovereign credit ratings, has healthcare services from 1 percent to 2.5-3 percent the fifth largest economy in the world been rated at of GDP, as envisaged in the National Health Policy the lowest rung of the investment grade (BBB- 2017. /Baa3) except in the case of China and India. ➢ It notes that this can significantly reduce the Out- ➢ Reflecting on the economic size and thereby ability of-Pocket-Expenditure (OOPE) from 65 per cent to to repay debt, at all other times, the fifth largest 35 per cent of the overall healthcare spend. economy has been predominantly rated AAA. ➢ The Survey has recommended that the National ➢ The Survey points out that the Sovereign Credit Health mission (NHM) should be continued in Ratings can be pro-cyclical and affect equity and conjunction to with Ayushman Bharat Yojana. debt FPI flows of developing countries, causing EDUCATION damage and worsening crisis. Hence, it has called ➢ The Economic Survey 2020-21 states that online for addressing the bias and subjectivity inherent in schooling took off in a big way during the COVID- sovereign credit ratings methodology 19 pandemic. COMBINED SOCIAL SECTOR EXPENDITURE ➢ The percentage of enrolled children from ➢ The Economic Survey 2020-21 states that the government and private schools owning a combined (Centre and States) social sector smartphone increased enormously from 36.5 per expenditure as per cent of GDP has increased in cent in 2018 to 61.8 per cent in 2020 in rural India. 2020-21 compared to last year. ➢ Around 92 courses have started and 1.5 crore ➢ The expenditure on social services (education, students are enrolled under Swayam MOOCs which health and other social sectors) by Centre and States are online courses relating to NIOS. combined as a proportion of GDP increased from ➢ India has attained a literacy level of almost 96 per 7.5% in 2019-20 (RE) to 8.8% in 2020-21 (BE). cent at the elementary school level. As per National AGRICULTURE Sample Survey (NSS), the literacy rate of persons ➢ The Agriculture and Allied activities clocked a of age 7 years and above at the All India level stood growth of 3.4 per cent at constant prices during at 77.7 per cent. 2020-21 (first advance estimate) says the Economic BARE NECESSITIES Survey 2020-21. ➢ Economic Survey 2020-21 constructs a Bare ➢ As per the Provisional Estimates of National Necessities Index (BNI) at the rural, urban and all Income released by CSO on 29th May, 2020, the India level.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ The BNI summarises 26 indicators on five announced in November, 2020 has total estimated dimensions viz., water, sanitation, housing, micro- outlay of Rs 22,810 crore for the scheme period i.e., environment, and other facilities. up to wage month 31st May, 2023. ➢ The BNI has been created for all States for 2012 ➢ Entire employees’ and employers’ contribution i.e. and 2018 using data from two NSO rounds viz., 24 per cent of wages towards EPF in respect of new 69th and 76th on Drinking Water, Sanitation, employees in establishments employing up to 1000 Hygiene and Housing Condition in India. employees during the period from October, 2020 to ➢ The economic Survey also notes improvement in June, 2021 and also to re-employ who lost their micro environment for all States in 2018 except for jobs due to COVID-19. Assam in rural and and Assam in urban ➢ Only employees' share of EPF contribution (i.e. 12 areas as compared to 2012. per cent) of wages in respect of new employees in SKILL DEVELOPMENT establishments employing more than 1000 ➢ The Economic Survey 2020-21 states that only 2.4 employee during the period from October 2020 to per cent of the workforce of age15-59 years have June 2021, and also to re-employee who lost their received formal vocational / technical training and jobs due to COVID-19. another 8.9 per cent of the workforce received EMPLOYMENT training through informal sources. ➢ COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of urban ➢ Out of the 8.9 per cent workforce who received casual workers, who account for 11.2 per cent of non-formal training, the largest chunk is contributed urban workforce (All-India) as per Periodic Labour by on-the-job training (3.3 per cent), followed by Force Survey (PLFS), January-March, 2020. self-learning (2.5 per cent) and hereditary sources ➢ The size of labour force in 2018-19 was estimated (2.1 per cent) and other sources (1 per cent). at about 51.8 crore persons: about 48.8 crore ➢ The Unified Skill Regulator- National Council for employed and 3.0 crore unemployed. Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) was ➢ Industry-wise estimates on workforce shows that operationalized recently. the largest, about 21.5 crore persons are employed ➢ Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 was in 'Agriculture', which is still the largest employer rolled out in 2020-21 with a tentative target to skill with 42.5 per cent of workforce. 8 lakh candidates including migrants. ➢ Next important industry is ‘other services’ where PRADHAN MANTRI JAN AROGYA YOJANA about 6.4 crore persons (13.8 per cent) were Key Finding of Economic Survey 2020-21 reveals engaged. strong positive impact of Pradhan Mantri Jan ➢ 'Manufacturing' and ‘Trade, hotel & restaurants’ Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) on Health Outcomes. each employed about 5.9 crore persons with the ➢ The proportion of households with any usual share of nearly 12.1 per cent and 12.6 per cent member covered under health insurance or respectively, while ‘Construction’ sector employed financing scheme increased by 54 per cent from about 5.7 crore persons in 2018-19 with share of NFHS 4 to NFHS 5 in the states that adopted 12.1 per cent. PMJAY, it decreased by 10 per cent in the states About Economic Survey that did not adopt PMJAY, reflecting the success of The Economic survey provides a summary of the PMJAY in enhancing health insurance coverage. annual economic development across the country ➢ The reduction in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) was during the previous financial year.The annual 20 per cent vis-à-vis 12 per cent in PMJAY and survey analyses the trends in prices, agriculture, non-PMJAY states respectively. infrastructure, employment and industrial AATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ROJGAR YOJANA production, money supply, foreign exchange (ABRY) reserves, exports, imports and other factors that ➢ The Economic Survey says that ABRY, a have an impact on the Indian economy and the component of Aatmanirbhar Bharat package budget.

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BUDGET 2021-22 & SURVEY 2020-21 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Government has set a target of ----- per cent for 8. The overall allocation for health & wellbeing has fiscal deficit for the FY2021-22 as per Union increased by ---- percent in financial year 2021-22 Budget 2021? compared to financial year 2020-21? a) 9.5% b) 8.8% a) 50% b) 60% c) 7.4% d) 6.8% c) 72% d) 105% e) 7.7% e) 137%. 2. India’s GDP is estimated to decrease by ---- per 9. Government will infuse how many crores in to cent in FY2020-21 publick sector banks for recapitalization in a) -6.7%. b) -7.7%. financial year 2021-22? a) Rs 20,000 crore. b) Rs 1 lakh crores. c) -6%. d) -8%. c) Rs 50,000 crore. d) Rs 10,000 crore. e) -11% e) Rs 15,000 crore. 3. Government has allocated------amount to MGNREGA for 2021-22? 10. Number of households benefited so far through a) Rs 73,000 crores. b) Rs 3 lakh crores. Ujwala Yojna scheme is? a) 1 crore. b) 10 crore. c) Rs 50,000 crore. d) Rs 10 lakh crores. c) 50 crore. d) 25 crore. e) Rs 3.5 lakh crores e) 8 crore 4. How much percent of GDP is allocated to Aatmanirbhar package? 11. How many major fishing harbours will be a) 5%. b) 13%. developed as a part of economic activity hub? (a) 5 b) 19 c) 28%. d) 10%. c) 1 d) 25 e) 8% e) 7 5. Which policy is launched in the budget 2021-22 regarding vehicles? 12. Creation of how many Adarsh vidyalayas was a) Vehicle energy efficiency policy. announced in budget 2021-22? a) Rs 12,000. b) Rs 11000. b) Transport policy. c) Rs 10,000 d) Rs 20,000 c) Environmental policy. e) Rs 15,000 d) Voluntary vehicle scrapage policy. 13. In budget 2021-22, Government has proposed to e) Green vehicle policy set up a new Central University in which 6. How many new emergency health operation State/U.T? centers will be opened across the country a) J and k. b) Leh. according to budget 2021-22? c) Manipur. d) Himachal Pradesh. a) 17 b) 10 c) 9 e) Assam d) 23 e) 15 14. How much amount was allocated to boost digital 7. Government has allocated how much amount to payments accors the country? tackle air pollution in the budget? a) Rs 1500 crore. b) Rs 2000 crore. a) Rs 2,217 crore. b) Rs 4,720 crore. c) Rs 3500 crore. c) Rs 3,850 crores. d) Rs 5000 crore. d) Rs 5,000 crore. e) Rs 3000 crore e) Rs 4,000 crore

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 15. what is the total outlay for the union budget 2021- 22. IMF has estimated India’s real GDP growth rate 22? FY2021-22 as? a) Rs 34,83,236 crore. b) Rs 35,42,230 crore. a) 7.7% b) 10% c) Rs 26,86,330 crore. d) Rs 20,20,926 crore. c) 13.5% d) 11.5% e) Rs 25,50,655 crore e) None of the above 16. How much amount was allocated for the creation 23. According to Economic Survey India’s real GDP of National Research Foundation? is projected to record how much growth in a) Rs 10,000 crore. b) Rs 60,000 crore. FY2021-2022? c) Rs 2000 crore. d) Rs 1 lakh crore. a) 11.0 per cent b) 13 per cent c) 14 per cent d) 12.7 per cent e) Rs 50,000 crore e) 11.5 per cent 17. The outlay for the fourthcoming census in the budget is? 24. Economic Survey has recommended increase in a) Rs 3,726 crore. b) Rs 4,850 crore. public spending on health care from 1% to _ % a) 2.5 -3 per cent b) 3.5-4 per cent c) Rs 2,870 crore. d) Rs 6,550 crore. c) 4.5-5 per cent d) 5.5-6 per cent e) Rs 5,435 crore e) 1.5-2 per cent 18. In budget 2021-22, government has decided to increase the limit of tax audit from 5 crore to ----? 25. Which of the following states was not among the (a) Rs 20 crore. (b) Rs 8 crore. top states with highest access to bare necessities in India as per the Economic Survey 2020-21? (c) Rs 10 crore. (d) Rs 6 crore. a) Kerala b) e) Rs 15 crore c) d) Punjab 19. “Operation Green Scheme” has been extended to e) Haryana how many perishable products?

a) 20 b) 22 Answers c) 25 d) 30 1 d 6 e 11 a 16 e 21 a e) 35 2 b 7 a 12 e 17 a 22 d 20. How much amount is allocated for Jal Jeevan 3 a 8 e 13 b 18 c 23 a mission in budget 2021-22? 4 b 9 a 14 a 19 b 24 a a) Rs 2.87 lakh crores. b) Rs 5 lakh crores. 5 d 10 e 15 a 20 a 25 c c) Rs 100 lakh crores. d) Rs 3.5 lakh crores. e) Rs 1.5 lakh crores. 21. What is the total budget allocation for the Indian Railways? a) Rs. 1,10,055 crore b) Rs. 2,15,000 crore c) Rs. 1,41,000 crore d) Rs. 3,05,984 crore e) Rs. 3,25,000 crore

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UK special visa scheme for Hong Kong ➢ China overtook United States to gain the top residents position in 2020. The country attracted $163 billion ➢ The UK is opening a special visa scheme that will inflows in 2020, compared to $134 billion attracted allow lakhs of Hong Kong residents to migrate and by the United States, However, in 2019, the United eventually apply for British citizenship. States had received $251 billion inflows and China ➢ The visas will be issued to those in Hong Kong who received $140 billion. hold a British National (Overseas) passport and ➢ Overall, the global FDI had fell by 42% in 2020, their immediate dependents, and will offer a fast attracting an inflow of an estimated $859 billion, track to UK citizenship. compared to $1.5 trillion in 2019. ➢ Applicants who get the visa can live and work in • UNCTAD HQ: Geneva, Switzerland the UK for 5 years, after which they can apply for • Secretary-General: Mukhisa Kituyi settlement. After twelve months they can apply for Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli expelled from citizenship. ruling Nepal Communist Party •UK Capital:London •Currency: pound sterling ➢ Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli has been expelled from •PM: Boris Johnson the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) over his •Hong Kong is Special administrative region of decision to dissolve the Parliament. China as of 1st July, 1997) ➢ The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) was •Currency: Hong Kong Dollar formed after merging of Oli's CPN-UML and India signs strategic partnership Prachanda-led NCP (Maoist Centre) in 2018. agreement with IEA for energy security What had happened? ➢ The International Energy Agency (IEA) members ➢ Nepal went into a political crisis on December 20, and the Government of India signed a strategic 2020 after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli partnership agreement. recommended the dissolution of the Parliament ➢ This partnership will lead to an extensive exchange amid a tussle for power with former PM Pushpa of knowledge and would be a stepping stone Kamal Dahal Prachanda. towards India becoming a full member of the IEA. ➢ Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari had ➢ The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris- accepted the recommendations of the Prime based autonomous intergovernmental organisation. Minister and the Parliament was dissolved. The ➢ It was established in the framework of the Parliamentary elections are now scheduled to be Organisation for Economic Co-operation and held between April 30 and May 10, 2021. Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the Iran and six other nations lose voting 1973 oil crisis. rights in UNGA ➢ The IEA is made up of 30 member countries. ➢ The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio ➢ In addition, the IEA family also includes eight Guterres informed on January 18, 2021, that Iran, association countries which includes Brazil, China Libya, Niger, Congo Brazzaville, the Central and India.Three countries are seeking accession to African Republic, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan full membership, Chile, Israel and Lithuania. have lost their right to vote in the United Nations China surpasses United States as largest General Assembly- UNGA for not paying their recipient of FDI dues. ➢ China was the largest recipient of foreign direct ➢ The United Nations Charter calls for the suspension investment (FDI) in 2020, according to a report of the voting rights of the countries if a member released by United Nations Conference on Trade state fails to pay its fees for more than two years. and Development (UNCTAD). • UNGA HQ: New York, United States

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India celebrated 72nd Republic Day on on January 25, 2021 during the 11th National 26 January 2021 Voters' Day celebrations. ➢ India observed the 72nd Republic Day on 26 ➢ The e-electoral photo identity card will be a non- January 2021, with celebrations at the majestic editable digital version of the voter ID card, which Rajpath in New Delhi. can be printed in PDF format and saved in facilities ➢ Republic Day marks the date on which the like Digi locker. Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January ➢ All new electors who registered between 1950.It replaced the Government of India Act 1935 November-December 2020 and those provided a as the governing document of India. unique mobile number while applying will be able ➢ Every year, on Republic Day, the President of India to download the e-voter cards. distributes Padma Awards to the civilians of India. ➢ For others, this facility will be available soon. ➢ Padma Awards are given in three categories – •Chief Election Commissioner: Sunil Arora Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma •Formed: 25 January 1950 Shri, in decreasing order of importance. India pledges $150,000 for UN ➢ The Ram Temple tableau of Uttar Pradesh that was Peacebuilding Fund for 2021 on display during the Republic Day 2021 has ➢ India has pledged USD 150,000 to activities of the bagged the first prize among all tableaux. United Nations (UN) PeaceBuilding Fund (PBF) ➢ Flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth, who is one of the for 2021 during the “High-level Replenishment first women fighter pilots of IAF, created historic Conference for the Peacebuilding Fund”. moment as the first woman fighter pilot to take part ➢ It was announced by India’s Permanent in the Republic Day parade. Representative to the UN Ambassador TS ➢ The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Tirumurti. presented its Tableau for the first time in the ➢ This pledge is on the lines of 2020 review of the Republic Day Parade. UN peacebuilding architecture which provides a ➢ For the 1st time, a 122-member Bangladeshi framework to strengthen peace building Triservice force Contingent participated in the collectively. Republic Day Parade. ➢ United Nations peacebuilding fund launched in ➢ The Bangladeshi forces participated in the parade to 2006.It will support activities, actions, programmes commemorate 50 years of its liberation, in which and organizations that seek to build a lasting peace India played a major part. in countries emerging from conflict. ➢ This is the 1st time in 55 years that the Republic PM Modi flags off 8 trains to boost Day Celebrations took place without a Chief Guest. connectivity to Statue of Unity ➢ The last time a Republic Day Celebration was held ➢ PM Modi on January 17, 2021, flagged off 8 trains without a Chief Guest was in 1966. connecting different parts of the country to ➢ Originally, Boris Johnson the Prime Minister of the Kevadiya in order to facilitate smooth and easier United Kingdom was supposed to be the Chief connectivity to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat. Guest of the 72nd Republic Day Celebrations, 2021 ➢ Those 8 trains are : but was not able to attend due to COVID-19 • Kevadiya-Varanasi (weekly) Pandemic. • Dadar-Kevadiya Express (daily) ➢ In 1952 & 1953 also the Republic Day celebrations • Ahemdabad-Kevadiya Janshatabdi Express (daily) took place without a Chief Guest. • Nizamudin-Kevadiya Election Commission launches e-EPIC (bi-weekly) ➢ The Election Commission of India launched the • Kevadia-Rewa Express (weekly) Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card (e-EPIC) • Chennai-Kevadiya Express (weekly)

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest • Pratapnagar-Kevadiya MEMU train (daily) ➢ Sri Lanka has received 5 lakh Covid-19 vaccines ➢ • Kevadiya-Pratapnagar MEMU train (daily) from India as a part of the “Vaccine Maitri” About Statue of Unity: initiative. ➢ The Statue of Unity is situated near Kevadiya ➢ Consignment of vaccines has also been sent to which is in the Narmada district of Gujarat. The Bahrain. The country will receive 10,800 vaccines statue is the world’s tallest one (182mtrs.) and is a under the initiative. monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the ➢ India has already delivered over 5 million doses to first home minister of Independent India as well as seven countries in the neighbourhood under the the Deputy Prime Minister. initiative before Sri Lanka and Bahrain. ➢ PM Modi had inaugurated the statue in October ➢ The 7 countries are- the Maldives (100,000 2018 on the occasion of Sardar Patel’s 143rd birth vaccines), Bhutan (150,000 vaccines), Nepal (1 anniversary. million vaccines), Bangladesh (2 million vaccines), India to vaccinate 3 crore people in phase Myanmar (1.5 million vaccines), Mauritius one and 30 crore in phase 2: PM Modi (100,000 vaccines), and Seychelles (50,000 ➢ PM Modi launched the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines). vaccination drive on January 16, 2021, via video ➢ Commercial supplies of Covishield have also been conference. The countrywide massive COVID-19 sent to Morocco, Brazil, (2 million doses each), and vaccination drive began from January 16. This will Bangladesh (5 million doses). also be the world’s largest immunization exercise India to chair UNSC's Counter-Terrorism under which government plans on vaccinating at Committee in 2022 least 3 crore people in the next few months. ➢ India is scheduled to chair three main subsidiary ➢ The vaccination drive aims at vaccinating the health bodies of the United Nations Security Council workers and frontline workers followed by people (UNSC) during its three-year term. above the age of 50 years. ➢ The bodies include- Counter-Terrorism Committee, ➢ As per the Union Health Ministry, around 100 Taliban Sanctions Committee and Libya Sanctions beneficiaries were vaccinated at each session site on committee. It was announced by the Permanent the first day. Representative of India, TS Tirumurti at the United ➢ During the launch of the largest drive, a total of Nations Security Council on January 8, 2021. 3006 session sites across the country were virtually ➢ India is scheduled to chair the Counter-Terrorism connected to welcome this significant day. Committee of UNSC in 2022. India will chair COVID-19 vaccines in India committee in the year when India will be ➢ An emergency use authorization was given by India celebrating the 75th anniversary of its to two vaccines that are being manufactured in the independence. India had last chaired this country- Covaxin and COVISHIELD. While committee in 2011-12. Covaxin is an indigenous vaccine developed by ➢ UNSC's Counter-Terrorism Committee was formed Bharat Biotech In collaboration with ICMR, in September 2001 after the tragic 9/11 attack on Covishield has been developed by Oxford the World Trade Centre in New York, United University and AstraZeneca. States. India’s “Vaccine Maitri” Initiative Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ➢ Vaccine Maitri Initiative is an initiative launched by Inaugurates NCLAT Chennai bench India to gift COVID-19 vaccines to neighbouring ➢ Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman has countries. Recently, Sri Lanka and Bahrain have inaugurated the new bench of National Company received the COVID-19 vaccines from India under Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) at Chennai the initiative. The Vaccine Maitri initiative was through virtual mode. launched by India on January 20 to gift COVID-19 vaccines to neighbouring countries.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ The newly constituted Chennai Bench of the ➢ The Ministry of Culture announced the birth NCLAT is first such bench to be launched outside anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, on New Delhi. January 23, as ‘Parakram Diwas’ every year. The ➢ The New Delhi Bench of NCLAT is the Principal day is celebrated to honour and remember Netaji’s Bench of the National Company Law Appellate indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation. Tribunal established in 2016. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Culture held a ➢ The Chennai bench of the National Company Law high-level committee, headed by Prime Minister Tribunal (NCLT) will have jurisdiction over NCLT Narendra Modi, to commemorate the 125th birth of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, , anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in a Lakshwadeep and Puducherry, including cases from befitting manner. the Andaman and Nicobar, which is considered to Preeti Pant Panel to study adverse be part of South. findings of NFHS-5 ➢ Two Members of NCLAT, New Delhi, namely ➢ The Health and Family Welfare Ministry has Balvinder Singh, Member (Technical), and Justice recently formed a technical expert group to study Venugopal M have been appointed as the incharge the adverse findings from the National Family of the newly constituted Chennai Bench of the Health Survey-5. The Ministry has set up the NCLAT. technical committee of medicine and nutrition Indian Railways renames Howrah-Kalka experts under the leadership of Joint Secretary Mail as Netaji Express Preeti Pant. ➢ Indian Railways has renamed the Howrah-Kalka ➢ The expert group also includes State programme Mail as ‘Netaji Express’, in a tribute to freedom officers from , , and fighter Subhas Chandra Bose who is also known as Karnataka. ‘Netaji’. ➢ The committee will examine the findings of the ➢ The Howrah-Kalka Mail train has been in service National Family Health Survey-5 as well as suggest for more than 150 years, after coming into policies and courses of action to improve on operation in the year 1866. indicators related to anaemia, malnutrition and ➢ The Howrah-Kalka Mail runs between Howrah in stunting. West Bengal (Eastern Railway) and Kalka in ➢ The newly formed technical expert group will Haryana (Northern Railway) via Delhi. conduct meetings regularly and will provide its •Railway Board Chairman&CEO: Suneet Sharma recommendations soon. ➢ As of now, no meeting has been held and no date PM Modi dedicates Kochi – Mangaluru has been finalized for the first meeting. Natural Gas Pipeline to the Nation ➢ The factsheet of the 1st phase of National Family ➢ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated Health Survey-5 was released in December 2020. Kochi – Mangaluru Natural Gas Pipeline to the ➢ The sheet covered 22 States/UTs and provided Nation on January 05, 2021 through video information on 131 indicators like family welfare, conferencing. population, nutrition, reproductive and child health, ➢ The 450-kilometre long pipeline has been built by etc. GAIL (India) Ltd. ➢ Before the National Family Health Survey-5, four ➢ The estimated cost of the project is Rs 3,000-crore. surveys have been conducted in the years 1992–93, ➢ Through this project, natural gas would be carried 1998–99, 2005–06, and 2015–16. from the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ➢ All the NFHS rounds were conducted by the Regasification Terminal at Kochi to Mangaluru. International Institute for Population Sciences ➢ The pipeline has the transportation capacity of 12 (IIPS), Mumbai. million metric standard cubic metres per day.

GoI decides to celebrate January 23 as

Parakram Diwas

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Karnataka Govt signs MoU with Amazon by the state government in the year 1979. India to boost E-Commerce exports & Kokborok is the Sino-Tibetan native language of MSMEs the Borok (Tripura) people of Tripura and ➢ Department of Industries & Commerce, neighbouring areas of Bangladesh. Government of Karnataka and Amazon India have ➢ This language is not included in the 8th schedule of signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the Constitution of India. help enhance e-commerce exports from the state BSE signs MoU with Maharashtra to and also to elevate MSMEs in state to a global level create awareness among SME about through Amazon Global Selling, an exports isting program of Amazon. ➢ BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) & ➢ Amazon Global Selling Program was launched in Government of Maharashtra have signed a India in 2015. It provides opportunities for Indian Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to spread MSMEs including manufacturers, retailers, brands awareness about listing among Small & Medium & traders to grow and scale through e-commerce scale Enterprises (SMEs) of Maharashtra. exports. ➢ Objective – To spread awareness regarding listing Andhra Pradesh became the first state to of SMEs of Maharashtra in BSE. launch door delivery of rations under ➢ BSE launched its SME platform in March, 2012. PDS J&K approves adoption of ‘Jammu & ➢ Andhra Pradesh became the first state to launch Industrial Land Allotment door-delivery of rations under the Public Policy, 2021-30’ Distribution System (PDS). The scheme will benefit ➢ On January 22, 2021, The Jammu & Kashmir’s 26,39,363 cardholders throughout the state. The (J&K) Administrative Council (AC) under the scheme will cost an additional Rs. 830 crore per chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha annum. gave its approval for the adoption of Jammu & ➢ To deliver the ration, at a cost of Rs.539 crore, the Kashmir Industrial land allotment policy, 2021-30. AP government has distributed 9260 subsidised ➢ The policy aims to achieve inclusive growth for vehicles with GPS tracking facilities, to the eligible sustainable industrialisation & employment unemployed youths.Each vehicle costs Rs.5.81 generation in Jammu & Kashmir. lakh, of which, Rs.3.48 lakh is government subsidy. IIM , Madhya Pradesh sign MoU to India’s first labour movement museum to build roadmap for ‘Atmanirbhar Madhya come up at Alappuzha, Kerala Pradesh ➢ India’s first Labour Movement Museum which ➢ Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore & showcases the history of the World Labour Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Movement is set to be launched in Kerala’s Corporation (MPIDC) signed a Memorandum of houseboat tourism hub, Alappuzha, Kerala. The Understanding (MoU) to build a roadmap to New Model Cooperative Society Limited building achieve MP’s goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Madhya has been converted into the Labour Movement Pradesh’, the agreement will be valid for a period of Museum. three years. Tripura Observed 42nd Kokborok Day on ➢ IIM Indore will provide advisory support & 19th January, 2021 management consultancy for Global & national ➢ On January 19, 2021, Tripura observed the 42nd summits which will be conducted by the Kokborok Day to recognise declaration of Government of MP. Kokborok as an official language of the state of

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest Dashboard launched for Teacher ➢ Budget Estimates for 2021-22 Education Institutes to improve Quality •Revenue Receipts INR 1,28, 375.88 Crore of teacher training in Odisha •Revenue Expenditure INR 1, 45, 286 Crore ➢ The Directorate of Teacher Education (TE) and •Revenue Deficit INR 16, 910 Crore State Council of Educational Research and Training ➢ The Government has set a target to bring down (SCERT), Govt of Odisha in collaboration with Revenue Deficit below 1%, reduce Fiscal Deficit & United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Odisha increase State’s Revenue by 15%. launched a Geographic Information System (GIS)- ‘Wahrew Bridge’ – India’s longest Steel based interactive dashboard for Teacher Education Arch Bridge inaugurated in Institutes (TEIs). The technical support for the ➢ Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma dashboard is given by Structural Dynamics inaugurated India’s longest steel arch bridge Research Corporation (SDRC). ‘Wahrew Bridge’ at Tharia Village in Meghalaya. ➢ Dashboard collects information on Human The 169 metre long bridge connects Bholaganj & Resources (HR), infrastructure and academic Sohbar to Nongjri in East Khasi Hills and runs over indicators across Teacher Education Institutes. It is the river Wahrew. a one-stop monitoring solution for all TEIs. India’s first ‘Gender Park’ will be setup in Wipro is set to act as knowledge partner Kerala’s Kozhikode of Madhya Pradesh Government ➢ The Kerala government is all set to launch Rs 300 ➢ Wipro group is set to act as the knowledge partner crore three-tower ‘Gender Park’ in Kozhikode. The of the Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) in the park will become functional on the occasion of the context of the new education policy at the second edition of the International Conference on implementation level. Gender Equality (ICGE-II). ➢ WIPRO has taken an initiative to establish a Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar University in , inaugurates India’s 1st air taxi service ➢ Madhya Pradesh and the state government will from Chandigarh to Hisar under RCS- provide all the required support to the Azim Premji UDAN Foundation to establish a university in the MP. ➢ Haryana Chief Minister(CM) Manohar Lal Khattar ➢ The Azim Premji Foundation has been allotted 50 inaugurated India’s 1st air taxi service from acres of land for the proposed university in Bhopal. Chandigarh to the newly constructed Hisar airport ➢ The university in Bhopal is expected to start in the in Haryana under Regional Connectivity Scheme next 18 months. Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) of Govt ➢ WIPRO will also establish a Software Development of India. As part of the inauguration, Haryana CM Centre in Bhopal, which will provide more flagged off the 1st flight from Chandigarh under the opportunities to the youth in the field of scheme. Information Technology (IT). ➢ The airline Aviation Connectivity & Infrastructure Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac Developers Pvt. Ltd (Air Taxi) will operate the air presents State Budget for the FY 2021- taxi services and has become the 1st startup airline 22 of India to assist India with this service. ➢ On January 15, 2021, Kerala Finance Minister ➢ This service uses Tecnam P2006T VT aircraft, a Thomas Isaac presented the State Budget for the twin-engine four-seat plane. Financial Year (FY) 2021-22. During the budget, he Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates stated that the State Government aims to make India’s 1st Fire Park Kerala as a knowledge economy and announced ➢ 2021 Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik several schemes to promote the education sector of virtually inaugurated India’s first ‘Fire Park’ at Kerala. The Budget has set a target to create 8 Lakh Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. During the occasion CM jobs in 2021-22.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest Patnaik also launched the virtual platform department of expenditure, ministry of finance. ‘Agnishama Seva’ through which 16 fire related These two states have completed the services can be availed. implementation of schemes – one nation one Ration ➢ The Fire Park is a first of its kind initiative to card reforms, ease of doing business reforms& provide awareness on fire safety measures, mainly urban local bodies reforms. focusing on school and college students. ➢ As they have completed the reforms, the Jammu & Kashmir signs a MoU with Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance NECBDC to promote Bamboo cultivation will provide them an additional financial assistance ➢ Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir signed a of INR 1004 crore under the newly launched Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the “Special Assistance to States for Capital North East Cane and Bamboo Development Expenditure” scheme. Council (NECBDC) to promote Bamboo Centre notifies 0-1 km area around cultivation and related entrepreneurship in the boundary of Kerala’s Mathikettan Shola region. National Park as Eco- Sensitive Zone ➢ The North East Cane and Bamboo Development ➢ The central government notified a zero to 1 km area Council (NECBDC) will provide technical around the boundary of Mathikettan Shola National guidance in cultivating various species of Bamboo Park in Idukki district, Kerala as an Eco-sensitive in the region. zone. The area of the Eco-sensitive Zone is 17.5 ➢ Currently, India stands second in Bamboo square kilometres. The notification was issued by production only after China. Yet, India imports the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and nearly Rs 213 crores worth bamboo based products Climate Change. annually. India gets its first Centre for Wetland Government promulgates J&K Conservation and Management in Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance Chennai 2021 to merge J&K Cadre officers with ➢ A dedicated Centre for Wetland Conservation and AGMUT Management (CWCM) has been established at the ➢ Government of India promulgated an Jammu and National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance Management(NCSCM), Chennai, an institution 2021 by amending the J&K Reorganisation Act, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and 2019 to merge the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) cadre Climate Change. of All India Services officers like IAS, IPS & Kerala’s first Human Milk Bank to be Indian Forest Service (IFoS) with the Arunachal opened Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) ➢ Kerala is going to open its first Human Milk Bank cadre.With this, officers from the Union Territories (HMB) on February 5, 2021. & above mentioned States can now be placed in ➢ This is a state-of-art facility that will be opened at J&K and vice versa. the Ernakulam general hospital by the Health ➢ The ordinance was signed by President Ram Nath Minister of Kerala, KK Shailaja. Kovind amended section 13 & 88 of the Jammu and ➢ The milk bank is being set up with the support of Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, it was issued by the Rotary Club of Cochin Global. the Ministry of Law & Justice. ➢ The milk bank will ensure the availability of the MP&AP become 1st group of states to breast milk for new-born babies who are not complete 3 reforms stipulated by Ministry breastfed by their own mothers who are sick or of Finance deceased or due to insufficient production of breast ➢ Madhya Pradesh (MP) & Andhra Pradesh (AP) milk. became the 1st Group of States to complete three out of the four citizen schemes stipulated by

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 6. ECONOMY AND BANKING

Agreement for financial support to ➢ In this regard, Indian government debt will also be STARS project signed between MoE, DEA elevated at 83% of GDP. & WB FDI in India rose by 13% in 2020 but ➢ On the lines of the Cabinet approval to the decreased 42% globally-UNCTAD Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for ➢ In accordance with the United Nations Conference States (STARS) project in Oct 2020, a financial on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s 38th support agreement was signed between Ministry of Global Investment Trends Monitor, after the 1990s, Education (MoE), Department of Economic Affairs the year 2020 saw a fall down in Global foreign (DEA), and World Bank (WB) for the direct investment (FDI) which decreased 42% to implementation of Rs 5718 crore STARS project on $859 billion from $1.5 trillion in 2019. January 29, 2021. ➢ Contrarily, India saw a 13% increase in FDI to $57 ➢ Under the agreement, WB will provide US$ 500 billion which is driven by investments in the digital million (approximately Rs. 3700 crore) and the rest sector. China pocketed a maximum FDI of $163 will be shared by participating states for a period of billion with 4% increase i.e. it became the world’s 5 years. largest FDI recipient during COVID pandemic. GDP growth for FY20 revised downwards ➢ A major decline in FDI inflows was concentrated in to 4% from 4.2%: NSO Estimates developed countries such as the United Kingdom ➢ On January 29, 2021, the National Statistical Office (UK), the United States (US), Italy, Russia, (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Germany, and Brazil where fund flows fell by 69% Implementation (MoSPI) released the First Revised to an estimated $229 billion. Estimates (FRE) which stated that the growth rate ➢ FDI flows to developing economies decreased by of Indian economy was 4% in FY2019-20. This 12% to an estimated $616 billion, they accounted growth estimate is lower than the provisional for 72% of global FDI – the highest share on estimates (PE) of FY20 growth at 4.2% released in record. May 2020. ➢ FDI to transition economies declined by 77% to HDFC Bank partners with CSC to launch $13 billion. EMI Collection Service for CSC-HDFC Indian Economy to contract by 9.6% in Bank’s Business Correspondents 2020, grow at 7.3% in 2021: UN-DESA ➢ HDFC Bank and CSC e-Governance Services India Report Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the ➢ In accordance with the report, titled “World Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology Economic Situation and Prospects 2021” by the (MeitY) has entered into partnership to launch United Nations Department of Economic and Social Equated Monthly Installment (EMI) service that Affairs (UN-DESA), India’s economy is estimated allows Business Correspondents (BCs) to collect to contract by 9.6% (-9.6%) in 2020, while it is HDFC Bank’s EMIs at CSCs across India. projected to grow at 7.3% in 2021. This projection Global Public Debt to touch 98% of GDP is highest among major economies of the world. ➢ On the global front, the economy is contracted by in 2020 amid COVID crisis: IMF ➢ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest 4.3%(-4.3%) in 2020 but it projected a recovery of fiscal monitor update on January 28, 2021 has 4.7% in 2021. projected Global public debt to touch 98% of GDP ➢ The major reason behind the contraction in Indian (Gross Domestic Product) at the end of 2020 due to economy is COVID-19 induced lockdowns and severe challenges imposed to public finances amid other containment efforts which increased the COVID-19. It was 84% before COVID-19. unemployment to 23% by mid-2020.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest Adani Total Gas & Torrent Gas Acquires Overnight Financing Rate) through its Hong Kong 5% Stake Each in IGX (China) branch. ➢ The transaction states the growth of SBI in ➢ Adani Total Gas & Torrent Gas have acquired 5% Alternate Reference Rates (ARRs). stake each in the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX). This ➢ ARRs are overnight rates which are published at the is the 1st time stakes of IGX are sold, as it was end of the overnight borrowing period. This means wholly-owned by the Indian Energy Exchange they are “backward-looking.” (IEX). ➢ SBI is one of the first major banks to sign the ISDA ➢ The total 10% stake has been sold for about Rs 7.38 (International Swaps and Derivatives Association) crore. IGX launched in June 2020 is the 1st gas 2020 IBOR Fallbacks protocol on December 11, exchange in India to secure authorisation from 2020. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board ➢ SOFR is a benchmark interest rate that banks use to (PNGRB) under recently notified Gas Exchange price dollar-denominated derivatives and loans. It Regulations, 2020. will replace USD LIBOR (London Inter Bank ➢ IGXis an online trading platform to make physical Offered Rate) by December 2021. delivery of natural gas and provides a neutral and transparent marketplace to trade. Airtel Payments Bank launched ‘Airtel Safe Pay’, a safe mode to make digital Bharti AXA General Insurance launches payments Krishi Sakha App for Indian farmers ➢ Airtel Payments Bank has launched ‘Airtel Safe ➢ On January 27, 2021, Bharti AXA General Insurance launched Krishi Sakha App, a one-stop- Pay’ to protect the customers when they make digital transactions through Unified Payment shop for Indian farmers that offers them relevant Interface (UPI) or net-banking using the Airtel information to cater their daily farming needs. It also provides guidance to farmers to adopt best Payments Bank. ➢ Customers can make digital transactions across farming practices and enhance their productivity. merchants, online retailers, and transfer money ➢ The farmers through this app will also have access to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana through Airtel Safe Pay. Airtel Payments Bank account can be opened through a video call using (PMFBY) portal for crop insurance related the Airtel Thanks application. information. Paytm Payments Bank Partners with NSE retains World’s Largest Derivatives Exchange Title for 2nd consecutive year Suryoday SFB to launch FD service in 2020: FIA ➢ On January 19, 2021 Paytm Payments Bank Ltd ➢ In accordance with the Futures Industry Association (PPBL) partnered with Suryoday Small Finance (FIA), National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) Bank (SFB) Ltd to enable its account holders to remained the world’s largest derivatives exchange avail Fixed Deposit (FD) services. for the second consecutive year in 2020 in terms of ➢ It is to be recalled that PPBL has been offering FD number of contracts traded. services in partnership with Induslnd bank with a ➢ On the other hand, World Federation of Exchanges minimum investment of Rs. 100. (WFE) has ranked at 4th in terms of cash equities ➢ PPBL with the partnership with Suryoday SFB has by number of trades for calendar year 2020. become the 1st payments bank in India to launch •NSE MD& CEO :Vikram Limaye the multi- partner FD service. SBI executed money market deals linked Govt of India increased authorized share to SOFR capital of Punjab & Sind Bank from Rs ➢ On January 21, 2021, the State Bank of India (SBI) 3,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore has executed two inter-bank short term money ➢ Government of India has increased the authorised market deals with pricing linked to SOFR (Secured share capital of Punjab & Sind bank to Rs 10,000 crore from Rs 3,000 crore.The government in 2020

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest had approved to infuse Rs 5,500 crore capital into on October 31, 2019, to the Union Territory (UT) of the bank by preferential allotment of shares. Ladakh. ➢ The fund was approved from Rs 20,000 crore ➢ The government of J&K is a designated promoter cleared by the Parliament in September 2020 to of the bank. As on December 30, 2020, it holds infuse capital in Public Sector Banks (PSBs) as part 68.18% in the bank. One post of director on the of the 1st batch of Supplementary Demands for Board of the J&K Bank is also earmarked for Grants for 2020-21. Ladakh. Axis Bank launched ‘AURA’, a Credit India set to implement New Foreign Card with affordable health and wellness Trade Policy 2021-26 from April 1, 2021. benefits ➢ Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry has stated ➢ On January 19, 2021 Axis Bank Ltd launched that the ‘New Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26’ of ‘AURA’, a credit card with health and wellness India will come into effect from April 1, 2021. The benefits at an affordable price for its individual main mission of the policy would be to make India users. a leader in international trade in the next 5 years. ➢ The features of the card is powered by Poshvine , ➢ The Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Decathlon, Practo, Fitternity, IndushealthPlus, 1MG Ministry of Commerce & Industry chaired by etc. Minister of State for Commerce & Industry IIFL Home Finance Ltd & Standard Hardeep Singh Puri held discussions on the New Chartered Bank enters into co-lending Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26. arrangement to extend credit to MSME ➢ The previous Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 was loans extended for a year till 31 March 2021 due to the ➢ IIFL Home Finance Ltd and Standard Chartered Pandemic. Bank entered into a co-lending arrangement to SPMCIL paid Rs 215.48 crore final extend credit to MSME loans (loan against dividend to central government property). ➢ The Security Printing & Minting Corporation of ➢ It is to be noted that this is one of the 1st co-lending India Limited (SPMCIL), paid the final dividend of arrangements in industry after Reserve Bank of Rs.215.48 crore to Finance Minister Nirmala India (RBI) launched its revised guidelines. Sitharaman, Government of India for the financial In a first, ICICI launched ‘InstaFX’ app for year of 2019-20. ➢ In the previous fiscal (FY19), SPMCIL had paid forex partners to help customers obtain dividend of Rs.218.48 crores to the central forex prepaid card government. ➢ ICICI Bank launched a mobile app, ‘InstaFX’ that ➢ The dividend, in compliance with Department Of allows authorised money changers, who are the InvestmentAnd Public Asset Management partners of the bank to help customers of any bank (DIPAM) guidelines, amounts to 5% of the net to obtain ‘ICICI Bank Forex Prepaid Card’ quickly. worth of the company at 31st March 2020 & 41% of Through this app, the forex partners can complete Profit after tax for FY20. the Know Your Customer (KYC) verification & validation of customers digitally and on a real-time ADB, EIB join hands to protect oceans by basis.With this, ICICI becomes the 1st bank in supporting Blue Economy India to offer such facility to money changer. ➢ On January 15, 2021, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Investment Bank J&K Bank board decided to transfer (EIB) initiated a Clean and Sustainable Ocean 8.23% stake to UT of Ladakh Partnership to achieve Sustainable Development ➢ The board of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Bank has Goals (SDGs) and the climate goals as advised in given its consent to transfer 8.23% J&K the Paris Agreement. In this regard, both entities government’s stake (4,58,29,445 Equity Shares), as will support the initiatives in Asia and the Pacific.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest YES Bank partners with Aditya Birla Tesla Inc registers its Indian subsidiary Wellness Pvt Ltd to launch ‘YES Bank in Bengaluru, Karnataka Wellness’ and ‘YES Bank Wellness Plus’ ➢ Tesla Inc, United States based Electric car maker credit cards has incorporated a fully owned subsidiary in ➢ YES Bank partnered with Aditya Birla Wellness Bengaluru, Karnataka as a first step to establish a Private Limited to launch ‘YES Bank Wellness’ Research & Development (R&D) unit in India. It and ‘YES Bank Wellness Plus’Credit Cards. This has registered with the Registrar of Companies in co-branded wellness themed credit cards Bengaluru, Karnataka as ‘Tesla India Motors and encourages self-care and fitness of consumers. Energy Private Limited’. It is also in the process of GoI to sell 10% of its stake in SAIL setting up a manufacturing plant at Dharwad, through OFS to raise Rs 2,600 crore as Karnataka for producing electric vehicles in India. part of its disinvestment drive PM CARES Fund Trust allocates Rs ➢ Government of India to sell 10% of its stake in 201.58 cr for installation of PSA Oxygen Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) through an Plants Offer for Sale (OFS) route to raise ~Rs 2,600 crore ➢ The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief as part of its disinvestment drive.The Govt sells in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund Trust 206.5 million shares or 5% equity with a 5% green has allocated Rs 201.58 crore for installation of shoe option. After selling of stake the government additional 162 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) will hold 65% stake in SAIL from 75%. Medical Oxygen Generation Plants with a total ICICI Bank ties up with Niyo to issue capacity of 154.19 MT in 32 States and Union prepaid cards ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Territories (UTs). These will be installed inside public health facilities. Payroll Card’ to MSMEs ➢ Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of PNB collaborates with IIT Kanpur & India (ICICI) Bank collaborated with Niyo, a new FIRST to set up Fintech Innovation age fintech to issue prepaid cards namely ”ICICI Centre at IIT Kanpur campus Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card” to the blue-collar ➢ On January 7, 2021 Punjab National Bank (PNB) workers of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises partnered with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) (MSMEs). Kanpur and Foundation for Innovation & Research ➢ This will enable MSMEs to upload the salaries of in Science & Technology (FIRST) to jointly set up their workers on the card, which the workers can ‘Fintech Innovation Centre (FIC)’, the Punjab then utilize as per their need. National Bank – IIT Kanpur Innovation Centre at India Post Payments Bank collaborated the IIT Kanpur campus. with FSS to promote financial inclusion BoB signs MoU with SIDBI to enable ➢ On January 12, 2021, India Post Payments Bank MSMEs apply online for One-Time (IPPB) has collaborated with the leading payment restructuring processor and provider of integrated payment ➢ On January 6, 2021, Bank of Baroda (BoB) has products, Financial Software and Systems (FSS) to signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) promote Financial Inclusion in underserved and with the Small Industries Development Bank of unbanked segments of India. To attain this purpose, India (SIDBI) to enable micro, small and medium IPPB will use FSS’ Aadhaar Enabled Payment enterprises (MSMEs) customers of the former to System (AePS). apply online for one-time restructuring. ➢ FSS is also IPPB’s preferred payment partner for ➢ With this, the eligible MSME entities can get credit Bill Payments, UPI, Card Management System, exposure up to Rs 25 crore. PoS ability, Aadhaar Pay, Smart Recon and ➢ The restructuring of the borrower account will be Switching systems. implemented by March 31, 2021.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest NSO’s Advance Estimates of GDP for India expected to grow at 5.4 % in fiscal 2020-21: India’s GDP to contract by 7.7% year 2021-22: World Bank in 2020-21 ➢ According to the Global Economic Prospects (GEP- ➢ The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of January 2021) report released by the World Bank Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) (WB), India is expected to grow at 5.4% in the released the First Advance Estimates of National Financial Year (FY) 2021-22 & 5.2% in FY 2022- Income at both Constant (2011-12) and Current 23 after an expected contraction of 9.6% in FY Prices, for FY 2020-21.The growth in real GDP 2020/21. The report also highlighted that the Global during 2020-21 is estimated at -7.7% as compared Economy is expected to expand by 4% in 2021. to the growth rate of 4.2% in 2019-20. ➢ The major causes of India’s contraction are sharp Tata Power, SIDBI join hands for rooftop declines in household spending & private investment. solar financing for MSMEs ➢ The Global economy is set to have contracted by ➢ Tata Power partnered with Small Industrial 4.3 % in 2020 Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide a Interest rates for small savings schemes finance scheme to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in rooftop solar for 4th Quarter of 2020-21 remains segment. unchanged ➢ This rooftop solar financing is for the MSME ➢ The Finance Ministry notified that the interest rates customers of Tata Power for both off-grid and on- on small savings schemes including Public grid solar connections. Provident Fund (PPF) and National Savings Certificate (NSC) for 4th quarter of 2020-21 ( GoI, West Bengal & World Bank sign USD January 1 to March 31, 2021) will remain 105 million project to improve unchanged from those notified for the third quarter waterways in West Bengal (October 1-December 31, 2020). The interest rates ➢ Government of India (GoI), Government of West are as follows: Bengal (WB)& World Bank signed USD 105 ➢ Annual Interest Rate- PPF (7.1%), NSC (6.8 %), million project (approximately INR 767 crores) for Kisan Vikas Patra-KVP(6.9 %). the West Bengal Inland Water Transport, Logistics ➢ Interest rate for the five-year Senior Citizens and Spatial Development Project. The loan for the Savings Scheme (paid quarterly) - 7.4%. project is provided by International Bank for ➢ Interest rate on savings deposits- 4% per annum. Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). ➢ Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, the girl child savings SMCB becomes India’s 1st Urban Co- scheme- 7.6 %. operative Bank to convert into Small ➢ Interest Rate of Term deposits of 1-5 years (paid Finance Bank under Voluntary Transition quarterly) - 5.5-6.7 %. Scheme ➢ Interest rate on five-year recurring deposit- 5.8%. ➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a India’s April-November Fiscal Deficit is scheduled commercial banking license to Shivalik 135.1% of full-year target Mercantile Co- operative Bank (SMCB) Ltd to ➢ In accordance with the data released by the carry on business as a Small Finance Bank (SFB) Controller General of Accounts, India’s fiscal under its ‘Scheme on voluntary transition of Urban deficit stood at Rs 10.75 lakh crore at the end of Co-operative Bank (UCB) into a Small Finance November 2020 which is 135.1% of the budget Bank’. It is the 1st UCB in India to transit to SFB estimate for FY21. The Net tax receipts were 6.88 under the scheme. trillion rupees, while total expenditure came to Rs ➢ SMCB is renamed as Shivalik Small Finance Bank 19.06 trillion. (SSFB).The bank expects to commence business as a SFB by April 2021.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 7. RBI UPDATES RBI issues framework for strengthening in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory grievance redress mechanism in banks Policies on December 4, 2020. ➢ On January 27, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India ➢ It envisages a four-layered regulatory and (RBI) announced a comprehensive framework to supervisory framework for NBFCs. As per the strengthen the grievance redress mechanism in framework, there will be Bank-like regulations for banks. the top 25 to 30 NBFCs in the country. ➢ This newly introduced framework is on the lines of ➢ Base Layer: This group will consist of NBFCs, ‘Statement on developmental and regulatory currently classified as non-systemically important policies’ issued as part of the monetary policy NBFCs (NBFC-ND/Non-Deposit taking), Peer to statement on December 4,2020. Peer lending platforms, Account Aggregators, Non- Overseas investment by Indian Operative Financial Holding Companies, and companies fell 42% to $1.45 billion in NBFCs up to Rs 1,000 crore asset size. ➢ Middle layer: It will consist of deposit-taking Dec 2020: RBI NBFCs, Housing Finance Companies, ➢ In accordance with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, overseas investment by domestic firms fell by Infrastructure Finance Companies, Infrastructure over 42% to USD 1.45 billion in December 2020 in Debt Funds, Standalone Primary Dealers and Core comparison to USD 2.51 billion in December 2019. Investment Companies. ➢ Upper Layer: This layer will consist of NBFCs ➢ Of the total FDI investment, USD 775.41 million was in the form of equity infusion, USD 382.91 which are identified as systemically significant and million was in the form of loan, and USD 287.63 can impact financial stability. million was in the form of issuance of guarantee. ➢ Top Layer: This top layer of the pyramid will remain empty unless RBI views specific NBFCs ➢ In November 2020, the total outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) was also trimmed by 27% to catering to this category. USD 1.06 billion as compared to October 2020. Small Finance Banks’ assets grew 150% RBI released 3rd booklet on Payment annually between FY18-FY20 & NPA Systems ratio moderate:RBI ➢ On January 25, 2021, RBI released the 3rd booklet ➢ In accordance with an article ‘Small Finance Banks: on Payment Systems titled “Payment and Balancing Financial Inclusion and Viability’ Settlement Systems in India- Journey in the Second published in Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Decade of the Millennium 2010-20” in which monthly bulletin on January 21, 2021, the assets of described the possibility of a digital version of fiat Small Finance Banks (SFBs) between financial currency. years (FY) 2017-18 and 2019-20 have grown 150% ➢ The earlier booklets on Payment Systems were annually. Their share in total assets of the financial released in the years 1998 and 2008. sector stood at 0.4% in March 2019. ➢ This 3rd book will serve as a reference document ➢ The article prepared by Richa Saraf and Pallavi for payment system developments in the country Chavan from the RBI’s Department of Supervision during 2010 to 2020. provided an overview of SFB’s business between FY 2017-18 and 2019-20. RBI proposes 4 layered Bank-Like Norms for NBFCs SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank remains in ➢ On January 22, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India the 2020 list of D-SIBs: RBI (RBI) released a Discussion Paper on “Revised ➢ On January 19, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India Regulatory Framework for NBFCs- A Scale-Based (RBI) released the 2020 list of Domestic Approach” on the lines of the announcement made Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) on the

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest basis of data collected from banks as on March 31, 20-digit global reference number to identify legal 2020. entities participating in financial transactions. ➢ The D-SIB framework classifies banks under five RBI forms WG to examine lending buckets depending on order of importance. In transactions via online portals, apps; accordance with this ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank chaired by Jayant Kumar Dash are in bucket one while SBI is in bucket three. ➢ The Reserve Bank of India has formulated a 6- What are D-SIBs? member Working Group (WG) to study all aspects ➢ The assets of the bank exceeding 2% of GDP of digital lending activities (including lending (Gross Domestic Product) are considered part of through online platforms and mobile apps) in the this group. If such a D- SIB fails, there would be regulated financial sector as well as by unregulated significant disruption in the banking system and the players so that an appropriate regulatory approach overall economy. can be put in place.The group will be chaired by RBI’s 22nd FSR 2021 released: Banks Jayant Kumar Dash, Executive Director, RBI and gross NPA may rise to 13.5% by Sep will submit its report within three months. 2021 RBI announces Operationalization of ➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the 22nd Payments Infrastructure Development issue of its bi-annual Financial Stability Report Fund (PIDF) Scheme (FSR) 2021. It stated that gross non-performing ➢ RBI announced Operationalization of the Payments assets (GNPAs) may rise to 13.5% by September Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) Scheme 2021, from 7.5% in September 2020 under the with an initial corpus of INR 345 Crores for three baseline scenario. years starting from January 1, 2021 & may be ➢ In case of severe stress scenario, it is projected that extended for two more years depending upon the the GNPA ratio will rise to 14.8% which would be progress. An Advisory Council (AC) under the 24-year high. It was 15.7% in March 1997. chairmanship of RBI Deputy Governor BP ➢ Banks GNPA and net NPA (NNPA) declined and Kanungo will be responsible for managing the stood at 7.5% and 2.1%, respectively, in September functioning of PIDF. 2020. ➢ The objective of PIDF is to increase payments ➢ The above mentioned information is based upon the acceptance infrastructure by adding 30 Lakh touch RBI’s macro stress tests covering the first six points – 10 Lakh Physical & 20 Lakh Digital months (April-September) of the FY20-21. Payment acceptance devices each year. RBI to Introduce LEI for large-value ➢ The scheme will function on a reimbursement basis transactions in RTGS/NEFT from April, ➢ The maximum cost of a physical acceptance device 2021 eligible for subsidy is INR 10, 000. The maximum ➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the cost of digital acceptance device eligible for introduction of Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) for all subsidy is INR 300. payment transactions of Rs 50 crore and above RBI unveils Digital Payment Index: undertaken by entities through Real Time Gross January 2021 Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Funds ➢ RBI introduced the RBI-Digital Payments Index Transfer (NEFT). (DPI) to measure a growth in digital or cashless ➢ The directions for the same have been issued by transactions across the country. RBI under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of ➢ For the index, the RBI has set the base year 2018, Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 i.e. DPI score for March 2018 is set at 100. of 2007). ➢ The DPI for March 2019 was 153.47 while for ➢ The LEI system will be effective from April 1, March 2020 it scored 207.84, representing growth. 2021 for participants in the over the counter (OTC) ➢ From March 2021, RBI will publish this DPI on its derivative and non-derivative markets.It is a unique website on a semi-annual basis.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 8. SCHEMES & INITIATIVES

PMFBY – Crop Insurance Scheme assessee will be imposed in a digital format. completes 5 years of operation Faceless penalty scheme will help boost ➢ Government of India’s Crop Insurance Scheme – transparency, compliance for taxpayers. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has ➢ In this regard, there will be setting up of National completed 5 years of its operation. It was launched Faceless Penalty Centres (NFPC), regional penalty by the Government on 13th January, 2016. centres, penalty units and review units for execution ➢ The Scheme is in line with One Nation – One of penalty proceedings.The information for the same Scheme theme. It replaces 2 existing Crop Insurance was provided by the Ministry of Finance. schemes – National Agricultural Insurance Scheme Karnataka govt launched Navodaya App & modified NAIS (National Agricultural Insurance for distribution of old-age pensions Scheme). through DBT mode ➢ The scheme was made voluntary for all farmers post ➢ Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa launched a 1st of revamp in February, 2020. Under the scheme the its kind initiative in India where, beneficiaries of premium rates are 2% for Kharif Crops, 1.5 % for old-age pensions will be automatically selected Rabi Crops & 5% for commercial and horticultural using the Navodaya app and their pension amount crops. will be paid through the Direct Benefit Transfer ➢ Union Agriculture Ministry has stated that around (DBT) mode. INR 90, 000 crore has been disbursed to farmers ➢ This model was piloted in Udupi and Ballari districts since the launch of the scheme of the state. ➢ The Central Government’s share is 90% of premium ➢ Navodaya app is developed in accordance with the subsidy for North Eastern states to promote the National Education Policy guidelines. scheme in the region. Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Mahendra Nath Pandey launches Munda virtually launched “Shramshakti” Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 digital data solution for migrant workers – 2020-21 ➢ Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda, ➢ Union Minister for Skill Development & virtually launched a national migration support Entrepreneurship, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey portal namely “Shramshakti” from New Delhi. launched the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Originally, the launch programme was held at Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0) 2020-21 in 717 Panjim, Goa. districts, 28 States/eight UTs across India and made Amit Shah launched ‘Ayushman CAPF’ available around 300 plus skill courses to the youth. scheme for personnel and dependents of ➢ The PMKVY 3.0 has been designed based on the CAPF in , Assam learnings from the previous 2 editions PMKVY 1.0 ➢ Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah (2015-16) & PMKVY 2.0 (2016-2020). launched the ‘Ayushman CAPF’ scheme for ➢ PMKVY 3.0 aims to provide training to around 8 personnel and dependents of the Central Armed lakh candidates during the period of 2020-21 with an Police Forces (CAPF) in Guwahati, Assam outlay of INR 948.90 crore. ➢ It will be fully implemented by May 1, 2021. Central govt to set up NFPC for faceless ➢ It will cover around 28 lakh personnel of CAPF, penalty proceedings: Faceless Penalty Assam Rifles and National Security Guard (NSG) Scheme 2021 and their families under ‘Ayushman Bharat: ➢ As a part of faceless taxation, the Central Board of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana’ (AB PM- Direct Taxes (CBDT) has introduced the Faceless JAY). Penalty Scheme 2021 under which penalty to

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest UP CM Adityanath launches ‘Udyam extend financial assistance for producers of “1st Sarathi’ Mobile app for Youth Generation” (1G) ethanol from feed stocks such ➢ On occasion of the 71st foundation day of Uttar as Cereals (rice, wheat, barley, corn & Pradesh (UP) or Uttar Pradesh Diwas on sorghum), Sugarcane & Sugar Beet. January24th Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ➢ The main objective behind the scheme is to launched ‘Udyam Sarathi’ mobile app for the achieve 20% blending of ethanol with fossil Youth of UP to explore self-employment fuels by 2025 from 2030 (previous target was to opportunities. achieve 20% blending by 2030). ➢ It has been developed under the One District Amit Shah launches ‘Single Window One Product (ODOP) Scheme of Uttar Pradesh Clearance System’ for coal sector as per Government’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath ➢ On January 11, 2021 Union Home Minister Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’. Amit Shah virtually launched ‘Single Window ➢ The first UP Diwas was celebrated in 2018. Clearance System’ for coal mines. The platform Aurobindo Pharma, Karnataka is expected to ease the process of obtaining Antibiotics & Kinvan bagged 1st 5 clearances for the smooth operationalisation of Projects under PLI scheme coal mines. It will help in reducing the time ➢ The Central Government gave its consent for taken to grant approvals in the sector. first set of five pharma projects with the total ➢ The Unified platform will reduce the need for committed investment of Rs 3,761.17 crore. It companies to approach different authorities for was approved under the Production Linked operationalisation of coal mines, which is the Incentive (PLI) scheme for promoting domestic main cause for delay. manufacture of bulk drugs and active ➢ At present, around 19 major approvals or pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). clearances are required to start a coal mine in ➢ These are bagged by Hyderabad (Telangana) the country. based Aurobindo Pharma, Bengaluru ➢ In 2020, India had opened up India’s coal (Karnataka) based Karnataka Antibiotics & reserves to private-sector development to boost Pharmaceuticals, and Kinvan Pvt Ltd located in domestic production. Mumbai, Maharashtra. NHAI set to operationalise India’s 1st Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani announced government sponsored InvIT by March, ‘Mukhyamantri Bagayat Vikas Mission’ 2021 ➢ The state government of Gujarat is all set for the ➢ National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) formation of ‘Mukhyamantri Bagayat Vikas is set to operationalise India’s 1st government Mission’ or ‘Horticulture Development Mission’ sponsored Infrastructure Investment Trust to accelerate agriculture, horticulture and (InvIT) by March, 2021. Around 5-6 road promote farming of herbal plants in the state. It projects worth INR 5, 000 crore have been given aims to double the income of farmers engaged in in-principle approval for transfer to the InvIT. medicinal and horticulture farming ➢ InvIT – It is a Collective Investment Scheme ➢ Under this mission, the waste land of the through which individuals & institutional government (around 20000 hectare) will be investors can invest in infrastructure projects given on 30-year lease for farming of and earn a small portion of the income as return. horticulture and medicinal crops. ➢ NHAI aims to mobilise around INR 15,000- DoFPD notifies modified scheme to 20,000 crore through its maiden InvIT offering. enhance 1G ethanol production in ➢ Based on the response from investors it would be scaled up as a funding model in future. India ➢ Department of Food & Public Distribution (DoFPD) has notified a modified scheme to

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 9. CABINET APPROVALS

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) ➢ The major reforms in mining will be implemented Chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has by amending the Mines and Mineral (Development approved the following proposals in January 2021. and Regulation) Act 957 or MMDR Act, 1957 to Cabinet approved Minimum Support Price solve legacy issues. (MSP) of Copra for 2021 season Cabinet approves procurement of 83 LCA ➢ Based on the recommendations of the Commission Tejas from HAL for IAF worth Rs. 45,696 for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), The Cr; India-UAE MoU approved Union Cabinet has given its approval for the ➢ The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of copra for 2021 procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) at season. the cost of Rs. 45,696 Crore for ➢ In this regard, Minimum Support Price (MSP) for (IAF). These include 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of milling copra is aircrafts and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircrafts. increased by Rs.375 to Rs. 10335/- per quintal for ➢ LCAs are manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics 2021 season from Rs. 9960/- per quintal in 2020. Limited (HAL). ➢ The MSP for ball copra has been increased by Cabinet approved Central Sector Scheme Rs.300/-, to Rs. 10,600/- per quintal for 2021 for 17 Years for Industrial Development season from Rs. 10300/- per quintal in 2020. of J&K Cabinet approves the investment ➢ The Union Cabinet has approved the Central Sector proposal of Rs. 5281.94 crore for 850 MW Scheme (CSS) namely “New Industrial Ratle Hydro Power Project Development Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K ➢ The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the IDS, 2021)” for Industrial Development of Jammu new Joint Venture Company (JVC) for an & Kashmir (J&K). investment of Rs.5281.94 crore in the 850 MW ➢ The scheme proposed by Department for Promotion Ratle Hydro Electric (HE) Project. The project is of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has been located on river Chenab, in Kishtwar district of approved with a total outlay of 28,400 crore upto Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir the year 2037. (J&K) and will be commissioned within 60 months. ➢ The package will remain in force for 17 years i.e. ➢ The life cycle of the project will be 40 years. 2020-21 to 2036-37. ➢ The new JVC will be incorporated between ➢ So far, the amount disbursed under various special National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) package schemes is Rs. 1,123.84 crore. and Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Cabinet approves Deepening and Corporation Ltd (JKSPDC) with equity Optimization project of Paradip Port contributions of 51% and 49% respectively. ➢ The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Cabinet approves proposal for mineral (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra reforms by amending MMDR Act, 1957 Modi has approved Rs.3,004.63 crore project to ➢ In order to boost mineral production in the country, turn Paradip Port in Odisha into a world-class port. the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister The project is titled as “Deepening and Narendra Modi approved a proposal for mega Optimization of Inner Harbour Facilities including mineral reforms. The major objective of the reforms Development of Western Dock on Build, Operate is to generate huge employment opportunities, and Transfer (BOT) basis under Public-Private reduce imports and increase production by bringing Partnership (PPP) mode to handle cape size vessels large mineral blocks into auction. at Paradip Port”.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 10. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX creates new world Record by ISRO to launch “Sri Shakti Sat”, a launching 143 satellites in single launch Satellite developed by college students by Falcon 9 ➢ Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is ➢ SpaceX successfully created a new world record by planning to launch ‘Sri Shakti Sat’ a satellite that launching 143 Satellites in a single mission on was developed by 12 college students with inputs January 24th,2021. from ISRO. This satellite will be launched into The satellites were launched using the Falcon 9 outer space by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Reusable rockets from the Cape Canaveral Space (PSLV)-C51 on February 28, 2021. Force Station in Florida, United States of America. ➢ Sri Shakti Sat developed by students of Sri Shakthi With this, SpaceX bettered Indian Space Research Institute of Engineering and Technology, Organization’s (ISRO) record of deploying 104 Coimbatore,Tamilnadu at a cost of Rs. 2.5 Crores. satellites in a single mission in February 2017. CAQM set to partner with premier ➢ The Launch is also the first dedicated mission for technical institutions to establish DSS to SpaceX under SmallSat ‘Rideshare’ program called improve air quality in Delhi-NCR Transporter-1. ➢ The Commission for Air Quality Management ➢ Falcon-9 Rocket is the World’s 1st Orbital-class (CAQM) is set to partner with premier technical reusable rocket, which in turn helps in reduction of institutions of the country to establish a Decision costs for space programs. Support System (DSS) for improving the air quality •SpaceX CEO: Elon Musk in Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region •Headquarters: California, USA (NCR). India in 3rd position in scientific The institutions are publications after China and US ➢ India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi ➢ The Department of Science and Technology (DST), ➢ Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Ministry of Science and Technology has announced Pune that India is currently in 3rd position globally in ➢ The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) IIT scientific publications after China and the United Delhi States, with 1,35,788 scientific articles in the year ➢ National Environmental Engineering Research 2018. The data is provided by the US agency, the Institute (NEERI) National Science Foundation (NSF). ➢ Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune. India & Bangladesh sign MoU for ➢ DSS will utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) for launching Pupil Satellite to be developed simulation of scenarios, based on which steps will by students from both countries be taken to improve air quality. ➢ In order to celebrate the 50 years of India- NSDC partners with California State Bangladesh friendship & the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, India & University to provide digital skills Bangladesh have signed an Memorandum of training in India Understanding (MoU) to design & launch the Pupil ➢ The National Skill Development Corporation Satellite TV for PC to be completely developed by (NSDC) partnered with California State University, students from both countries. Long Beach (CSULB) to fulfill the increasing ➢ The satellite is set to be launched through ISRO’s demand for a digitally skilled workforce in India. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in the third ➢ The initiative is led by eSkillIndia, the digital or fourth Quarter of 2021. skilling unit of NSDC.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ Under this partnership,the platform of CSULB – ➢ Research & Development Activities SkillsCommons and Multimedia Education ➢ The research and innovation investment in India is Resource for Learning and Online Teaching 0.69% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is (MERLOT) will be integrated with NSDC’s low compared to 2.8% of the United States of eSkillindia.org, to encourage e-learning among the America, 4.3% in Israel & 4.2% in South Korea. youths of India. ➢ ISRO spends 22% of its budget for R&D activities. HAL successfully test - fires Smart Anti Sector wise Plans for the Decade Airfield Weapon (SAAW) Every Centre of ISRO has come out with a decadal ➢ Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) successfully plan. Some of them are test - fired the indigenous Smart Anti Airfield ➢ Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) – To Weapon (SAAW) from the Hawk-i aircraft close to achieve partial & full reusability of Rockets. the coast of Odisha. It is the 1st Smart Weapon to ➢ Liquid Propulsions Space Centre (LPSC) – To be fired from an Indian Hawk- Mk132. achieve the high thrust semi cryogenic propulsion ➢ It has been developed by Research Centre Imarat capability, to boost Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (RCI), Hyderabad of Defence Research and (GTO) payload capability to 5.5 tonnes. It has also Development Organization (DRDO) under HAL’s set aim to focus on Methane propulsion, Green Hawk-i Program. Propulsion & Electric Propulsion. • HAL Headquarters : Bengaluru, Karnataka ➢ Space Applications Centre (SAC) to complete Overview of ISRO’s plan for the decade indigenization efforts for Indigenous Atomic Clock 2021-30 and Travelling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTA). ➢ Sivan, Secretary of Department of Space (DoS) & BDL signed teaming agreement with Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation Thales to make STARStreak Missile (ISRO) has chalked out the plan for the decade Systems in India 2021-30. ➢ India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) under the ➢ It has listed both short-term vision & long-term Ministry of Defence and the United Kingdom’s visions. The plan envisions the development of Thales signed a ‘Teaming Agreement’ to develop heavy lift rockets, reusable satellite launch vehicles STARStreak Air Defence system in India under the & semi-cryogenic engines. ‘Make in India’programme. This partnership will be Short Term vision supported by both Governments. In the short term, ISRO has plans to execute diverse ➢ Earlier in 2017 both entities inked a Memorandum missions which are of Understanding (MoU) for the transfer of ➢ First Developmental Flight of the Small Satellite technology for STARStreak. Launch Vehicle (SSLV) planned to be launched in ➢ STARStreak Missile –It is in service in the British March, 2021. Army and has been procured by defence forces ➢ Operational Geo-Imaging capability, which is worldwide.It is the fastest missile in its category. expected to be launched in 2021. Harsh Vardhan inaugurates coastal ➢ Chandrayaan-3 – Third Lunar Mission of ISRO research vessel ‘Sagar Anveshika’ at expected to be launched by late 2021 or early 2022. Chennai Port ➢ Aditya-L1 – First Solar Mission of ISRO, It is ➢ Union Minister for Earth Sciences, Harsh Vardhan expected to be launched in 2022. launched Coastal Research Vehicle (CRV) ‘Sagar ➢ Launching of the First Indian Data Relay Satellite Anveshika’ at the Chennai Port. The vehicle will be System (IDRSS). It is a planned constellation of used to carry out environment indexing and Inter-satellite communications satellite expected to bathymetric (mapping underwater features) in both be launched in early 2021. coastal and offshore waters. ➢ The Gaganyaan Programme - India’s First unmanned flight is set to be launched in 2022.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ It will be used for research purposes by National ➢ The production of electricity will be in about 2000- Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and has been hectare water areas and the floating panels will be built by , Kolkata,West Bengal. installed in the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam. ➢ National Institute of Ocean Technology already ➢ Estimated investment of the project stands at INR have 6 research vessels – Sagar Kanya, Sagar 3, 000 crore. Sampada, Sagar Nidhi, Sagar Manusha, & Sagar DRDO signs MoU with Maha-Metro for Tara. implementation of advanced biodigester successfully test- fires ‘Fatah-1’ Mk-II technology – Guided Multi Launch Rocket System ➢ Defence Research and Development Organisation ➢ Pakistan successfully test-fired its indigenous (DRDO) & Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation ‘Fatah-1’ – Guided Multi Launch Rocket System (MAHA-METRO) signed a Memorandum of (MLRS) which has capability of precision target Understanding (MoU) through which DRDO will engagement deep into the enemy territories. provide technical support for the implementation of ➢ It is capable of carrying conventional warheads and advanced biodigester Mk-II technology for has a range of 140 Kilometres. treatment of human waste (night soil) in the metro ➢ The guided MLRS is capable of hitting targets rail network. without leaving behind the unexploded ordnance. ➢ The biodigester units (a non-sewered sanitation ➢ It is a variant of the guided MLRS family which has technology) will help in conserving water & an extended range of up to 150 kms. protecting the environment. ➢ In December, 2020 Pakistan tested its ballistic missile ‘Ghaznavi’ which has a range of 290 Pakistan test- fires ‘Shaheen-III’ nuclear Kilometers. capable ballistic missile ➢ On January 20, 2021 Pakistan successfully test- 2020 is 8th warmest year in India since fired a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface 1901: IMD ‘Shaheen-III’ ballistic missile. ➢ The ‘Statement on Climate of India during 2020’ ➢ The missile has a range of 2, 750 Kms and is the issued by Climate Research and Services (CRS) of longest-range missile developed in Pakistan. India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ministry ➢ This is the 2nd test of the missile and the first test of Earth Sciences, Government of India mentioned was carried out in March, 2015. that 2020 was the 8th warmest year in India since nation-wide records commenced in 1901. FSSAI reduces permissible level of ➢ As per ‘The State of the Global Climate 2020’ Trans-Fatty Acids in oils & fats to 3% for released by World Meteorological 2021 Organisation(WMO), the global mean surface ➢ The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India temperature during January to October, 2020 was (FSSAI) released guidelines to reduce the +1.20C permissible level of Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA) in oils ➢ But, this is substantially low than the highest and fats to 3% for 2021 & 2% by 2022 from the warming observed over India during 2016 current permissible limit of 5%. (+0.710C) ➢ The change has been brought through an World’s largest floating solar energy amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations. project at MP set to begin power ➢ The regulation applies to edible refined oils, generation by 2022-23 vanaspati (partially hydrogenated oils), margarine, ➢ The World’s largest floating 600 Megawatt (MW) bakery shortenings & other mediums of cooking solar energy project which is under construction at like vegetable fat spreads & mixed fat spreads. Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river in Khandwa ➢ WHO has set a target for global elimination of trans district of Madhya Pradesh is set to begin power fats by 2023. generation by the year 2022-23.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 11.DEFENCE

Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft (IN FAC) ➢ Aero India 2021 will be conducted from 3rd to 5th T-81 decommissioned February 2021 in Air Force Station, Yelahanka, ➢ Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft (IN FAC) T-81 of Bengaluru,Karnataka. the Super Dvora MK II class was decommissioned ➢ The theme of the Aero India Exhibition 2021 is at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. “Runway to a Billion Opportunities” ➢ IN FAC T-81 was built at Goa Shipyard Ltd in Indian Army signs USD 20 million collaboration with M/s Ramta of Israel. contract with ideaForge to procure ➢ The vessel was commissioned into the Navy on 05 SWITCH UAVs Jun 1999 by the then Governor of Goa, Lt Gen JFR ➢ Indian Army has signed USD 20 Million (~ INR Jacob (Retd). 140 Crores) contract with ideaForge to procure India to procure 21 MiG-29 Fighter Jets unmentioned numbers of high-altitude variant of and 12 Sukhoi-30 MKI Aircrafts from Indigenous SWITCH UAV (Unmanned Aerial Russia Vehicle) over a period of 1 year. ➢ Indian Government is set to procure 21 MiG ➢ SWITCH is a Fixed-Wing-Vertical Take-off and (Mikoyan-Gurevich)-29 fighter jets and 12 Sukhoi Landing (VTOL) UAV and is capable of being (Su)-30MKI (Modernizirovannyi, Kommercheskiy, deployed at high altitude and harsh environments. Indiski) aircrafts from Russia. In addition to this, DRDO & Indian Army developed India’s existing 59 MiG-29 aircrafts will also be upgraded. 1st indigenous machine pistol ASMI; RLG ➢ The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the 21 MiG-29 systems handed over to Indian Navy will shortly be issued to Russian state-run defence ➢ The Defence Research and Development export arm Rosoboronexport. Organisation (DRDO) Armament Research & ➢ Till now, IAF has inducted 268 of 272 Sukhoi jets. Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune IAF Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Maharashtra) in collaboration with the Indian launched IAF e-Governance portal – “e- Army’s Infantry School, Mhow has developed office” India’s first indigenous 9mm machine pistol ASMI. ➢ The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS It will replace the 9mm pistols used by defence Bhadauria launched the “e-office”, Indian Air Force forces. (IAF) E-governance portal over a virtual ceremony ➢ It has been developed by a young officer ‘Lt Col at the Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhavan, New Delhi. Prasad Bansod’ from Infantry School, Mhow in a The portal is developed and implemented by the record time of four months. National Informatics Centre (NIC). Indian Army & Goa Shipyard signed to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched produce 12 patrol boats for Pangong the mobile app – Aero India 2021 Lake in Eastern Ladakh ➢ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the ➢ Indian Army has signed an agreement with Goa mobile application – Aero India 2021 during the Shipyard Ltd(GSL), a state-run public sector, to Apex Committee Meeting conducted on 15th procure the 12 high-performance patrol boats to January 2021 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The app boost its surveillance of major water bodies like Aero India 2021 was developed by EventEdge. Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh ➢ This event application will provide an interactive and its surroundings including those in high altitude interface to the issues related to the 13th edition of areas. Aero India 2021, ➢ All these patrol boats expect to be delivered from May 2021.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 12. AWARDS AND HONOURS

Ministry of Home Affairs announced ➢ In addition to them, Father of Fiber Optics Narinder Padma Awards 2021 Singh Kapany conferred Padma Vibhushan ➢ Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India posthumously announced the Padma Awards 2021. Padma Shri ➢ The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian ➢ It is the fourth-highest civilian award and is Awards in India. They are conferred in three conferred for distinguished service categories namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma ➢ Key Persons: The Padma Shri awardees 2021 Bhushan and Padma Shri. include writer-illustrator Narayan Debnath, Mithila ➢ The awards are announced every year on the painter Dulari Devi, and Rajasthani music artist occasion of Republic Day on January 26. Lakha Khan. ➢ The 2021 Padma Awards have been conferred upon ➢ , Rama Swamy Annavarapu 119 winners, which includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, (Art), Prakasarao Asavadi (Literature and 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri Awards. Education) from Andhra Pradesh and Kanaka Raju ➢ Of the total winners, 29 are women,10 persons are (Sports) from Telangana are conferred Padma Shri. from the category of Foreigners/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI, 16 51st International Film Festival of India Posthumous awardees and 1 transgender person and ➢ The 51st edition of International Film Festival of 1 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as India (IFFI) was held from 16 January to 24 one) January 2021 at Shyamaprasad Stadium near Panaji ➢ The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields in Goa. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the festival of activities, such as art, social work, public affairs, was held in hybrid mode, there was physical and science and engineering, trade and industry, virtual screening of 50 films out of 224 films across medicine, literature and education, sports, civil various categories. service, etc. ➢ Bangladesh was country of focus in the festival. Padma Vibhushan Four films of Bangladesh were included in ‘country ➢ It is the second-highest civilian award of India, after of focus’ section. the Bharat Ratna. ➢ The awards have been decided by the IFFI 51 ➢ It is given for exceptional and distinguished service. International Jury comprising eminent filmmakers ➢ Key persons: Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo from across th world, with Pablo Cesar (Argentina) Abe, S P Balasubramaniam (Posthumously) and as its Chairman. Eminent sculptor from Odisha ➢ The winners of the IFFI awards are listed below were conferred with Padma Vibhushan. •Golden Peacock Award for Best Film– Into the Padma Bhushan Darkness ➢ It is the third-highest civilian award and is •Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor – Male – conferred for distinguished service of a high order. Tzu-Chuan Liu, The Silent Forest ➢ Key Persons: Ram Vilas Paswan(Posthumous), who •Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor – Female – was the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food Zofia Stafiej, I Never Cry and Public Distribution (elected from the Hajipur •Silver Peacock Award for Best Director – Chen- constituency of Bihar) was honoured with Padma Nien Ko,The Silent Forest Bhushan. •Best Debut Director Award – Cássio Pereira dos ➢ Apart from him, Tarun Gogoi, former Assam CM Santos, Valentina who was the longest serving CM of the state was •Special Mention Award – Kripal Kalita, Bridge also conferred with Padma Bhushan. •Special Jury Award – Kamin Kalev, February

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest •ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award – Ameen Nayfeh’s Coal Minister’s Awards 2020 200 Meters ➢ The Ministry of Coal Presented Coal Minister’s •Indian Personality of the Year Award – Biswajit Awards 2020.Three units of Coal India Ltd (CIL) Chatterjee namely Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) in Madhya •Lifetime Achievement – Vittorio Storaro (Italian Pradesh, Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) in Jharkhand cinematographer) & Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) in Maharashtra Dr. Bhandari & SEEDS have bagged the ‘Coal Minister’s Award 2020’ for wins Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda adopting the best & sustainable practices for coal Prabandhan Puraskar 2021 mining in India. ➢ The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan ➢ The awards were presented by Pralhad Joshi, Puraskar 2021 was awarded to Dr. Rajendra Kumar Union Minister of Coal & Mines during a function Bhandari under Individual category, while held in New Delhi. Sustainable Environment and Ecological Philanthropist Gaikwad awarded Development Society (SEEDS) received the award “Nelson Mandela” World Humanitarian under Institutional category for their contribution in Award disaster management. ➢ Ravi Gaikwad, a Philanthropist & Chief of ➢ The award is annually announced on January 23 on Regional Transport Office, Thane & Konkan the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Region has been awarded the “Nelson Mandela” Bose. World Humanitarian Award for his dedication & ➢ The award is given by Government of India and it service to humanity. is administered by National Disaster Management Union Education Minister Ramesh Authority (NDMA). Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ honoured with Government of India confers Pradhan Sahitya Gaurav Samman 2021 by Hindi Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2021 to 32 Writers Guild of Canada Children ➢ Hindi Writers Guild of Canada honoured Union ➢ The Government of India conferred Pradhan Mantri Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) 2021 to 32 with the Sahitya Gaurav Samman 2021 for his children under 6 categories, namely innovation, writings and literature through a virtual programme. scholastic, sports, arts & culture, social service and ➢ The award ceremony was organised by Hindi bravery. This award was instituted by the Ministry Writers Guild, Canada. of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Ministry of Power, BEE organized the Government of India in 1996. 30th National Energy Conservation ➢ Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is given Awards 2020 under 2 categories namely, Bal Shakti Puraskar and ➢ The Ministry of Power in association with the Bal Kalyan Puraskar(Individual and Institution) Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) organized the Key Persons Who Received the Award 30th National Energy Conservation Awards 2020 ➢ Chirag Bhansali (16 year old) from Noida’s Delhi (NECA 2020). R.K. Singh, Minister of State Public School was conferred with the 2021 PMRBP (Independent Charge) for Power and New & for launching his website and mobile application Renewable Energy was the Chief Guest of the called ‘Swadeshi Tech’, which acts as an alternative event. to Chinese apps. ➢ The 5 sectors under NECA 2020 are Industry, ➢ Veer Kashyap (10-year-old) received this award for Transport, Building, Institution & Appliance. building a board game ‘Corona Yuga’ during the ➢ Energy Management Centre, Kerala bagged the 1st lockdown in Bengaluru and posted it on YouTube, Prize in the State Designated Agencies Category for where it went viral. its effective energy conservation programmes.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 13. SPORTS

Carolina Marin & Viktor Axelsen clinch List of Medal Winners from India singles titles in Yonex Thailand Open ➢ Gold:Saurabh Chaudhary – men’s 10m air pistol, badminton tournament 2021 Divyansh Singh Panwar- men’s 10m air rifle, ➢ The Yonex Thailand Open Super 1000 badminton Kynan Chenai – men’s trap, Rajeshwari Kumari – tournament was held from 12 January 2021 to 17 women’s trap January 2021. It was the first badminton ➢ Silver: Arjun Babuta – men’s 10m air rifle, tournament of 2021 by Badminton World Shreyasi Singh – women’s trap Federation (BWF). ➢ Bronze:Manu Bhaker – women’s 10m air pistol, Winners List Sarabjot Singh – men’s 10m air pistol, Deepak •Men’s Singles – Viktor Axelsen of Denmark Kumar – men’s 10m air rifle, Prithviraj Tondaiman •Women’s Singles – Carolina Marin of Spain – men’s trap, Manish Keer – women’s trap. •Men’s Doubles – Taiwan’s Lee Yang and Wang BCCI cancels Ranji Trophy 2020-21 for Chi-Lin first time in 87 years •Women’s Doubles – Indonesia’s Greysia Polii and ➢ The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Apriyani Rahayu has decided not to conduct the Ranji Trophy in •Mixed Doubles – Thailand’s Dechapol 2020-21 . Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai ➢ This will be first time in 87 years since its inception Indo-Tibetan Border Police wins IHAI in 1934-35, that India’s premier first-class cricket National Ice Hockey Championship 2021 national championship Ranji Trophy will not be in Gulmarg held. ➢ The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has won the 13-day Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sport 10th National Ice Hockey Championship trophy by & Youth festival 2021 begins in Ladakh defeating team Ladakh. ➢ In Ladakh, the inaugural edition of the Khelo India ➢ The National Ice Hockey Championship was Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth Festival 2021 organised by Ice Hockey Association of India kicked off on 18th January 2021. (IHAI), from 16 to 22 January, 2021 at Gulmarg Ice ➢ The 13- Day Zanskar Winter Sports Festival aims Rink, in Jammu and Kashmir (UT). to open new arena in Ladakh for adventure and ➢ Eight teams took part in the championship, which Nature loving tourists and to give a boost for local took place at an altitude of 8,694 feet where the Youth to hone up their skills in winter sports to temperatures is below freezing point (Minus 1 represent India. degree). Australian umpire Claire Polosak India tops medals tally with 11 medals at becomes first-ever female to officiate first Asian Online Shooting men’s Test match Championship ➢ Claire Polosak, an Australian umpire, has become ➢ The Indian shooting contingent has topped the the first-ever woman match official of a men’s Test medals tally in the first-ever Asian Online Shooting match. Championship, organised by Kuwait Shooting ➢ The 32-year-old achieved the feat on January 07, Federation on 29 and 30 January 2021. 2021, when she took over the role of fourth umpire ➢ The 24-member Indian shooting contingent won in the ongoing third Test between India and total 11 medals, which included four gold medals, Australia in Sydney. two silver and five bronze medals. ➢ Prior to this, Polosak had also become the first-ever ➢ 274 shooters from 22 Asian countries took part in female to officiate in a men’s ODI on April 27, the competition. 2019.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 14. OBITUARIES

Narendra Chanchal, popular Indian Padma awardee legendary musician, Bhajan singer passed away at 80 Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan passes ➢ Narendra Chanchal, Indian singer who is popular away at 90 for his devotional songs (bhajan) passed away at the ➢ Legendary Indian classical musician, Ustad Ghulam age of 80 in New Delhi, Delhi. He also sung songs Mustafa Khan has passed away. He was 90 years in Hindi films. He was born on October 16, 1940 in old. Amritsar, Punjab. ➢ Ghulam Mustafa Khan was known for the Legendary American talk-show host Hindustani classical genre of music. Larry King passes away at 87 ➢ He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991, followed ➢ The iconic American radio and television host and by Padma Bhushan in 2006 and Padma Vibhushan paid spokesman Larry King has passed away. He in 2018. was 87. ➢ Apart from this, he was bestowed with the Sangeet ➢ King has quizzed thousands of world leaders, Natak Akademi Award in 2003. politicians, entertainers, athletes, and everyday Social Activist and Padma Shri awardee people for CNN and other news outlets in a career D Prakash Rao passes away at 63 spanning more than six decades. ➢ Noted social activist and Padma Shri winner, D ➢ He rose to fame in 1978 as a radio host of The Prakash Rao has passed away following a brain Larry King Show and then hosted Larry King Live stroke. He was 63. on CNN for about 25 years from 1985 to 2010. ➢ Rao was basically a tea seller based in Cuttack, who Former Governor spent his entire earning to educate slum children, Mata Prasad passes away at 95 through the school ‘Asha O Ashwasana’, which he ➢ Former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and senior started in 2000. ➢ He was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri Congress leader Mata Prasad has passed away. He award in 2019 for his contribution towards boosting was 95. ➢ Mata Prasad hailed from Jaunpur district of Uttar the value of education among slum kids in Cuttack. ➢ Apart from this, Rao was also a well-known blood Pradesh. donor. ➢ He had served as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh in 1993 and as Minister in the Congress Padma Shri awardee Telugu Journalist government in UP in 1988- 89. Turlapati Kutumba Rao passes away at Padma Award winning renowned 89 Oncologist Dr V Shanta passes away at ➢ Veteran journalist and orator (public speaker) Sri Turlapati Kutumba Rao has passed away. He was 93 89 years old. ➢ Renowned oncologist Dr V Shanta has passed ➢ He has written over 4000 biographies and delivered away, following chest pain. She was 93. ➢ Dr Shanta was the chairperson of Adyar Cancer over 16000 public speeches which has been recorded by the Telugu Book of Records as a world Institute in Chennai, which she joined in 1954. record. ➢ She was a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri ➢ Rao has received a number of honours for his field (1986) and Padma Bhushan (2006) for her efforts for making quality and affordable cancer treatment of work, including the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri, in 2002, making him the first accessible to everyone. journalist from the state of Andhra Pradesh to ➢ She was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan and the Ramon Magsaysay awards. receive the award.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 15. REPORTS, INDICES AND RANKINGS

India to emerge as second most resilient fastest growing mature tech ecosystem, with economy in 2021; Germany tops: PHDCCI investment in it increased 5.4 times from USD 1.3 Report billion in 2016 to USD 7.2 billion in 2020.The list ➢ India will emerge as the second most resilient is followed by London, Munich, Berlin, Paris. economy in 2021, as per the International Mumbai, Maharashtra secures 6th place with Economic Resilience (IER) Rankings released by investment in it growing 1.7 times from USD 0.7 industry body, PHD Chamber of Commerce and billion in 2016 to USD 1.2 billion in 2020. Industry (PHDCCI). ➢ Bengaluru secures 6th place in global top 10 for ➢ The ranking has been topped by Germany, among VentureCapital (VC) investment. This list is topped the top-10 leading economies. South Korea is at by Beijing and San Francisco, New York, Shanghai third position in the list. and London The ranking is based on analysis of five indicators : India ranks 10th in EIU’s Asia-Pacific 1. Real GDP growth rate, Personalised Health Index 2. Merchandise export growth rate, ➢ India has been ranked 10th among 11 Asia Pacific 3. Current account balance (as percentage of GDP), countries in a newly-launched”Asia-Pacific 4. General government net lending/borrowing (as Personalised Health Index‘ by the Economist percentage of GDP) and Intelligence Unit (EIU). 5. Gross debt-to-GDP ratio ➢ The index aims to measure the progress of each of Maharashtra tops 2nd India Justice the 11 countries towards adopting personalised Report for delivering justice to people healthcare, enabling the right care to be made ➢ Maharashtra has retained its top rank in the second available to the right person at the right time. edition of the India Justice Report – 2020, which ➢ Overall, Singapore has topped the index. It is judges states in terms of delivery of justice to followed by Taiwan (2nd), Japan (3rd) and people. Australia (4th). ➢ Maharashtra retained its number one position ➢ Indonesia is the last ranked country at 11th in the among 18 large and mid -sized states (where index population is over one crore each). ➢ The ‘Personalised Health Index’ ranks each of the ➢ Tamil Nadu and Telangana were second and third country based on 27 different indicators of respectively in the same category. personalized health, with each grouped into four ➢ Among the 7 small states (where the population is categories called ‘Vital Signs’. These include less than one crore each), Tripura has topped the list Policy Context, Health Information, Personalised followed by Sikkim and Goa. Technologies and Health Services ➢ The India Justice Report (IJR) is launched by Tata India ranks 86 among 98 Countries in Trusts in collaboration with Centre for Social Lowy Institute’s Covid-19 Response Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Index: New Zealand tops list Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS–Prayas, Vidhi ➢ India has been ranked at 86th position among 98 Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives countries in the new Coronavirus Performance Bengaluru emerges as world’s fastest Index released by Australia-based Lowy Institute. growing Mature Tech Ecosystem: Report ➢ New Zealand, Vietnam and Taiwan are the top ➢ Dealroom.co data analysed by London & three countries respectively in the index. Partners(the Mayor of London’s international trade ➢ Brazil was ranked at the bottom of the list for worst and investment agency) has revealed that handling of the pandemic than any other country. Bengaluru, Karnataka has emerged as the world’s

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest ➢ Countries were ranked based on the publicly India ranks 7th in Global Climate Risk available and comparable data on Covid-19 Index 2021 of Germanwatch; response. China was excluded from the list due to Mozambique Tops lack of publicly available data. ➢ India has been placed among the top 10 most ➢ The Lowy Institute is an independent international affected countries by climate change, in the Global policy think tank, located in Sydney. Climate Risk Index 2021 published by the Bonn- India secures 86th rank in Corruption based environmental think tank Germanwatch. Perception Index 2020; New Zealand and ➢ India ranked as the seventh worst-hit country in Denmark placed at first position terms of climate change in 2019. ➢ India has been ranked 86th among 180 countries in ➢ The Global Climate Risk Index 2021 is the 16th Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2020, released edition of the annual report and has taken into by Transparency International (Headquarter – account the data available for 2019 and from 2000 Berlin, Germany) on 28 January 2021. to 2019. ➢ This year, India’s rank has slipped six places ➢ Objective: The index analyses and ranks to what compared to 2019, when it was ranked at 80th spot. extent countries and regions have been affected by ➢ The CPI score for India in 2020 is 40. impacts of climate related extreme weather events ➢ CPI Index: The CPI index ranks 180 countries and (storms, floods, heatwaves etc.) territories by their perceived levels of public sector ➢ Top 3 countries : Mozambique, Zimbabwe and corruption according to experts and business Bahamas were the top three most affected countries people. in 2019 respectively. ➢ The index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is ➢ Top 3 Countries most affected in past 20 years: highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. Between 2000-2019, Puerto Rico, Myanmar and ➢ Top Country: New Zealand and Denmark have Haiti were the countries most affected by the jointly secured first position with scores of 88. impacts of such weather events. ➢ Lowest Country: Somalia and South Sudan rank NITI Aayog releases second edition of lowest at 179th position with scores of 12. India Innovation Index ➢ India is sharing its position jointly with Burkina ➢ NITI Aayog released the second edition of the India Faso, Morocco, East Timor, Trinidad and Tobago Innovation Index on 20 January 2021, along with and Turkey the Institute for Competitiveness. TCS ranks third most valued IT services ➢ The report examines the innovation capabilities and brand globally; IBM leads: Brand Finance performance of the states and union territories. ➢ India’s Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been ➢ The innovation index ranking is based on five ranked third most-valued IT services brand enabler parameters (‘Human Capital’, ‘Investment’, globally, according to a report by Brand Finance. ‘Knowledge Workers’, ‘Business Environment’, The brand value of HDFC Bank is recorded at USD ‘Safety and Legal Environment’), and two 15 billion. performance parameters (‘Knowledge Output’ and ➢ Four Indian IT services companies have secured ‘Knowledge Diffusion’). spots in the top-10 globally, namely, TCS (3), List of top States in India Innovation Index 2021 Infosys (4), HCL (7) and Wipro (9). ➢ In the ‘Major States’ category, Karnataka occupied ➢ Accenture has retained the title of world’s most the top position, followed by Maharashtra and valuable and strongest IT services brand with brand Tamil Nadu respectively. value of $26 billion. ➢ In UT and city states category, Delhi topped ➢ IBM is at the second place with brand value of followed by Chandigarh. $16.1 billion ➢ Under the ‘North-Eastern/Hill States’ category, ➢ Brand Value is the present value of earnings, Himachal Pradesh emerged as the top state. specifically related to brand reputation.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 16. COMMITTEES Centre forms empowered panel under RBI sets up College of Supervisors (Cos) former TRAI chief RS Sharma, for Covid- chaired by former deputy governor N S 19 vaccine Viswanathan to strengthen supervision ➢ The Union government has formed an empowered ➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up an committee for administration of Covid-19 vaccine. academic advisory council called ‘College of ➢ The committee has been formed days ahead of the Supervisors (CoS)’ to further strengthen mega vaccination drive which is to start in India supervision over regulated entities. from 16 January 2021. ➢ The Cos will be headed by former deputy governor ➢ This ten-member team will be headed by RS N S Viswanathan and will have five other members. Sharma, former TRAI chief and will include top ➢ Key objective of the council will be to identify health ministry and UIDAI officials as other areas where skill building/up-skilling are required, members.. plan and develop curricula of all programmes, ➢ However, the panel is free to invite eminent persons benchmark the programmes with international as and when required to ensure delivery of the standards/•best practices, and develop appropriate vaccine through the Co-Win technology platform. teaching methods, etc. ➢ It must be noted that Sharma is also a member of Centre plans to form committee, headed the National Expert Group on Vaccine by MoS for Home G Kishan Reddy, to Administration of Covid-19 that was formed in protect language, culture & land of August 2020 and is headed by Niti Aayog member, Ladakh VK Paul. ➢ The Central Government has decided to form a Prime Minister Modi to chair high level committee to protect the unique language, cultural committee constituted to commemorate identity and land of Ladakh. the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji ➢ The Committee will be headed by the Minister of Subhas Chandra Bose State for Home G Kishan Reddy. ➢ To commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of ➢ This committee will also ensure citizen’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a high level participation in the development of the Union committee has been constituted. The committee will Territory. be headed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra ➢ The other members of the committee will include Modi. elected representatives from Ladakh, Ladakh ➢ The high level committee will decide about the Autonomous Hill Development Council, central various activities for a one year long government, and the Ladakh administration. commemoration, which shall begin from 23 January Centre constitutes high-level group for 2021. South Asia energy security under Ram ➢ The commemoration activities will be held in Vinay Shahi Delhi, Kolkata and other places associated with ➢ The Central Government has set up a high-level Netaji and Azad Hind Fauj, both in India as well as group to build a South Asia-focused energy security overseas. architecture ➢ There are 85 members in this committee including ➢ The high-level group, named the South Asia Group ministers, distinguished citizens, historians, authors, for Energy (SAGE), will be headed by former experts, family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Union Power Secretary Ram Vinay Shahi. Bose, as well as eminent persons associated with ➢ SAGE has been set up under the Ministry of Azad Hind Fauj. External Affairs (MEA)-run think tank Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS).

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 16. SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

S.No Name Of The Summit & Conference Details ➢ It was held on 28 January 2021 in New Delhi. 5th Joint Meeting of the India-Japan ➢ The AEF was established in 2017 to provide a platform for India- 1. Act East Forum Japan collaboration in the North Eastern Region under India’s “Act East Policy” and Japan’s vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. ➢ The Meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ➢ In the meeting ten agenda items were taken for review worth Rs. 54,675 crore, related to 15 states. These included nine projects and 2. 35th PRAGATI Meet one programme. ➢ PRAGATI stands for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation. ➢ It was inaugurated by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister of 7th Edition of MASCRADE Health and Family welfare, on 21 January 2021. 3. (Movement against Smuggled & ➢ It was organized by FICCI Counterfeit Trade’) 2021

➢ The 5th edition of the Defence Ministers’ Dialogue (DMD) between India and Singapore was successfully held on 20 January 2021 through a video conference, in an effort to deepen military 5th India and Singapore Defence cooperation. 4. Ministers’ Dialogue ➢ During the meeting, the ‘Implementing Agreement on Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation’ was signed between the two Navies.The agreement was signed between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Singaporean counterpart Dr. Ng Eng Hen. ➢ The event was inaugurated by Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & IT and Law & Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad. 5. 15th India Digital Summit 2021 ➢ Organized by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) ➢ The theme of the 2021 Summit was ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat – Start of New Decade’ ➢ The Summit has been organized by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under M/o Commerce & Prarambh: Startup India International Industry. Inaugurated by Piyush Goyal 6. Summit’ ➢ Members of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries participated in the inaugural event. ➢ France hosts 4th One Planet Summit in cooperation with UN and 7. 4th One Planet Summit World Bank ➢ The theme of the Summit was “Let’s act together for nature!” ➢ It was inaugurated by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ ➢ Organized by Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (CUPB) in 8. ‘EDUCON-2020’ collaboration with the Global Educational Research Association (GERA). ➢ The focal theme of EDUCON-2020 was “Envisioning Education for Transforming Youth to Restore Global Peace”.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 17. APPOINTMENTS S.No Name Appointed as

1. Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala The first woman as well as the first African national to be appointed as the next Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).She succeeds Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down in August 2020. •World Trade Organization (WTO) Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland 2. Ajay Singh Ajay Singh, the Chairman of Spicejet, has been re-elected as the President of Boxing Federation India for a second term 3. S.N. Subrahmanyan, CEO Appointed as Chairman of the National Safety Council and MD of L&T Ltd. 4. Praveen Sinha Appointed as interim Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has been appointed in place of the incumbent chief RK Shukla, whose tenure came to an end on February 03, 2021. 5. Andy Jassy Andy Jassy, who is currently serving as the chief executive of Amazon Web Services (AWS), will replace Bezos as CEO of Amazon. Amazon.com Inc founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos has announced that he would step down as CEO of the company and become Executive Chairman in Q3 of 2021, i.e. with effect from July 01, 2021. 6. Bhavya Lal Indian-American Bhavya Lal has been appointed as the new Acting Chief of Staff of the US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 7. Rama Mohan Rao Appointed as the new MD and CEO of SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd (SBI Card). •SBI Card Headquarter: Gurugram 8. Henry Moniz Appointed as first Chief Compliance Officer of Facebook 9. Nguyen Phu Trong The ruling Community Party of Vietnam has re-elected its 76-year-old General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for a third five-year term. He has been serving the post since 2011. 10. R S Sharma Appointed as new CEO of Ayushman Bharat Scheme. He succeeds Indu Bhushan 11. Jay Shah BCCI Secretary Jay Shah takes over as President of Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Headquarter – Colombo, Sri Lanka 12. Swaminathan Janakiraman Appointed as MDs of State Bank of India for a period of three years. SBI and Aswini Kumar Tewari is headed by a Chairman and four Managing Directors. Dinesh Kumar Khara is the current Chairman of the bank. The other two MDs of the bank are C.S. Setty and Ashwani Bhatia. 13. Kaja Kallas Sworn in as first woman Prime Minister of Estonia. Estonia Capital: Tallinn • Currency : Euro 14. J K Shivan Appointed as MD & CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank Headquarter of Dhanlaxmi Bank – Thrissur, Kerala 15. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa The incumbent President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has won a second five-year term after winning the 2021 Portuguese presidential election with landslide victory. Portugal Capital – Lisbon; Currency – Euro 16. Siddhartha Mohanty Appointed as Managing Director of LIC .He succeeds TC Suseel Kumar

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17. Kiren Rijiju The Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (Independent Charge) and Minister of State, Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of AYUSH. He has been assigned the portfolio on temporary basis till the Union Minister Shripad Y Naik, who met with an accident on January 11 resumes his work. 18. Vishwavir Ahuja RBL Bank board approves re-appointment of Vishwavir Ahuja as MD and CEO 19. PM Narendra Modi Appointed as Chairman of Gujarat’s Somnath Temple Trust. The post of chairman of the trust was vacant following the death of Keshubhai Patel, former chief minister of Gujarat, in October 2020, who served as the chairman for 16 years (2004-2020). 20. Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Museveni wins sixth term as Uganda’s President. Uganda capital: Kampala; currency: Ugandan shilling 21. Nazhat Shameem Khan, The Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, has been elected by the UN Human Rights Council as its President for 2021. 22. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Indian entrepreneur and Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw appointed as one of the three new Vice-Chairs of US- India Business Council 23. List of new appointments of List of 4 judges elevated as Chief Justices Chief Justices in High Courts Name Present High Court New High Court by President Kovind. (Judge) (Chief Justice)

Dr. S. Muralidhar Punjab & Haryana Orissa The President of India, Shri Ms. Hima Kohli Delhi Telangana Ramnath Kovind has transferred 4 Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee Calcutta Madras and 6 Judges of High Courts, Pankaj Mithal Allahabad Jammu & Kashmir in exercise of the power and Ladakh conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the List of 4 Chief Justices Transferred Constitution of India. Name Current High Court New High Court Raghvendra Singh Telangana Uttarakhand He also elevated 4 Judges as Chauhan Chief Justices of the High Jitendra Kumar Andhra Pradesh Sikkim Courts, in exercise of the Maheshwari power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Mohammad Rafiq Orissa Madhya Pradesh Constitution of India. Arup Kumar Sikkim Andhra Pradesh Goswami

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 18. DAYS AND THEMES

Date Day Description & Theme of 2020 January 31st World Leprosy Day Theme of 2021: “Beat Leprosy, End Stigma and advocate for Mental Wellbeing ” (LAST SUNDAY In India, World Leprosy Day is OF JANUARY) celebrated on 30 January, the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s death.

January 30th World Neglected Tropical Theme of 2021: Face NTDs: End the Neglect Diseases Day

January 26th International Customs Day Theme of 2021: “Customs bolstering Recovery, Renewal and Resilience”.

January 25th 11th National Voters Day Theme of 2021: “Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed”.

January 25th National Tourism Day Theme of 2021: “Dekho Apna Desh”.

January 24th International Day of Theme of 2021: “Recover and Revitalize Education for the Education COVID-19 Generation”.

January 24th 13th National Girl Child Day On this occasion, the Govt of India organises awareness campaigns under Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao-BBBP (Save the girl National Girl Child Week child, Educate the girl child) scheme. (January 21 to 26, 2021) 18 January National Road Safety Month The first-ever National Road Safety Month was inaugurated by To 2021 Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh and Union Minister 17 February for Road Transport and Highways & MSME Nitin Gadkari 2021. January 15th Indian Army Day 2021 marks the 73rd Indian Army Day.. Theme of 2021 : Channelizing Youth Power for Nation January 12th National Youth Day Building. This Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda January 10th World Hindi Day The day marks the anniversary of first World Hindi Conference which was inaugurated on January 10, 1975 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. first World Hindi Day was commenced on 10 January 2006.

January 9th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Theme of 2021 : “Contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.

January 4th World Braille Day ------

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 19. BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book title Author

The Little Book of Encouragement World renowned spiritual leader Dalai Lama

The Population Myth: Islam, Family Planning and S Y Quraishi, Former chief election commissioner Politics in India

Manohar Parrikar – Off The Record Waman Subha Prabhu, Senior Journalist

Right Under our Nose R. Giridharan, a general manager at RBI 20. DEFENCE EXERCISES AND OPERATIONS

Name of the Exercise Description ➢ Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) participated in Exercise the 1st Edition of Bilateral Air Exercise ‘Desert Knight-21’ ➢ It was held at Air Force Station, Jodhpur from January 20-24, 2021. ➢ The bilateral 1st of its kind exercise involved the participation of Rafale fighter jets from both sides.

➢ Indian Navy conducted the Joint Tri-Service Amphibious Military Exercise Exercise ➢ All service components of – Indian Army, Air Force, Navy ‘AMPHEX-21’ & Coast Guard participated in the Exercise ➢ It was held at Andaman & Nicobar group of Islands from January 21-25, 2021.

Exercise ➢ 16th edition of India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas 20’ began on ‘Yudh Abhyas 20’ February 08, 2021 in Mahajan Field Firing Range of Bikaner district in Rajasthan. The exercise will continue till February 21, 2021.

Operation ‘Sard Hawa’ ➢ The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched “Operation Sard Hawa” on the western international border of Rajasthan. The Operation aims to check the instances of infiltration due to the dense fog cover in the region, and increase security on the border areas in Jaisalmer.

Exercise Kavach ➢ Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) conducted joint military exercise ‘Kavach’ in Andaman Sea & Bay of Bengal. The exercise involved participation of Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard.

Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-21’ ➢ The second edition of the biennial pan-India coastal defence exercise ‘Sea Vigil- 21’ has been organised on 12-13 January 2021 by the Indian Navy. The exercise is a build up towards the major Theatre level exercise TROPEX [Theatre-level Readiness Operational Exercise] which Indian Navy conducts every two years.

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 22. CURRENT AFFAIRS PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. What will be the total financial assistance provided 7. What was India’s rank in ‘Asia-Pacific by World Bank for its Strengthening Teaching- Personalised Health Index 2020’ report? Learning and Results for States (STARS) project? a) 10th b) 11th a) USD 400 million b) USD 700 million c) 1st d) 5th c) USD 500 million d) USD 4 billion e) 9th e) USD 1 billion 8. Recently (in Jan 2021), Indian Navy 2. Which loss making state-owned company was decommissioned its IN FAC T-81 vessel. What approved for closure by Cabinet Committee on does FAC stand for? Economic Affairs in January 2021? a) Fighter Air Craft a) Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) b) Fighter Attack Craft b) Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL-VSP) c) Fast Attack Craft c) Scooters India Limited (SIL) d) Fast Air Carrier d) Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) e) Fighter Attack Carrier e) State Trading Corporation of India Limited 9. For the 1st time since its inception in 1934-35, (STC Limited) Ranji Trophy 2021 was suspended owing to 3. What was the theme of 51st Edition of 2021 World pandemic. The tournament is related to which of Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, ‘The the following? Davos Agenda 2021’? a) Football b) Badminton a) Together, We Fight the Virus c) Tennis d) Cricket b) Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable e) Kabaddi World 10. In India Martyrs’ Day is annually observed on 30th c) A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust January. Which Indian leader’s death anniversary d) Responsive and Responsible Leadership coincides with Martyrs’ Day? e) Together, We Can a) Bhagat Singh 4. Which organisation launched the Global AI b) Chandra Shekhar Azad (Artificial Intelligence) Action Alliance (GAIA)? c) Subhas Chandra Bose a) UN – Global Compact d) Mahatma Gandhi b) World Economic Forum (WEF) e) Vallabhbhai Patel c) International Monetary Fund (IMF) 11. Which of the following was not among the d) World Knowledge Forum measures mentioned in the ‘Marine Mega Fauna e) World Bank Stranding Guidelines’ released by MoEFCC, in 5. Which bank partnered with StashFin (in Jan 2021) January 2021? to launch a co-branded prepaid card, that enables a) Boost scientific research customers to take overdraft loans up to Rs. 5 b) Rebuilding of degraded habitats of marine lakhs? mammals a) Deutsche Bank India b) DBS Bank c) Reduce stranding of marine turtles c) SBM Bank (India) Ltd d) HSBC Bank India d) Increasing fish population e) United Overseas Bank e) Increasing People’s Participation in conservation 6. What was India’s GDP growth for FY20, as 12. Which state government recently (in Jan 2021), predicted in the National Statistical Office launched a Geographic Information System (GIS)- (NSO)’s, First Revised Estimates (FRE)? based interactive dashboard for Teacher Education a) 4.2 % b) 4% Institutes (TEIs)? c) – 7.7 % d) – 4.2 % a) Odisha b) Karnataka c) Maharashtra e) 6 % d) Andhra Pradesh e) West Bengal

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 13. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan addressed the FII. 20. Which country finalised its Sustainable He highlighted the 5 big impacts of COVID-19 Development of the Northeast Region of India that influence global business. Where was the 4th initiative with India, in its 5th Joint Meeting of Act edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) East Forum (AEF)? Forum 2021 was held virtually? a) Indonesia b) South Korea a) Dhaka, Bangladesh c) Japan d) Laos b) Seoul, South Korea e) Vietnam c) New Delhi, India 21. Which state topped the 2nd Edition of India Justice d) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Report (IJR) 2020, that was released by Tata e) Jakarta, Indonesia Trusts? 14. Which period recorded the highest ever FDI equity a) Maharashtra b) Tamil Nadu inflow into India for the first 8 months of a c) Telangana d) Kerala Financial Year? e) West Bengal a) January – August 2020 22. What was India’s rank in the 2020 Corruption b) May – December 2019 Perceptions Index (CPI), released by Transparency c) April-November 2020 International? d) January – August 2019 a) 80th b) 86th e) June 2020 – December 2021 c) 41st d) 40th 15. What was the Global public debt at the end of e) 88th 2020 as per IMF data? 23. Which organisation indigenously developed a) 89 % of GDP b) 84 % of GDP Reference Material(RM), to strengthen the c) 104 % of GDP d) 98 % of GDP capacity of the anti-doping in India, in e) 83 % of GDP collaboration with National Dope Testing 16. Which state government recently (in Jan 2021), Laboratory (NDTL), in January 2021? signed an MoU with Amazon India to boost the a) National Institute of Pharmaceutical exports of MSME products in the state? Education and Research (NIPER), a) Gujarat b) Karnataka Guwahati c) Punjab d) Andhra Pradesh b) Serum Institute of India, Pune e) West Bengal c) Indian Institute of Science Education and 17. Who recently (in Jan 2021), got appointed as the Research (IISER), Tirupati MD & CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank? d) Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), a) Sunil Gurbaxani b) S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao Hyderabad c) JK Shivan d) Atul Kumar Goel e) National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education e) Shyam Srinivasan and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad 18. Which State/ UT received the Best Electoral 24. Who authored the motivational picture, ‘Race With Practices Award 2020 under the Accessible Me!’? Election category during the 11th National Voters a) Andre De Grasse b) Robert Budd Day event? c) Joseph Osei Bonsu d) Only 1 & 2 a) Chandigarh b) Punjab e) All 1, 2 & 3 c) Kerala d) Gujarat 25. Which region is a home to 428 species of birds, as e) Delhi per the recent (as of Jan 2021) data of Zoological 19. Who received the Business Standard Banker of the Survey of India (ZSI)? year award for 2019-20? a) Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary a) Chanda Kochhar b) Shikha Sharma b) c) Naga Hills c) Shyam Srinivasan d) Sandeep Bakhshi d) Eastern Himalayas e) Andaman & Nicobar e) Arundhati Bhattacharya

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 26. Which state government recently (in Jan 2021), 33. Which organisation signed a framework for launched ‘DHARA’, an anti-land mafia software? strategic partnership agreement with India to a) Odisha b) Karnataka enhance global energy security, in January 2021? c) Maharashtra d) Uttar Pradesh a) Energy Information Administration (EIA) e) West Bengal b) International Renewable Energy Agency 27. Recently (in Jan 2021), Cabinet Committee on (IRENA) Economic Affairs increased the MSP of ______c) International Energy Agency (IEA) in line with 1.5 times the average cost of d) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change production. (IPCC) a) Groundnut-in-shell b) Copra e) International Energy Forum (IEF) c) Safflower d) Masur 34. Who recently (in Jan 2021), became the 1st woman e) Soyabean Prime Minister of Estonia? 28. Which city will be benefitted through the Nutrition a) Kaja Kallas b) Jüri Ratas Program launched by UN World Food Programme c) Clark d) Tarja Halonen (UNWFP) in collaboration with Cargill, as of e) Laura Chinchilla January 2021? 35. Which book received the Romain Rolland Book a) Mumbai, Maharashtra Prize 2021? b) Jaipur, Rajasthan a) Ullasa Thirumanam c) Dispur, Assam b) One Arranged Murder d) , Gujarat c) Ibnebatuti e) New Delhi d) Low 29. Recently (in Jan 2021), Which state became the 1st e) Baaghi Ballia in India to have 2 airstrips on expressways for 36. Recently (in Jan 2021),Which award was emergency landing and take-off of fighter planes? introduced by ICC? a) Bihar b) Madhya Pradesh a) Women’s Test Player of the Century c) Himachal Pradesh d) Assam b) Test Champion of the Decade e) Uttar Pradesh c) Wicket keeper of the Month 30. What was India’s FDI rate for 2020, as per UN – d) Player of the Month Conference on Trade and Development’s 38th e) Wicket keeper of the Decade Global Investment Trends Monitor? 37. Which country virtually hosted the 17th a) Increased by 3 % b) Decreased by 42 % Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue c) Increased by 42 % d) Decreased by 8 % 2021? e) Increased by 13 % a) India b) Germany 31. Which state government recently (in Jan 2021), c) Turkey d) Japan implemented Direct Benefit Transfer for old-age e) Indonesia pensions automatically using the Navodaya app? 38. What was India’s rank among the worst-hit a) Karnataka b) Gujarat countries due to extreme weather events, as per the c) West Bengal d) Punjab 16th edition of “Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) e) Tamil Nadu 2021”? 32. Which bank was recently (in Jan 2021) imposed a) 4th b) 7th c) 3rd d) 9th e) 11th with a penalty of Rs 1 crore for invoking pledge of 39. Which company recently (in Jan 2021) acquired 5 securities by violating the interim directions of % stake in the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX)? SEBI? a) Indraprastha Gas b) Adani Total Gas a) HDFC Bank b) ICICI Bank c) Torrent Gas d) Only 1 & 2 c) SBI d) Citibank e) Only 2 & 3 e) Axis Bank

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 40. Which Bank’s share worth Rs. 366 crores were 47. Which company was India’s biggest Overseas sold in open market by UBS Principal Capital Asia investor, as per RBI’s data (as of Jan 2021)? Ltd, in January 2021? a) ONGC Videsh Ltd a) Kotak Mahindra Bank b) Tata Consultancy Services b) IDFC First Bank c) Coal India Ltd c) IndusInd Bank d) Reliance Industries d) Equitas Small Finance Bank e) Steel Authority of India Ltd e) Lakshmi Vilas Bank 48. Which Insurance company launched the ‘Krishi 41. What was the average daily intake of salt, as per Sakha App’, that provides farming related the findings of 1st National Non-Communicable information’? Disease (NCD) Monitoring Survey (NNMS)? a) New India Assurance a) 10 gm b) 12 gm b) HDFC Life Insurance c) 15 gm d) 8 gm c) Bharti AXA General Insurance e) 5 gm d) Life Insurance Corporation of India 42. In January 2021, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla e) The Oriental Insurance Company inaugurated the 5-day Bharat Parv-2021, a virtual 49. What was India’s projected GDP for 2020-21 in National Festival at New Delhi. What was the core FICCI’s recent (Jan 2021) Economic Outlook idea behind Bharat Parv? Survey? a) Fight against inequality a) – 8.8 % b) – 7.7 % b) Technically Support MSME c) – 9 % d) – 7 % c) Promote Tourism e) – 8 % d) Provide incentive to MSME 50. Which country has the world’s largest current e) Promote Tribal Culture and Products account surplus, as of January 2021? 43. Who became the 1st woman Fighter Jet pilot to be a) China b) Japan part of Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Tableaux in a c) USA d) France Republic Day Parade? e) Germany a) Bhawana Kanth 51. Who was appointed to the UN’s High-level b) Mohana Singh Advisory Board (HLAB) on Economic and Social c) Avani Chaturvedi Affairs, in January 2021? d) Gunjan Saxena a) Abhijit Sen b) Jayati Ghosh e) Shivangi c) Utsa Patnaik d) Raguram Rajan 44. Which country’s triservice force contingent e) Gita Gopinath participated in India’s 72nd Republic Day Parade? 52. Recently (in Jan 2021), Prime Minister Giuseppe a) Sri Lanka b) Bhutan Conte resigned from office due to mishandling c) Bangladesh d) Nepal COVID – 19 pandemic. He served as the PM of e) Vietnam ______. 45. Where did BSF conducted "Operation Sard a) Spain b) Poland Hawa"? c) Czech Republic d) Azerbaijan a) New Delhi b) Jaisalmer e) Italy c) Amristar d) Dharamshala 53. Who was the only foreigner to receive Padma e) Kargil Vibhushan Award in 2021? 46. Which country hosted the virtual international a) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS Online) 2021? b) Donald Trump a) India b) Switzerland c) Shinzo Abe c) Netherland d) England d) Boris Johnson e) France e) Angela Merkel

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 54. Sudarshan Sahoo received Padma Vibhushan 61. Who received “Indian Personality of the Year Award for 2021. He was India’s renowned Award” in the 51st IFFI awards? ______. a) Biswajit Chatterjee a) Entrepreneur b) b) Sand Artist c) c) Scientist d) Kripal Kalita d) Musician e) Anil Sharma e) Mountaineer 62. Who chaired the 69th North Eastern Council 55. How many women were awarded during the (NEC) that was held at , Meghalaya in Padma Awards 2021? January 2021? a) 10 b) 29 a) Narendra Modi b) Amit Shah c) 54 d) 33 c) Rajnath Singh d) Nirmala Sitharaman e) 14 e) Arjun Munda 56. Where is DRDO’s Integrated Weapons System 63. What was the average life expectancy of a dam, as Design Centre located? per the UN University – INWEH’s report, ‘Ageing a) Chennai, Tamil Nadu Water Storage Infrastructure: An Emerging Global b) Chandigarh Risk’? c) Bhubaneswar, Odisha a) 100 years b) 75 years d) Hyderabad, Telangana c) 60 years d) 150 years e) Trivandrum, Kerala e) 50 years 57. What is the objective of ‘MASCRADE 2021’ – 64. Which organisation created New World Record (in Movement that was organised by FICCI Cascade? Jan 2021) by successfully launching 143 Satellites a) Fight against Non Communicable diseases in a single mission? b) Eliminate smuggling of spurious products a) ISRO b) NASA c) Eliminate Child Trafficking c) JAXA d) SpaceX d) Fight towards Labour Welfare e) Roscosmos e) Eliminate Child Labour 65. Which is the 1st Indian state to establish a 58. Which state government allowed teenager Srishti dedicated migration cell to address the issues of Goswami to be its one-day Chief Minister, on the migrant workers who come from different States? occasion of National Girl Child Day to encourage a) Maharashtra b) Gujarat leadership capability among girls? c) Meghalaya d) Goa a) Uttar Pradesh b) Sikkim e) Punjab c) Himachal Pradesh d) Uttarakhand 66. Which State/UT recently (in Jan 2021), approved e) Meghalaya its Industrial Land Allotment Policy, 2021-30? 59. Which was the 1st state to get additional funds for a) Jammu & Kashmir b) Goa capital projects from Finance Ministry, for c) Punjab d) Madhya Pradesh successfully carrying out reforms in various e) Ladakh citizen-centric areas? 67. Which organisations will be benefited through the a) Madhya Pradesh b) Maharashtra revised regulatory framework announced by RBI c) Gujarat d) Punjab in a Discussion Paper released in January 2021? e) Kerala a) Small Finance Bank 60. Which film won the Golden Peacock Award in the b) Urban Cooperative Bank 51st IFFI awards? c) Non-Banking Financial Company a) Parasite b) The Irishman d) Payment Banks c) Joker d) Into the Darkness e) Micro finance Institutions e) Article 15

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 68. Which payment bank recently (in Jan 2021) 74. Where was the foundation stone laid for a new launched a ‘Safe Pay’ security feature to its “Science City” in January 2021? customers to make secured digital transactions? a) Tripura b) Assam a) Airtel Payments Bank c) Hyderabad d) Telangana b) Paytm Payments Bank e) Punjab c) India Post Payments Bank 75. In January 2021, Government of India approved to d) Fino Payments Bank increase the Share Capital of ______from e) Jio Payments Bank Rs. 3000 Cr to Rs. 10,000 Cr. 69. Name the justice who (in Jan 2021) became the 1st a) United Bank of India woman chairperson of Broadcasting Content b) Oriental Bank of Commerce Complaints Council (BCCC). c) Allahabad Bank a) Manjula Chellur d) Punjab & Sind bank b) Indu Malhotra e) Central Bank of India c) Indira Banerjee 76. In January 2021, RBI drained ______rupees d) Geeta Mittal from the banking system, as a push to money- e) Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani market rates that crashed below the reverse repo 70. Which was named as the world’s largest rate. derivatives exchange by Futures Industry a) 10 trillion b) 10 billion Association (FIA), in January 2021? c) 5 trillion d) 2 trillion a) Bombay Stock Exchange e) 50 billion b) U.S. Futures Exchange 77. Which organisation signed an MoU with Indian c) National Stock Exchange of India Army for defence equipment manufacturing, in d) New York Stock Exchange January 2021? e) Eurex Exchange a) DRDO 71. What was the theme of 15th India Digital Summit b) Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers 2021 (IDS 2021), virtually organized by Internet & c) Bharat Electronics Limited Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) in January d) Dassault Systèmes 2021? e) Honeywell International a) Aatmanirbhar Bharat – Start of New Decade 78. PM Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resigned in b) Enabling The New Normal January 2021, to take political responsibility for a c) Digital India: Success to Excellence scandal involving investigations into child welfare d) Emerging Enterprise Technologies payments. He was the PM of ______. e) Digital India: Success to Excellence a) Italy 72. When was the 1st Parakram Diwas celebrated? b) Netherlands a) 25th January 2021 c) Estonia b) 26th January 2021 d) Sweden c) 23rd January 2021 e) Denmark d) 20th January 2021 79. Which country got approval from the Union e) 22nd January 2021 Cabinet (in Jan 2021) for signing an MoU with 73. Where was 1st ever Khelo India Winter Sports & India for cooperation in solar energy sector? Youth Festival conducted? a) Uzbekistan a) Dharamsala b) Azerbaijan b) Srinagar c) Kenya c) Shimla d) Yugoslavia d) Kargil e) Mongolia e) Manali

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 80. Recently (in Jan 2021), PM Modi released 86. What was India’s rank in the ‘2021 Military financial assistance of around Rs 2691 crores to Strength Ranking’ listed by Global Firepower? ~6.1 lakh beneficiaries in ______under a) 3rd b) 2nd Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY- c) 8th d) 7th G). e) 4th a) Maharashtra 87. Which organisation partnered with the Ministry of b) Uttar Pradesh Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY to c) Tamil Nadu set up the World’s 1st Quantum Computing d) Jharkhand Applications Lab in India? e) Uttarakhand a) Tata Communications 81. Which state introduced India’s 1st Solar Electric b) Amazon Web Services Roll-on/roll-off (RORO) service? c) Tata Consultancy Services a) Kerala b) Punjab d) CloudEndure c) Karnataka d) Gujarat e) Microsoft Azure e) West Bengal 88. Which state became the 1st in India to provide 82. Indian Railways has renamed one of India’s oldest subsidy for electricity through Direct Benefit trains Howrah-Kalka Mail Express as Transfer (DBT)? ______a) Gujarat a) b) Maharashtra b) Howrah c) Punjab c) Kavi Guru Express d) Andhra Pradesh d) Nizamuddin e) Madhya Pradesh e) Netaji Express 89. Which state government renamed Gorewada 83. Who won the Presidency Election of the United International Zoo as “Balasaheb Thackeray Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Gorewada International Zoological Park”? January 2021? a) Tamil Nadu a) Nazhat Shameem b) Bihar b) Michelle Bachelet c) Rajasthan c) TS Tirumurti d) Maharashtra d) Deepak Bhojwani e) Chhattisgarh e) Zeid Raad Al Hussein 90. Which International Airport recently (in Jan 2021) 84. Which of the following was the Credit Card commissioned a floating solar power plant with recently (in Jan 2021) launched by Axis Bank to Capacity of 452 KWh? provide Health and Wellness benefits to its a) Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International customers? Airport a) Ka-ching b) iBox b) Cochin International Airport c) IKEA Family d) AURA c) Kempegowda International Airport e) Axis Health d) Goa International Airport 85. What was the maximum period for dispute e) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport resolution prescribed under Insolvency and 91. Which country/countries virtually participated with Bankruptcy Code (IBC) for a corporate insolvency India (in January 2021) for the 1st time to discuss resolution process (CIRPs)? Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues? a) 433 days b) 90 days a) USA b) European Union c) 120 days d) 210 days c) Japan e) 330 days d) Indonesia e) Both 3 & 4

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 92. Who got approval from the Appointments 98. Which bank collaborated with Asian Development Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) (in Jan 2021) to Bank (ADB) to make oceans Clean and become the New MD of Life Insurance Sustainable, to achieve Sustainable Development Corporation (LIC)? Goals (SDGs) and climate goals under Paris a) TC Susheel Kumar Agreement, as of January, 2021? b) Siddhartha Mohanty a) Reserve Bank of India c) Subhash Chandra Khuntia b) World Bank d) Sanjeev Kumar c) European Investment Bank e) Kamlesh Rao d) Bank for International Settlements 93. Which organisation released the Global Risks e) New Development Bank Report 2021 based on its Global Risks Perception 99. Who chaired the Sub-Committee of the Financial Survey (GRPS)? Stability and Development Council (FSDC) that a) World Economic Forum (WEF) reviewed the stability of Financial Market, in b) Financial Reporting Council (FRC) January 2021? c) United Nations Office for Disaster Risk a) Viral Acharya b) Nirmala Sitharaman Reduction (UNDRR) c) Gita Gopinath d) Shaktikanta Das d) World Vision International (WVI) e) Bimal Jalan e) Amnesty International 100. Who won the Women’s Singles title in the Yonex 94. Which country attained the World No.1 Test Team Thailand Open 2021,that took place in Bangkok, spot (in Jan 2021) for the First time in history? Thailand, in January 2021? a) Pakistan b) India a) Tai Tzu-ying b) Simona Halep c) England d) Bangladesh c) Nozomi Okuhara d) Carolina Marin e) New Zealand e) Greysia Polii 95. What was the app used by Government of India for 101. Which organisation(s) released a comprehensive e- monitoring the World’s largest Vaccination book on CollabCAD 3D modelling 1.0, in January programme launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2021? January 2021? a) Atal Innovation Mission a) Covid-19 App b) CoVaccin App b) Central Board of Secondary Education c) Aarogya Setu App d) CoWIN App c) National Informatics Centre e) Covishield App d) Only 2 & 3 96. PM Modi recently announced a seed fund worth e) Only 1, 2 & 3 Rs 1,000 crore for ______, as of January, 2021. 102. Which Asset Management Company recently a) Startups became a signatory to Climate Action 100+ to b) CSR Fund achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals, in January c) Green Revolution 2.0 2021? d) Fisheries Sector a) HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd e) White Revolution 2.0 b) Kotak Mahindra Asset Management 97. What was the theme of 24th National Youth Company Ltd Festival (NYF) 2021 that was held from 12th to c) Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd 16th January, 2021? d) UTI Asset Management Company Ltd a) Youth for Digital India e) SBI Funds Management Private Ltd b) Sankalp Se Siddhi 103. Which was India’s Newest Airlines that made its c) YUVAAH – Utsah Naye Bharat Ka inaugural journey from Indore to Ahmedabad in d) Celebrating Diversity January, 2021? e) Fit Youth Fit India a) IndiRise b) Flybig c) AirJet d) TrueJet e)

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 104. Who recently got appointed as the director general 109. Recently, the 26th edition of the Kolkata of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in International Film Festival (KIFF) 2021 was January 2021? conducted in January, 2021 also marking the birth a) Subodh Kumar Jaiswal centenary of ______. b) M M Bhagwat a) Soumitra Chatterjee c) M S Sharma b) Utpal Dutt d) Arif Sheikh c) Satyajit Ray e) Asra Garg d) Mrinal Sen 105. Who will chair the 10-member advisory committee e) formulated by Insurance Regulatory and 110. Which organisation announced to adopt 100 Atal Development Authority of India to improve the Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the country, in product quality and coverage of the health January 2021? insurance? a) Indian Army a) V S Narendran b) DRDO b) G R Surya Kumar c) CBSE c) Rajinish Kumar d) UGC d) Subhash Chandra Khuntia e) ISRO e) Dinesh Kumar Khara 111. Which Payment Bank recently collaborated with 106. Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, resigned from office Financial Software and Systems (FSS) to promote amid corruption allegations. He served as the PM Financial Inclusion in underserved segments using of _____. FSS’ Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), a) Egypt as of January, 2021? b) Poland a) India Post Payments Bank c) Democratic Republic of Congo b) Fino Payments Bank d) Estonia c) Paytm Payments Bank e) South Africa d) NSDL Payments Bank 107. Recently, Padma Shri Awardee, D Prakash Rao e) Airtel Payments Bank. passed away. He was India’s renowned 112. Who was appointed as the head of the Technical ______. Expert Group that was setup to examine the a) Educationist findings of the National Family Health Survey-5 b) Social Worker (NFHS-5), 2019-20? c) Musician a) Harsh Vardhan d) Classical Dancer b) Preeti Pant e) Environmentalist c) Chandra Shekhar 108. Which scheme replaced 2 existing crop insurance d) Ajit Kumar schemes – National Agricultural Insurance Scheme e) Abhijit Sen (NAIS) & modified NAIS on 13th January, 2016? 113. Who was recently appointed as the full-time a) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana President of the United Nations COP26 climate (PMKSY) conference to be held in Glasgow, in January b) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana 2021? (PMFBY) a) Rishi Sunak c) Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana b) Ben Wallace (PMKMY) c) Alok Sharma d) Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana d) Dominic Raab (PMSBY) e) Michael Gove e) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 114. Recently, in January 2021, the 5th National 119. When is the World Hindi Day observed globally? Kayakalp Awards for the year 2019-20 was a) 8 January b) 9 January awarded virtually by Union Minister Harsh c) 10 January d) 11 January Vardhan. Under which scheme was the National e) 12 January Initiative ‘Kayakalp’ launched? 120. Recently, Union Minister for Earth Sciences, a) PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) Harsh Vardhan has launched Coastal Research b) PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) Vehicle (CRV) ‘______’ at the Chennai Port. c) Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) a) Sagar Manusha b) Sagar Nidhi d) Menstrual Hygiene Schemes (MHS) c) Sagar Sampada d) Sagar Kanya e) PM Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) e) Sagar Anveshika 115. National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) will 121. What is the theme of EDUCON-2020? allocate Rs 22,000 crore for construction of a a) Challenging the Transition from the Classic to 1400-MW feeder captive power plant (CPP) in the Emerging in the Engineering Education ______. b) Emerging Trends and Challenges of a) Koraput, Odisha Engineering Education b) Jindal, Chhattisgarh c) Engineering Education through Student c) Mundra, Gujarat Engagement d) Korba, Chhattisgarh d) Envisioning Education for Transforming e) Angul, Odisha Youth to Restore Global Peace 116. What was the predicted Gross Non-Performing e) Smart Education in Smart Cities Assets (GNPAs) by September 2021 as per the 122. Who will head the ‘College of Supervisors (CoS)’ 22nd bi-annual Financial Stability Report (FSR) formed by RBI to further strengthen supervision 2021 of RBI? over regulated entities? a) 7.5% a) Viral Acharya b) Mahesh Kumar Jain b) 13.5% c) Michael Patra d) N S Viswanathan c) 14.8% e) R. Gandhi d) 7.7% 123. Which bank has collaborated with IIT Kanpur to e) 8.6% launch ‘Fintech Innovation Centre (FIC)’ at its 117. What was the theme of 4th edition of One Planet campus? Summit (OPS) 2021 that was virtually organised a) State Bank of India b) Bank of Maharashtra by France? c) Canara Bank d) Bank of Baroda a) Attaining the 2030 Agenda: Delivering on our e) Punjab National Bank Promise 124. Justice Hima Kohli has been appointed as the first- b) Green Economy towards Poverty Eradication ever female Chief Justice of the High Court of c) Towards 2030 Goals: Making the Decade Count ______. d) Let’s act together for nature! a) Karnataka b) Delhi e) Climate Change in the time of Pandemic c) Ladakh d) Telangana 118. The National Road Safety Month 2021 will be e) West Bengal organised by the Ministry of Road Transport & 125. The world’s first Double Stack Long Haul Highways from ______. Container Train was flagged off by PM Modi a) January 1 to January 31 recently.The train will run between which states? b) January 15 to February 14 a) Maharashtra and Bihar c) January 11 to February 8 b) Haryana & Rajathan d) January 10 to February 9 c) Jammu & Kashmir & Delhi e) January 18 to February 17 d) Tamil Nadu and Odisha e) Delhi & Punjab

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 126. Name the Indian-American who has taken over as 133. Which of the following states is all set to launch the first Chief Information Officer of the US the three-tower ‘Gender Park’? Army. a) Andhra Pradesh b) Tamil Nadu a) Pramod Khargonekar b) Renu Khator c) Karnataka d) Kerala c) Raj Iyer d) Dinesh D’Souza e) Telangana e) Nitin Nohria 134. Where is the Cherry Blossom Mao Festival 127. The RBI has introduced the Legal Entity Identifier celebrated annually? (LEI) for all RTGS and NEFT payment a) Uttarakhand b) Jaipur transactions made by entities for the value of Rs c) Manipur d) Sikkim ______and above. e) Arunachal Pradesh a) Rs 50 crore b) Rs 25 crore 135. Which Unmanned Aerial Vehicle will get the c) Rs 75 crore d) Rs 100 crore DRDO’s Indigenously developed Retractable e) Rs 120 crore Landing Gear (RLG) Systems as of January, 2021? 128. The World Bank has signed a $105 million project a) Rustom-H MALE UAV with the Government of India and the Government b) TAI Aksungur of ______to improve the inland water c) Pegaz 011 transport infrastructure. d) Tapas BH-201 a) Tamil Nadu b) Goa e) Rustom-1 UAV c) West Bengal d) Andhra Pradesh 136. Late Satya Paul was India’s renowned ______. e) Maharashtra a) Saree Designer b) Acrylic Painter 129. The high-level group, named the South Asia Group c) Conservationist d) Sports Journalist for Energy (SAGE), will be headed by e) Cricketer ______. 137. Which portal was launched by Ministry of a) Raunak Gupta Education to provide training to teachers through b) Vikram Pratap Singh various online training modules? c) Ram Vinay Shahi a) E-Gyan Mitra d) Girish Kumar Mishra b) ASPIRE e) Poonam Dhyani c) SAMARTH 130. Name the state, who recently launched a ‘Launch d) U-Rise Pad Scheme’ for the boys and girls coming out of e) NISHTHA child care institutions and having completed 18 138. Recently, the license of Maharashtra-based Shivam years of age. Sahakari Bank has been cancelled by the RBI. It a) Madhya Pradesh b) Gujarat has been cancelled on which of the following c) Rajasthan d) Uttar Pradesh grounds? e) Maharashtra a) Inadequacy of capital 131. What is the base period set for the Digital b) Lack of earning prospects Payments Index (DPI) by RBI? c) It conducts its operation in a manner detrimental a) March 2017 b) March 2019 to the public interest c) March 2018 d) March 2021 d) Only A and B e) March 2020 e) All of the above 132. Which of the following telecom operators 139. Which of the following states has been ranked 1st becoming the first telecom operator in India to in the India Justice Report 2020? demonstrate 5G services successfully? a) Telangana b) Tamil Nadu a) Airtel b) Jio c) Punjab d) Kerala c)Vi d) BSNL e) Maharashtra e) MTNL

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest 140. Recently, a reference material has been synthesised 146. Which of the following banks has decided to to strengthen anti-doping measures in all World restrict its customers from withdrawing money Anti-Doping Agency accredited labs. The from non-EMV automated teller machines (ATMs) headquarters of the World Anti-Doping Agency is with effect from 01 February 2021? located at______. a) Central Bank of India a) Switzerland b) Rome b) Union Bank of India c) U.S. d) Canada c) Canara Bank e) India d) Bank of Baroda 141. Who among these has been appointed as the new e) Punjab National Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ayushman 147. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is celebrating its Bharat? ______Raising Day on 01 February 2021. a) VK Sinha a) 70th b) Amit Kumar Sharma b) 30th c) RS Sharma c) 75th d) VN Tripathi d) 45th e) Rohit Verma e) 50th 142. BCCI has decided to cancel the Ranji Trophy 148. Which of the following teams beat Baroda in the 2020-21 season, for the first time in the game’s final to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy history. The championship was first held in which 2020-21? season? a) Saurashtra a) 1942-43 b) Madhya Pradesh b) 1919-20 c) Tamil Nadu c) 1951-52 d) Rajasthan d) 1934-35 e) Goa e) 1964-65 149. Who is the author of the book ‘The Little Book of 143. Nobel laureate Paul J. Crutzen has passed away. Encouragement’? He receive the award in which field? a) Ruskin Bond a) Economic Sciences b) Physics b) Dalai Lama c) Chemistry d) Literature c) Chetan Bhagat e) Peace d) Khushwant Singh 144. Recently UN World Tourism Organization e) R. K. Narayan confirmed 2020 as ‘worst year on record’. Where 150. The first-ever dedicated Centre for Wetland is the headquarters of UNWTO? Conservation and Management (CWCM) has been a) Geneva set up in which city of India? b) Paris a) Mumbai c) Madrid b) Kochi d) New York c) Chennai e) Zurich d) Hyderabad 145. Who among the following has won the gold medal e) Kolkata in first-ever Asian Online Shooting Championship? a) Saurabh Chaudhary b) Arjun Babuta c) Sarabjot Singh d) Deepak Kumar e) Prithviraj Tondaiman

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•Telegram: https://t.me/IACE4GovtJobs •YouTube: https://rb.gy/zhm0ll February 2021– Digest Answer Key

1 c 26 d 51 b 76 d 101 e 126 c 2 c 27 b 52 e 77 b 102 b 127 a 3 c 28 b 53 c 78 b 103 b 128 c 4 b 29 e 54 b 79 a 104 a 129 c 5 c 30 e 55 b 80 b 105 d 130 a 6 b 31 a 56 d 81 a 106 d 131 c 7 a 32 a 57 b 82 e 107 b 132 a 8 c 33 c 58 d 83 a 108 b 133 d 9 d 34 a 59 a 84 d 109 c 134 c 10 d 35 a 60 d 85 e 110 e 135 d 11 d 36 d 61 a 86 e 111 a 136 a 12 a 37 c 62 b 87 b 112 b 137 e 13 d 38 b 63 e 88 e 113 c 138 d 14 c 39 e 64 d 89 d 114 c 139 e 15 d 40 c 65 d 90 b 115 e 140 d 16 b 41 d 66 a 91 b 116 b 141 c 17 c 42 c 67 c 92 b 117 d 142 d 18 e 43 a 68 a 93 a 118 e 143 c 19 c 44 c 69 d 94 e 119 c 144 c 20 c 45 b 70 c 95 d 120 e 145 a 21 a 46 c 71 a 96 a 121 d 146 e 22 b 47 a 72 c 97 c 122 d 147 d 23 a 48 c 73 d 98 c 123 e 148 c 24 d 49 e 74 b 99 d 124 d 149 b 25 b 50 a 75 d 100 d 125 b 150 c

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