DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs butterfly), Yellow flower butterfly, State nymphalidae fancy butterfly. nd 1. The Oriental Research Institute (ORI),  State butterfly: Karnataka is 2 state have Mysuru project to digitize manuscripts state butterfly in the country. regains traction  Maharastra: Blue butterman butterfly  Assistance by: National Mission for  Karnataka: Troidesminos (southern bird wing Manuscripts (NMM) for digitization and butterfly) (declared in 2018). preservation of the priceless heritage.  Uses: With this development, the ORI‘s long- 3. Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank signs pending project of digitization of manuscripts MoU for bancassurance will receive fresh traction. The digitization of manuscripts is expected to give a fillip to Indological studies as the e-version of the manuscripts will be available online for reference.  About: The NMM is under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, and was established in 2003 to unearth and  MoU: Karnataka VikasGrameena Bank preserve the manuscript wealth of India. (KVGB) and Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of  Institute shot to fame when Commerce Life Insurance Company Ltd RudrapatanamShamaShastry discovered the bancassurance (for selling life insurance complete text of Kautilya‘sArthashastra in products through the branches of KVGB). Grantha script and Sanskrit language in 1905  KVGB general manager: I.G. Kumar Goud and published it in 1909.  Canara HSBC CEO: AnujMathur.

2. Census of butterfly species in Karnataka:  Insurance company is jointly owned by public sector banks — Canara Bank (51%) and Oriental Bank of Commerce (23%) — and HSBC Insurance (Asia Pacific) Holdings Ltd. (26%)

4. Marine stranding response network helpline launched  MoU: The Forest Department of karnataka and ReefWatch Marine Conservation  About ReefWatch Marine Conservation: A Done by: The Karnataka forest department registered non-profit trust working on marine  Census process: Identifies common name, education, conservation and outreach activities form, life cycle, color, species, butter fly and have jointly launched a pilot project in the auxiliary elements needed for garden State on protecting marine wildlife. construction, area of wings, color and other  Aim: The project is aimed at establishing the information. This is a pilot project. cause of death, treating and rehabilitating  Over 800 species: There are over 800 species injured and sick marine animals that wash up of butterflies including junoniaIciata (brown to the shore. flower butterfly), Boonaniaatitis (grafly  The helpline number to report marine butterfly), Boonania Amana (lemon flower standings is 9740892394. butterfly), Bunaniaorithea (Lemon flower

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 5. Golden Chariot to commence from March 7. University of Mysore to have dept. on 2020 disability studies  Agreement: Between The South Western Railway and the Karnataka State Tourism Corporation (KSTDC) for operation of Golden Chariot Train.  Mousigned between KSTDC and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for management of ‗On-Board‘ services of the Golden Chariot. Vice-Chancellor: G. Hemantha Kumar  Golden Chariot train: which commenced  Courses involved: PG departments in operations in 2008 is a Government of psychology, food science and nutrition, Karnataka initiative in a Joint Venture with physical education, MSW and the University Ministry of Railways, Government of India. Health Centre The 18 coach long train with 44 guest rooms has a capacity of 84 guests. 8. Human Library event in Karnataka

6. H.S. Venkateshamurthy to preside over 85th Kannada SahityaSammelana

 Location: Institute of Commerce and Arts (MICA), 123-127, at Metagalli in Mysuru

 Location: Kalaburagi  Aim: To address people's prejudices by  Duration: February 5 to 7, 2020. helping them to talk to those they would not  Organizer: Kannada SahityaParishat (KSP) normally meet. The organization uses a library  About H.S. Venkateshamurthy:Kannada analogy of lending people rather than books. poet, playwright, and critic. These people have "experienced prejudice,  Poetry collections:SindabadanaAtmakathe, social exclusion or stigma," and participants Kriyaparva, Vimukti, and can ask them questions so as to "learn about AmericadalliBilluhabba the other person and also challenge their own  Plays:Hejjegalu, UriyaUyyale, and prejudices. KattalegeEstuMukha.  About: Human Library is a registered  Children‘s literature: HakkiSaalu, international non-profit organization with its Huvinashale, Alilu Ramayana, and administrative headquarters in Copenhagen, SunnadaSuttta Denmark. ―The notion of Human Library was  Kannada SahityaSammelana (Kannada initially launched in 2000 in Copenhagen and Literature Conference): Is the premier currently exists in more than 85 countries, gathering of writers, poets and kannadigas. It known as ‗The Human Library Organization‘. is held with the aim of preserving and developing Kannada language, its literature, 9. Kannadigas to get priority in private sector arts, culture and music. It was started in 1915 jobs by H. V. Nanjundaiah and held at Bangalore  The State government has amended rules for the first time. directing industrial establishments that have taken any support from the government to give

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

priority to Kannadigas in jobs on the shop  The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order floor in ‗C‘ and ‗D‘ category of employees. (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019  Act related: Karnataka Industrial Employment Communities: Parivara and Talawara (Standing Orders), Rules, 1961.  The amendments have been made in the list of STs in Karnataka. 10. Karnataka govt to unveil children's budget  Siddi tribes of Belagavi, Dharwad would also Karnataka CM: BS Yediyurappa be included in the ST category apart from  The child budget system will include those living in Uttar Kannada districts. guidelines from UNICEF-sponsored capacity Minister of State for Tribal Affairs:Renuka building and research on public finances of Singh Saruta children projects  'The government decided to introduce a budget Steps: The first specification of Scheduled Tribes for children from 2020-21. in relation to a particular State or Union territory is  If Karnataka is able to pull off such a budget, it by a notified Order of the President after will become the fourth country in India after consultation with the State Government / UT Kerala, Assam and Bihar. concerned. Any subsequent inclusion in or exclusion from and other modifications in the list 11. IPR cell inaugurated at Sharnbasva varsity of Scheduled Tribes can be made only through an campus amending Act of Parliament.

14. WDO to launch World Design Protopolis in Bengaluru Aim: At implementing holistic progress in mega cities across the world and making them sustainable and also project aims to measure the progress of the city, attract investments and solve the problems so that the city becomes a better MoU: Between Sharnbasva University and place for the citizens. Karnataka State Council of Science and CEO, Lumium, and President WDO: Srini R Technology (KSCST) Srinivasan Three-day Kochi Design Week (KDW):India‘s About:The cell will help the faculty and students largest design conclave held at Bolgatty Island to file patent applications for their research works The World Design Organization (WDO): and will also conduct regular training sessions. Formerly known as the International Council of The cell will also conduct patent audit in all the Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), is an departments once in three months and encourage international non-governmental organization that students to take up the research activities. promotes the profession of industrial design and its ability to generate better products, systems, 12. 107th Indian Science Congress in Jan 2020 services, and experiences; better business and  The 107th Indian Science Congress a forum of industry; and ultimately a better environment and global science affairs will be held at Bangalore society. Agriculture University from January 3-7. Theme: Science and technology for rural 15. Puneeth comes on board as BMTC development. ambassador

13. RajyaSabha passes bill to include certain communities from Karnataka in ST list

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs industrial consultancy, and international educational programmes Autonomous University/colleges: refers to a university/college which exercises independent control over its day-to-day operations and curriculum. It is generally associated with  The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport universities, institutions and implies that the Corporation (BMTC) has roped in Kannada sponsoring state does not have control over actor, PuneethRajkumar, as its ambassador. academic matters of the school

16. TSR Award for D. Mahadevappa 19. Writer ChandrakanthKaradalli passes  The Karnataka State Government has away: announced the prestigious awards for Kannada About: Mr. Karadalli, Renowned children‘s book journalism. writer, a native of Shahapur in Yadgir district, TSR Memorial Journalism award: retired as a government primary school teacher a  2017: Retired Editor of Samyukta Karnataka decade ago. He wrote around 35 books, 15 of and Karmaveera Dhruvaraj Venkat Rao which come under children‘s literature. Muthalik Desai He won the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 2019  2018: D. Mahadevappa, Editor of Prajanudi, and the BalaSahityaAkademi award from the Mysuru Union government. He had also bagged the State Mohare Hanumantharaya journalism award: as well as national ‗Good Teacher‘ award.  2017: S. Naganna, Editor of Praja Pragathi, Mr. Karadalli chaired the first Children‘s Tumakuru SahityaSammelan, which held at Shahapur, and  2018: Dr. U.P. Shivanand, Chief Editor of the second Kannada SahityaSammelan. Suddhi Bidugade, Puttur, Dakshina Kannada Works:Nalidadu Baa Navile, PuttanaKanasu,  The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh Vichara Taranga, and ManadaaladaMaatugalu. and a citation. 20. Crime rate against SC/STs remains high in 17. Upcoming ‘Invest Karnataka’ to be held in Karnataka Hubballi

Objective: Improving employment opportunities and attracting Bengaluru-centric industries to tier- 2 cities in Karnataka. Minister for Large- and Medium-Scale Industries: Jagadish Shettar

Report by: the Committee for Monitoring and 18. University Grants Commission granted Strengthening SCs and STs and Karnataka IMER autonomous status DalitaMahilaVedike (KDMV) Karnataka Law Society‘s (KLS) Institute of Act related: Karnataka State Annual Monitoring Management Education and Research (IMER) will Report on the Implementation of SC/ST be an autonomous college under the Rani (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Channamma University. National Crime Records Bureau report for: IMER: It was founded in 1991, a Belagavi-based Karnataka hold the top place for the rate of management institute, is one of the oldest such atrocities against SCs and STs institutions in the State. It was founded by public- Findings: spirited lawyers and educationalists. It will take up social service, and socially relevant projects,

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 There were 164 rape cases and 122 attempt-to- murder or murders reported during 2018 against SC/STs.  The conviction rate was just 4.23%, whereas 80.4% was the acquittal rate.  While 10 districts have given zero per cent  Bollywood celebrity singer Madhushree conviction, overall around 1,205 cases have Bhattacharya has been selected for remained undisposed of/pending cases. Shrisiddhashri National award presented by  Only 11 districts have conducted the sukshetra Siddhankolla math, Ilkaltaluk, mandatory four district-level meetings of the Bagalkot district. District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meetings in 2018 as per the rule. 23. Karnataka schools start ringing bell to  Bengaluru Urban district continues to take the drink water top place for the 7th year, with 163 atrocity cases against SC and ST communities.  Highest number of rape cases reported in Mysuru.  Highest number of murders Belgavi. Recommendation: establishing special courts in all 30 districts of Karnataka. After Kerala, following in its footsteps, Karnataka 21. Sheshagirirao passes away and Telangana have now decided to start ringing  About: Veteran Kannada writer Professor LS bell to push kids to drink waterconcept in all SheshagiriRaoBorn on February 16, 1925. He government schools in the two states. became famous for cataloging the English- About: The bell will ring at 10.35 am, at noon and Kannada dictionary. He was the first chairman at 2 pm every day to remind students to drink of the Kannada Book Authority. He was also water. During these breaks, which will last for ten the honorary secretary of the Kannada minutes, teachers will instruct kids to drink water SahityaParishat between 1947 and 1950 and and advise them why it is important to keep their was serving as the President of BM Sri body hydrated. SmarakaPrathistana until he died. Karnataka’s Primary Education Minister:  Awards: Kendra SahityaAkademi Award, Suresh Kumar RajyotsavaPrashasti, Vardhamana Award, Telangana Education Minister: P. SabithaIndra Kavyananda and Masti awards IndraprasthaVidyalaya: A private school in SheshagiriRao had also presided over the 74th Mangaluru‘sUppinangady town was the first Kannada SahityaSammelana in Udupi in 2007. school in Karnataka to implement the ‗water bell‘  Works:Translated plays and poems by Oliver model under which three water breaks are given. Goldsmith. His other works include 'English BhasheyalliAdhunikaSahityaVimarshe', 24. SudhaMurty, Puneeth ambassadors for 'PaschathyaSahityaVihara', 'English mass marriages SahityaCharitre', 'HosagannadaSahitya', Muzrai Minister: Kota SrinivasPoojary 'SamanyaManushyaru' (novel), 'Muyyi' and About: Infosys Foundation chairperson 'JangamaJatreyalli‘. SudhaMurty, actors PuneethRajukumar, Yash and Radhika have been selected as the ambassadors for 22. Siddhashri award for singer Madhushree the mass marriages to be held in Muzrai temples across the state. The government-sponsored mass marriages will be held in the 16 'A' Grade temples which have

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs higher income. first hospital in India that has been profiled in an international peer-reviewed journal. No other 25. Andhra CM Jagan launches hospital — private or government — has earned ‘NetannaNestham’ welfare scheme for this recognition. weavers Background: In 2009, a U.S. citizen, who had  Andhra Chief Minister:Jagan Mohan received treatment for a nominal fee of ₹92 at the Reddy Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences The YSR NetannaNestham (weaver’s and Research (SJICR),Bengaluru had written to friend): scheme provides an annual incentive then U.S. President Barack Obama about the of Rs 24,000 for handloom weavers in the hospital‘s low-cost healthcare model. Mr. Obama state. The CM launched the scheme in had written to the hospital lauding its good work. Dharmavaram, a town in Anantapur district Ten years later, the institute has been featured in which is known for its handloom sarees and is the European Heart Journal‘s September issue home to a large community of weavers. brought out on the occasion of the annual Congress of European Society of Cardiology. The 26. VishwaManavaDinacharane journal has featured the institute as ―Cardiac Centre of Excellence‖. The European Heart Journal: is a peer-reviewed medical journal of cardiology published by Oxford University Press on a weekly basis, on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. The first issue was published in February 1980.

About: The reformist and revolutionary principles 28. Alliance Air starts flight from Kalaburagi advocated by poet laureate Kuvempu were to Bengaluru and Mysuru remembered on December 29 on his birth About: Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary anniversary that is also observed as of Air India, started daily direct flight operations VishwaManavaDinacharane. from Kalaburagi to Bengaluru and Mysuru under RashtrakaviKuvempuPuraskar 2019: Punjabi the Regional Connectivity Scheme - UDAN. writer Gurbhachan Singh Bhullar UDAN (UdeDeshKaAamNagrik): is the Minister for Tourism, Kannada and Culture: Government‘s initiative to make air travel to C.T. Ravi India‘s tier II and tier III cities affordable to the KuppaliVenkatappaPuttappa: popularly known common citizen of the country fly. by his pen name Kuvempu, was an Indian novelist, poet, playwright, critic and thinker. He is 29. 25% reservation proposed for Karnataka the first among Kannada writers to be by students at NLSIU decorated with the Jnanpith Award (1967).

27. Jayadeva institute gets featured in European Heart Journal

Karnataka Law Minister: J. Madhuswamy About: The National Law School of India(NLSIU) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will be moved to provide reservation to those students Highlight: This is an honor not only for the State who have studied in Karnataka for at least 10 Karnataka but for the country, as Jayadeva is the

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs years. pre-tagging" providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation and 30. The Karnataka state government to cancel transportation in Mecca and Madina will be interviews for A and B grade posts provided to 2 lakh Indian Muslims going for Haj in 2020.  Web portal of Haj Group Organizers (HGOs):http://haj.nic.in/pto/ contains all the details of HGOs and their packages.

2. Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 Chief Minister: BS Yeddyurappa to be launched across the country About: The state government of Karnataka has taken a major step in the recruitment of Grade A and Grade B posts through KPSC. At a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, the decision was taken to cancel the interview process in the recruitment process for Grade 'A' and Grade 'B' posts. Previously: Recruitment of Grade A and B posts by the Karnataka Public service Commission (KPSC) is being done regularly in accordance with  Objective: Immunizing children under the age the required vacancies. After the competitive of 2 years and pregnant women against eight examination, the interview was conducted as a test vaccine preventable diseases. Vaccines for in the selection of candidates. But this is no longer diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, the interview stage. Such a decision has been poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, taken at a meeting of the Cabinet of State meningitis and Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Ministers. Japanese encephalitis and hemophilusinfluenzal are also being provided in selected areas. National  Duration: Between December 2019 and 1. India becomes first country to make entire March 2020. Haj process digital  In October 2017, Prime Minister NarendraModi launched the IMI. The IMI was built on Mission Indradhanush,  Health Minister of state: Jai Pratap Singh

 Minority Affairs Minister: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

 Haj and Umrah Minister of Saudi Arabia: 3. Soma Roy Burman takes charge as new Mohammad Saleh bin TaherBenten. Controller General of Accounts  Bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement:  She is the 24th CGA and the seventh woman Between India and Saudi Arabia to hold this coveted position. She took over  Uses: an online application, e-visa, Haj mobile from app, 'e-MASIHA' health facility, "e-luggage

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 Former Controller General of Accounts: J P between the state government and headquarter, S Chawla. Eastern Air Command (IAF) Shillong.  About: Soma Roy Burman, a 1986-batch 7. NDTV excellence in journalism for 'Kathua Indian Civil Accounts Service officer has held case expose' cadre positions at different levels in Central government Ministries during her 33-year long career. Prior to assuming the charge of CGA, Burman served as Additional Controller General of Accounts in the office of the CGA.

 Award by: The International Press Institute 4. Centre decides to enhance capacity of 6 India. Central Forensic Science Laboratories  First recipient: 2003 was given to The Indian  A Memorandum of Understanding Express for its reporting of the Gujarat riots (MoU):Between the Directorate of Forensic and its aftermath (2003). Science Services, New Delhi and Institute of  NDTV had also won the award in 2004 for its Behavioural Sciences, Gujarat Forensic expose of the baby-swapping racket in Science University, Ahmedabad. Hyderabad, and the corruption trail of the  Forensic psychology is one of the emerging Telgi stamp scam. areas of forensic science in India, and it  About: IPI India had instituted the annual primarily involves use of applied clinical award in 2003 to recognize and honor the best psychology in criminal justice. work done by an Indian media organization or journalist in print, radio, television and internet 5. Nagaland CM inaugurates Multi Media mediums, in furtherance of public interest, Exhibition at World War II museum including safeguarding of freedom of the press  Nagaland Chief Minister:Neiphiu Rio and other freedoms such as human right.  Location:Kisama in Nagaland.  The India chapter of the IPI is an active forum  Commemorated:In remembrance of late of editors, publishers and senior executives of NatwarThakkar, his son Dr. Aotoshi was newspapers, magazines and news agencies, all felicitated. of whom are members of the International  Lt. Thakkar, is popularly known as Nagaland's Press Institute. Gandhi, and has invoked on Gandhiji's values  Founded 70 years ago in New York by a group and principles during his lifetime and had of editors from 15 countries. made significant contributions towards the betterment of the society. 8. PM Modi announces 400 million dollar line  He was born in Maharashtra in 1932, made of credit to Sri Lanka Nagaland his home and founded the Nagaland  400 million dollar Line of Credit of to Sri Gandhi Ashram at Chuchuyimlang village in Lanka to boost the island nation's Mokokchung district in 1995 to propagate development. Gandhian philosophy and peace.  Sri Lankan President: GotabayaRajapaksa  He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and Other highlights: his wife LentinaAo.  Extend a 50 million dollars Line of Credit to Sri Lanka to fight terrorism. 6. 20th Edition of Hornbill Festival begins in  Strengthening mutual cooperation in dealing Nagaland with terrorism was discussed in detail.  Chief Host: Governor R N Ravi  Process of reconciliation to fulfill the  A display of Sukhoi aircraft flying over aspirations of the Tamils for equality, justice, Kisama site was also organized in coordination peace and respect.  Fishermen‘s issue

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9. Press Information Bureau (PIB) establishes  About ABFL:Aditya Birla Financeis a well- a fact-checking unit to combat fake news diversified non-banking finance company against government (NBFC) with a long-term credit rating of AAA  Information and Broadcasting (stable) from both ICRA as well as India Minister:PrakashJavadekar Ratings.  The Press Information Bureau of India has set  Commercial Papers: Is an unsecured money up a fact-checking unit to verify news related market instrument issued in the form of to the various ministries to combat fake news. promissory notes that enables highly rated  [email protected]: People can send a corporate borrowers to diversify their sources snapshot or URL of dubious material of short-term borrowings and provides an additional instrument to investors. 10. Indian navy successfully test-fires Brahmos  Commercial papers can be issued for maturities cruise missile in Arabian Sea between a minimum of 7 days and a maximum  Previous test: In September this year, the of up to one year from the date of issue. CP is missile featuring Indian propulsion system, usually issued at a discount from face value and airframe, power supply, and other major reflects prevailing market interest rates. indigenous components, was successfully test- fired from ITR, Chandipur in Odisha. 11. All India 47th Police Science Congress  About: The air-launched BrahMos missile is a 2.5-tonne supersonic air to surface cruise missile with ranges of close to 300 km, designed and developed by BAPL.  Highlight: The IAF became the first Air Force in the world to have successfully fired an air- launched 2.8 Mach surface attack missile of  Location: Lucknow this category on a sea target on November 22,  Union Home Minister:Amit Shah 2017.  Highlight: To have major changes in Criminal Aditya Birla Finance is now 1st firm to list Procedure Code and Indian Penal Code, along commercial papers on exchanges with Arms Act and Narcotics Acts are need of the hour.

12. India Corruption Survey 2019

 Aditya Birla Finance is the first company to list its commercial paper with value date of November 28 and maturity date on February 7, 2020.  Uses: Listing of CPs is expected to lead to efficient transmission of information regarding corporate borrowings and liquidity positions to market participants.  It will also contribute effectively towards development of the commercial paper market and is expected to have a positive effect on the  Highlight: Bribery in India reduced by 10% debt capital market. over the last 1year; 51% citizens admit to paying a bribe in the last 12 months

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 Survey by: LocalCircles and Transparency  About UDAN (UdeDeshKaAamNagrik):The International India scheme was launched in October, 2016, which  Most Corruption reported: Rajasthan, Bihar, seeks to provide connectivity to un-served and Uttar Pradesh,Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil under-served regions through revival of Nadu, Jharkhand and Punjab existing air strips and airports.  Least corruption reported: Delhi, Haryana,  In the last three years government has Gujarat, West Bengal, Kerala, Goa and Odisha successfully completed three rounds of bidding  Internationally India rank: 78th positionout under the Scheme and awarded about 700 of 180 countries. routes. The Ministry aims to operationalize  Act related: Prevention of Corruption Act one thousand routes and more than 100 2018 (giving a bribe is an offence with up to airports in the next five years. 7years of imprisonment or fine or both.  Corruption prone departments: Property 15. India, Sweden sign MoU for India-Sweden Registration & Land Issues, Police Healthcare Innovation Centre andMunicipal Corporation.  Health Innovation Centre Location: New  Website:http://bit.ly/fight-corruption-together. Delhi. (Anyone facing a corruption issue or  Objective: Is to develop an ecosystem of open knowledgeable about how to handle innovation to which start-ups and the corruption) healthcare delivery stakeholders can use to  About: Transparency International India (TII) collaborate and address current and future is a leading non-political, independent, non- challenges in the healthcare sector. governmental anti-corruption organization of  Health Minister: Dr. Harsh Vardhan India. TII has extensive expertise andunderstanding of issues of corruption in 16. Vice Prez M Venkaiah Naidu launches India. Bharatiya POSHAN Anthem  About RashtriyaPoshanMaah: 13. Election Commission to implement Political  POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Parties Registration Tracking Management Mission) is India‘s flagship programme, System launched in March 2018 to improve nutritional  Uses: It will facilitate tracking of status of status of children up to 6 years, adolescent application by applicants. The applicant, who girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers to is applying for party registration from 1st achieve specific targets for reduction in low January, 2020 onwards will be able to track the birth weight babies, stunting growth, under progress of his or her application and will get nutrition and prevalence of anemia over next status through SMS and email. three years.  To give momentum to POSHAN Abhiyan , 14. Govt launches 4th round of Regional ‗National Council on India‘s Nutrition Connectivity Scheme-UDAN Challenges‘ on 24th July 2018 decided to celebrate the month of September as RashtriyaPoshanMaah.

17. Sub Lieutenant Shivangi becomes first woman pilot of Indian Navy  Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri  Focus this time: This round will be North East Region, Hilly States, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Islands.

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 Book: ‗Early Indians‘: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From  About Book: It tells the story of the people of South Asia through research in six disciplines, including path-breaking new DNA evidence.  Previous awardee: to SujathaGidla (Ants  A batch of three trainee officers of the 7th among Elephants: An Untouchable Family Dornier Conversion Course including a lady And The Making Of Modern India). officer qualified as Dornier pilots and was  The Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize: set up in awarded at the coveted golden Wings 2008 in honor of Shakti Bhatt offers Rs 2 lakh ceremony held at INS Garuda. and a trophy to debut authors from the South  About: A native of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Asian subcontinent. Shivangi was inducted into the Indian Navy

under the Short Service Commission Pilot 20. LokSabha clears Taxation Laws entry scheme. She was commissioned into the (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Navy in June last year.

18. India’s first maritime museum coming up in Gujarat

 Amendment: The Bill seeking amendment to the Income-Tax Act, 1961 and to amend the Finance (No.2) Act, 2019, that seeks to replace the ordinance.  Location:Lothal, a Harappan site on the  Aim: To bring in more investment in the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat. manufacturing sector by bringing down  Assistance from: Portuguese Maritime corporate tax rate to 22% without incentives Heritage Museum and 15% for new manufacturing entities  About Lothal:  Currently, domestic companies with an annual  It was discovered by S.R Rao in 1959 turnover of up to ₹400 crore pay income tax at  Artificial dockyard (connect to Bhogava river) the rate of 25%. For other domestic  Entrance on Main Street (also in harappa) companies, the tax rate is 30%.  Store house  Finance minister: NirmalaSitaraman  Rice husk (also in Rangpur)  Trade centre 21. Mumbai Central station of Railways gets first 'Eat Right Station' certification from FSSAI

 Judgment Parameters: Compliance of food safety and hygiene, availability of healthy diet, food handling at preparation, transshipment and retail/serving point, food waste management, promotion of local and seasonal food and creating awareness on food safety and healthy diet. 19. Author Tony Joseph’s wins 2019 Shakti  Focus: Is on improving the health and well- Bhatt First Book Prize being of people by ensuring they eat healthy. 'Eat Right India' movement is built on two

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs broad pillars of 'Eat Healthy' and 'Eat Safe'. It assistance and capacity support for the aims to engage, excite and enable citizens to Election Commission of Maldives. improve their health and well-being.  About 'The Eat Right Movement’: To 24. NiravModi declared fugitive economic improve public health in India and combat offender by Special court in Mumbai negative nutritional trends to fight lifestyle diseases, FSSAI launched 'The Eat Right Movement‘ on 10th July, 2018.  Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The  Reason: NiravModi and his uncle FSSAI has been established under the Food MehulChoksi are the prime accused in the Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which is a PNB fraud case, related to alleged fraudulent consolidating statute related to food safety and issuance of Letters of Undertaking that caused regulation in India. FSSAI is responsible for a loss of over 2 billion dollar to the public protecting and promoting public health sector bank. through the regulation and supervision of food  First Fugitive Economic Offender: Vijay safety. Mallya  The FSSAI has its headquarters at New Delhi.  About Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018: is an Act of the Parliament of India that 22. T.N. bags cadaveric organ donation award seeks to confiscate properties and assets of for 4th time economic offenders that evade prosecution by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts.  Economic offences with a value of more than Rs 100 crores, which are listed in the schedule of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, come under the purview of this law. As per the Act, a court (‗Special Court‘ under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002) has to  Category: The Best State Award in cadaveric declare a person as a Fugitive Economic organ donation Offender.  Awarded by: National Organ and Tissue  The bill for the act was introduced in the Transplant Organization (NOTTO), Union LokSabha, the lower house of the Parliament Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. of India, on 12 March 2018. On 25 July 2018,  Tamilnadu Health Minister: C. VijayaBaskar the Parliament passed the bill.  Union Ministry of state Health and Family

Welfare:Ashwini Kumar Choubey 25. National Museum of Indian Cinema  High number of donors: So far, 6,886 organs (NMIC) tickets will now be available on were retrieved from 1,198 donors in Tamil BookMyShow Nadu, which is well ahead of other States.

23. Cabinet approves MoU between ECI & Election Commission of Maldives  About: cooperation in the field of Electoral Management and Administration.  The proposed MoU will promote bilateral  Mou: Between Films Division and cooperation, aimed at building technical BookMyShowfor online ticketing of NMIC

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

 Information and Broadcasting Minister: FinTech, MedTech, Enterprise Software, PrakashJavadekar EdTech, Genomics and Lifesciences.  About NMIC: The only museum in India  Venture capital: Is a type of financing that is dedicated to the cinema is an institution of provided by firms or funds to small, early- national importance and was inaugurated by stage, emerging firms that are deemed to have the Prime Minister NarendraModi in January high growth potential. this year at Films Division complex, Mumbai.  This exclusive museum has been set up to 28. Reserve Bank keeps repo rate unchanged at showcase the rich cinematic history and 5.15 % heritage of India and encapsulates India‘s socio-cultural history and evolution through cinema.

26. Odisha launches "MadhuApp" for school children  Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) head: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das  Reverse repo rate: 4.90 per cent  Marginal standing facility rate and Bank Rate: 5.40 per cent.  Repo rate: Is the rate at which the central  Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik bank of a country (Reserve Bank of India in  About App: The application is equipped with case of India) lends money to commercial video lectures and exercises in Odia language banks in the event of any shortfall of funds. by leading subject experts and educationists. In  Reverse repo rate: Is the rate at which the the first phase, the study material has been central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of created for Mathematics and Science Subjects India in case of India) borrows money from of classes V to Vlll. commercial banks within the country.  Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): rate 27. Goa to host 2nd edition of startup India refers to the rate at which the scheduled banks global venture capital summit 2019 can borrow funds overnight from RBI against government securities.

29. Govt launched National Clean Air Programme to tackle air pollution

 Organized by: The Department for Promotion  Minister of Environment, Forest and of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), in Climate Change: PrakashJavadekar partnership with Government of Goa  Target: To achieve 20 per cent to 30 per cent  Duration: 6th and 7th of December, 2019 reduction in Particulate Matter PM10 and  Theme: Investing in tomorrow together PM2.5 concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017  Objectives: To showcase the India‘s as the base year for the comparison of opportunity in the sectors of EMobility, concentration.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

 Under NCAP, 102 non-attainment cities have task force that killed forest brigand Veerappan been identified based on ambient air quality in 2004. data for the period 2011 - 2015 and WHO  After his retirement from service and as DG, report 2014 - 2018. CRPF in 2012, Kumar was appointed as senior  Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5): security advisor LWE in the Home Ministry  Particulate matter, also known as particle then headed by Rajnath Singh. pollution or PM, is a term that describes extremely small solid particles and liquid 31. Avantee mega Food Park inaugurated in droplets suspended in air. Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas  Particulate matter can be made up of a variety  Union Minister for food of components including nitrates, sulphates, processing:HarsimratKaurBadal organic chemicals, metals, soil or dust  Minister of State for Food Processing particles, and allergens (such as fragments of Industries: RameshwarTeli pollen or mould spores).  Highlight:This first food park of central India  Particle pollution mainly comes from motor is spread over 51 acres and has been vehicles, wood burning heaters and industry. constructed at a cost of about 150 crore rupees. During bushfires or dust storms, particle About 5 thousand local people will get pollution can reach extremely high employment from this Mega Food Park. concentrations  About Mega Food Park:The Scheme of  The size of particles affects their potential to Mega Food Park aims at providing a cause health problems: mechanism to link agricultural production to  PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 the market by bringing together farmers, micrometres or less): these particles are small processors and retailers so as to ensure enough to pass through the throat and nose and maximizing value addition, minimizing enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles wastage, increasing farmers income and can affect the heart and lungs and cause creating employment opportunities particularly serious health effects. in rural sector  PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less): these particles are so 32. Coast Guard can now legally search & seize small they can get deep into the lungs and into vessels in EEZ the bloodstream. There is sufficient evidence that exposure to PM2.5 over long periods (years) can cause adverse health effects. Note that PM10 includes PM2.5.

30. K Vijay Kumar appointed senior security advisor in MHA  Union ministry for home affairs: Amit Shah  About: The 1975 batch officer of Indian Police Service will "advise the ministry on security-related matters of Union Territory of J&K and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected States.  Kumar has served as Director-General of CRPF, Director of National Police Academy in  About: Earlier the maritime security agency Hyderabad and his most talked-about stint was did not have the power to board any vessel as the chief of the Tamil Nadu police special passing through India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Now The Indian Coast Guard has

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs been given powers under the Coast Guard Act capacity of 165.50 MLD, and for laying to board, search any vessel and arrest people sewerage network of 152 kms. for offences within the maritime zone of the 34. Ripu Daman Bevli as Plogging Ambassador country. of India on 50th Fit India Plogging Run  Defense Secretary: Ajay Kumar  Act related: Coast Guard Act, 1978

33. India’s first hybrid annuity model (HAM) project in sewerage sector

 Ripu Daman Bevli, popularly known as the Plogman of India.  Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs & Sports: ShriKirenRijiju  About: Plog Run is a unique way of picking  Uttarakhand CM: Trivendra Singh Rawat up garbage while jogging and was added to the  Union Jal Shakti Minister: ShriGajendra Fit India Movement as a unique way of Singh Shekhawat combining cleanliness and fitness. Bevli, who  Inaugurated by: King Carl XVI Gustaf and started plogging in 2017, started the Fit India Queen Silvia of Sweden Plogging Run with the aim to make India  Ambassador of Sweden to India: Mr. litter-free. KlasMolin  In the first Fit India Plogging Run held on  Ambassador of India to Sweden: Ms. October 2, 2019, over 36 lakh people Monika KapilMohta participated in over 62,000 locations across the  Location: Sarai, Haridwar in Uttarakhand. country.  Highlight:

 The Sarai 14 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant is 35. Florence Nightangle Award 2019 the first STP to be completed under the Hybrid Annuity (HAM) Based Public Private Partnership Model.  This Plant is based on advanced aerobic biological process, Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) process, capable of removing the nutrients during treatment and is a 100% eco- friendly project.

 This plant will also be maintained and  Posthumously awarded National Florence operated for a period of 15 years by the same Nightingale Award-2019 to Lini PN developer for efficient performance. The  About: Lini PN, the 30-year-old nurse from vision of the National Mission for Clean Kerala who died of the deadly Nipah virus Ganga (NMCG) is long term and hence the that she contracted while treating a patient capability being created would fully take care last year during the Nipah outbreak. of the requirements up to 2035. Acknowledging her sacrifice, the state  Municipal sewage, being the main source of government of Kerala has also instituted an pollution in the Ganga, is being tackled award in her name. through 150 Sewerage projects.  National Florence Nightingale awards:  In order to improve the quality of water in were instituted in the year 1973 by the Indian river Ganga in the state of Uttarakhand, 34 government as a mark of recognition for the Projects of Sewerage infrastructure works at meritorious services rendered by nurses.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

 Nipah virus: The disease is known to have a AjkBurhanpur in Madhya Pradesh got the 3rd mortality rate as high as 70%. There is no position. vaccine to prevent the infection, and the  The ranking of top ten Police Stations out of treatment is also largely symptomatic. over 15 thousand 500 Police Stations in the country was done through data analysis, direct 36. PrezKovind lays foundation stone for Paika observation and public feedback. Rebellion memorial in Odisha  Minister of Home affairs: Amit Shah

 To mark completion of 200 years of Paika Rebellion, a valiant uprising of Paikas in 1817 against the British Rule. 38. CSIR signs MoU with BHEL to push ‘Make  Odisha Governor: GaneshiLal in India’ initiative  OdishaChief Minister: Naveen Patnaik  About: The Paika Rebellion also called the PaikaBidroha. It was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817. The Paikas rose in rebellion under their leader BakshiJagabandhu and, projecting Jagannath as the symbol of Odia  MoU:Between Council of Scientific & unity, the rebellion quickly spread across most Industrial Research and Bharat Heavy of Odisha before being ruthlessly put down by Electricals Limitedto cooperate, collaborate and the company's forces. It's the 1st war of pursue industrial application oriented research Independence that started in 1817 much before programmes and its commercialization in large the sepoy mutiny of 1857. scale.  Chairman &MD of BHEL: Dr. NalinShinghal 37. Aberdeen in Andaman and Nicobar Islands  DG of Council of Scientific & Industrial adjudged best police station in Country Research: Dr. Shekhar C. Mande  CSIR: Established by the Government of India in September of 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the largest research and development organization in India.The research and development activities of CSIR include aerospace engineering, structural engineering, ocean sciences, life sciences, metallurgy,  Aberdeen Police station in the Andaman and chemicals, mining, food, petroleum, leather, Nicobar Islands ranks first in the list of the and environmental science. best-performing police stations in the country  BHEL: Is owned and founded by the while dealing with a property offence, a crime Government of India, is an engineering and against women and weaker sections. manufacturing company based in New Delhi,  Other positions: Balasinor police station in India. Established in 1964, BHEL is India's Gujarat secured the second rank while and largest power generation equipment manufacturer.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs experts have been engaged on need basis to 39. National Stock Exchange appoints Girish translate. Chandra Chaturvedi its chairman 41. Haryana CM inaugurates Integrated Command and Control Centre

 Previous chairman: Ashok Chawla  About Chaturvedi: A retired IAS officer and former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and  Haryana Chief Minister:ManoharLalKhattar Natural Gas, Public Interest Director Girish  Union Minister of State for Statistics and Chandra as the new chairman of the NSE. Programme: RaoInderjit Singh  The National Stock Exchange of India  About Integrated Command and Control Limited (NSE): Is the leading stock exchange Centre(ICCC):It has been designed to serve as of India, located in Mumbai. The NSE was the nodal point for all online data related to the established in 1992 as the first dematerialized Smart City applications, including CCTV-based electronic exchange in the country. public safety and adaptive traffic management  NSE was the first exchange in the country to system, smart parking system, water supply provide a modern, fully automated screen- management system, pollution monitoring, based electronic trading system which offered property tax management system and asset easy trading facility to the investors spread management system. across the length and breadth of the country. 42. ISRO to launch spy satellite and 9 foreign 40. Santhali language makes debut in customer satellites RajyaSabha

Spy satellite: RISAT-2BR1  SarojniHembram of the BijuJanata Dal spoke Location: SatishDhawan Space Centre in in Santhali, an Austroasiatic-Munda language Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on December 11. spoken mostly by tribals in Odisha. She also Foreign satellites: USA's multi-mission Lemur-4 demanded Bharat Ratna for RaghunathMurmu, satellites, technology demonstration Tyvak-0129, who in 1925 created the OlChiki script for the earth imaging 1HOPSAT, Israel's remote sensing Santhali language. Duchifat-3, Italy's search and rescue Tyvak-0092,  Chairman of RajyaSabha: M. Venkaiah and Japan's QPS-SAR - a radar imaging earth Naidu observation satellite.  Deputy Chairman of RajyaSabha: The ISRO has placed 310 foreign satellites into Harivansh Narayan Singh orbit so far.  RajyaSabha has regular employees who Launch Vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle translate statements made on the floor of the rocket (PSLV-C48). House in different recognized Indian RISAT-2BR1: Radar imaging earth observation languages into Hindi and English. To enlarge satellite weighing about 628 kg, will be placed the basket of languages used, outside language into an orbit of 576 km at an inclination of 37 degree.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Duchifat-3: Jointly built by Herzliya Science seeks to relax the requirement of residence in India Center and Sha‘arHaNegev High School students, from 11 years to 6 years for these migrants. Israel, the satellite is designed to serve children  However, the bill exempts certain tribal areas from across the country to ―observe the Earth‖. included in the Sixth Schedule and those  AlonAbramovich, MeitavAssulin and falling under the Inner Line Permit Regime in Shmuel Aviv Levi, all 17 to 18 years old, the North Eastern States. It amends the are students of Sha‘arHaNegev High Citizenship Act 1955, the Passport Act 1920 school in Israel‘s southern region. and the Foreigners Act 1946 for implementation of its provisions. 43. Parliament passes Arms (Amendment) Bill: Inner Line Permit (ILP): Is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period. It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain a permit for entering into the protected state. The document is an effort by the government to regulate movement to certain areas located near

the international border of India. Act related: Arms Act, 1959.

45. J&K's Rajouri gets Draj Bridge for all- About: It intends to decrease the number of weather connectivity license arms allowed per person and increase the quantum of penalties for violations of the law. The Bill also increases the duration of the validity of arms license from three years to five years.  The Bill provides the facility to keep hereditary weapons for exhibition purpose after the deactivation and surrendering the Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor:ShriGirish license, however, the new Bill allows only two Chandra Murmu guns for the license holders.  72-metre-long Bridge over Drajnallah connects  Minister of State for Home Affairs: G. Draj Area with Tehsil Kotranka area under Kishan District Rajouri and is constructed to bear

heavy load up to 70 tons. 44. LokSabha passes Citizenship Amendment  The important bridge has been constructed by Bill the 110 Road Construction Company of the 31 Task Force under Project Sampark of Border Roads Organization (BRO). BRO is involved with more projects in the area to strengthen the road network.

46. India Skills Report 2020

About: The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to illegal migrants of Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Christian communities coming from the Muslim-majority South Asian countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It also Report by: Wheebox (a Global Talent Assessment Company), Taggd by PeopleStrong

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public collaboration with UNDP, AICTE & AIU Grievances and Pensions, in collaboration with Findings: Parliament Museum and Archives of LokSabha  India Skills Report 2019-20 showed an overall Secretariat and Bureau of Outreach and positive trend in comparison with the past 6 Communication years for talent supply. Location: New Delhi  The report states that about 46% of students About: The exhibition contains photograph of were found to be employable or ready to take- Members of Constituent Assembly, Debates up jobs as against 33% in 2014. (audio) in the Constituent Assembly, Movie on  Wheebox findings stated that the most making of Constitution, Quotes and audio employable candidates as per the courses were speeches of Members of Constituent Assembly, MBA Students with 54% as against 40% in the Replica of the Constitution, Posters on Preamble last two years. to the Constitution and Fundamental Duties,  B. Pharma, Polytechnic, B.Com and BA Directive Principles etc. courses, on the other hand, saw an History: 9th December is an important day as the improvement in employability which is first sitting of Constituent Assembly was held on increased by more than 15%. this day in 1946. On 29th August, 1947, the  This year, the decline in employability is seen Constituent Assembly through a resolution in B.Tech, Engineering. MCA graduates, appointed a Drafting Committee Technical & Computer-related courses.  The Constitution of India was adopted on 26th  States  Cities November, 1949, and the Members appended  Maharashtra  Mumbai 70.27 their signatures to it on 24.01.1950. In all, 284 67.99 Members (total Members-299) actually signed the Constitution. The Constitution of India  Tamil Nadu  Hyderabad 66.52 62.97 came into force on 26.01.1950. The day of adoption of the Constitution is being  Uttar Pradesh  Pune 63.20 celebrated in the country as ―Constitution 61.78 Day‖.  Andhra Pradesh  New Delhi 62.86 53.56 48. PM Modi bags India’s ‘Golden Tweet’ of  Karnataka  Bengaluru54.83 2019 52.83  States with the highest employability and highest employable cities are:

47. DrJitendra Singh inaugurates ‘Digital Exhibition on history of Constitution of India’ ―Golden Tweet‖: Posted by PM Modi on May 23, 2019 Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! #VijayiBharat.‖  Celebrating the BharatiyaJanata Party‘s victory in 2019 LokSabha polls is the most retweeted and liked tweets of the year The Minister of State for Development of North Top 10 hashtags in India: Eastern Region (I/C):Dr. Jitendra Singh #loksabhaelections2019, #chandrayaan2, #cwc19, #pulwama, #article370, #bigil, #diwali, Organized by: Department of Personnel & #avengersendgame, #ayodhyaverdict,

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs #eidmubarak. Location: New Delhi Union Defence Minister:Rajnath Singh Sports:ViratKohli (@imVkohli) wished MS About: NAVARMS is the only international Dhoni (@msdhoni) on his birthday, which became seminar and exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems the most retweeted tweet in the world of sports. conducted in the country to invite all stakeholders in the life cycle management of Naval Weapons Entertainment industry: Actor Vijay‘s and provide a common platform to share their (@actorvijay) tweet sharing the poster of his film views and concerns. #bigil became the tweet to receive the most  The two-day event spread over five plenary retweets in the entertainment sector, as well as sessions will provide opportunities for became the tweet to achieve the most retweets exchange of ideas, create awareness, and with comments overall. identify emerging prospects for Indian and International Defence industries in the domain 49. Poet Viswanath Prasad Tiwari to get of Naval Weapon Systems. Gangadhar National Award  Eminent Hindi poet Viswanath Prasad Tiwari 51. Bill extended SC, ST quota would be honored with the prestigious 'Gangadhar National Award' during the 53rd Foundation Day celebrations of the Sambalpur University.  The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a shawl and citation, would be presented to

Tiwari in January. Constitution (126th) Amendment Bill: The  Instituted in memory of Odisha's renowned reservation to SCs, STs and the Anglo-Indian bard GangadharMeher, the award is conferred community in LokSabha and state assemblies was on a poet of national repute every year since granted for 70 years when the Constitution came 1991. into being. About Tiwari: a former president of Sahitya  Through the bill, the reservation for only the Academy has authored several anthologies. SC and ST communities and not the Anglo- Notable among his creations are Indian community will be extended till 'Rachanakisarokar', 'Kavitakyahai', 'Saathchalte January 25, 2030. hue' and Bistarduniya le liye'. Article 334: Anglo-Indian communities were given reservation in legislature for 70 years January 25, 2020. Current seats: There are 84 members from the Scheduled Caste and 47 from the Scheduled Tribe communities in Parliament.

52. Odisha plans 45 fast track courts

50. 'NAVARMS 2019' NAVARMS: The 4th edition of the International Seminar-cum-Exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems Reason: courts for the speedy disposal of cases of Theme: ‗Make in India – Fight Category: rape and cases registered under the Protection of Opportunities and Imperatives‘ Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

 Of the 45 fast track courts, as many as 24 would deal with POCSO cases and 21 courts 55. Cabinet approves Agreement on Social would exclusively deal with cases of sexual Security between India and Brazil offences against women, State Law Minister Pratap Jena told presspersons here. State Law Minister: Pratap Jena  Chaired by: PMShriNarendraModi, The Fast Track Courts (FTCs): were established Background: India has been entering into in Indian in the year 2000 with an aim to clear the bilateral Social Security Agreements (SSAs) long pending Sessions and other lower judicial with other countries in order to protect the cases. According to estimates, more than 3 crore interests of Indian professionals / skilled cases are pending across all the courts in the workers working abroad for short durations country. and enhance the competitiveness of Indian companies. 53. Dell Aarambh to train school teachers in AI-based teaching 56. SSAs broadly provide the following three benefits:  Avoiding making of double social security contributions by the workers (detachment);  Easy remittance of benefits (Exportability);  Aggregating the contribution periods (in two countries) to prevent loss of benefits (Totalization). Aarambh: A computer-based initiative to help teachers, parents and schools bring in technology- 57. Cabinet approves partial credit guarantee based content to classrooms. scheme for PSBs Tie-up: Dell has tied up with the Unesco Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (UNESCO-MGIEP) to roll out the programme.  In the first year of engagement, teachers across Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka will be trained. It will be expanded to other States in phases. Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme: That allows 54. The government launches a portal to public sector banks (PSBs) to purchase high-rated showcase Indian culture pooled assets from financially sound NBFCs and Culture Minister:Prahlad Singh Patel HFCs. Created by: The Indian Institute of Technology  The amount of overall guarantee has been Bombay, in collaboration with IGNOU limited to first loss of up to 10 per cent of fair Website: http://www.indian culture.gov.in is a value of assets being purchased by the banks digital resource of documents, artefacts, paintings under the scheme, or Rs 10,000 crore, and other items available in the archive. whichever is lower, as agreed by department of About: The portal currently has details on 90 lakh economic affairs (DEA). items, including manuscripts, archives, research  Uses: The proposed government guarantee papers, audio books and folk tales. It also has scheme will help non-banking financial information on UNESCO sites, reports and companies (NBFCs) and housing finance proceedings of various events organized by the companies (HFCs) to resolve their Ministry of Culture as well as details of museum temporary liquidity and enable them to collections. continue contributing to credit creation or

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs cash flow mismatch issues, and providing long and as part of revival efforts, the last mile lending to borrowers, thereby government has decided on disinvestment. spurring economic growth. Air India: The airline was founded by J. R. D. Tata as Tata Airlines in 1932, Tata himself flew its 58. Andhra Pradesh Cabinet clears Disha Act first single-engine de Havilland Puss Moth, carrying air mail from Karachi to Bombay's Juhu aerodrome and later continuing to Madras . After World War II, it became a public limited company and was renamed as Air India.Headquartered at New Delhi.

61. Google Reveals Most Trending Personality of 2019 in India

Disha Act: That provides for harsher punishments, including death sentence, to those guilty of heinous crimes against women. The Act would cover sexual offences against women and children, List: acid attacks and harassment of women.  AbhinandanVarthaman  Chief Minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy  LataMangeshkar  Yuvraj Singh 59. Odisha awarded 'World Habitat Award' for  Anand Kumar Jaga Mission  Vicky Kaushal Award given by: World Habitat, a UK-based  Rishabh Pant organization, in partnership with United Nation  RanuMondal (UN)-Habitat, every year, in recognition of  Tara Sutaria innovative, outstanding, and revolutionary ideas,  SiddharthShukla projects, and programmes from across the world.  KoenaMitra  2019's Google trends' theme being the Jaga Mission: Aims at transforming the slums celebration of 'heroes' outside the silver into liveable habitat with all necessary civic screen infrastructure and services at par with the better off areas within the same urban local body (ULB) 62. Inner Line Permit regime extended to and to continuously improve the standard of the Manipur infrastructure and services and access to livelihood opportunities, benefiting a million urban-poor living in the slums.

Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik

60. Govt to sell 100% stake in Air India Minister of Civil Aviation:Hardeep Singh Puri  Air India has a debt burden of more than Rs 50,000 crore, has been making loss for

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Initiatives: The Chartered Designs of India (CDI) and the Design Education Quality Mark (DEQM).  These two initiatives of IDC and National Institute of design, Ahmedabad Highlight: It will help to address the 5 challenges of scale, quality of design, quality of education for design, raising the priority for design in industry and design for public purpose. India Design Council: Is an autonomous body of the Government of India established under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is a national strategic body for multi-disciplinary design and is involved in promotion of design to make India a design enabled country.  In 2007, India became one of the few countries to adopt a National Design Policy (NDP) and to enable the policy  Manipur is the fourth state after Arunachal implementation the Government of India Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where the announced establishment of IDC in March ILP regime has been made applicable. 2009.  To visit the ILP-regime states, outsiders, The DEQM: will benchmark design education including people from other states of the programmes on predetermined standards and will country, need to take permission. accord Design Education Quality Mark to  Inner Line Permit (ILP): Is an official travel institutions that meet the provisions of the document issued by the Government of India published standard. to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into The Quality Mark: will communicate to a protected area for a limited period. It is everyone that an institution has a guaranteed obligatory for Indian citizens from outside minimum level of quality and standards and has those states to obtain a permit for entering into undergone a third party, neutral review process. the protected state. The document is an effort The Quality Mark will help students to choose the by the government to regulate movement to right design programme from a wide choice, help certain areas located near the international prospective employers understand the standing of border of India. the design institute and communicate to the

society about the adherence of Quality Code by 63. Ravi Mittal appointed as Information and the design institute. Broadcasting Secretary CDI: Is a cohesive platform that adheres to the  Mr Mittal, who belongs to 1986 batch of Bihar design practice to standards in professional design Cadre of Indian Administrative Service, will replace MrAmitKhare who has been appointed as the new secretary of the Department of Higher Education.  Mr Mittal is currently working as the Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services in the Ministry of Finance.

64. India Design Council launches two Initiatives to promote Design Education and Standards

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs competence, ethics and service. was nationalized by the Government of India in 1960. It was awarded the Miniratna status, with accompanying financial and operational autonomy in September 2006. It is first Indian shipyard to build 100 warships.

66. FSSAI, Nasscom Foundation partner to develop app to prevent food wastage

65. GRSE hands over LCU amphibious ship to Indian Navy

Landing Craft Utility (LCU):  The ship, that can transport and deploy main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to the shore, is seventh of eight such vessels being built for the Navy About: To a develop an app and set up a 24x7  These ships can also be deployed for multi- role activities like beaching operations, helpline number to connect donors with surplus search and rescue, disaster relief edibles to food distribution organizations. operations, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands Mobile application: 'Food Donation in India' to donate food to the needy  With an ability to attain a maximum speed of 15 knots, the ship can accommodate 216 personnel and is equipped with two MoU: Between Food Safety and Standards indigenous CRN 91 guns to provide Authority of India (FSSAI) and National artillery fire support during landing Association of Software and Services Companies operations (NASSCOM). Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd(GRSE): Is one of India's leading shipyards, FSSAI CEO:PawanAgarwal located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It builds and repairs commercial and naval vessels. Presently Nasscom CEO: Ashok Pamidi GRSE has also started building export ships in a mission to expand its business. 67. Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh  Founded in 1884 as a small privately owned company on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, it was renamed as Garden Reach Workshop in 1916. The company

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs licensed under Section 10 of the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and mainly used in alternative medicine such homeopathy and Ayurveda. On the other hand, illegal cultivation is an offence under Section 20 of the NDPS Act.

69. 7th Economic Census Punjab Governor: V P Singh Badnore About: To honor and commemorate the legendary bravery and sacrifices of ancestors from this land. The Governor paid tributes to the martyrs of Parliament attack in 2001. Punjab Chief Minister:Amarinder Singh National Energy Conservation Day 2019: CSO Director General (Social Statistics): A.K. Sadhu Conducted by: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Tied with: CSC e-Governance Service Location: Delhi Highlight: For the first time, the entire Census is being conducted on a digital platform with the use About: Every year on December 14, National of an application that will ensure high accuracy Energy Conservation Day is observed to raise and data security, which has reduced time for the awareness among the people for the conservation survey to 6 months from 2 years earlier. of energy considering the global increase in About: Started in 1977, only six economic population and also the demand for the supply of censuses have been done so far due to massive electricity. work involving in-depth survey and data compilation. 68. Drones to be deployed to destroy hidden marijuana plantations; 70. Trakea software, used by Haryana Police Trakea: To ensure that thousands of forensic reports that form the backbone of the criminal investigation system and subsequent trials in the courts of law are not tampered with. Highlight: It is the country‘s first police force to have introduced this unique barcoding for forensic reports. Software designed by: A prisoner who was  The Centre will use satellites to detect lodged in Bhondsi jail for 13 months. A software marijuana crops by penetrating the lighter engineer by profession,In the 13 months that he foliage and drones will subsequently destroy spent in jail, however, the man worked on the the plants. software, writing algorithms and, once out of jail,  India is following US in dealing with became the source for Haryana Police acquire his marijuana plantations. US authorities have creation. been using airplanes and drones to detect and destroy illegal plantations. 71. Nabard sign deal for transfer of farm Act related: Legal cultivation of limited crop of technology marijuana for medical and scientific purposes is

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs MoU: Between ICAR and National Board of Location: New Delhi Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Theme: ‗Geosciences: The Basic Science for a  Under the MoU, ICAR through its large Sustainable Development‘. network will support the training and capacity Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences: Dr. M. building of channel partners and NABARD Rajeevan officers. Highlight: It may be noted that India is the only Objective: Is to facilitate research and scale up Asian country to host the event twice. In 1964, various technologies and innovative farmer India had hosted it for the first time, which was the models developed by the Indian Council of 22nd IGC. The event was inaugurated by the then Agricultural Research (ICAR). President of India Dr.SarvepalliRadhakrishnan. ICAR Director General:TrilochanMohapatra and Organized by: Ministry of Mines (MoM) and NABARD Chairman: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): 1929, Headquartered in New Delhi, is an 74. STEELING INDIA 2019 autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating About: With the National Steel Policy envisaging agricultural education and research in India.The a plan to reach 300 MT of production by 2030-31, Committee to Advise on Renovation and it is crucial to address the demand side growth. Rejuvenation of Higher Education (Yashpal With this background, CII is organized the Committee, 2009) has recommended setting up of Conference ―Steeling India‖ with the objective of a constitutional body. increasing the steel intensity in key user sectors National Bank for Agriculture and Rural especially in rural India on 16th December, 2019. Development (NABARD): 1982, Headquartered Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and in Mumbai, is an Apex Development Financial Steel: Mr Dharmendra Pradhan Institution in India. The Bank has been entrusted Venue: New Delhi with "matters concerning Policy Planning and The Confederation of Indian Industry: CII is a Operations in the field of credit for Agriculture non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and and other Economic activities in rural areas in industry-managed organization, playing a India".It was established on the recommendations proactive role in India's development process. of B.Sivaramman Committee. Founded in 1895, India's premier business association has more than 9100 members, from the 72. Nation celebrates Vijay Diwas: Dec 16 private as well as public sectors, including SMEs About: The nation celebrates Vijay Diwas to and MNCs. commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in 1971 war. 75. ITBP launches matrimonial site to help staff In 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General find 'suitable matches Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93 Highlight: This is the first-ever dedicated and thousand troops, had surrendered to the allied well-managed matrimony portal among the forces consisting of Indian Army and Mukti Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) started by Bahini led by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh ITBP on December 9. There are more than 25,000 Aurora in Dhaka after their defeat in the unmarried men in the Force while more than 1000 Liberation war. women personnel are also unmarried, only the Bangladesh creation: After the end of 14 day war staff will be able to access it. resulted in subsequent secession of East Pakistan Indo-Tibetan Border Police: The ITBP was into Bangladesh. raised on October 24, 1962, for reorganizing the frontier intelligence and security set up along the 73. India to Host 36th International Geological Indo-Tibetan border. ITBP presently has 56 Congress in March 2020 service battalions, 4 specialist battalions, 17 training centers and 7 logistics establishments with

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs a total strength of approximately 90,000 About: The DSC Prize, instituted in 2010, awards personnel. fiction from the South Asian region, which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, 76. India successfully conducts trial of land- the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri attack version of BrahMos supersonic Lanka, as well as from the diaspora. cruise missile Sridhar Patra appointed NALCO CMD Location: Chandipur Integrated Test Range, off About: Patra is at present Director (Finance) in Odisha coast. the National Aluminum Company Limited Highlight: A land-attack version of the missile (NALCO).He has been appointed as the CMD of was test-launched from a mobile autonomous NALCO till the date of his superannuation. launcher at Launch Pad-3. National Aluminum Company Limited: The BrahMos missile: Is a medium-range ramjet Incorporated in 1981 is a Navratna group ‗A‘ supersonic cruise missile capable of being CPSE having integrated and diversified operations launched from submarines, warships, fighter jets in mining, metal and power under Ministry of or land. The 2.5-tonne missile has a strike range of Mines, Government of India. Presently, nearly 300 kilometres. Government of India holds 52% equity of The BrahMos is regarded as the fastest supersonic NALCO. cruise missile in the world; the nine-meter long Headquarters: Bhubaneswar, Odisha missile can travel at thrice the speed of sound and carry a conventional warhead weighing up to 300 80. Thawarchand Gehlot launches Braille kg. version of 'Exam Warriors' Joint venture: DRDO of India and the NPOM of Social Justice and Empowerment Minister: Russia. Thawarchand Gehlot Written by: Prime Minister Narendra Modi 77. Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane to be Exam Warriors: The book highlights issues of next Army Chief importance to students such as coping with exam Current Army Chief: Bipin Rawat (who will related stress, keeping calm during exams as well retire on the 31st December). as what to do after the exams get over, a statement Manoj Mukund is currently serving as Vice by the publishing house reads Chief of the Army. 81. GEM launches national outreach 78. India, Germany ink pact for Rs 1,958 cr programme 'GeM Samvaad' finance to develop energy-efficient housing GeM Samvaad: To bring on-board more local programme sellers. The outreach programme will take place Loan agreement: Between State Bank of India with stakeholders across the country and with (SBI) and German development bank KfW for local sellers to facilitate on-boarding of local USD 277 million to establish an energy-efficient sellers on the marketplace. housing programme in India GeM: Government e-commerce portal facilitates About: Under the programme, both builders and online procurement of common use Goods & homebuyers shall be financed for developing/ Services required by various Government purchasing energy-efficient residential projects Departments / Organizations / PSUs. GeM aims to that achieve at least 25 per cent energy savings in enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in comparison to standard reference buildings. public procurement. It provides the tools of e- bidding, reverse e-auction and demand 79. Amitabha Bagchi wins 2019 DSC Prize aggregation to facilitate the government users, DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2019 at the achieve the best value for their money. 8th edition of the IME Nepal Literature Festival Novel: Half the Night is Gone ($25,000 award)

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 82. CBI officer wins ‘India Cyber Cop of the Ch. Basumatry (Bodo), Dr. Nand Kishore Acharya Year' awardIndia Cyber Cop of the Year: (Hindi), Nilba A. Khandekar (Konkani), Kumar CBI officer B P Raju Manish Arvind (Maithili), V. Madhusoodanan Award by: NASSCOM-DSCI Nair (Malayalam), Anuradha Patil (Marathi) and Reason: for cracking a fraud case in an online Prof. Penna Madhusudan (Sanskrit). entrance exam conducted by an engineering Novels: Dr. Joysree Goswami Mahanta college in Rajasthan. (Assamese), L. Birmangol Singh (Manipuri), Cho. Ministry of Electronics and Information Dharman (Tamil) and Bandi Narayana Swamy Technology: Ajay Prakash Sawhney (Telugu) Annual Information Security Summit: Gurgaon Books of short stories: Abdul Ahad Hajini (Kashmiri), Tarun Kanti Mishra (Odia), Kirpal 83. Gadkari launches 'Khadi Rumal' stitched Kazak (Punjabi), Ramsawroop Kisan (Rajasthani), by militancy affected women of J&Khe Kali Charan Hembram (Santali) and Ishwar Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Moorjani (Sindhi). Enterprises (MSME): Nitin Gadkari An autobiography by Dr. Vijaya (Kannada) and a Aim: To provide employment to the women in the biography by Prof. Shafey Kidwai (Urdu) terrorist affected areas The Sahitya Academy Award: Established in Highlight: 50 per cent increase in the 1954, the award comprises a plaque and a cash remuneration of women workers to Rs 3 per piece prize of ₹ 1,00,000, is a literary honor in India, from Rs 2 per piece presently. which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Agreement: Khadi and Village Industries Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of Commission (KVIC) with Paytm to facilitate the the most outstanding books of literary merit sale of 2 crore pieces of Rumals through their published in any of the major Indian languages (24 portal. languages, including the 22 listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution recognised by 84. Film and Theatre Personality Shriram the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. Lagoo Passes Away at 92About: One of the biggest faces of the Marathi theatre, Lagoo 86. Tripura gets it’s first-ever SEZ for Agro- was also a doctor. He acted in more than 100 Based Food Processing The Ministry of Hindi and Marathi films in his career. He also Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal directed twenty plays in Marathi. He started Location: Paschim Jalefa, Sabroom, South his career as actor in films with projects like Tripura District Aahat, Pinjra, Mere Saath Chal and Samna. After it is set up, 100% Income Tax exemption These films released in the early seventies but will be provided on export income for SEZ units made filmmakers realise Lagoo‘s talent as a under Section 10AA of the Income Tax Act for the character artist. first 5 years. Also, 50% exemption will be Dr Lagoo also wrote a book, an autobiography provided for the next 5 years and 50% on the titled Lamaan. ploughed back export profit for another 5 years. Special economic zone: Is an area in which the 85. Sahitya Akademi’s 2019 awards includes business and trade laws are different from the rest non-fiction by Shashi TharoorAbout: of the country. SEZs are located within a country's The Sahitya Akademi announced its annual national borders, and their aims include increased literary awards for 2019 for works in 23 trade balance, employment, increased investment, languages, job creation and effective administration. ‗An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India‘: By Shashi Tharoor, who is a Congress 87. CSIR, CNRS, France ink MoUA MP, was selected in the English category. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): The awards honor works of poetry: Dr. Phukan

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Between the Council of Scientific & Industrial suddenly appear at close range. Research (CSIR), India and the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France 89. Odisha CM launches 'Jalsathi' programme Aim: To establish a framework for cooperation between the two towards promotion and support of scientific and technological research. About CNRS: Founded in 1939, CNRS is the largest fundamental research organization in Europe. CNRS is an interdisciplinary public research organization carries out research in the Odisha Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik has areas of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth launched the Sciences and Astronomy, Ecology & Jalsathi: To ensure supply of safe drinking water Environment, Engineering & Systems Sciences, to all households in the state. Mathematical Sciences, Physics, Nuclear & Women volunteers: Jalasathis. Particle Physics etc. Jalasathis: will be responsible for water quality About CSIR: Set up in 1942 as an autonomous testing, facilitating new water connections, body, CSIR is now the largest publically funded regularizing connections, reassessment of multi-disciplinary industrial R&D organization in demands, meter reading, bill generation, bill India under the administrative supervision of delivery, and collection of water charges and Ministry of Science and Technology, GOI, It facilitating complaints redressal. conduct research in a wide spectrum of science and technology from aerospace, instrumentation, 90. Govt. launches National Broadband environmental engineering, mining, minerals & Mission materials, housing and structures to oceanography, chemicals, drugs, and biotechnology.

88. Upgraded version of Pinaka guided rocket system successfully test fired:

Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology: Ravi Shankar Prasad Aim: To fast track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide and provide affordable and universal access Location: Chandipur in Odisha of broadband for all and provide broadband access Two missiles are: to all villages by 2022. Pinaka: Is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the DRDO for the Indian 91. 18th National Maritime Search and Rescue Army. The system has a maximum range of 40 km Board meeting for Mark-I and 75 km for Mark-II, and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds. QR-SAM: can engage multiple targets within a range of around 25 to 30 km with two vehicle configurations for area air defence. The specificity of QR-SAM missile is that it intended to defend Army formations operating in plains and semi- desert areas, including those enemy missiles that

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Organized by: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) technological advancement like Industry 4.0 and Location: New Delhi predictive maintenance. Meet: To discuss policy issues, formulate guidelines & procedures and assess the efficacy of 93. HDFC Bank crosses $100 bn market cap in National Search and Rescue Plan. intraday trading Director General Indian Coast Guard and Chairman NMSARB: K Natarajan Awards Conferred:  MV Asia Emerald III was awarded the SAR Award for Merchant Vessel (for saving 06 lives from a distressed fishing About: HDFC Bank Ltd crossed $100 billion boat). market capitalization in intraday trading,  SAR Award for Fisherman was awarded to becoming only the third company in the country to ShriAnand A Ambhire from Maharashtra achieve this milestone and ranks 26th around the (for saving 11 lives from a sinking fishing world that have a market capitalization of more boat). than $100 billion.  AR Award for Government Owned SAR Other two companies:Reliance Industries Ltd, Unit was awarded jointly to Indian Coast which has a market value of $140.74 billion, and Guard Ships Sujoy and Vikram for saving Tata Consultancy Services Ltd that has a market 46 lives from ROSV SagarSampada off capitalization of $114.60 billion. New Mangalore. HDFC Bank Ltd:It was incorporated in 1994, is Indian Coast Guard: being the nodal agency for an Indian banking and financial services company Maritime Search and Rescue has rescued 9,672 headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. HDFC lives by coordinating 3,180 search and rescue Bank is India‘s largest private sector lender by missions, which inter alia includes 2,479 air assets. sorties and 3,540 ship deployments, since inception. ICG thus saves one precious life every 94. Ministry of Railways signs MoU with second day. University of Birmingham

92. 11th Regional Quality Conclave tomorrow

MoU: Between The National Rail Transport Institute, a deemed to be university under the Ministry of Railwaysand the University of Birmingham

Location: Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chairman, Railway Board: Mr. Vinod Kumar Theme: ‗Advance Manufacturing with Quality, Yadav Innovation & Technology Interventions‘ Head of the Birmingham Centre for Railway Organized by: Quality Council of India (QCI) Research and Education: Clive Roberts with PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Reason: For establishment of Centre of (PHDCCI) Excellence for Next Generation Transportation Objective: To create awareness about the Systems. significance of quality culture in businesses, About the National Rail Transport Institute: deliberate on how organizations could The National Rail Transport Institute has been set continuously improve and innovate and share up as a deemed to be university and has been operational since 2018. In addition to Schools and

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Departments in various disciplines, NRTI aims to 96. GST Council fixes 28% uniform tax rate for develop interdisciplinary Centres of Excellence lottery which would be collaborative constructs to promote research and education to the transportation sector. About University of Birmingham: The University of Birmingham is home to the

Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and About: The Goods and Services Tax or GST Education (BCRRE) with over 150 academics, Council has fixed a uniform tax rate of 28 per cent researchers and professional services staff, on both state-run and private lottery and it also delivering world-class research, education and decided to rationalize the GST rate on woven and leadership to the global rail industry. The BCRRE non-woven bags to 18 per cent. is the largest university-based Centre for railway Finance Minister:NirmalaSitharaman. research and education in Europe. Highlight: It was for the first time that the GST Council resorted to voting to decide on an issue as 95. IIT Hyderabad Fellow Launches it fixed a uniform tax rate on both state and private 'Vaccination on Wheels' lotteries.

97. Anti-hijacking exercise conducted off Kochi port Conducted by: Indian Navy, in collaboration with Indian Coast Guard, Cochin Port Trust

Launched by: Jigneh Patel, a fellow at the Center Highlight: This was the first time that such a for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) at IIT large-scale exercise involving all stakeholders was Hyderabad conducted in Kerala. Collaboration: The Bill and Melinda Gates Exercise code: Apharan Foundation (Mr. Patel had received a grant under Aim: Apharan aimed at streamlining the response the Foundation's Grand Challenges Explorations) mechanism/preparedness to thwart any attempt by Location: Pune anti-national elements to hijack a merchant vessel About: Called 'VaccineOnWheels.com' as they or attempt forced entry of a rogue/commandeered have adopted VOW (Vaccination on Wheels) merchant vessel into the Kochi harbour. concept, this clinic will go to schools, colleges and corporates to conduct vaccination camps at their 98. National Mathematics Day doorsteps. It will offer only vaccination services. The Grand Challenges in Global Health (GCGH): Is a research initiative launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in search of solutions to health problems in the developing world. Fifteen challenges are categorized in The Indian government declared 22 December to groups among seven stated goals plus an eighth be National Mathematics Day, this was announced group for family health. The disciplines involved by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 26 include immunology, microbiology, genetics, etc. February 2012 at Madras University, during the Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded, and inaugural ceremony of the celebrations to mark the successful projects have the opportunity to receive 125th anniversary of the birth of the Indian follow-on funding of up to $1 million. Winning mathematical genius SrinivasaRamanujan (22 Dec grants are chosen approximately 5 months from 1887- 26 Apr 1920). On this occasion Singh also the submission deadline. announced that 2012 would be celebrated as the

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs National Mathematics Year.

99. Integral Coach Factory produces 3000 Coaches in record 215 days About: Unlike the conventional photothermal therapy that relies on heat to kill cancerous cells, a multi-institutional team led by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad used heat generated by the dye when exposed to light to destroy the encapsulation and release the extract. Integral Coach Factory (ICF) of Indian Railways The extract showed selectivity in killing only has produced its 3000th coach of the year in less cancer cells; the extract released inside normal than nine months. cells caused insignificant cell death. Integral Coach Factory (ICF): Is a manufacturer of rail coaches located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It 103. Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile was established in 1952, is owned and operated by (QRSAM) flight-tested the Indian Railways. The ICF is one of the three rake production units of the Indian Railways, the other two being the Modern Coach Factory at Raebareli and the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala.

100. National Farmers Day KisanDiwas is the annual celebration of Indian Developed by:Defense Research and farmers and is observed on December 23 across Development Organisation (DRDO) the country. Also known as Farmer's Day, this Location: Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off observance falls on the birth anniversary of India's the Odisha coast. fifth Prime Minister, ChoudharyCharan Singh, as QRSAM: weapon system, which operates on the ChoudharyCharan Singh was one of the pioneers move, comprises of fully automated Command to focus on Indian villages as a whole, and paved and Control System, Active Array Battery the way for revolutionary land reform laws. Surveillance Radar, Active Array Battery Multifunction Radar and Launcher. Both radars 101. Wipro partners with Nasscom are four walled having 360 degree coverage with TalentNext: This is a part of Wipro‘s Corporate search on move and track on move capability Social Responsibility programmeTalentNext, Defense Minister: Rajnath Singh which aims to enhance the quality of engineering DRDO Chairman: Dr G Satheesh Reddy education by preparing faculty and academic leaders to train students and to launch the Future 104. TN Govt, Dept of Fisheries, NABARD ink Skills platform for 10,000 students from over 20 agreement engineering colleges in India. Wipro Chairman: RishadPremji NASSCOM President: DebjaniGhosh

102. IIT Hyderabad team uses plant extract, heat to kill cancer cells

MoU: The first tripartite was signed between the Department of Fisheries under the Government of

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs India, NARBARD, and the Government of Tamil Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented the Nadu 66th National Film Awards at a ceremony in New Reason: For the implementation of Fisheries and Delhi. Information and Broadcasting Minister Aquaculture Development Fund (FIDF). PrakashJavdekar was also present on the occasion. About FIDF: It provides concessional finance to Golden Lotus Awards (Swarna Kamal) eligible entities, cooperatives, individuals, and  Best Feature Film: Hellaro(Gujarati) entrepreneurs for development of identified  Best Children's Film: Sarkari Hi. Pra. fisheries infrastructure. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural RamannaRaiKannada) Development (NARBARD), National  Best Direction: AdityaDhar(Uri: The Cooperatives Development Corporation (NCDC) Surgical Strike-Hindi) and all scheduled banks are Nodal Loaning entities Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal): (NLEs) to provide concessional finance under the  Best Actor: AyushmanKhurrana FIDF. and Vicky Kaushal Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal  Best Actress: Keerthy Suresh Husbandry and Dairying: Giriraj Singh  Best Feature Film on National NABARD:It was established on the Integration: OndallaEradalla recommendations of B.Sivaramman Committee,  Best Film on Other Social Issues: Pad (by Act 61, 1981 of Parliament) on 12 July 1982 Man to implement the National Bank for Agriculture  Best Child Artist: P V Rohith and Rural Development Act 1981.  Best Feature Film in Kannada: It is an Apex Development Financial Institution in Nathicharami India. The Bank has been entrusted with matters concerning Policy Planning and Operations in the 107. Cabinet approves signing of MoU between field of credit for Agriculture and other Economic India & Brazil activities in rural areas in India. NABARD Chairman: Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala

105. Harsh VardhanShringla appointed Foreign Secretary

About: The MoU provides a framework to cooperate and promote investment in biofuel, bioelectricity and biogas supply-chains, including feedstock, industrial conversion, distribution and end use sectors. Target: India also has a strong focus in the area of About: Harsh VardhanShringla, India‘s bio-fuels and has set a target to achieve 20% Ambassador to the US, has been appointed as the blending of ethanol in petrol and 5% blending of new foreign secretary after incumbent Vijay biodiesel in diesel by 2030 KeshavGokhale‘s. World’s second largest producer: Brazil is Foreign Secretary: Is the administrative head of currently the world's second largest producer and the Ministry of External Affairs, and is the consumer of biofuels and biofuels and principal adviser to the Minister of External bioelectricity accounted for 18% of Brazil's energy Affairs on all matters of policy and administration mix. within the External Affairs Ministry. 108. DharmendraPradhan unveils India's first 106. 66th National Film Awards long distance CNG bus

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

Petroleum and Natural Gas MoU: Between Securities and exchange board of Minister:DharmendraPradhan India (SEBI)and Kazakhstan's Astana Financial Highlight: India's first long distance CNG bus Services Authority (AFSA). fitted with CNG cylinders. It can travel around one Objective:To strengthen cross border co-operation thousand kilometer in a single fill, which help in the area of securities regulation and enable reduce vehicular pollution. The first long range effective enforcement of laws and regulations interstate CNG bus will ply from Delhi to governing the securities markets. Dehradun. Chairman of Sebi: Ajay Tyagi Executed by: Indraprastha Gas Limited(the Chief executive officer of largest CNG distribution company in the country). AFSA:MukhtarBubeyev. SEBI: Headquartered in Mumbai,It is the 109. Urban India declared Open defecation free Regulator for the Securities market in India owned by Government of India. It was established in 1988 and given Statutory Powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.

111. Army Major gets Army Design Bureau About: Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban has Excellence Award achieved its target of creating Urban India Open Name: Major Anoop Mishra Defecation Freeexcept Bengal. Reason:For indigenously developing Sarvatra Urban areas of 35 States and Union Territories bulletproof jacket. have become ODF. In all, 4,320 cities [out of Sarvatra bulletproof jacket: It can provide 4,372] have declared themselves ODF, of which protection from sniper rifle bullets. The project 4,167 cities have been certified through third-party was launched after there was an increase in the verification. number of sniper incidents in the lines on Line of Open defecation free: It stated that all Control (LoC) and Kashmir valley. community members are using sanitation facilities (such as toilets) instead of going to the open for 112. Oxygen Parlor’ at Nashik Railway defecation. Stationto combat air pollution Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry: Hardeep Singh Puri Government has launched star rating protocol for Garbage free cities and Indore, Ambikapur, Navi Mumbai and Mysuru have been certified as 5-star cities.

110. Sebi signs pact with Kazakhstan-based AFSA for mutual co-operation About: some plants that better absorb the five most harmful pollutants from the air;hence planted most of those plants at Railway Station, these plants can clean the air in an area of 10X10 feet around them. Collaboration: Airo Guard with the Indian

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

Railways.  Mental disorders were the second leading Recommendation: National Aeronautics and cause of disease burden in terms of years lived Space Administration (NASA). with disability (YLDs) and the sixth leading In 1989, NASA had conducted a study in which cause of disability-adjusted life-years they identified some plants that better absorb the (DALYs) in the world in 2017 five most harmful pollutants from the air. Three categories In its State-wise analysis, the study divides 113. South has higher prevalence of mental different States into three categories on the basis disorders of their socio-demographic index (SDI), i.e low, medium and high SDI States. SDI: Is a composite measure of per-capita income, mean education, and fertility rate in women younger than 25 years and is calculated on a scale of one. More Prevalence of depressive disorders:  Tamil Nadu  Kerala  Goa  Telangana  Andhra Pradesh More anxiety disorders (high SDI State group) moreanxiety disorders (middle SDI State group)  Kerala Andhra Pradesh  Himachal PradeshManipur  Tamil Nadu West Bengal  Karnataka  Telangana

Report by: India State-Level Disease Burden 114. Rohtang tunnel in Himachal Pradesh Initiative (joint initiative of the Indian Council of named as Atal tunnel Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health About: Prime Minister NarendraModi named Foundation of India (PHFI), and Institute for Rohtang passageway in Himachal Pradesh as Atal Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Tunnel to mark the 95th birth anniversary of collaboration with the Ministry of Health and former Prime Minister AtalBihari Vajpayee. Family Welfare) It will provide all weather connectivity to remote Highlights: areas of Lahaul and Spiti Valley and also reduce  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 Andhra Pradesh account for a higher Kilometres. prevalence of mental disorders.  Primarily during adulthood in depression and 115. PM launches AtalBhujalYojana anxiety.  The study finds that roughly one in seven Indians, or 197 million persons, suffered from mental disorders of varying severity in 2017.  Sum of total years of life lost and years lived with disability has doubled between 1990 and

2017 increasing from 2.5% to 4.7%. Prime Minister NarendraModi flagged off the the 'AtalBhujalYojana', a scheme aimed at improving

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs groundwater management through community 3. Karnataka participation, on the occasion of 95th birth 4. Chhattisgarh anniversary of former Prime minister AtalBihari 5. Andhra Pradesh Vajpayee. Big States the poor performers AtalBhujalYojana:The scheme, also known as 1. Odisha 'AtalJal', will promote panchayat-led ground water 2. Bihar management and behavioural change with primary 3. Goa focus on demand-side management. 4. Uttar Pradesh The scheme is aimed at contributing towards the 5. Jharkhand goal of doubling farmers' incomes, promoting  Among the North-East and Hill States: participatory ground water management, Himachal Pradesh was ranked first, improving water use efficiency on a mass scale, followed by Uttarakhand, Tripura, improving cropping pattern and promoting Mizoram and Sikkim. The worst efficient and equitable use of ground water performers in this group are Jammu and resources and behavioural change at the Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, community level. with Arunachal Pradesh coming last. Jal Shakti Minister:Gajendra Singh Sekhawat  Puducherry is the best governed Union 14 districts from Karnataka chosen for Territory followed by Chandigarh and AtalBhujalYojana Delhi. Lakshwadeep is the worst 14 districts are more than 10 are from south performing UT. Karnataka, While the overall cost of the project is  In the agriculture and allied ranking, Rs 6,000 crore, assisted by the World Bank, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Daman and Karnataka will be provided with a whopping Rs Diu are the best performing States in their 1201.52 crore. groups. Taluks under the project: Pavagada, Madhugiri,  While assessing the performance of Koratagere, Chikkanayakanahalli, Nelamangala, commerce and industries across States, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Chikkaballapur, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Delhi top the Chintamani, Gudibande, Gauribidanur, Bagepalli, lists of their groups. Shidlaghatta, Bangarpet, Mulbagal, Srinivasapur, Kanakapura and Magadi. 117. Health Minister inaugurates second edition of Eat Right Mela 116. Good governance index Report by: Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, and the Centre for Good Governance The States and UTs are divided into three groups — Big States, North-East and Hill States, and

Union Territories.  Union Minister of Health & Family The States are assessed on performance in 10 Welfare:Dr. Harsh Vardhan, sectors — agriculture and allied sectors, Location:JawaharLal Nehru Stadium, New commerce and industries, human resource Delhi development, public health, public infrastructure The PURPLE Book: A handbook on diets for and utilities, economic governance, social welfare diseases. The book provides general guidelines for and development, judicial and public security, hospitals on suitable diets for common medical environment, and citizen-centric governance. conditions in a simple format. Big State top performers NetSCoFAN (Network for Scientific Co- 1. Tamil Nadu operation for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition): 2. Maharashtra a network of research & academic institutions

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs working in the area of food & nutrition along with Location: Kushinagar district, Uttar Pradesh the NetSCoFAN directory, covering detailed Highlight: The transgender community will be information of various heads/Directors and lead able to study right from class one to PG and even scientists of lead and associated partnering do research and get PhD degree institutions. Eat Right Mela: The ‗Eat Right India‘ movement 120. Sign boards in Chinese language put up at was launched by the Food Safety and Standards 5 ASI protected sites Authority of India (FSSAI) to usher in a ‗new food culture‘ by nudging businesses and consumers to adopt safe, healthy and sustainable food practices and habits.

118. Earliest Sanskrit inscription in South India found in A.P.  Union Tourism Minister:Prahlad Singh Patel About: Sign boards in Chinese language have been put up at five ASI protected archaeological sites located in Uttar Pradesh. They include Sarnath, the Buddhist relics at ChaukhandiStupa, Kushinagar and the Mahaparinirvana Temple, Piparahwa and About: The Epigraphy Branch of the Sravasti. Archaeological Survey of India has discovered  The sign boards of foreign languages will be Chebrolu inscription, the earliest epigraphic installed where more than one lakh tourists evidence so far for the Saptamatrika cult. It is also from a particular country visit those places the earliest Sanskrit inscription to have been every year. discovered in South India as on date. Location: Chebrolu village in Guntur district of 121. Unicef award to Kamareddy dist. Andhra Pradesh Saptamatrikas:A group of seven female deities worshipped in Hinduism as personifying the energy of their respective consorts. The references of Saptamatrika worship in the early Kadamba copper plates and the early Chalukyas and Eastern Chalukya copper plates. But the new discovery predates them by almost 200years. Issued by: The inscription is in Sanskrit and in Brahmi characters and was issued by Satavahana king Vijaya in 207 A.D.

119. India's first university for transgender community to come up

About: Kamareddy district of Telanganasecured the United Nations International Children‘s and Education Fund (Unicef)-2019 Award for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Mission in water sanitation and hygiene sectors. The district stood in the forefront in the country in construction of individual sanitary lavatories, swachhdarpan wall paintings, swachhsurvekshan, swachhsundarshouchalay and other activities.

122. PM Modi unveilsAtalBihari Vajpayee’s Vice-President: M Venkaiah Naidu bronze statue Odisha Governor:GaneshiLal Union Petroleum minister:DharmendraPradhan About: It has capacity of manufacturing 42 lakh cylinders annually. The bottling plant will benefit residents of 14 western Odisha districts.

125. Foundation stone laid for India’s first Location: Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Transit-oriented Development project About: Prime Minister NarendraModi unveils the statue of ‗Bharat Ratna‘ late AtalBihari Vajpayee and laid the foundation stone of a medical university in his name on the occasion of birth anniversary of Vajpayee.

123. National Tribal Dance Festival begins in Raipur

Union Home Minister:Amit Shah Country‘s first Transit-oriented Development (TOD) project under which a state-of-the-art infrastructure zone will be built in east Delhi. The project – ‗East Delhi Hub‘ at Karkardooma. Transit-oriented development (TOD): Is a type

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister:BhupeshBaghel. of urban development that maximizes the amount Inauguration by: Rahul Gandhi of residential, business and leisure space within About: More than 1300 participants from 25 states walking distance of public transport. In doing so, & UTs of the country and six countries are TOD aims to increase public transport ridership by participating in this three-day dance fest. These reducing the use of private cars and by promoting folk dance teams will present their respective folk sustainable urban growth. art cultures. During these three days, 29 tribal troupes will present more than 43 styles of four 126. Indian Air Force decommissioned last different dance forms. MiG-27 squadron

124. Vice-President dedicates LPG bottling plant at Balangir in Odisha

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs About: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to finally decommission its MiG-27s with the sole remaining squadron in Rajasthan's Jodhpur flying its last sortie this week. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 1985, the MiG-27 remained an integral part of the Indian

Air Force's combat strength. It was due to the jet's Defense Minister:Rajnath Singh heroics during the Kargil war that the aircraft DefExpo 2020: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. earned the nickname "bahadur" from Air Force About: The app provides detailed information pilots. about the day-to-day events, participating MiG-27: Is a single-engine, single-seater tactical exhibitors, guest speakers of seminars, maps and strike fighter aircraft. It was initially developed in directions of the venues. the erstwhile Soviet Union and later indigenously manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics 129. Economist and Political S Gurumurthy Limited in India. releases book  Maximum speed: 1,700 km/hr (Mach 1.6) Title: Politics of Opportunism.  Carries one 23mm six-barrel rotary integral Written by: R P N Singh cannon About: Book throws light on the subject  Can carry up to 4,000 kg of other related to rise of regional parties and Centre - armament externally States relation.

127. Amitabh Bachchanhonored with Dada 130. JMM leader HemantSoren takes oath as SahebPhalke award 11th CM of Jharkhand

About: The award, named after Governor:DraupadiMurmu DhundirajGovindPhalke who is revered as the In the 81 member Assembly, JMM-Congress-RJD father of Indian cinema, was instituted in 1969. alliance has won 47 seats in the recently concluded Amitabh Bachhan made his debut in Hindi film Assembly elections. BJP has got 25 seats. industry in the same year with "Saat Hindustani". Considered the highest honor for an artiste in 131. Second run of Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Indian cinema, the award comprises a Swarna Express to be flagged off on Jan 17 Kamal medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of 10 About: After the successful run of Lucknow-Delhi lakh rupees. It was conferred upon late actor Tejas Express (Railways 1st private train) by VinodKhanna in 2017. IRCTC, the second premium Tejas train is ready to run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. 128. Rajnath Singh launches mobile app of forthcoming DefExpo 2020 132. Mandu festival starts in Madhya Pradesh

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 1. Bihar 2. Jharkhand 3. Arunachal Pradesh K'taka among top 8 states to achieve max of SDG goals Karnataka climbed 6th rank this year, scoring 10 About: In Madhya Pradesh, the 5-day Mandu out of 16 sustainable development goals (SDGs) festival has been started from in Mandu, a world- set by the United Nations but remained behind on famous picturesque tourist destination located in two vital parameters of poverty eradication and Dhar district of the state. gender equality. Mandu festival: which will run till January 1, will UN declaration: India along with 192 other see the amalgamation of cultural activities as well countries signed the declaration on the 2030 as adventure sports. The rich classical and Agenda for Sustainable Development at the traditional folk arts of dance, singing and playing Sustainable Development Summit of the United will once again come alive through the Mandu Nations in September 2015. festival.

135. 76th Anniversary of First Flag Hoisting at 133. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Port Blair Implementation (MOSPI) constitutes Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES)

A function was organized to commemorate the 76th Anniversary of First Flag Hoisting by NetajiSubhas Chandra Bose at Port Blair. Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor: Admiral

Chaired by: Former Chief Statistician PronabSen DK Joshi and (28 members) Minister of State for Health & Family Reason: To improve quality of data amid criticism Welfare:Ashwini Kumar Choubey of the government over political interference. About: In 30th December 1943, NetajiSubash Chandra Bose declared that the Andaman and 134. Sustainable Development Goals India Nicobar Islands is the first territory of India that Index was free from the British Regime. After the British Highlight: India's composite score improved from left Andamans, the flag hoisting ceremony took 57 in 2018 to 60 in 2019 with major success in place pointing out the freedom of the islands. water and sanitation, industry and innovation. Since it was the first time the flag was hoisted in Report by: NITI Aayog Indian soil. NitiAayog CEO: Amitabh Kant NitiAayog Vice-Chairman: Rajiv Kumar 136. Assam CM launches torch relay of Third Top performing states: Khelo India Youth Games 1. Kerala 2. Himachal Pradesh 3. Andhra Pradesh 4. Tamil Nadu 5. Telangana Worst performing states:

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs which translates to 24.56% (0.12% more than last year)of the geographical area.  Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.  Four North Eastern states - Manipur (499 sq km), Arunachal Pradesh (276 sq km), Assam Chief Minister:SarbanandaSonowal Mizoram (180 sq km) and Meghalaya (27 Location: Guwahati, Assam (10th to 22nd of Jan). sq km) reported a loss of forest. Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG): Held  The mangrove cover increased by 54 annually in January or February, are the national sqkm, or about 1%, from the last level multidisciplinary grassroot games in India assessment, with Gujarat and Maharashtra held for two categories, namely under-17 years registering the largest improvements. school students and under-21 college students. Environment Minister:PrakashJavadekar Every year best 1000 kids will be given an annual scholarship of INR 500000 for 8 years to prepare them for the international sporting events 138. Army Chief BipinRawat Appointed India's First Chief of Defence Staff 137. India State of Forest Report (ISFR)

BipinRawat was commissioned into the Army in December 1978 and is currently serving as Chief About: The forest cover in Karnataka has of Army Staff since January 1, 2017. increased by 1,025 sq km between 2017 and 2019 Chief of Army Staff:ManojMukundNaravane followed by Andhra Pradesh (990 sq km) and Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS): is a Kerala (823 sq km). There was also an increase of professional head of the Indian Armed Forces and more than 300 sq km of forest cover in Jammu and the most senior uniformed adviser to the Indian Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. government, supported by the tri-service chief of Karnataka: the maximum increase in forest cover the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air was recorded in Tumkur district (308 sq km) Force, with the first CDS being General followed by Udupi (145 sq km) and Dakshin BipinRawat. It was first officially suggested in Kannada (140 sq km). The forest-rich Shimoga, on 1999 following the Kargil War through the the other hand, lost nearly 50 sq km of its jungles. recommendations of the Kargil Review Key findings: Committee  The total forest cover in India has increased by 3,976 sq km whereas the growth of tree cover is 1,212 sq km, taken International together the total increase in forest and tree 1. Saudi Arabia takes over G20 Presidency cover is 5,188 sq km compared to two from Japan years ago.  It is the first Arab nation to assume the G20  The total forest and tree cover in India presidency. stands at 8,07,276sq km (80.73 million ha),  Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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 Crown Prince: Mohammed bin Salman  Duration: 21-22 November in 2020.  About: G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union (EU). Founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining to the  Nakasone, Prime Minister from 1982 to 1987 promotion of international financial stability,  India visit: Path-breaking visit to India, which the G20 has expanded its agenda since 2008 was the first by a Japanese Prime Minister and heads of government or heads of state, as after a gap of 23 years. well as finance ministers and foreign ministers, have periodically conferred at summits ever 5. MoS Sanjay Dhotre inaugurates India since. It seeks to address issues that go beyond Pavilion at International Book Fair in the responsibilities of any one organization. Guadaljara, Mexico  Minister of State for Human Resource 2. UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Development: Sanjay Dhotre Spain  Guest of Honour Country: India (first Asian country to participate as ‗Guest of Honour' in the Fair). Location of Climate Change Conference (COP25): Madrid, Spain. 6. India Sri Lanka joint exercise MITRA Duration: 2-13 December 2019. SHAKTI commences COP 25 is an important conference as countries  Location:Aundh Military Station, Pune. prepare to move from pre-2020 period under  DefenceMinistr: Rajnath Singh Kyoto Protocol to post-2020 period under Paris  Objective:To build and promote positive Agreement. India's approach will be guided by relations between armies of both the countries principles and provisions of UNFCCC and Paris through focus on sub unit level training on Agreement particularly the principles of Equity counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities operations in urban and rural environment. and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).  Environment Minister:PrakashJavadekar. 7. The Emissions Gap Report 2019

3. Namibia's President secures second term

 Report by: UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Name:HageGeingob  Highlight: unless global greenhouse gas President Geingob, received 56 percent of the vote emissions fall by 7.6 per cent each year while opposition challenger PanduleniItula had 29 between 2020 and 2030, the world will miss percent. the opportunity to get on track towards the 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature goal of the Paris 4. Japan: Former PM Yasuhiro Nakasone dies Agreement. at 101  Countries with large emissions: U S, China, India

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 India doing well: India is among the few countries that are on track to meeting their 9. India-Nepal Joint Military Exercise Surya Paris commitments. The other countries Kiran – XIV mentioned by the report are China, the European Union (28 countries), Mexico, Russia and Turkey.  G20 nations collectively account for 78 per cent of all emissions, but only five G20 members have committed to a long-term zero emissions target. Primary greenhouse gases are:  Water vapor (H2O) Location: Nepal Army Battle School (NABS),  Carbon dioxide (CO2) Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of Nepal.  Methane (CH4) Aim: Is to conduct a battalion level combined  Nitrous oxide (N2O) training between Indian Army and Nepal Army  Ozone (O3) with a scope to enhance interoperability at military  Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) level in jungle warfare, counter terrorist operations  Hydro fluorocarbons (includes HCFCs and in mountainous terrain, humanitarian assistance, HFCs) disaster relief operations, medical and  The Paris Agreement: Is an agreement within environmental conservation including aviation the United Nations Framework Convention on aspects. Climate Change (UNFCCC), dealing with

greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, 10. Pritiviraj singh Roopun new president of adaptation, and finance, signed in 2016. Mauritius  The agreement's language was negotiated by  About Roopun: 61, is a lawyer who was representatives of 196 state parties at the 21st first elected to the National Assembly in Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in 2000 and has been minister of regional Le Bourget, near Paris, France, and adopted by administration, social integration, and arts consensus on 12 December 2015. As of now, and culture. 195 UNFCCC members have signed the  Capital: Port Louis agreement, and 187 have become party to it.  Currency: Mauritian rupee

8. SundarPichai promoted as Alphabet CEO 11. Delhi enters top 10 club of most popular travel destinations of 2019

 Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have announced that they are stepping down from the leadership role of the parent company Alphabet. Report by: Euromonitor International  Alphabet and Google no longer have two CEOs and a President and SundarPichai will Highlight: Asian destinations dominating the list, be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet. with over 40 entries. Globally, inbound arrivals

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs are expected to rise 4.2% in 2019, to 1.5 billion trips.  Top 10 Lists:  Hong Kong  Bangkok  Macau  Singapore  London  Paris  Dubai

 New Delhi  Report By: Comparitech  Istanbul  5 Worst Countries (they are showing a  Kuala Lumpur concerning lack of regard for the privacy Global Climate Risk Index 2020 of people‘s biometric data): Rank Country Score #1 China 24/25 #2 Malaysia 21/25 #3 Pakistan 21/25 #4 USA 20/25 Published by: Environmental think tank #5 India, Indonesia, 19/25 Germanwatch The Philippines Top 5 list of most vulnerable countries (181 and Taiwan countries): Japan 5 Best Countries: Philippines Rank Country Score Germany, #1 Ireland 11/25 Madagascar #2 Portugal 11/25 India Recent cyclones hit to India: Titli and Gaja #3 Cyprus 12/25 About:The Germanwatch Global Climate Risk #4 UK 12/25 Index is an analysis based on one of the most #5 Romania 12/25 reliable data sets available on the impacts of extreme weather events and associated socio- 13. PM Modi, Maldivian President jointly economic data. The Germanwatch Climate Risk inaugurate key development projects Index 2020 is the 15th edition of this annual analysis. Its aim is to contextualize ongoing climate policy debates – especially the international climate negotiations – looking at real-world impacts over the last year and the last 20 years. In the 1999 to 2018 period Puerto Rico is the most vulnerable followed by Myanmar, Haiti, Philippines and Pakistan. India is ranked 17th  Maldives President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih under long term vulnerability.  Highlights:  To set up neighborhood fish processing plants 12. India 5th worst after China, Pakistan in in the Maldives‘ invasive use of biometric data

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 National Payments Corporation of India and  India was the only country to increase its the Bank of Maldives to launch the RuPay domestic funding to fight malaria among the Card in the Maldives. countries with maximum burden.  The lighting up of Male (Maldivies capital)  Most malaria cases in 2018 were in the World using LED lights of India. Health Organization (WHO) African Region  India gifted the indigenously made patrol (213 million or 93%), followed by the WHO vessel CGS Kaamiyaabuto the Maldives South-East Asia Region with 3.4% of the cases National Defense Coast Guard. and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region with 2.1%. 14. Saudi Aramco announces biggest ever IPO  Plasmodium. vivax is the predominant parasite with the majority being in India (47%) reason for malaria cases.  Uttar Pradesh is estimated to have witnessed the maximum number of malaria cases in India. Other states with maximum cases are Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.  Saudi Arabia, state oil company Aramco has  India and nineteen countries in sub-Saharan set a share price that will value the company's Africa were found to have carried 85 percent initial public offering (IPO) at 25.6 billion of the global malaria burden, among which Dollar, making it the largest ever seen. Nigeria accounted for most number of global  The IPO will consist of 3 billion shares, or malaria cases (25%). 1.5% of the company, offered for 8.00 to 16. Priyanka Chopra receives UNICEF's 8.53 Dollar per share. The Saudi's state- Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award owned crude oil company had announced in November that it would be putting shares up for sale.  Aramco's IPO tops a record-breaking 25 billion dollar IPO in 2014 from Chinese internet giant Alibaba.

15. India achieved 28% reduction in malaria cases in 2018  The India star was named the 2019 recipient of the Humanitarian Award by the United Nations Children's Fund in June this year and received the award at the 15th Annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball.

17. 8th India-China joint training exercise

 Report by: WHO  Highlights:  India achieved a sharp reduction of 28% in malaria cases between 2017 and 2018.  The number of malaria deaths has also dropped from an estimated 16,733 in 2017 to 9,620 in 2018.

 Training exercise: HAND-IN-HAND

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 Theme: counter-terrorism under United irreversible environmental damage resulting Nations mandate from it.  Location: Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi  Climate emergency, therefore, was used three in Meghalaya. times more than the term ‗health emergency‘,  Highlight: joint- military exercise is historic which was placed second, in 2019. as it marks the 70th year since the  Previous: In 2018, Oxford Dictionaries chose establishment of diplomatic ties between India ‗toxic‘ as its word of the year and and China. ‗youthquake‘ in 2017.  Scope: It covers company level Joint Training  Data: Analysis of language data collected in on Counter-Terrorism Operation in Semi- the Oxford Corpus. It was more used than 100 Urban Terrain under United Nations Mandate. times as common as it had been the previous The exercise is aimed at building and year. promoting positive relations between both the armies. 20. South Africa's ZozibiniTunzi crowned Miss Universe 2019 18. Finland elects Sanna Marin, the youngest- ever Prime Minister

 SannaMirella Marin 34-year-old is a Finnish The 26-year-old Tunzi was declared the winner at politician. A Social Democrat, she has been a televised event at Atlanta in United States. This member of the Parliament of Finland since is the third Miss Universe crown for South Africa. 2015 and the Minister of Transport and First runner-up: Puerto Rico Madison Anderson Communications since 6 June 2019. Indian contestant:Vartika Singh (secured a place  After AnttiRinne left his position as prime in the top 20). minister, Social Democratic Party of Finland selected Marin as its candidate for new prime 21. 'Diwali - Power of One Award'2019 minister 8 December 2019.Marin becomes The diplomatshonored are: the world's youngest currently-serving  KairatAbdrakhmanov (Permanent prime minister; Finland's youngest-ever Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN). prime minister and Finland's third female  Nicholas Emiliou(Former Permanent prime minister. Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations). 19. Climate emergency is Oxford Word of the  Frantisek Ruzicka (Permanent Year 2019 Representative of Slovakia to the UN).  VolodymyrYelchenko(Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations). About: They are awarded to former Permanent Representatives or high-level UN diplomats or those diplomats who will soon finish their tenure at the world organization for working selflessly to help form a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all.  Climate emergency: Is defined as ‗a situation Diwali Foundation: USA, Inc was established in in which urgent action is required to reduce or 2017 to promote a peaceful and consensus-based halt climate change and avoid potentially

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs process to achieve societal good, as befitting the  ―GHG Emissions‖ (40% of overall score), high hopes and ideals of humanity enshrined in the  ―Renewable Energy‖ (20% of overall United Nations Charter. score), India's Permanent Representative to the UN  ―Energy Use‖ (20% of overall score) and Ambassador: Syed Akbaruddin  ―Climate Policy‖ (20% of overall score). Top performers (no countries achieved top 3 22. Saudi Arabia ends gender segregation in positions): restaurant  Sweden  Denmark  Morocco  9. India Bottom three performers:  59. Chinese Taipei  60. Saudi Arabia still ranks very low,  61. The United States  Saudi Arabia will no longer mandate that restaurants segregate seating areas and entrances according to gender and marital 24. George Laurer, inventor of bar code dies at status. 94  Until now, most restaurants had separate entrances and dining areas for women and families and for single men. Even in many Western chains like Starbucks or KFC, partitions often separated customers and in some smaller cafes that lacked space for  About: George Joseph Laurer was an IBM partitions, women were simply not allowed. engineer at Research Triangle Park. He published 20 bulletins, held 25 patents and 23. India among top 10 countries with higher developed the Universal Product Code climate performance index (UPC) in 1973. He devised the coding and pattern used for the UPC, based on Joe Woodland's more general idea for barcodes.

25. Abu Dhabi selected as world’s leading sports tourism destination Report by: Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network

COP25 climate summit: Spanish capital Madrid.

Country coverage: Covering more than 90% of global GHG emissions On the basis of 26th edition of the World Travel Awards standardized criteria, the CCPI currently evaluates (WTA):Muscat. and compares the climate protection performance  This is the seventh time in a row that Abu of 57countries and of the European Union (EU), Dhabi has been selected for this coveted which are together responsible for more than 90% award. of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Sports events hosted: FIFA Club World  The CCPI assesses countries‘ performance Cup 2017 and 2018, the first edition of the in four categories: UAE Tour, the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the Special Olympics World Games 2019, the

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs UFC 242 showdown and the Brazil vs Aramco: Is world's largest Oil & Gas Company South Korea international friendly match. from Govt. of Saudi Arabia having reported revenue of USD 355 Billion Dollar (2018) and 26. Human development index estimated market value of 1.5 Trillion Dollars. India’sspot: 129 (among 189) Report by: United Nations Development 28. World’s newest nation Programme (UNDP). Highlight: India, 27.1 crore people were lifted out of poverty from 2005-06 to 2015-16.  India ranked 130 last year. The steady progress was due to nearly three decades of rapid development, which had seen a dramatic reduction in absolute poverty, along with gains in life expectancy, education, and access to health care, as per  The South Pacific region of Bougainville the HDI, no other region had experienced voted overwhelmingly to become the world‘s such rapid human development progress. newest nation by gaining independence from High human development:Norway (1) Papua New Guinea. Low human development: Niger (189)  More than 98% of valid ballots favored The Human Development Index (HDI): Is a independence. The only other option in the statistical tool used to measure a country's overall vote was greater autonomy from Papua New achievement in its social and economic Guinea. dimensions. The social and economic dimensions Bougainville: formerly an Australian colonial of a country are based on the health of people, territory has had a fractious relationship with their level of education attainment and their Papua New Guinea since joining the country in standard of living. 1976. There were failed attempts at independence  Pakistani economist MahbubulHaq created then, before simmering discontent erupted into a HDI in 1990 nine-year civil war that left thousands of people dead. 27. MOU signed Between NSIC & ARAMCO Civil war: The violence in Bougainville began in Asia for development in Oil & Gas Sectors the late 1980s, triggered by conflict over an Highlight: This MoU will pave a way for enormous opencast copper mine at Panguna. The accredited Indian MSMEs to carve out a space as mine was a huge export earner for Papua New vendors in the Global space. Guinea, but many in Bougainville felt they received no benefit and resented the pollution and NSIC Director: P. Udayakumar disruption of their traditional way of living. The mine has remained shut since the conflict. Aramco Presiden: Mr. Mohammed Al Mughirah 29. World's first fully electric commercial NSIC National Small Industries Corporation aircraft takes flight in Canada Limited (NSIC): Is a Mini Ratna PSU established by the Government of India in 1955. It falls under Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises of India. NSIC is the nodal office for several schemes of Ministry of MSME such as Performance & Credit Rating, Single Point Registration, MSME Databank, National SC ST Hub, etc.

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 Harbour Air and magniX Announce 31. British PM Boris Jhonson wins General Successful Flight of World‘s First Commercial Elections in UK Electric Airplane.  The successful flight of the ePlane, a six- passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver magnified by a 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni 500 propulsion system, took place on the Fraser River at Harbour Air Seaplanes terminal in Richmond (YVR South) . The plane was piloted by Harbour Air CEO and Party: Conservative Party founder Greg McDougall  Powerful mandate to move forward with About Harbour Air: Founded in 1982 with two his deal to leave European Union, the 28- small seaplanes, Harbour Air is North America‘s member economic bloc. largest seaplane airline — and the first to be fully The Opposition Leader: Jeremy Corbyn (labor carbon-neutral. Party) About magniX: Headquartered in Redmond, Brexit: Is the withdrawal of the United Kingdom Washington with engineering facilities in (UK) from the European Union (EU). The UK Redmond and in Australia, magniX is dedicated to government formally announced the country's connecting communities by enabling an era of withdrawal in March 2017, starting a two-year affordable and clean commercial air travel with process that was due to conclude with the UK all-electric propulsion. withdrawing on 29 March 2019. The European Union (EU): Is a political and 30. Greta Thunberg named Time Person of the economic union of 28 member states that are Year for 2019 located primarily in Europe. Its members have a About: Greta Thunberg is a Swedish combined area of 4,475,757 km2 (1,728,099 sq environmental activist on climate change whose mi) and an estimated total population of about 513 campaigning has gained international recognition. million. The EU has developed an internal single  Thunberg first became known for her market through a standardized system of laws that activism in August 2018 when, at age 15, apply in all member states in those matters, and she began spending her school days only those matters, where members have agreed to outside the Swedish parliament to call for act as one. stronger action on global warming by holding up a sign saying (in Swedish) 32. Poland left out of EU's 2050 climate "School strike for the climate". Soon, other neutrality targets students engaged in similar protests in their own communities. Together, they organised a school climate strike movement under the name Fridays for Future. Time Person of the Year (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999): Is an annual issue of the United States news magazine Time Reason: Demanded more funds for economic that features and profiles a person, a group, an transition and support for nuclear power. idea, or an object that "for better or for worse... has done the most to influence the events of the Prime Minister of Poland: Mateusz Morawiecki year. Climate neutrality: Involves balancing emissions by removing warming gases from the atmosphere.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs

 Warming emissions created by cars and GinniRometty (9), Facebook COO Sheryl power plants are counteracted by removing Sandberg (18), Bangladesh Prime Minister greenhouse gases from the air by planting Sheikh Hasina, ranked 29th, New Zealand new forests or through carbon capture Prime Minister JacindaArdern (38), First technologies that bury CO2 underground. Daughter and Advisor to President Donald The European Green Deal includes: Trump Ivanka Trump (42), singers  A €100bn Just Transition Mechanism to Rihanna (61), Beyonce (66) and Taylor help countries still heavily dependent on Swift (71), tennis star Serena Williams fossil fuels and "carbon-intensive (81) and teenage climate activist Greta processes" to move to renewable energy Thunberg (100). sources  Proposals to reduce greenhouse gas 34. Bilateral tri-service exercise INDRA - 2019 emissions to 50% of 1990 levels or even lower by 2030 - instead of the current target of a 40% cut  A law that would set the EU "on to an irreversible path to climate neutrality" by 2050  A plan to promote a more circular economy - a system designed to eliminate waste - that would address more sustainable products as well as a "farm to INDRA – 2019: The tri-services exercise between fork" strategy to improve the sustainability Russia and India of food production and distribution  It will be simultaneously conducted in Babina, Goa, and Pune, 33. Nirmala Sitharaman ranked 34th in the Highlight: It will help strengthen mutual world's most powerful women list in Forbes confidence, interoperability and sharing of best practices between the armed forces of the two countries.

 Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman 34th rank, HCL Corporation CEO and Executive Director RoshniNadarMalhotra ranks 54th and Biocon Founder KiranMazumdar- th Shawranks 65 have been named among the 35. Toni-Ann Singh crowned Miss World 2019 world‘s 100 most powerful women by Forbes. Highlight: It's the first time in history that black Top 3: women hold the titles for Miss USA, Miss Teen  German Chancellor: Angela Merkel, USA, Miss America, Miss Universe and Miss  President of the European Central Bank: World. Christine Lagarde About: The 23-year-old student was born in St  Speaker of the US House of Thomas, Jamaica, and plans to study medicine and Representatives: Nancy Pelosi become a doctor.  The Forbes list also includes Co-Chair of 2nd runnerup: SumanRao from India. the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Miss universe 2019: ZozibiniTunzi Melinda Gates (6), IBM CEO

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 36. DeepikaPadukone wins Crystal award Location: Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland Host: UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the government of Switzerland Aim: To give impetus to efforts to achieve the compact's objectives and translate international solidarity into concrete action. United Nations High Commissioner for

Reason: For spreading mental health awareness Refugees (UNHCR) : The office was created in Award by: World Economic Forum (WEF) 1950. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a Event: The winners would be honoured during the global organization dedicated to saving lives, opening session of WEF Annual Meeting 2020 at protecting rights and building a better future for Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on January 20, 2020. refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. 37. Gender gap Report 2019 HQ: Geneva, Switzerland Report by: World Economic Forum India’s rank: 112th (from its 108th position last 39. India-Nepal Joint Military Exercise 'Surya year) Kiran XIV' Other country ranks: Iceland (1st) remains the Location: Nepal Army Battle School (NABS), world‘s most gender-neutral country, China Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of Nepal (106th), Sri Lanka (102nd), Nepal (101st), Brazil Aim: The aim of this exercise is to conduct a (92nd), Indonesia (85th) and Bangladesh (50th). Battalion level combined training between Indian Bottom Ranks: Yemen is ranked the worst Army and Nepal Army to increase interoperability (153rd), while Iraq is 152nd and Pakistan 151st. in jungle warfare and counter terrorist operations Opportunity gap has worsened: The political in mountainous terrain, humanitarian assistance gender gap will take 95 years to close, compared and disaster relief, medical and environmental to 107 years last year. Worldwide, women now conservation including aviation aspects. hold 25.2% of parliamentary lower-house seats and 21.2% of ministerial positions, compared to 40. Iran built a robot that speaks 100 languages 24.1% and 19%, respectively last year. Name:Surena Economic opportunities: For women are Created by: University of Tehran extremely limited in India (35.4%), Pakistan About: The robot has taken four years to be (32.7%), Yemen (27.3%), Syria (24.9%) and Iraq developed. It stands 170 cm tall, weighs 70 kg, (22.7%). It also named India among countries with and is able to walk at the speed of 0.7 km/hr. very low women representation on company Highlight: It can move around the sides, boards (13.8 %), while it was even worse in China backward and on rough surfaces while remaining (9.7%). upright on uneven ground and is able to lift Low sex ratios at birth in India: Pakistan, India, objects, recognize faces, shake hands, and also Vietnam and China — fare badly with millions of kick a soccer ball. women there not getting the same access to health It also has the ability to detect 100 voice as men, the WEF said. It also flagged abnormally commands in addition to listening, speaking and low sex ratios at birth in India (91 girls for every converting text into speech; visual ability and the 100 boys) and Pakistan (92/100). ability to recognize 100 different objects are other WEF’s Founder and Executive Chairman: features of this robot. Klaus Schwab said Surena: was a Parthian spahbed ("general" or "commander") during the 1st century BC. He was 38. Geneva to host first Global Refugee Forum the leader of the House of Suren and was best

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs known for defeating the Romans in the Battle of (stars, planets, asteroids, etc.) and any surface Carrhae. features on them

41. A star and its planet get Indian names 43. Portugal announces Gandhi Citizenship About: A white yellow star in Sextans Education Prize constellation and its Jupiter-like exoplanets, which were hitherto named HD 86081 and 86081b, will now have Indian names. Names: the star would be called ‗Bibhā‘, the planet would be known as ‗Santamasa‘ Bibha: The star has been named in honour of a pioneering Indian woman scientist Bibha Choudhury, who discovered subatomic particle, pi-meson. ‗Bhibha‘ also means ―a bright beam of Portuguese Prime Minister: Antonio Costa light‖ in Bengali. About: In order to help perpetuate Mahatma ‗Bibhā‘, nee HD 8608, is located in the Gandhi‘s ideals, Portugal will be launching a constellation of Sextans. It is as hot as the sun, Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize, each year with a surface temperature of about 6,000 degrees inspired by his different thoughts and quotes. Kelvin. It is 1.55 times bigger, 1.21 times massive, First edition: of this prize will be dedicated to and 1.75 times brighter. It is so far away that light animal welfare as Mahatma Gandhi. from it takes 310.93 years to reach Earth and hence it is visible only with a telescope. 44. India is world's third largest producer of Santamasa: The planet has been named scientific articles S‘antamasa‘ to reflect the cloudy nature of its atmosphere. ‗Santamasa‘ is the Sanskrit term for ‗clouded‘. Santamasa is estimated to have a mass of 1.5 times that of Jupiter, going around the central star in a nearly circular orbit just in 2.1375 days. Revolving Report by: US National Science Foundation so near the host star, the planet is expected to be (NSF). very hot. Top 3: 1. China, which accounts for 20.67 per cent of all global publications in scientific articles. In China, the number of global scientific publications increased from 2,49,049 in 2008 to 5,28,263 in 2018, in a growth rate of 7.81 per cent per annum. 2. US at 16.54 per cent, The US, the total global publications in science and

42. The International Astronomical Union engineering articles grew at a rate of 0.71 (IAU): Is an international association of per cent from 3,93,979 in 2008 to 4,22,808 professional astronomers, at the PhD level and in 2018. beyond, active in professional research and 3. India published 48,998 science and education in astronomy. Among other engineering articles. This increased to activities, it acts as the internationally 1,35,788 articles in 2018 and the country recognized authority for assigning now accounts for 5.31 per cent of the total designations and names to celestial bodies world publications in science and engineering.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Other rankings are: Germany (1,04,396), Japan Rocket: A Chinese Long March 4B rocket (98,793), UK (97,681), Russia (81,579), Italy Highlight: The launch makes Ethiopia the (71,240), South Korea (66,376) and France eleventh African country to put a satellite into (66,352). space. Egypt was the first in 1998.

45. WHO prequalifies first bio similar medicine 48. Manuel Marrero Cruz appointed as Cuba's to breast cancer treatment first PM in more than 40 years Name: Trastuzumab Trastuzumab :a monoclonal antibody – was included in the WHO Essential Medicines List in 2015 as an essential treatment for about 20% of breast cancers. It has shown high efficacy in curing early stage breast cancer and in some cases more advanced forms of the disease. Highlight: President Miguel Díaz-Canel has 46. Forbes India's celebrity 100 appointed Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country's first prime minister in more than 40 years. It was reinstated under the rules of a new constitution for the communist-run island passed earlier this year. About: Marrero, who has served as tourism minister for 16 years and is an architect by trade, helped boost Cuba's economy by making tourism one of the engines of growth. The post of prime Top 10 celebrity list: minister was scrapped in 1976 by the then- 1. ViratKohli revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. 2. Akshay Kumar 3. Salman Khan 49. U S president Trump officially launches 4. Amitabh Bachchan new US military service 5. MS Dhoni 6. Shah Rukh Khan 7. Ranveer Singh 8. Alia Bhatt 9. Sachin Tendulkar 10. DeepikaPadukone Forbes Celebrity 100:Is an annual list compiled and published by Forbes magazine since 1999. New military service: Space force (The only The purpose is to list the world's 100 highest-paid nation with an independent space force is the celebrities. United States) Space Force: It is not intended to put troops into 47. Ethiopia launches its first satellite orbit, but will protect US assets - such as the Satellite: Ethiopian Remote Sensing Satellite hundreds of satellites used for communication and (ETRSS),it will send back data of the environment and weather patterns in the Horn of Africa,helps incountry's agriculture, forestry and mining resources and improve responses to flooding and other disasters. Launch station: Taiyuan space base in northern China.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs surveillance.  The roots were pivotal to the co-evolution of forests and the atmosphere.  The Cairo forest is older than the one at Gilboa(was thought to be the world‘s oldest forest) because the fossils were lower down in the sequence of rocks that occur in the Catskill Mountains.

51. China-Brazil satellite launched into space

50. World's oldest known fossil forest found in New York quarry

Satellite: The China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite-4A (CBERS-4A) Rocket: Long March-4B (northern Chinese province of Shanxi)

About: Scientists have discovered remnants of the The CBERS-4A: It will support the Brazilian world‘s oldest fossil forest — an extensive government‘s monitoring of the Amazon network of trees around 386 million years old — rainforest and changes in the country‘s in sandstone quarry in the U.S. environment. The team consisted of scientists at Binghamton About: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South University, New York State Museum and Cardiff Africa - collectively known as BRICS - have been University. in talks on a framework agreement to create a The findings: constellation of satellites for Earth remote-sensing  Throws new light on the evolution of trees and share data obtained by each other‘s‘ satellites. and the transformative role they played in shaping the world. 52. Afghanistan first country to recognize  The forest was home to at least two types Indian Pharmacopoeia of trees. Cladoxylopsids, primitive tree- fern-like plants, lacked flat green leaves, and grew in vast numbers at Gilboa, while Archaeopteris had a conifer-like woody trunk and frond-like branches which had green flattened leaves.  All these trees reproduced using only About Indian Pharmacopoeia(IP): Is an spores rather than seeds. officially recognized book of standards as per the  The team also reported a ‗spectacular‘ and Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 extensive network of roots which was thereunder. The IP specifies the standards of drugs more than eleven meters in length in some manufactured and marketed in India in terms of places and belonged to the Archaeopteris their identity, purity and strength. trees. In order to ensure the quality of medicinal  It is these long-lived woody roots, with products, the legal and scientific standards are multiple levels of branching and small, provided by Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission short-lived perpendicular feeder roots that (IPC) in the form of Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP). transformed the interactions of plants and As per, the Second Schedule of the Drugs and soils. Cosmetics Act

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Dr. Panchanathan is currently the Executive Vice 53. Eight West African nations rename President and the Chief Research and Innovation common currency to Eco Officer at the Arizona State University (ASU). He is also the Founding Director of the Centre for CFA franc: Known as "Colonies Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing at the ASU. Francaisesd'Afrique" (French colonies in Africa), the CFA franc was established in 1945 and has 55. Afghanistan's Ashraf Ghani reelected as been tagged as a controversial currency for its president control by France. The currency was initially pegged to the French franc but has been linked to the euro since 1999. A French representative has been on the board of the currency's union. French colonies have had to store 50% of their foreign currency reserves with France in return for Mr. Ghani had won 50.64 percent of the vote. He France guaranteeing the currency. easily beat his top challenger, Chief Executive ECO: It is supposed to replace the CFA franc Abdullah Abdullah, who scored 39.52 percent. which is currently being used in eight west African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea- 56. China launches its largest carrier rocket Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Long March-5 Togo)and six countries in central Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon). The new currency revamp will not require African countries in the ECOs economic bloc to keep half their reserves with France or have a representative Launch Center:Wenchang launch center in south sit on their currency's board. China's Hainan Province The ECO will be used initially only in the eight About: carrying the Shijian-20 technological West African nations. The CFA will remain in use experiment satellite weighing over eight tonnes, for now by the six Central Africa nations, the heaviest and most advanced communications Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, satellite in the country. Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. 57. Christina Koch Sets Record for Longest French President: Emmanuel Macron. Spaceflight by a Woman

54. Indian-American scientist to lead National Science Foundation in US Name: SethuramanPanchanathan The National Science Foundation (NSF): Is a U.S. government agency that supports About: NASA astronaut Christina Koch on set a fundamental research and education in all the non- new record for the longest single spaceflight by a medical fields of science and engineering. Its woman, Koch still has six weeks to go before medical counterpart is the National Institutes of returning to Earth from the International Space Health (NIH). Station (ISS). When she arrives back on Earth in About: Dr. Panchanathan, 58, would succeed February 2020, the Expedition 61 Flight Engineer France Cordova when her six-year term as the will have spent more than 300 days in space. NSF Director ends in 2020. Previous record: 288 days set by former NASA

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2016-17. First all-female spacewalk: Koch had earlier made history in her stay aboard the orbital laboratory. In October, she was part of the first all- female spacewalk.

58. 'World's oldest rhino' dies in Tanzania at

About: The UN has declared Pakistani education activist and Nobel laureate MalalaYousafzai as ―the most famous teenager in the world‖ in its ‗Decade in Review‘ report. In part one of its review series, which takes into account events that happened between 2010 and the end of 2013, the UN highlighted the Name: Fausta, a female black rhino devastating Haiti earthquake in 2010, the About: Fausta lived (longer) than any rhino in the beginning of the ongoing Syrian conflict for 2011 world and survived in the Ngorongoro, free- and Malala‘s work in favour of girls‘ education for ranging, for more than 54 years before it was kept the year 2012. in a sanctuary for the last three years of its life in MalalaYousafzai: Is a Pakistani activist for 2016. female education and the youngest Nobel Prize Rhinos' life expectancy is around 40 years in the laureate (2014). She is known for human rights wild but they can live an extra decade in captivity. advocacy, especially the education of women and children in her native Swat Valley in Khyber 59. Russia becomes first country to induct Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan, where the local hypersonic missiles Taliban had at times banned girls from attending  Highlight: Russia is the first country to put school. into combat service intercontinental ballistic missiles armed with hypersonic weapons that can travel 20 times faster than the speed of sound. About: Hypersonic weapons incorporate the speed of a ballistic missile with the maneuvering capabilities of a cruise missile. Hypersonic weapons refer to weapons that travel faster than Mach 5 (3,800mph) and have the capability to maneuver during the entire flight. Sports Russia President: Vladimir Putin 1. 13th South Asian Games formally begins in Defence Minister: Sergei Shoigu Kathmandu

 President of Nepal:Bidya Devi Bhandari 60. UN declares Malala decade’s ‘most famous  Location:DasarathaRangshala in teenager Kathmandu.  Over 2700 athletes from seven South Asian Countries participated in the march past. During 10 days biggest sporting event of the South Asia, 2715 athletes compete

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs for 1119 medals including 319 Gold in 26 game categories.

2. 2019 Ballon d’Or award

Name: ShashiniPuvi(8points) Silver Medal:MyrahSachdev(Mumbai) (7.5 points) Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra  Men: Lionel Messi(6thBallon d‘Or award)

 Women: Megan Rapinoe(second woman ever 5. Russia banned for four years to include to win the Ballon d'Or title after Norway's Ada 2020 Olympics Hegerberg)  About: The Ballon d'Or ("Golden Ball") is an annual football award presented by France Football. It has been awarded since 1956.

3. New Zealand wins MCC’s Spirit of Cricket award  The World Anti-Doping Agency banned Russia for four years from major global sporting events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the football's2022 World Cup in Qatar, over manipulated doping data.  Russia's Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) was  Award: Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of declared non-compliant for manipulating Cricket award (show of sportsmanship during laboratory data handed over to investigators in the final of the ICC World Cup at Lord's in January 2019. July).  But athletes who can prove they are untainted  MCC President: Kumar Sangakkara by the doping scandal will be able to compete  ICC cricket world cup: Won by England on under a neutral flag. count of number of boundaries scored, after  Russian Prime Minister: Dmitry Medvedev the match drawn.  About: The award was the concept of the 6. Wada president: Sir Craig Reedie MCC and the British Broadcasting The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA): Corporation (BBC), created in 2013 in  Is a foundation initiated by the memory of Martin-Jenkins, the former MCC International Olympic Committee based in president and BBC Test Match Special Canada to promote, coordinate and commentator, to honor his longstanding monitor the fight against drugs in sports. passion and desire to see the game played in  The agency's key activities include the right spirit. scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring 4. Karnataka girl bags Gold in National of the World Anti-Doping Code, whose Schools Chess Championship provisions are enforced by the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport.

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 7. 13th South Asian Games concluded La Liga: Is the men's top professional football division of the Spanish football league system. Administered by the Liga de Football Professional (LFP), La Liga is contested by 20 teams, with the three lowest-placed teams at the end of each season relegated to the Segunda Division and replaced by the top three teams in that division.

13th South Asian Games: Nepal Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 10. FICCI India Sports Awards 1 India 174 93 45 312 2 Nepal 51 60 95 206 3 Sri Lanka 40 83 128 251 8. Sunil Shetty is new brand ambassador for NADA

 FICCI is organizing 9th Global Sports Summit "TURF 2019" International Convention on the Business of Sports at Federation House, TansenMarg, New Delhi on 11th December.  One of the most important components of  NADA Director General:NavinAgarwal Global Sports Summit is "India Sports  The National Anti-Doping Agency Awards" which is scheduled for 11th (NADA):Head quartered in Delhi is the December, 2019. These awards are an attempt national organization responsible for by FICCI to acknowledge the contribution and promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the felicitate the Olympics sports achievers and doping control program in sports in all its the various stake holders in the ecosystem who forms in India. As listed on its official web do exceptional work in the Promotion of portal, NADA deals with adopting and Sports and bring pride to the nation. implementing anti-doping rules and policies  Following were the awardees: which conform to the World Anti-Doping  Best National Sports Federation: National Agency. Rifle Association of India  Sports Person (Female): Rani Rampal 9. Rohit named La Liga’s first India brand (hockey) ambassador  Sports Person (Male): SaurabhChaudhary (shooting)  Para-Athlete: SandeepChaudhary (javelin)  Special Recognition Para-Athlete: Manasi Joshi (badminton)  Breakthrough Sports Person: AmitPanghal  Special Recognition Breakthrough Sports Person: EsowAlben (cycling)  Rohit Sharma is the first non-footballer in the  Coach or Support Staff: Satyanarayana history of the league to have become a brand  Lifetime Achievement (administrator): ambassador and the first-ever India brand GovindarajKempareddy ambassador of top Spanish football club Real  Lifetime Achievement: PankajAdvani (cue Madrid sport) Managing director, La Liga India: Jose Antonio  Best State Promoting Sports: Odisha Cachaza,

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 Best Sports Journalist: KameshSrinivasan

11. Ellyse Perry wins Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award List of ICC awards:  Rachael Heyhoe-Flint for Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Ellyse Perry Indian skipper ViratKohli has been included in the (Australia) list of five cricketers of the decade announced by Wisden. Along with Kohli, the other four  ODI Player of the Year: Ellyse Perry (Australia) cricketers are - Steve Smith, Dale Steyn, AB de Villiers and Ellyse Perry.  T20I Player of the Year: Alyssa Healy (Australia)

 Emerging Player of the Year: Chanida 15. Koneru Humpy Becomes Women's World Sutthi: (capt, Australia), ruang (Thailand) Rapid Chess Champion  Indians in ODI Team of the Year: Smriti Mandhana , Shikha Pandey, Jhulan Goswami , Poonam Yadav.  Indians in T20I Team of the Year: Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav

12. Nadal claims World Tennis Championship About: Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy crown claimed the World Women's Rapid Chess  Rafael Nadal became the first player to win the Championship title after drawing the Armageddon Mubadala World Tennis Championship five game against Lei Tingjie of China in Moscow, times as he overcame StefanosTsitsipas in Russia. final. Highlight: After VishwanathanAnand won this title in the open section in 2017, Humpy is only 13. South African cricketer Vernon Philander the second Indian to win the rapid gold in the announces retirement current format.

Obituary

1. Renowned Hindi author Ganga Prasad Vimal dies About: He has played 97 matches across all three formats, taking a combined 261 wickets with 1784 runs in his international career. He also took 51 wickets in his first seven Test matches which earned him the 2012 SA Cricketer of the Year award. About: Born in 1939 in Uttarkashi, a Himalayan 14. Wisden Cricketers of the Decade List town in Uttarakhand, Vimal held key responsibilities in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University and Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, Agra. He wrote more than one dozen poetry collections, short story collections and novels. His last novel,

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DECEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Manushkhor, was published in 2013. He received made history by becoming the only seer among several Hindi literary awards. the seers of the Ashta Mutts (eight mutts) of Udupi, which propagate the Dwaita philosophy, to 2. England World Cup winner Martin Peters have performed five biennial Paryayas. dies aged 76 About: Martin Stanford Peter was an English footballer and manager. As a member of the England team which won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, he scored the second goal of England's four in the final against Germany. He also played in the 1970 World Cup. Born in Plaistow, Essex, he played club football for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Sheffield United. 5. Nagaland Assembly Speaker passes away 3. Former Karnataka Chief Justice S Mohan dies at 90 About: Former Supreme Court judge Dr S Mohan served as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court for a few months in 1989 before he was appointed as acting governor of the southern state Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Vikho-o in February 1990, a post he held till May that year. Yhoshü passed away, He was 69. Justice Mohan was sworn in as the judge of the About: He was a Nationalist Democratic Supreme Court on October 7, 1990, and retired on Progressive Party politician from Nagaland in February 11, 1995. An established writer, he India. He was elected to the Nagaland Legislative authored 11 books in English on varied subjects. Assembly in 2013 and 2018 from the Southern A sports enthusiast, Justice Mohan was also Angami-I constituency as a candidate of the appointed by the Madras High Court to ensure free Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party. He was and fair elections in the Board of Control for the speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2004.

4. VishweshaTirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt

passes away at 88 in Udupi

About: The seer was born to M. Narayanacharya and Kamalamma in at Ramakujna in Dakshina Kannada district on April 27, 1931. He was ordained as a monk at the age of eight in 1938, as the 33rd seer in the linage or ‗guru parampara‘ of the Pejawar Mutt. He had his spiritual education under late VidyamanyaTirtha Swami of Palimar and Bhandarkeri Mutts. Record Paryayas: VishweshaTirtha Swami had

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