NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs State 1. NOV 1: 64thKarnataka Rajyotsava
The New India Foundation‘s (NIF) second annual KamaladeviChattopadhyay NIF Book Karnataka Rajyotsava or Kannada Day, also Prize was awarded to political and modern known as Karnataka Formation Day, is Indian history scholar OrnitShani for How celebrated on 1 November of every year. India Became Democratic: Citizenship and the In 1956 all the Kannada language-speaking Making of the Universal Franchise. regions of South India were merged to form In the book, Ms. Shani, who has a Ph.D from the state of Mysore. (S.Nijalingappa was CM the University of Cambridge, United during formation) Kingdom, traces the history of democracy of In 1973 Nov 1, during the term of D.Devraj India and the drawing up of the country‘s first Aras Mysore was renamed as Karnataka electoral rolls even before the Constitution was The Rajyotsava day is listed as a government drafted. holiday in the state of Karnataka and is The award carries a purse of ₹15 lakh and celebrated byKannadigas across the world. It is present during Bangalore Literature Festival. It marked by the announcement and presentation was announced by NIF trustees Nandan of the honors list for Rajyotsava Awards by Nilekani, Ramachandra Guha, Manish the Government of Karnataka, hoisting of the Sabharwal, and Srinath Raghavan. The award, official Karnataka flag with an address from instituted in 2018, recognizes outstanding non- the Chief Minister and Governor of the state fiction works on contemporary India. along with community festivals, orchestra, Kannada book releases and concerts. 4. Karnataka to seek UNESCO World Heritage Site status for 14 Hoysala temples 2. Adikavi Award and Vagdevi Award by All The State Archaeology Department has clubbed India SahityaParishad Karnataka 14 temples from the Hoysala period reflecting All India SahityaParishad Karnataka unit for similar architectural styles — including the the first time has instituted the Adikavi Award monuments at Belur-Halebid and Somnathpur and Vagdevi Awards in honor of Valmiki — for serial nomination to seek UNESCO Maharishi. Dr KS Narayanacharyaselected World Heritage Site status. for Adikavi Award and Dr. The final dossier, to be submitted by September RohnakshirShirlalu has been selected for the 2020, is being prepared by the Indian National Vagdevi Award. Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), The two awards are worth Rs 1 lakh each. And Bengaluru, which is expected to submit it by memorabilia included. The awards ceremony April. will be held at The Mythic Society on the Apart from the monuments at Belur and 24th November. Two awards are being Halebid, the list includes Panchalingeshwara presented for the first time. temple at Govindahall, Chennakeshava temple at Somnathpur, Kesava temple at Harnahalli, 3. Bangalore Literature Festival 2019: Lakshminarayana temple at Hosaholalu, Ishvara OrnitShani receives NIF Book Prize temple at Arsikere, Bucheshwara temple at
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs
Koravangala, Nageshwara and Chennakeshava At present, Karnataka has the Hampi and temple at Mosale, Kalyani at Hulikere, Pattadakal group of monuments inscribed as Lakshmidevi temple at Doddagaddavalli, World Heritage Sites. Besides, the State has Amriteshwara temple at Amrutpura, and 844 State-protected monuments, nearly 600 Viranarayana temple at Amrutpura. ASI-protected monuments, and about 35,000 UNESCO defines serial nominations as any temples under the Muzrai Department. two or more unconnected sites that may There are 42 sites in India that are in the contain a series of cultural or natural properties tentative list. The country has 38 World in different locations, provided that they are Heritage Sites — 30 cultural and eight natural related because they belong to the same properties. historical and cultural group. In India, forts at Chittorgarh, Kumbalgarh, Sawai Madhopur, 5. George Schaller lifetime award for Ullas Jaipur, Jhalawar and Jaisalmer are examples. Karanth The Archaeology Department entered into an Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth, Director, agreement with INTACH earlier this year and Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bengaluru, was the inception report was submitted in the last awarded the George Schaller Lifetime Award week of September. in Wildlife Conservation Science for his The consultant team carried out site visits contribution to the field of conservation. recently and covered 29 Hoysala temples, He is the first recipient of the award instituted including ones in Belur, Halebid, Somnathpur by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and Hosaholalu, to study the ground situation New York, in honor of Dr. George Schaller, and gather information on the maintenance and who is considered one of the greatest wildlife upkeep of the temples and surrounding areas. scientists and conservationists globally. There are 137 Hoysala temples of significant WCS George Schaller Lifetime Award in value in the State — 43 are protected by the wildlife conservation science has been created Archaeological Survey of India, 55 by the to honor WCS colleagues for outstanding Archaeology Department, and the remaining contributions to saving wildlife and wild 39 are unprotected. places. The process and the list Dr. Karanth was honored by the WCS Board For a monument to qualify as a World of Trustees at a function in New York on Heritage Site, it should be in the tentative list October 29, the release said. for at least six months to one year. The Belur- He joined WCS in 1988 and his research is Halebid temples made it to the tentative list in often described as pioneering and ground- 2014, while the concept paper for the same had breaking, the release added. His area of been prepared sometime in 2007. research and study focused on the ecology of In addition to Hoysala temples, the final tigers, sympatric predators and other large dossier for the ‗Evolution of Temple mammals, predator-prey population ecology, Architecture at Badami, Ahihole and and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts. Pattadakal‘ is also being prepared. The He has provided research expertise to projects ‗Monuments and Forts of the Deccan across the world, including in Thailand, Sultanate‘ is another cluster in it. Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, However, submission of the final dossier alone Indonesia, Russia, as well as in Africa and will not suffice as it will go through another Latin America, besides publishing hundreds of round of scrutiny by the Ministry of Culture, scientific papers, articles and authoring many Government of India, which has to nominate books. the monuments and submit them to UNESCO, which will take the final call. 6. Five new additional judges of HC sworn in
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs LLB in SJRC Law College, Bengaluru. After enrolling as an advocate in 1994, he was practising law before the High Court. Pradeep Singh Yerur: Justice Singh, born on June 21, 1970, is a Governor Vajubhai R. Vala administered oath product of the Rashtriya Military School, to five newly appointed additional judges of Bengaluru, and studied BA at St. Joseph‘s the Karnataka High Court at an event College of Arts and Sciences. He later secured organized at the Raj Bhavan. his LLB degree from Bangalore University. He The newly appointed judges are: has practiced before the Supreme Court, and High Courts of Karnataka, Madras, and 7. Neranahalli Srinivasan Sanjay Gowda: Chandigarh.
8. Commemorating Guru Nanak’s links with Bidar
Justice Gowda, born on February 15, 1967, was enrolled as an advocate in 1989 after Bidar, a town in northeastern Karnataka, holds completing B.Sc. from St. Joseph‘s College of a special place in the history of the Sikh faith Arts and Sciences, and LLB from BML Law as it is connected to the life of Guru Nanak and College, Bengaluru. During his 29-year-long a few other religious figures. practice he represented the Indian Railways and The faithful celebrate PrakashPurab, the 550th its allied organisations before various courts. birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on th Jyothi Mulimani: 12 November;Bidar town is marking the Born on August 15, 1968 at Raichur, Jyothi event with special fervor, under the aegis of Mulimani studied law in SCAB Law College, the GurdwaraPrabhandak Committee and the Raichur, and enrolled as an advocate in 1992. Guru Nanak Foundation. She practised law before various courts and Guru Nanak is believed to have visited Bidar had served as a mediator and trainer in during ‗dakshinapatha‘ or his southern Bangalore Mediation Centre for about 12 sojourn. Legend has it that he stopped in the years. hilly town of Bidar while returning from Sri Nataraj Rangaswamy: Lanka in 1512. The people of the parched land Justice Nataraj, born on March 14, 1970, hails asked him for water and he moved a stone with from Gowjagalluvillege of Koratageretaluk in his toe and an eternal spring came alive there. Tumakuru district. He began his practice as a The spring (jhira) that bears his name still lawyer in 1992 after securing a law degree exists in the town near the Gurdwara. from the University Law College, Bengaluru, As a precursor to the festival, a pan India rally and had practised before the Supreme Court was held from June to October. A team of and the High Court. He was serving as an around 100 devotees travelled to all places Additional Advocate-General prior to his associated with the life of Guru Nanak and elevation as a judge. other places of religious importance. HemantChandangoudar: Other associations Born on September 28, 1969, Justice Sahib Singh, one of the PanjPyare, or the Five Chandangoudar completed his B.Com from Beloved Warriors of Sikhism, is believed to MES College, Bengaluru, and later studied have hailed from Bidar. He travelled to
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Anandpur Sahib to be baptized in the Khalsa. 9. SurangaBawadi on World Monument Watch He became one of the first five volunteer Sikh list warriors who stood by Guru Govind Singh in battle. He was born Sahib Chand, son of Bhai Guru Narayan, in a village near Bidar. He walked for a year to reach Anandpur Sahib at the age of 16. Gurdwara was built in his honor on the Bidar-Nanded Road, GurdwaraBhai Sahib SurangaBawadi, an integral part of the ancient Singhji. Karez system of supplying water through The story of the woman warrior Mata subterranean tunnels built during AdilShahi BhagKaur, or Mai Bhago, too is linked to era in Vijayapura, is now set to get funding Bidar. Historical records reveal that Mai for restoration. Bhago, who fought in the battle of Muktasar, A New York-based non-governmental was appointed one of the 10 body guards of organization has included it in the World Guru Govind Singh. She later became a Monument Watch list for 2020 along with 24 spiritual preacher on the directions of her Guru other monuments from across the world. and settled on a Jain settlement on the banks of Among 25 monuments the river Manjra in 1708. That village is now The monument has been selected under the identified as Janawada, 10 km from Bidar. ‗Ancient Water System of the Deccan Plateau‘ The grand Gurdwara by World Monuments Fund [the NGO], which The town has a recently redecorated Gurdwara monitors restoration of ancient monuments — a stone-concrete building with a white across the globe. marble exterior. It has exquisite stone and With this, the SurangaBawadi is expected to metal craft work on the walls and ceiling. get funds for restoration within the next two The Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text that is years. considered a living Guru, is kept on a The NGO would also coordinate with the platform. The Gurdwara situated on over 100 authorities concerned for restoration and create acres of land, has a pilgrim hostel that can public awareness on its importance. accommodate around 3,000 guests, several The list of the monuments selected, is facilities, a flower garden, a public bathing available on the official website of the NGO, place, a museum, a book store, and a hospital. www.wmf.org. Religious rituals Bad maintenance Various religious rituals were held in the NGO will be working on the ancient water Gurdwara Guru Nanak Jhira in Bidar as part of system ‗Karez‘ which is believed to be one of the four-day-long birth anniversary the best systems in the world. But owing to celebrations. KeerthanDarbar was held at the lack of maintenance, the whole structure is in main venue. A langar mass lunch was bad condition. organized for the faithful. Though the Karez system was built in the 16th The highlight of the day was the all-religion century by Ali Adil Shah–I, his successor, conference, where heads of various religious Ibrahim Adil Shah–II, brought in several institutions spoke. Sri SidramSharana of changes by adding more structures to Beldal spoke of Basaveshwara philosophy. strengthen it. GhulamHyderQuadri and Haji Abdul Rehman According to historians, the AdilShahis built of Hyderabad spoke of the tenets of Islam. the magnificent underground system to supply Jotinder Singh, Jangbir Singh, Rajit Singh, water to the city, which had a population of Rajendra Singh, and others spoke of Sikhism nearly 12 lakh then. and the life and times of Guru Nanak.
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10. Hubballi girl enters record book Women entrepreneurs may apply either at MRPL site (www.mrpl.co.in, in ―Start Up‖ A 12-year-old girl made Hubballi proud with section, the blindfolded skating feat that earned her an https://emedic.mrpl.co.in/startupMRPL/mrpl/a entry into the Guinness World Records. pply.xhtml) or in IIMKLIVE website Skating blindfolded, Ojal S Nalavadi, a Class (https://iimk.ac.in/general/ laeve.php). VII student of JSS Sri Manjunatheshwara November 25 is the last date to apply. Central School in the city, clocked 51.25 New ventures that fit the definition of startups seconds for 400 meters to set the record for the and registered under the Companies Act and fastest woman in blindfold skating. are founded by majority of women founders She performed the feat on the recently are eligible to apply. Selected ventures would developed TenderSURE road at Akshay be provided seed support funds up to ₹25 lakh, Colony. structured incubation programme with task- Guinness World Records observer Victor based mentoring, access to professional Fenes registered the performance and issued services, co-working space, and subsidized the certificate to Ojal. ―This is the first training on the IIM-Kozhikode campus. Guinness record for fastest blindfolded skating in the female category. 12. Stone inscriptions found in Shikaripurtaluk Daughter of Sunil Nalavadi and Deepa, Ojal Two stone inscriptions belonging to the 15th has already got into the habit of setting and century and 17th century have been found rewriting her records in roller skating. Her during field work undertaken by Ramesh feats have found entries in Asia Book of Hirejambur, a historian, in Shikaripurtaluk Records and India Book of Records. recently. Hundreds witnessed Ojal‘s feat during the The inscription belonging to the 15th century Children‘s Day event held with the ‗encourage was found in an agricultural field owned by girl-child‘ theme. Nagaraj in Hirejambur village. Hirejambur is the native of Satyakka, a 12th century saint 11. MRPL, IIMK to fund startups of women and poet who was part of the Vachana entrepreneurs movement lead by social reformer Basavanna. Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd. The inscription speaks of money and land (MRPL), in association with the Indian donated by Chandarasa, a local chieftain who Institute of Management-Kozhikode (IIMK), owed allegiance to Devaraya 1, the have launched a women entrepreneur Vijayanagar ruler, for abhishekha and other development plan ―La Eve‖ to promote rituals at Somideva temple in women entrepreneurs and support the Start-Up Jamburvillage.The text of the inscription that India mission of the Union government. runs into 11 lines is written in archaic La Eve aims to encourage women to take up Kannada. business ideas, enterprise in diverse fields and Another stone inscription was discovered start a successful venture with seed money of during field work had undertaken in Talagunda up to ₹25 lakh each. village. Startups would be selected based on the Talagunda hosts historical Pranavalingeshwara projected business model through IIM-K Live, temple said to be constructed by Satavahana a startup incubation center promoted by it. kings and renovated and expanded during the Selected startups would be given training, rule of Kabamba kings. mentoring and support during the incubation The stone inscription issued in the 17th stage by IIMK-Live. century was found in the agricultural land east to Prabhudevara Mutt in Talagunda.
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The inscription speaks of gold coins and land poet laureate Kuvempu and to propagate the donated by Keladi queen Channamma to the principles advocated by him. It carries a purse Viraktha Mutt in Talagunda as per the request of ₹5 lakh. of SiruvegaraMalingaiah of Udugani fort The names of Ms. Cour and Mr. Bhullar were nearby. finalized by a three-member committee Udugani was an important administrative unit comprising Chiranjeevi Singh, retired IAS during the Keladi rule. officer; ChamanLal, a retired professor who had served with Jawaharlal Nehru University; 13. PU student to preside over and Agrahara Krishnamurthy, former secretary MakkalaSahityaSammelana in Hassan of SahityaAkademi. KeerthanaNayak of Tumakuru has been A meeting of the Pratishthana held in chosen to preside over the first Bengaluru recently decided to confer the AkhilaBharatiyaMakkalaSahityaSammelana to awards at a programme that will be held in be held in Hassan on November 29 and 30. Kuppalli, birth place of Kuvempu in Keerthana, a native of Koratagere in Shivamogga district, on December 29 to mark Tumakuru district, is studying PUC at his birth anniversary. Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada district. Her Ms. Cour has authored novels titled father B.R.Narasimhamurthy and mother ‗DhupwalaShahr‘, ‗Gauri‘ and ‗Post Mortem‘ Padmavathi are agriculturists. She has brought while ‗Gulbano‘, ‗Mehek Di Maut‘ and ‗Butt out two books. Shikan‘ are some of her short-story Revanth Rajeev, student of BGS High School collections. She was honored with Sahitya at Pandavapura in Mandya district, Academy and Padma Shri awards. Pradyumna Murthy of Rotary PU College at ‗Agni-Kalas‘, ‗OpraMard‘, ‗VakhtanMaare‘ Moodbidri and AbhishekUbhale of Delhi have are some of the short story collections been chosen as co-presidents of the event. authored by Mr. Bhullar. He was conferred MakkalaSahityaParishat and Adichunchanagiri with the SahityaAkademi award but he Mutt in Hassan will hold the programme at the returned it back later to register his opposition district stadium in Hassan. to the killing of rationalist and Kannada writer ShambhunathaSwamy of Adichunchanagiri M.M. Kalburgi. Mutt announced the names of president and co-presidents. 15. Road accident fatalities rose in Karnataka The children were selected to preside over the last year event considering their creative talent and their The number of people killed in road accidents contributions to literature. Children from in the State increased in 2018 from the different districts have been chosen to preside previous year. As per the report ‗Road over seminars and poets‘ meets to be held as Accidents in India -2018‘ released by Ministry part of the two-day event. of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), MakkalaSahityaParishat president is C.N. road accidents have claimed the lives of Ashok 10,990 people, while 10,609 fatalities were reported in 2017. 14. KuvempuRashtriyaPuraskar for The report also said that in 2018, 21,277 were AjeetCour, Gurbhachan Singh Bhullar grievously injured in Karnataka in road Punjabi writers AjeetCour and Gurbhachan accidents, while 30,285 suffered minor Singh Bhullar have been selected for injuries. KuvempuRashtriyaPuraskar of the year 2019. The number of fatalities increased despite the The award is instituted by dip in the number of road accidents. In 2018, a RashtrakaviKuvempuPratishthana, Kuppalli, total of 41,707 accidents were reported in the the trust formed to popularize the writings of State, compared to the 42,542 in 2017.
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Bengaluru saw the number of accidents go up and the template will be replicated in Mysuru from 2,297 to 4,611, while the number of as well. fatalities also increased in the capital city. The Forest Department has teamed up with the Karnataka has also moved down in its ranking Project Vruksha Foundation but it will have a of accidents from three in 2017 to four in limited role as the documentation and 2018, registering a decline in accidents by 835 enumeration will be conducted by the — about 2% over the previous year. volunteers while the department will only The State remained at the fourth place in terms oversee it. of accident-related deaths and showed an The exercise will give the authorities a increase in persons killed by 381 — about baseline data about the number of trees in the 3.6%,‖ states the report. In the last five years, city.Once the tree is enumerated and digitally more than 54, 000 people were killed in road documented it will also serve as an evidence of accidents in the state. its presence and cannot be disputed or the According to the report, Tamil Nadu (13.7 %) records tampered with. tops the list in total number of road crashes At present, there is no data pertaining to the followed by Madhya Pradesh (11%) and Uttar number of trees in Mysuru and the extent of Pradesh (9.1%). In case of road crash deaths, green cover is a random figure. The census Uttar Pradesh (14.7%) topped the country will rectify that. followed by Maharashtra (8.8%) and Tamil Besides, it will also ascertain the approximate Nadu (8.1%). age of the trees, while data will be generated The report says over 1.51 lakh people were pertaining to the girth, height, species to which killed, 4,69,418 persons were injured in they belong and their location in the city. 4,67,044 road crashes reported across the Once completed the data will also help country. The number of deaths increased by ascertain the number of trees planted by the 3,500 compared to the previous year. authorities or the public during tree plantation Road crash fatalities have been mainly drives that have actually survived. attributed to speeding (97,588), driving on the Based on the outcome, the census will be wrong side (8,764), driving under the expanded to cover the entire city. influence of alcohol or drugs (4,188) and use PramodadeviWadiyar of the erstwhile royal of mobiles while driving (3,707). family of Mysuru inaugurated the census and Across the country, the highest number people local area corporatorShivakumar and killed in road accidents were two-wheeler volunteers were present. users at 55,336. App exclusively developed for tree The number of pedestrians killed in the road enumeration will be shared with the volunteers accidents stands at 22,656. Roads are also not to digitally record the details and will be put in safe for bicycles. Data shows that 3,673 riding the public domain. bicycles were killed in road accidents. 17. Yediyurappa inaugurates three-day 16. Tree census launched as pilot project in Bengaluru Tech Summit Mysuru Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa The number of trees in the city and the extent inaugurated the three-day Bengaluru Tech of the green cover are set to be documented Summit at the Bengaluru Palace. The tech and recorded through a census, which was summit is being organized for the last two inaugurated. decades to showcase the prowess and skill in The tree census will be conducted by the field of information technology. The volunteers under the aegis of the Project summit will see more than 250 exhibitors, Vruksha Foundation, Bengaluru, which has 3,500 delegates, 200 speakers, 34-panel conducted tree census in parts of Bengaluru discussions and 12,000 visitors.
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The highlights are special delegations from 20 KSTDC and also be involved in drafting the countries and a separate panel discussion for itineraries. women entrepreneurs to highlight the role of Above all, it is the occupancy rates that the women in the tech space. Global tech leaders, government is looking to improve. The Golden investors, research heads, policy makers and Chariot‘s 10 year average occupancy rate has startups from India and abroad attending the been a meager 34%, which, along with the tech summit. huge haulage charges paid to the Railways, This IT event will mainly focus on Artificial were major causes for making it a financial Intelligence, Cyber- Security, Space and Drone drain. Revolutions, Electric vehicles, 5G, Genomics, Trends in Agriculture. Karnataka Government 19. Lower fares, Karnataka tours also plans to honor all State-based Unicorns at Among the changes one can expect now that the Bengaluru Tech Summit- 2019. Karnataka the IRCTC is on board is a change in tours, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath and possible 2018-19 season tariffs ranged Narayanan also participated in the event. from Rs.3.85 lakh to Rs.6.8 lakh for foreign passport holders and between Rs.2.45 lakh to 18. IRCTC takes over operations of Golden Rs.3.78 lakh for Indian nationals. Chariot The IRCTC and KSTDC are targeting first The reins of the Golden Chariot, South India‘s operations of the train during February-March only luxury train, have officially been taken until April, but only the Karnataka-Goa circuit over by the Indian Railway Catering and may be run to begin with. Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). Earlier, two tours were being run: Pride of The Karnataka State Tourism Development South (Bengaluru, Kabini, Mysuru, Hassan, Corporation (KSTDC) signed an agreement Hampi, Badami, and Goa), and Southern with the IRCTC in New Delhi, according to Splendour (Bengaluru, Chennai, which the tourism corporation will take over Mahabalipuram, Puducherry, Thanjavur, the marketing and operations of the luxury Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam, and train. Kochi). The Golden Chariot, which completed a decade‘s run across Karnataka and other 20. ADB to provide USD 91 million loan for Southern States, was not operated in the last Vijayanagara Channel season (October to March) as the train was The Centre and Asian Development Bank being refurbished and a new agency was being (ADB) has signed an agreement to extend 91 finalized. million US dollar loan to modernize the This year, after the new BJP government took Vijayanagara Channel Irrigation Systems and office, it decided to temporarily suspend prepare river basin management plans in the operations in the wake of losses amounting to Krishna river basin. It will help improve ₹41 crore. irrigation water use efficiency and contribute The train‘s occupancy rate was less than half to improving sustainable water security in on an average. In addition, until recently, Karnataka. Railways had refused to come on board a The second project loan for the Karnataka revenue-sharing model, both of which had left Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources the train‘s finances bleeding. Management Investment Programme (IWRM) The agreement is still between the Railways was signed by Additional Secretary in the and KSTDC. So, payments will be made by Finance Ministry Sameer Kumar Khare and the KSTDC. Major replacements and repairs Country Director of ADB‘s India Resident and capital expenditure will also be by Mission, Kenichi Yokoyama.
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The investment programme will help appropriate penalties in such rules against the Karnataka Government strengthening its offenders and also introduce an amendment institutions involved in integrated water wherever necessary. resource management and modernizing the irrigation system infrastructure for improving 22. A project to rejuvenate Krishna, Cauvery water use efficiency in the State. Rivers A forestry intervention project to rejuvenate 21. Women allowed working night shifts in some major rivers, including the Krishna and factories in Karnataka the Cauvery, is in the offing to increase flow The Government of Karnataka issued an order and water quality. making way for women to work during night Indian Council of Forestry Research and shifts in factories, subject to certain security Education is preparing a DPR for forestry conditions. intervention in 13 major river basins of the Women can work during night shifts (between country. 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.) in places registered under The ICFRE will work on the main tributaries the Factories Act, 1948. The move comes of the Krishna across Maharashtra, Karnataka, after the Madras High Court had struck down Telangana, and ending with the Bay of Bengal. one of the provisions of the Act which had The Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree banned women from doing night shift after Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore, is working on terming it ―unconstitutional‖. the regeneration of the Cauvery. The While IT/ITEs workers were exempted from preliminary stages for both the rivers have this, this order gives blanket permission to begun. employ women 24/7 in all industries. The The forests of India are facing problems owing notification, however, states that the night shift to adverse climate change, global warming, cannot be compulsory for any women worker and land degradation. To address these, and written consent needs to be obtained for projects focused on bamboo, sandalwood, tree women workers who are interested in working improvement, forest fires, forest ecosystem night shifts. services, and other emerging areas are being Security issue implemented. It also places the onus on the employer to The ICFRE Council has also prepared the ensure that the workplaces prevent acts of National REDD (Reducing Emissions from sexual harassment and provides the procedures Deforestation and Forest Degradation) for resolution statement, or prosecutions of strategies and the Government of India has acts of sexual harassment by taking all the taken the task to restore 26 million hectares of necessary steps. degraded land and is committed to The notification also says that the factories sequestering carbon dioxide to the tune of 2.5 should have proper lighting and CCTV to 3 billion tonnes. cameras not only within the factory but also in ICFRE is also in the process of developing an the surrounding areas; separate canteen e-protection system and micro-chips that can facilities for women employees and women be inserted inside the bark of the tree to security personnel at the entry and exit points. prevent it from being cut down. It mandates that women workers are employed in a batch of not less than 10 and the total 23. CM Yediyurappa to inaugurateKalaburagi women workers should not be less than 2/3rd Airport the total strength. During night shift, at least Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will 1/3 of the supervisory staff should be women. inaugurate the Kalaburagi Airport. The Factory managements should frame rules to Greenfield airport, located 5 km from the city, prohibit sexual harassment and provide for
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs will put Kalaburagi on the aviation map of the from the officers of the city corporations, country. municipalities, and other local authorities. Deputy Chief Minister GovindKarjol, Deputy A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Chief Minister and Minister for Transport AbhayShreeniwas Oka and Justice Pradeep LakshmanSavadi, Deputy Chief Minister and Singh Yerur issued the interim directions Minister for Higher Education Ashwath during the hearing of PIL petitions related to Narayan, Minister for Large and Medium the menace of illegal advertisement hoardings, Industries JagadishShettar and Home Minister banners, flexes, etc in Bengaluru city. BasavarajBommai will participate in the event. The Bench noticed that the KOPD Act was The infrastructure available at the airport with made applicable only to cities of Bengaluru, a runway of 3.27 km is sufficient for operating Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru and bigger aircraft such as Airbus 320 with Belagavi with effect from May 5, 1981, and availability of 742 acres of land at the airport. applicability of this law to other city After the formal inauguration of the airport on corporations, municipalities and other areas November 22, commercial flights will was required to be notified separately, and commence the same day. Star Air flights will hence directed the government to issue operate between Bengaluru and Kalaburagi necessary communications in this regard three days a week — Monday, Friday and immediately. Sunday. Flights will leave Bengaluru at 12.20 BBMP to conduct survey p.m. to arrive at Kalaburagi at 1.25 p.m. In the Meanwhile, the Bench directed the Bruhat return direction, flights will take off from Bangalore MahanagaraPalike to survey illegal Kalaburagi at 1.55 p.m. to land in Bengaluru at advertisements put up in violation of the 3 p.m. provisions of the KOPD Act and the Karnataka Passengers will fly on Star Air 50-seat Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act, 1976, and advanced aircraft manufactured by Embraer submit a report to the court by December 13. with two jet engines powered by Rolls Royce. The Bench observed that the task of ―Initially, it will operate only on the identifying and removing illegal hoardings is Bengaluru-Kalaburagi route. Planned to continuous and the police will have to assist provide services on two more routes — the BBMP in this. Kalaburagi-Tirupati and Kalaburagi-Delhi Advertisements & structures (Hindon) by December. While interpreting the provisions of the KMC Act, the Bench said the BBMP and city 24. Enforce anti-disfigurement law to check corporations should take action under Section illegal hoardings across State 138 (removal of unauthorised advertisements) The Karnataka High Court directed the State of the KMC Act for removal of illegal government to immediately issue necessary advertisements but such action should be taken instructions empowering all city corporations, only after issuing show-cause notice to the municipalities, and other local authorities to persons or agencies concerned. take action under the Karnataka Open Places However, for removing the structures put up (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981, illegally, the court said the BBMP and other against illegal advertisements, flexes, banners, city corporations will have to take action under hoardings, etc. Section 321 (power to demolish illegal Also, the court directed the government to constructions) of the KMC Act as such issue instructions to the Police Department to structures come under the definition of word ensure that the police across the State register ―building‖. First Information Report (FIR) under Section 3 and 7 of KOPD Act on receipt of complaints 25. AIDYO youth convention in Dharwad
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The All India Democratic Youth Organisation would be given to cover patients residing in (AIDYO) will hold its fourth youth convention slums, truck terminals, schools, colleges and at KarnatakVidyavardhakhSangha. other such places. The theme of the convention is ―Employment, The Department of Health and Family Welfare a fundamental right of youth‖. has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the Senior writer RaghvendraPatil will inaugurate success of the drive. It has roped in voluntary the event. AIDYO State president Umadevi and service organizations for this purpose. M., who is be a special invitee, AIDYO district This drive would be held under the TB Control president Ramesh Hosamani will preside over programme of the Union government that has it. set a larger target of making India TB free by The convention aims at highlighting issues 2025. related to youth, particularly unemployment. A total of 1,835 patients are receiving As the country is facing an economic treatment for TB in the district. There are eight slowdown, unemployment has reached its TB testing centers in the district. Every month, peak. Graduate and post-graduate candidates averages of 1,500 people are tested for TB. are waiting anxiously to get jobs and run their Efforts would be made to cover the maximum families. Those in various jobs fear job loss number of people under this special drive. A due to economic slowdown which has badly total of 284 teams comprising 568 persons, affected small and medium industries. including staff of government departments, The government, which is marching ahead those from non-government organizations and with FDA, has announced VRS for BSNL and others, have been pressed into work. over 54,000 employees will be sent home. Besides providing free treatment, the Over three lakh people in the Railways are government provides monthly financial fearing losing their jobs. assistance of Rs.500 during the period of The convention will demand that the treatment under the Nikshay Poshane government protect the working class and set Scheme. The Health and Family Welfare up more industries to provide employment for Department has set up a toll free helpline Ph: youth. All the vacant posts in government 104 to obtain any information related to TB departments should be refilled, the contract system should be abolished, jobs of guest lecturers should be regularized, and 27. Sangankal museum likely to be named after MGNREGS should be implemented Robert Bruce Foote effectively. The Sangankal Museum Committee has proposed to name the upcoming museum, 26. Special drive to tackle TB launched being established at the cultural complex, after Deputy Commissioner M. Deepa launched a British geologist and archaeologist Robert special drive to trace and treat tuberculosis Bruce Foote, who conducted geological patients in Dharwad district. surveys of prehistoric locations in India for the The main objective of this drive is to identify Geological Survey of India, in recognition of those with tuberculosis and provide them his contribution. medication. This apart, the drive would focus The Sangankalneolithic site, located seven on creating a greater amount of awareness kilometers from Ballari, is about 5,000 years among the public and dispel certain myths old. This site was the largest village settlement associated with the disease. in South India. Here, the people then, who This arrangement has been made to ensure that were hunters and gatherers, were producing patients do not discontinue treatment. The stone stools on a large scale and later took up officials have set a target of covering 3,21,221 cultivation too. people located in different areas. Special focus
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Robert Bruce Foote was one among the many The event aims to provide a forum geologists in British India who undertook to all research communities involved in integrated geological and prehistoric bioprocessing for finding solutions to the expeditions over a period of 40 years (between bioprocessing needs of agri-food resources that 1858 and 1906) in various parts of southern are so critical to overall food security, health and western India and brought forth and wellness. considerable evidence of prehistoric cultures, The meet will be accompanied by including Sangankal pre-historic site, ash Ideation, a competition for college students for mounds (the largest near Kudtini, 25 km from the presentation of novel ideas or innovation, Ballari), besides undertaking systematic an industrial exhibition showcasing products documentation of prehistoric evidence in and processes of the future, and 45 sessions on India. various perspectives of bioprocessing. Mr. Foote laid a firm foundation for Indian prehistoric studies over which present-day 29. ‘Karanji Lake Festival’ to push for archaeologists have, to a large extent, conservation of water bodies succeeded in constructing the super structure Mysuru once had many lakes, but their number and have kept pace with the developments in has come down to single digits over the years. method and theory taking place elsewhere in Now, the challenge is to safeguard the last the Anglo American world. remaining water bodies. Recently, a sarcophagus, which was Karanji Lake Festival, proposed in December, discovered near Kudtini in early 2000 and kept looks to push the idea of saving the ―dying‖ in a museum in Dharwad, was brought back to urban water bodies, bringing to focus success the museum in Ballari. Experts are busy in stories in lake conservation and the best systematically documenting and practices adopted in lake management. arranging/displaying the artefacts. Karanji Lake is a waterbody seen as a success story. After its conservation, it became a 28. Bioprocessing India National Meet in prominent tourist destination. The lake‘s Mysuru caretaker, Mysuru zoo, came up with the idea CSIR-Central Food Technological of hosting the lake festival to recount the Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, will host efforts it put into its conservation, and more the seventh Bioprocessing India National Meet recently of removing silt from it. in December. The festival, which is expected to attract The meet of researchers in the area experts in the area of lake conservation and of bioprocessing will be organized in wetlands, aims to educate people about the association with the Association of Food importance of waterbodies that support aquatic Scientists and Technologists-India, Mysuru, and avian lives. and the Defence Food Research Laboratory The lake festival would bring a host of issues (DFRL), Mysuru, from December 14 to 16. to the fore on the subject of protection of Bioprocessing is an area of lakes. The festival will include presentations manufacturing focused on materials from by experts, screening of videos on the Karanji biological sources and includes frontline Lake success story, and the best practices in research areas such as bimolecular research on lake conservation adopted in other cities. proteins, enzymes and microbes, biosensors, The festival, which will also have other bio separations and bioreactors with sues in highlights such as bird-watching and visiting food processing and preservation, nutraceutical the butterfly park, is planned on December 16 and plant biotechnology, waste utilization, and 17, Mr. Kulkarni said. computational biology, and synthetic biology. Story of the lake
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Karanji Lake had gone dry this summer after The approach of Tumakuru Smart City reveals last year‘s deficient rains, forcing the zoo that there is a two-way learning opportunity management to make use of the situation for for the sister cities. removing the silt accumulated over the years. The major source of water to the lake is rainwater from Chamundi Hills and nearby localities. National Silt was removed from the lake with the hope 1. OCI can now apply for National Pension of increasing its water storage capacity and System improving the overall lake ecosystem as a lot Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) will now be of organic compounds had accumulated on the eligible to apply for the National Pension lake bed. System at par with Non Resident Indians The surviving lakes here face a serious threat (NRIs). Pension Fund Regulatory and as solid, plastic, industrial, organic and Development Authority (PFRDA) have building waste are dumped in them, a study by permitted Overseas Citizen of India to enroll in EMPRI had found. The worst impact is from NPS. untreated sewage directly discharged into Finance Ministry said that OCI may waterbodies. Prominent among the lakes in subscribe to NPS provided such person is Mysuru listed under ―red alert‖ were Devanoor eligible to invest as per the provisions of the Lake. PFRDA Act and the accumulated saving will be repatriable, subject to Foreign Exchange Management Act guidelines. 30. MoU signed between Tumakuru and PFRDA in its endeavor to promote and Denmark develop NPS has taken several initiatives A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was towards increasing the pension coverage in the signed between Tumakuru Smart City Ltd. and country. Now, any Indian citizen, resident or the Danish city of Aalborg on Thursday at non-resident and OCIs are eligible to join NPS VidhanaSoudha with the aim of strengthening till the age of 65 years. ties between the two cities. Till 26th of this month, the total number of They will cooperate in the field of smart subscribers under NPS and Atal Pension education, digitization, energy efficiency Yojana has crossed 3.18 crores and the Asset initiative, urban water management, under Management has grown to over 3.79 transportation, technology for the construction lakh crore rupees. More than 66 lakh of green buildings, waste management, healthy government employees have been enrolled and liveable cities, health and e-governance. under NPS and 19.2 lakhs subscribers have The MoU includes the exchange of knowledge subscribed to NPS in the private sector with through study tours and workshops that will be 6,812 entities registered as corporates. organized for the authorities in both cities. Joint projects will be taken up in the field of 2. PavanKapoor appointed as Ambassador to smart city solutions. Aalborg will assist in UAE identifying sources of financial support for smart solution projects. Tumakuru Smart City Limited Chairperson Shalini Rajneesh signed the MoU with Ambassador of Denmark Freddy Svane. The association with Aalborg will help in the overall development of Tumakuru to reduce pressure on Bengaluru.
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PavanKapoor, a 1990 batch Indian Foreign Naval Materials Research Laboratory, Service officer took charge as the new Ambernath. Ambassador to UAE. An AIP module enables conventional Ambassador Kapoor replaced Navdeep Singh submarines to remain submerged for longer Suri, who retired last month. duration. During his diplomatic career, PavanKapoor Fuel cell-based AIP has merits in performance has served in different capacities at the Indian compared to other technologies. DRDO Missions in Moscow, Kyiv, London and programme to build a fuel cell-based AIP Geneva. system for Indian Naval Submarines had During his last posting, MrKapoor served as crossed several milestones in technology the Ambassador to Israel. maturity. He has also served in the Ministry of External Earlier the Navy had planned to install AIP Affairs and the Prime Minister‘s Office in modules on the last two of six Sorpene New Delhi. submarines as they rolled out of the production PavanKapoor was India‘s High Commissioner line. However, it could not be realsied due to to Mozambique and the Kingdom of developmental delays. Now, the Navy is Swaziland from January 2014 to February drawing up plans to install them on all 2016. Scorpene submarines as they go for their first He has an MBA from the Indian Institute of refit. Management in Ahmedabad and also holds a Masters in International Political Economy 4. Harsh Vardhan releases 14th National from the London School of Economics. Health Profile, 2019
3. DRDO a step boost endurance of submarines
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the 14th National Health Profile (NHP), 2019 and its e-book in New Delhi. The NHP is prepared by the Central Bureau of The indigenous Air Independent Propulsion Health Intelligence and covers comprehensive (AIP) system to enhance the endurance of information on demographic, socio-economic conventional submarines being developed by health status, health finance indicators, health the Defense Research and Development infrastructure and health of human resources in Organization (DRDO) reached a milestone the country. with the successful operation of a land-based Life expectancy in India has increased from prototype. All Scorpene submarines of the 49.7 years in 1970-75 to 68.7 years in 2012- Navy are planned to be equipped with an AIP 16, as per the National Health Profile 2019 module in due course. released. Operation of the land-based prototype For the same period, the life expectancy for engineered to the form-and-fit of a submarine females is 70.2 years and 67.4 years for males. was witnessed by Chief of the Naval Staff For comparison, in last year‘s survey, the life Admiral Karambir Singh in the presence of expectancy had increased from 49.7 years in Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and 1970-75 to 68.3 years in 2011-15. For the Chairman DRDO Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy at the same period, the life expectancy for females is
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70 years and 66.9 years for males. So there has On the health status indicators, the survey find been an increase in life expectancy in general, that on communicable diseases, in 2018, and also for males. maximum number of cases and deaths due to On the non-communicable diseases, the survey malaria has been reported in Chhattisgarh notes that out of 6.51 crore patients who (77,140 cases and 26 deaths). The overall attended NCD clinics, 4.75 per cent people are prevalence of the disease has diminished in diagnosed with diabetes, 6.19 per cent are 2012 and 2013 but there was a slight increase diagnosed with hypertension, 0.30 per cent are in 2014 and 2015 before it again started diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases, 0.10 decreasing from 2016. per cent are diagnosed with stroke and 0.26 per Dengue and Chikungunya, transmitted by cent are diagnosed with common cancers. Aedes mosquitoes, are a cause of great concern According to the survey, the highest to public health in India. population density of 11,320 people per square Every year, thousands of individuals are kilometer was reported by the NCT of Delhi affected and contribute to the burden of health whereas Arunachal Pradesh has reported the care. Dengue outbreaks have continued since lowest population density of 17. the 1950s but severity of disease has increased On demographics, the survey found the high in the last two decades. However, the reported incidence of the young and economically cases of Chikungunya in the country have active population. The survey notes that 27 per shown a slight decrease from 67,769 to 57,813 cent of the total estimated population of 2016 in 2018 as compared to 2017. were below the age of 14 years and majority There has been considerable decrease in the (64.7 per cent) of the population were in the number of swine flu cases/deaths in the year age group of 15-59 years i.e. economically 2014 as compared with 2012 and 2013. active population and 8.5 per cent population However, the number of cases and deaths has were in the age group of 60 to 85 plus years. been drastically increased in the year 2015. There has been consistent decrease in the birth The numbers decreased in 2016 but again rate, death rate and natural growth rate in India increased significantly in 2017 and 2018. since 1991 to 2017. As on 2017, India has During the year 2015, 4.13 lakh people lost registered birth rate of 20.2 per 1,000 their life due to accidental injuries and 1.33 populations and death rate of 6.3 per 1,000 lakh people died because of suicide. Suicide populations while the natural growth rate was rates are increasing significantly among young 13.9 per 1,000 population in India. The birth adults and the maximum number of suicide rate in rural areas was higher than in the urban. cases (44,593) is reported between the age Similarly, the death rate and natural growth group 30-45 years. rate were also higher in rural areas as The total number of cases and deaths due to compared to the urban. snake bite are 1.64 lakh and 885, respectively, The population, however, continues to grow, in 2018. as the decline in the birth rate is not as rapid as The total number of disabled persons in India the decline in the death rate. is 2.68 crore. The infant mortality rate has declined considerably (33 per 1,000 live births in 2016), 5. Nagaland govt launches Ex-gratia Scheme however differentials of rural (37) & urban for Students (23) are still high. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for the country was 2.3 whereas in rural areas it has been 2.5 and it has been 1.8 in urban areas during 2016 as per the latest available information.
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Nagaland Government launched the Nagaland 201-300 ‗poor‘, 301-400 ‗very poor‘ and 401- Ex-gratia Scheme for Students Studying 500 ‗severe‘. Above 500 falls in the ‗severe- outside Nagaland belonging to any recognized plus emergency‘ category. scheduled tribes and indigenous inhabitants of the state. 7. 3 bamboo technology parks to be set up in The scheme is targeted for students who die UTs of J-K, Ladakh outside the state while pursuing secular, technical, professional, diploma and theology courses. Presenting a brief report of the scheme, OSD Finance department Taliremba, informed that Corpus Fund of five crore Rupees will be kept Union Minister Jitendra Singh said three in a fixed deposit and the interest accruing bamboo technology parks will soon be set up from the deposit will be utilized for payment in the newly created Union Territories of of ex-gratia amounting to five lakh rupees to Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh for the the nominee of the deceased students. commercial exploitation of bamboo farming in Payment will be made through Direct Benefit the region. Transfer by the finance department to the bank Bamboo grows naturally Jammu and account of the nominee within a period of one Kashmir‘s Kathua and neighbouring month. Himalayan foothill districts of Punjab and there is huge potential to commercially exploit 6. SC mandated panel declares public health bamboo farming in the area. emergency in Delhi-NCR region Considering the success of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM), this model will be replicated in the two new UTs in the sphere of horticulture. Funding will provided jointly by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which directly administers the UTs, the Ministry of Agriculture, which launched the NBM and the Supreme Court mandated panel declared a DoNER(Ministry of Development of North public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR Eastern Region) Ministry. region and banned all the construction activity The Guwahati-based Cane and Bamboo till 5th November. Technology Centre (CBTC), functioning under In a letter written to Chief Secretaries of Uttar the NorthEastern Council, will implement the Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, EPCA project. chairperson BhureLal said air quality in Delhi-
NCR in a severe category and this situation 8. IIIT Hyderabad researchers create first ever must be taken as public health emergency as Indian Brain atlas air pollution will have adverse health impact on all, particularly our children. Pollution touched ―severe plus‖ levels early on Friday morning but came back to ―severe‖ category later. According to official data, the overall Air Quality Index was recorded at 480, which falls in the ―severe‖ category. Researchers at the IIIT Hyderabad said that the An AQI between 0-50 is considered ‗good‘, first ever Indian Brain Atlas (IBA) has been 51-100 ‗satisfactory‘, 101-200 ‗moderate‘, created. They stated that the next step is to
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs prepare atlases for different age groups to different scanners to rule out variations found study age related effects on brain anatomy. in scanning machines. Emboldened by the The average brain size of an Indian was results of the pilot study, the team went on to smaller in height, width and volume in recruit 100 willing participants in the eventual comparison to people of the Caucasian and construction of the Indian Brain Atlas, referred eastern races. to as IBA 100. The immediate implication of this finding can From birth, the brain grows at an alarming be seen in treatment outcomes of neurological rate. But according to most experts, it is problems or brain related ailments – like around age 20-30, that the brain is said to be dementia, Alzheimer‘s disease, Parkinson‘s fully developed, or ‗mature‘. Hence the scans disease etc. collected were from an equal number of Medical practitioners depend on Magnetic healthy male and female subjects who fell in Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan to decide on the age group of 21-30 years, considered as the the line of treatment. The references they use baseline. are the one‘s created by the Montreal Surprising findings Neurological Institute (MNI), based on The constructed altas was validated against the Caucasian brains. other atlases available for various populations. With the revelations on the Indian brains, the It was found that the Indian brain on average is differences in the MRI scans that can emerge smaller in height, width, and volume as by the comparisons (since Indian brains are compared to the western (MNI) as well as the smaller than Caucasian) can look alarming and eastern population (Chinese and Korean). lead to misdiagnosis. These differences are found even at the The earliest known brain atlas, the Talairach structure level, such as in the volume of the and Tournoux atlas, was created by manually hippocampus and so on. But overall, the IBA drawing post-mortem brain sections of a 60- 100 is more comparable to the Chinese and year-old French woman. Korean atlases than the distant Caucasian one It was in 1993 that the MNI and the (MNI). International Consortium for Brain Mapping (ICBM) created the first digital human brain 9. President Ram NathKovind launches atlas. More recently, MNI and ICBM have endowment fund of IIT Delhi released other brain atlases that are widely used as a standard in neuroscience studies. However, these ‗standard‘ brain templates created using Caucasian brains are not ideal to analyze brain differences from other ethnicities, such as the Indian population. MRI images taken are compared with the pre- loaded MNI template to arrive at a diagnosis, President Ram NathKovind has launched and are likely to lead to a misdiagnosis. While endowment fund of IIT Delhi. even Chinese and Korean brain templates had Endowments have become integral part of the been constructed, there was no corresponding financial health of educational institutions and template constructed for the Indian-specific through this alumni are playing critical role in population. supporting and nurturing future generations of The first attempt by the IIITH team at creating learners. an Indian-specific brain atlas involved 50 Endowment fund subjects, evenly balanced out across genders. An endowment fund is an investment fund MRI scans of these subjects‘ brains were taken established by a foundation that makes at three different hospitals across three consistent withdrawals from invested capital.
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The capital in endowment funds, often used by Prime Minister NarendraModi on inaugurated universities, nonprofit organizations, churches the 5th edition of India International Science and hospitals, is generally utilized for specific Festival (IISF) 2019 through video needs or to further a company‘s operating conferencing in Kolkata. process The four-day science festival, being organized from November 5-8, aims to build a strategy 10. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates for inclusive advancement of Science and 21st North East Book Fair Technology. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on The India International Science Festival (IISF) inaugurated the 21st North East Book Fair in was launched in 2015 to promote Science and Guwahati in presence of Assam Governor Technology. Prof. JagdishMukhi, Chief Minister The goal of the Science festivity is to help SarbanandaSonowal. youth, develop 21st century skills, with a focus There are as many as 217 book stalls including on scientific knowledge, creativity, critical one from Bangladesh. The Book Fair will to thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork. the public for 12 days. The previous editions of IISF had been a great success. The first and second chapters were 11. CPI leader GurudasDasgupta passes away held in New Delhi. The third edition of IISF 2017 was held in Chennai. The fourth edition of IISF was held in Lucknow. The Theme for this year‘s festival is ―RISEN India – Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation. CPI leader and former lokSabha Member GurudasDasgupta passed away in Kolkata 13. Guinness World Records with largest following a prolonged illness. The veteran CPI astrophysics assemble leader was suffering from kidney and heart related ailments for quite some time. Dasgupta became a member of the RajyaSabha in 1985. He was also elected to the LokSabha from Panskura and Ghatal constituencies of West Bengal in 2004 and 2009 respectively. The Guinness World Records for the largest As a parliamentarian he was known for his astrophysics lesson (45 minutes) and assembly oratory skills and his speeches earned praise of spectroscopes was successfully achieved at from politicians, cutting across party lines. the Science City, Kolkata on the first day of In 2014, he decided not to contest LokSabha India International Science Festival (IISF) polls due to poor health. 2019 with the participation of over 1,598 students. 12. 5th edition of India International Science Astronomers use spectroscopes to know details Festival (IISF) 2019 like temperature, chemical composition, etc. of celestial objects hundreds or millions of light years away from us. A small personal model of advanced spectroscopes can easily be made by anyone using a box made of cardboard that has a very narrow window used to channel light into the spectroscope.
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A piece of a Compact Disc is used to split the Government of India,is promoting Rising light by a process called diffraction. This Himachal Summit through the India attempt is dedicated to MeghnadSaha and C. Investment Grid (IIG). V. Raman. During the Summit, Invest India will offer an The host city of the 5th IISF-2019 is home to interactive digital experience to visitors, renowned scientific institutions that have been showcasing the investment opportunities in the the workplace of pioneering scientists who state via the IIG portal.The exhibit space will gave shape to science in India. IISF is the have different elements that introduce Invest largest science festival in the world. India as the national investment facilitation On second day of IISF, the largest electronics agency and showcase the investment potential lesson and assembly of optical media of Himachal Pradesh. These include: communication units at a single location will Digital online display of the IIG portal, be attempted with the participation of over offering an interactive experience where users 1,000 students. Communication link set up can browse through Himachal Pradesh through Infrared signals – Wireless infrared investment opportunities across multiple communications refers to the use of free-space sectors in real-time. propagation of light waves in the near infrared On-site registration facility for IIG for band as a transmission medium for interested Indian private sector companies and communication. This attempt is dedicated to investors at the exhibit booth, to immediately ChandrasekharaVenkata Raman and start connecting on relevant opportunities. SatyendraNath Bose. Digital screens to play promotional videos developed by Invest India to promote 14. Rising Himachal 2019: Global Investors Himachal Pradesh as an investment meet in Dharamshala destination, showcasing focus sectors of HP and key state factoids Collaterals on investment opportunities in different sectors to share withvisitors. During the two days Global Investors‘ Meet therewill be a session on ‗Growing economic ties between Invest India and UAE‘. The State Government of Himachal Pradesh is In a run up to this event Invest India had organizing Global Investors‘ Meet 2019,a organized international roadshows in flagship business event, at Dharamshala on Germany, Netherlands and UAEto promote November 7 -8, 2019. This eventwill showcase Himachal Pradesh‘s areas of expertise. Six the policy and regulatory environment, domestic roadshows were also organized in investment opportunities in eight focus Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, sectorsto boost manufacturing and Chandigarh and Ahmedabad, conclaves in employment generation in the State. Shimla and Manali and Ambassadors The eight focus sectors are agri-business and roundtable at Delhi. post-harvest technology, manufacturing and Himachal Pradesh has implemented online pharmaceuticals, tourism and hospitality, civil Single Window System which provides aviation, hydro and renewable energy, approvals and renewals for investment in all wellness, healthcare and AYUSH, housing and the sectors. Investor can now apply for urban development, IT-ITeS and electronics, permission for purchase of land under section education and skill development. 118 of the Himachal PradeshTenancy and land Invest India, the National Investment Reform Act, 1972, through online portal. The Promotion and Facilitation Agency, under the State Government has eased out the process of Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs getting construction permits by curtailing 16. Three books launched on Guru Nanak required NoCs. DevJi To provide impetus to tourism sector in a sustainable way, the State Government has notified HP Tourism Policy 2019 to promote development of new tourist destinations by providing Capital Investment Subsidy. The State Government has also brought other sector specific polices such as IT and ESDM Human Resource Development Minister Policy, Film Policy and Electric Vehicle Ramesh PokhriyalNishank and Food Processing Policy. Industries Minister HarsimratKaurBadal today unveiled three books on Guru Nanak DevJi in 15. IIT Madras launches country’s first New Delhi. The books were launched in the standing wheelchair run-up to 550th Birth Anniversary celebration of Guru Nanak DevJi at a function at Sri Guru TegBahadurKhalsa College. The National Book Trust has published these titles – ‘Guru Nanak Bani’, ‘Nanak Bani’, and ‘Sakhian Guru Nanak Dev’ to spread the message of Guru Nanak Dev‘s writings among Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, on readers of Indian sub-continent. These books, Tuesday launched the country‘s ―first published originally in Punjabi, shall be indigenously‖ designed standing wheelchairin translated into 15 major Indian languages. collaboration with Phoenix Medical Systems, which will enable a differently abled person 17. RBI imposes Rs 5 lakh fine on Oxigen shift from sitting to standing position. Services Named ‗Arise‘, the standing wheelchair was The Reserve Bank has imposed a fine of Rs 5 launched in the presence of Union Minister of lakh on prepaid payment instrument Oxigen Social Justice and Empowerment Services. ThawarchandGehlot at the institute. The move was taken in exercise of powers It enables a differently-abled person requiring vested under Section 30 of the Payment and a wheelchair to shift from sitting to standing Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for non- position, and vice versa, independently and in compliance of regulatory guidelines. a controlled manner. The fine comes through a speaking order dated It was designed and developed by the the September 17, 2019.Oxigen Services institute‘s TTK Center for Rehabilitation facilitates payment processing and money Research and Device Development (R2D2), transfer services. headed by Prof SujathaSrinivasan in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. 18. GRSE delivers fast patrol vessel to Coast Since 2015, with CSR support from TTK Guard Prestige,the Centre was involved in research related to human movement, influence of orthotic and prosthetic devices on human movement, and the design and development of mechanisms, products and assistive devices for people with impairments.
The initiative also had the support of Wellcome, an UK-based foundation.
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Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd HS Stands for Harmonized System and it is a (GRSE) delivered Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) six digit identification code. It was developed ICGS Annie Besant, the second in the series by the WCO (World Customs Organization) of five such ships, to the Indian Coast Guard. and custom officers use HS Code to clear A medium-range vessel with a length of 50 every commodity that enters or crosses any meters, width of 7.5 meters and displacement international border. of around 308 tonnes, the FPV is capable of Khadi and Village Industries products are eco- operations in the maritime zones of the friendly and natural, and are in great demand country. in the International Markets. Recognizing its These powerful, fuel-efficient platforms are potential to generate exports and its eco- designed to perform multipurpose operations friendly importance, the Ministry of like patrolling, anti- smuggling, anti-poaching Commerce had accorded deemed Export and rescue operations. Promotional Council Status (EPCS) to KVIC ICGS Annie Besant is designed for a in 2006, to boost the export of Khadi products. maximum speed of 34 knots with an endurance However in the absence of separate HS code, of more than 1,500 nautical miles.It is the export of Khadi products was difficult to equipped with three main engines with categorize and calculate. advanced control systems, water jet units and an integrated bridge system with all 21. NMCG organizes ‘Ganga Utsav’ in Delhi communication and navigation systems. The entire design of these FPVs has been developed in-house by GRSE as per requirements specified by Indian Coast Guard.
19. Khadi gets separate unique HS code
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), in coordination with the Jal Shakti Ministry, organized ‗Ganga Utsav‘ in the The ministry of commerce and industries has Major Dhyanchand stadium in the national allocated separate HS code for this signature capital to mark the 11th anniversary of Ganga fabric of India. Khadi has once again come out being declared as the national river. of its customary veil, marking its presence in The event was organized in a bid to create the exclusive HS code bracket, issued by the awareness and gather public participation in central government on 4th Nov‘19 to the efforts to clean River Ganga and its categorize its products in export. tributaries. Earlier, Khadi did not have its exclusive HS Events play an important role in drawing code. As a result, all the data regarding export public attention to the cause of Ganga. It of this signature fabric used to come as a showcases the efforts being put in by the normal fabric under the textile head. Now, we NMCG and the ministry to maintain the will be able to keep a constant eye not only on ‗aviralta‘ and purity of river Ganga. our export figures, but it will also help us in Ganga Utsav is celebrated on November 4 planning our export strategies. because Ganga was declared as the country‘s national river on this day. 20. Harmonized System With this declaration number of initiatives came and most important among those is
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs NamamiGange, which is a very 3. Under the ‗Sports Reporting‘ comprehensive program as it looks at all category, SaurabhDuggal from the Hidustan aspects of Ganga rejuvenation. NamamiGange. Times has been named the winner. Ruby Sarkar, Special Correspondent, 22. Gulab Kothari to be awarded Raja Ram Deshbandhu, Bhopal, has been selected for the Mohan Roy Award by PCI award category of ‗gender based reporting‘.
23. NASSCOM Foundation’s Social Innovation Forum (NSIF) award NASSCOM Foundation and Mphasis announced the winners of the 11th edition of the NASSCOM Social Innovation Forum
Rajasthan Patrika group chairman Gulab (NSIF). Kothari has been chosen for the prestigious Seven organizations were declared winners Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award, presented by across a range of categories. The winners will the Press Council of India, for his outstanding receive Rs 10 lakh each as catalytic grants and contribution towards journalism. a twelve-month Support to Scale industry The award will be presented on November 16 mentorship from experts, worth over Rs 20 on the occasion of the National Press Day. lakh. The Press Council of India (PCI) also The award winners are: announced other winners of the National 1. In the Education category, Meraki Awards for Excellence in Journalism 2019. Foundation won the award for upskilling low 1. Sanjay Saini, Correspondent, DainikBhaskar, income parents towards holistic learning of Mandi, and Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial their wards. Director, India Today, have been jointly 2. Inali Foundation won the award for named as winners of the award in the category Accessibility for developing an ‗affordable‘ of ‗Rural Journalism‘. myo electric prosthetic arm. 2. Shiva SwarupAwasthi, Senior Reporter of PadCare Labs Pvt. Ltd., a Pune-based startup DainikJagran, and AnuAbrahim, sub-editor of won the award for Healthcare for developing Matrubhumi, Calicut, has been selected under ‗Sanicure‘, a smokeless sanitary napkin the award category of Developmental disposal system. Reporting. 1. The Financial Inclusion award was bagged KrishnKaushik and Sandeep Singh of Indian by MHS City Lab, for ‗NEEV‘ a digital tool. Express have been selected as winners under 2. WatsanEnvirotech Pvt. Ltd. won the the award category of ‗Financial Reporting‘. Environment award. Not on Map won the 1. P G Unnikrishnan, Senior Photographer, The award for Other Social issues for creating Matrubhumi, and Akhil E S, News livelihood for culturally hidden communities. Photographer, Matrubhumi, were named as winners of the award in the ‗Photo Journalism- 24. Coast Guard conducts two-day rescue Single News Picture‘ category. exercise off Goa shore 2. Sipra Das, Consulting Editor (Photography), India Empire Magazine and Parliamentarian Magazine, has been selected in the category of ‗Photo Journalism-Photo Feature‘, the statement said.
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The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) tested its The trend witnessed over the year was that efficiency and preparedness during the start-ups are driving focus more towards the Regional Level Search and Rescue Workshop B2B space and almost half of the country‘s and Exercise 2019 (ReSAREX- 19) conducted start-ups are offering enterprise focused off Goa coast. services. The two-day event, organized by the Coast Over 18 per cent of all start-ups in India are Guard District Headquarters-11 (Goa), now leveraging deep-tech, which means there comprised a search and rescue workshop and are over 1,600 such companies in India. This table top exercise, followed by a search and number constituted only 8 per cent of start-ups rescue exercise at sea. incepted in 2014, and has seen a 40 per cent Five ICG ships, Dornier aircraft, two Chetak CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over helicopters were used for the workshop and the past five years. resources from Captain of Ports, State Marine Nasscom aims to accelerate the startup Police, Indian Mission Control Centre ecosystem in India significantly by 2025. (Bengaluru), Goa state administration, Goa Medical College and Marmugao Port Trust 26. MMR of India declines by eight points in were also pressed into service. one year The workshop also assumes significance in the Maternal Mortality Ratio, MMR, of India has wake of the recent search and rescue declined by eight points in one year as per the operations carried out during cyclones Kyaar latest special bulletin on MMR released by the and Maha. Registrar General of India. This was informed by Union Minister for Health and Family 25. India is third largest startup ecosystem in Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi. the world This decline is important as it translates to India continues to reinforce its position as the over 2,000 more pregnant women saved third largest startup ecosystem in the world, annually. according to IT industry body Nasscom. MMR has declined from 130 per lakh live The total number of tech startups in the births in 2014-16 to 122 per lakh live births in country has grown to 8,900-9,300 with 1,300 2015-17 which is a decline of 6.2 per cent. startups being added this year so far. India also With this persistent decline, India is on track to witnessed the addition of seven Unicorns this achieving the Sustainable Development Goal year till August taking the total tally to 24 – (SDG) set for reducing the MMR by 2025 the third highest number of Unicorns which is five years ahead of the fixed time-line (companies with valuation of over USD 1 of 2030. billion) in a single country in the world. Focus on quality health services provided The startups have created an estimated 60,000 through National Health Mission such as direct jobs and 1.3-1.8 lakh indirect jobs, PradhanMantriSurakshitMatritvaAbhiyan,Jana Nasscom said in a report. niShishuSurakshaKaryakram and According to the report, investment in start- JananiSurakshaYojana have contributed to this ups were steady with USD 4.4 billion flowing endeavour. in between January-September this year across 450 start-ups – up 5 per cent year-on-year (y- 27. Indian Railways launches 3 online o-y). applications for all-India rollout Funding saw a huge spike in early stages Indian Railways has launched three (series A, B as well) with USD 1.6 billion applications for all-India roll out to strengthen being recorded and growing at 70 percent y-o- its IT-enabled services which will help ensure y. proper monitoring of projects being undertaken by Railways.
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The applications, namely CRS Sanction Gemcon Young Literature Award and Gemcon Management System, Rail-road crossing GAD Young Poetry Award. approval system and TMS for construction aim Abhisek and Rofiquzzaman won the awards at beefing up IT-enabled services. for their manus, ―Nishiddho‖ and The CRS Sanction Management System is ―DhoasharTamateRong,‖ respectively. an important aspect in construction, maintenance and up-gradation of railway 29. Andhra Pradesh government schools to assets, introduce English medium Rail-road crossing GAD approval system will expedite preparation, processing and approval of general agreement drawings related to the construction of Road Over Bridges and Road under Bridges. TMS for construction has been developed for Andhra Pradesh government schools are all set new assets being constructed by the to introduce English medium for classes‘ first construction organization. to eighth from the next academic year. As per the government‘s order, the Andhra 28. West Bengal based writer AbhisekSarkar Pradesh School Education Department has wins award at Dhaka Lit-fest decided to convert all government, MandalParishad Primary School (MPP), and ZillaParishad schools into English medium. The move will come into force for standards I to VIII from the next academic year, i.e. 2020- 21 and for standards IX and X from the academic year 2012-22. The government has entrusted powers to the The ninth edition of the Dhaka Lit-fest started Commissioner of School Education, Andhra with a galaxy of writers and book lovers Pradesh, to open parallel English Medium thronging the venue ground at the Bangla sections in high schools for Classes VI to X. Academy. As per the government order, the Over the three day of the festival 200 speakers, Commissioner of School Education will also performers and thinkers will take part in ensure implementation of Telugu or Urdu as a discussions on diverse topics. mandatory subject, depending on the current The special focus of this year‘s lit-fest is on medium of instruction in the schools. Indigenous Languages as the UNESCO has As part of the new initiative, teachers will be marked 2019 as the year of Indigenous trained to teach English. New teachers will be Language Protection. hired based on tests for their proficiency and Renowned literary personalities and authors skills in English. from Bangladesh and abroad like William The government will also take steps to revive Dalrymple, Monica Ali, H M Naqvi, Prayaag English Language Teaching Centers and Akbar, ShashiTharoor are participating in the District English Centers (DECs). festival.
Iconic Bangla author Shankar is the festival
highlight of Bangla literature this year.
On the first day of the event, West Bengal-
based writer AbhisekSarkar and Bangladeshi
poet RofiquzzamanRony were given the
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30. Infosys Prize 2019 For Physical Sciences, the prize this year is awarded to G Mugesh, Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru for his seminal work in the chemical synthesis of small molecules and nanomaterials for biomedical applications. AnandPandian, Professor at Johns Hopkins University in the US, won the prize this year in the for Social Sciences category for his Six eminent professors have won the Infosys imaginative work on ethics, selfhood and the Prize 2019 across different categories of creative process. science and research, the software major‘s
science foundation announced on Friday. 31. 11th edition of BalSangam to begin from The annual award includes a pure gold medal, Nov 9 a citation and a prize purse worth $100,000 or The Eleventh edition of BalSangam to be its equivalent in the Indian rupees, the Infosys organized by the National School of Drama, Science Foundation (ISF). NSD, will begin from the 9th of this month in The winners of the Infosys Prize 2019 were the New Delhi. announced across six categories — It is a confluence of folk and traditional art Engineering and Computer Sciences, forms performed by children. The four-day Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical festival will showcase enthralling folk and Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social traditional performing arts and folk theatre Sciences. dedicated to children. The Infosys Prize 2019 for Engineering and As many as twelve States including Assam, Computer Science is awarded to Professor Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat are SunitaSarawagi from the Indian Institute of participating in the event. 12 folk presentations Technology (IIT), Bombay for her research in and three folk theatres programme will be databases, data mining, machine learning and displayed. natural language processing, and for important The festival also includes folk dance, martial applications of these research techniques, ISF arts, street play performances and magic said. shows. Besides, there will also be various In the field of Humanities, the prize has been types of art and craft workshops. given to Manu V. Devadevan, Assistant
Professor at Indian Institute of Technology 32. Former CEC TN Seshan passes away in (IIT). Chennai Manjula Reddy, Chief Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad bagged the prize in the field of Life Sciences for her ―groundbreaking‖ discoveries concerning the structure of cell walls in bacteria. For Mathematical Sciences, the prize is awarded to Siddhartha Mishra, Professor at Former chief election commissioner TN ETH Zurich in Switzerland, for his outstanding Seshan passed away in Chennai last night. 86- contributions to Applied Mathematics, year old Seshan died of cardiac arrest. particularly for designing numerical tools for A 1955 batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu solving problems in the real world. cadre, Seshan had led the Election Commission from 1990 to 1996. He held
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various key posts in the government including December 1992: Karsevaks demolish Babri that of Defense Secretary and Cabinet Masjid. Justice Liberhan Commission Secretary. appointed to probe. He took over as the Chief Election 1993: P.V. NarasimhaRao government Commissioner in 1990. Known for his no- acquires 67 acres of land adjoining the nonsense attitude, Seshan was credited with disputed site. The Supreme Court upholds the ushering in major electoral reforms during his acquisition in its Dr. Ismail Faruqui judgment. tenure as the chief election commissioner. April 2002: Allahabad High Court commences hearing the title suits. 33. Ayodhya verdict March 2003: SC bans religious activity in the In a unanimous verdict, a five-judge acquired lands in Mohd. Aslam @Bhurre case. Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court 2009: Liberhan Committee submits inquiry (Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and report. comprised justices SA Bobde, Ashok Bhushan, September 30, 2010: High Court delivers a DY Chandrachud and S Abdul Nazeer)gave majority judgment for three-way partition of the ownership of the disputed 2.77-acre land in the disputed property among Hindus, Muslims Ayodhya to a group representing Hindus. The and NirmohiAkhara. Supreme Court directed that 5 acres of May 2011: SC stays the high court judgment alternative land be provided to a Muslim group on cross-appeals filed by the parties. that had staked claim to the disputed site. August 2017: A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice DipakMisra Here is a chronology of the Ayodhya dispute: begins hearing the appeals. The main title 1528:First Mughal Emperor Babar is believed issue is side-tracked. Muslim parties seek a to have constructed Babri Masjid reference of a contentious observation made in 1885: MahantRaghbir Das moves Faizabad the Faruqui judgment that worshipping in court seeking permission to construct a temple mosques is not integral to Islam to a in the vicinity of the Babri Masjid. The plea is Constitution Bench. A majority judgment is declined. pronounced declining the prayer. 1949: Idols of Lord Ram is mysteriously found January 2019: A Constitution Bench of five inside the mosque judges led by Chief Justice of India 1950: GopalVisharad and Ramachandra Das RanjanGogoi resumes hearing the title appeals moves Faizabad court for permission to but suggests mediation first. worship the idols August 6, 2019:Mediation committee led by 1959: NirmohiAkhara files plea seeking former Supreme Court judge, Justice F.M.I. possession of the disputed land. Kalifulla fails to draw a consensus and court 1961: Central Sunni Waqf Board, U.P., moves hearing commences. court for declaration of title of the disputed October 16, 2019: After 40 days of hearings, land and removal of the idols inside the the Constitution Bench reserves judgment mosque. November 9, 2019: Constitution Bench clears February 1986: Faizabad court allows Hindus the way for constructing Ram Temple at the to worship the idols. disputed site. It orders the government to August 1989: Allahabad High Court takes provide five-acre land to Muslims at a over the title dispute. Orders status quo. prominent place in Ayodhya. November 1989: The Rajiv Gandhi government allows Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to perform puja near the disputed site. September 1990: BJP leader L.K. Advani begins rathyatra
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 31. November 11: National Education Day Minister Vijay Rupani has also approved this proposal. The proposed CNG port terminal will have annual capacity of 6 million matric tone, which will increased the total handling capacity of the port to 9 million matric tones. Memorandum of Understanding for this project between Gujarat government arm Gujarat Maritime Board and London based National Education Day is an annual Foresight Group was signed during the 2019 observance to commemorate the birth Vibrant Gujarat summit. anniversary of MaulanaAbulKalam Azad, the The new facility will be developed in the first education minister of independent India, Northern side of present port, underwhich who served from 15 August 1947 until 2 RoRo terminal, liquid terminal and container February 1958. National Education Day of terminal will be developed in future. India is celebrated on 11 November every The consortium has proposed an investment of year. Rs.1,900 crore in two phases with Rs 1,300 The Ministry of Human Resource crore in the first phase and Rs 600 crore in the Development announced on 11 September second phase through the ‗Swiss challenge‘ 2008 decided to commemorate the birthday of method. Studies for pre-feasibility report, cite this great son of India by recalling his selection, gas supply agreement and CNG contribution to the cause of education in India. vessel development have also been completed. November 11 every year, from 2008 onwards, will be celebrated as the National Education 33. New species of spider named after Sachin Day, without declaring it a holiday. Tendulkar Read All educational institutions in the country An Ahmedabad Ecologist by the name of mark the day with seminars, symposia, essay- Dhruv Prajapati, a junior researcher of the writing, elocution competitions, workshops Gujarat Ecological Education & Research and rallies with banner cards and slogans on (GEER) Foundation paid a unique tribute the importance of literacy and the nation‘s towards Tendulkar. commitment to all aspects of education. Studying PhD in Spider Taxonomy, Dhruv The day is also seen as an occasion to expressed his love and passion for Tendulkar remember Azad‘s contribution in laying the by naming a newly discovered spider species foundations of the education system in an after the veteran cricketer. independent India, and evaluating and Two new breeds of spiders were discovered by improving the country‘s current performance him and he named one of them as ―Marengo in the field. Sachin Tendulkar‖ and the other one as ―Inomarengo Chavarapatera‖ after Saint 32. Gujarat government gives nod for world’s Kuriakose Elias Chavara, a well-known figure first CNG port terminal for spreading the educational awareness in Gujarat Government has given its nod to the Kerala. compressed natural gas port terminal at Bhavnagar. The U.K. based Foresight group 34. Justice Sanjay Karol sworn in as Chief and Mumbai based Padmanabh Mafatlal group Justice of Patna High Court joint venture will invest Rs.1900 crore to set up a CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar port. Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board- GIDB under the Chairmanship of Chief
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The DCI also found that the world-famous lake‘s capacity has shrunk to about 40% and that its water quality has deteriorated. The DCI assessment also found that intense pollution by untreated sewage and solid wastes that flow into the lake, encroachments of water channels and clogging has diminished the Justice Sanjay Karol was sworn in as the Chief circulation and inflows into the lake, leading to Justice of Patna High Court. Bihar Governor extensive growth of the weed water hyacinth Phagu Chauhan administered the oath of office which has emerged as a health hazard. to Justice Karol at the Raj Bhavan. Further, it established that the depth of the lake Justice Karol was earlier posted as Chief has reduced at many places due to siltation and Justice of Tripura before this appointment. encroachment, and that continuing night soil Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief discharge from the 800 to 900 houseboats Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Assembly causes extreme pollution in the water body. Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and other dignitaries were present at the swearing-in 36. Indian Oil gets environment clearance to set ceremony. up 2G ethanol plant in Panipat Sanjay Koral obtained Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University and in 1983 he was enrolled as an advocate, practiced in various courts. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and also served as Acting Chief Justice of the High Court from 25 April 2017.Justice Karol became the fourth Chief Justice of The Ministry of Environment has granted Tripura High Court on 14 November 2018. He clearance to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd was transferred as Chief Justice of Patna High (IOCL) to set up a ₹ 766-crore 2G ethanol Court on 11 November 2019. plant in Haryana‘s Panipat district. This project aims topromote use of 35. Dal Lake to be declared as eco-sensitive environment friendly fuel but also aids in zone fulfillment of government‘s goal of doubling farmers‘ income. The estimated investment in setting up the plant is ₹766 crore. Ethanol produced will be used for blending in transportation fuel. The Jammu and Kashmir government has set Recently, the central government had notified up a ten-member committee to declare that no environmental clearance would be Srinagar‘s famous Dal Lake and its required by sugar mills to produce additional surrounding areas as an eco-sensitive zone ethanol from sugarcane juice. (ESZ), following concerns over its shrinking size. 37. 2G ethanol plant Pollution and encroachments have resulted in Second Generation (2G) differs from 1st the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area generation ethanol in terms of feedstock and of 22 square kilometers to about 10 square subsequently, the production process. Second kilometers, according to an assessment by the Generation (2G) feed stocks include agri- Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) in 2017. residues like rice & wheat straw, cane trash,
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs corn cobs & stover, cotton stalk, bagasse, even after 18 days of declaration of election Empty Fruit bunches (EFB), etc. results. Despite getting a comfortable majority in the 38. Nov 12: 550th birth anniversary of Guru 288-member Maharastra Assembly, BJP -Shiv Nanak Dev being celebrated Sena combine which fought elections together could not reach the consensus over government formation in the state. Amid political deadlock between the two alliance partners, the Governor first invited the largest party BJP to form the government which was declined by the party. The 550th birth anniversary of the first Sikh The second-largest party Shiv Sena also failed guru and founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev to get letters of support from the NCP and the is being celebrated across the country Congress. Later, SharadPawar-led NCP was as PrakashParv. asked to express its ability and willingness to Guru Nanak Dev was born on the full moon stake claim to form a government. day of Kartik month or KartikPoornima in As uncertainty continued over the possible 1469. Devotees organizelangar at various alliance between Shiv Sena, Congress and places on this occasion. NCP, the Governor recommended President‘s DevDeepawali is also celebrated on the full Rule in the State. moon night of the month of Kartik. However, the President‘s Rule can be revoked At midnight, the ongoing Akhand Path would before the six-month period if a situation conclude and PrakashSamay story about the emerges for the formation of a stable birth of Guru Nanak would be read to government. devotees. 40. November 12: Public Service Broadcasting 39. President’s rule imposed in Maharashtra Day
President‘s Rule has been imposed in Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi had Maharashtra as the political stalemate visited All India Radio on 12 November 1947 continued in the State over government to address to displaced people, who had formation. temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana President Ram NathKovind signed a after partition. proclamation imposing President‘s rule in That was Bapu‘s first and the only visit to All Maharashtra under Article 356. India Radio. Public Service Broadcasting Day The Assembly has been kept under suspended is celebrated every year on this to animation. Earlier in the day, the Union commemorate this visit of Bapu. Cabinet recommended President‘s rule in the state after Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh 41. 39th India International Trade Fair begins Koshyari submitted a report in this regard. In his report, the Governor said a situation has arisen that a stable government is not possible
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs radio jingle was also released to mark IFFI Golden Jubilee celebration.
43. Prakash Javadekar has been given additional charge
39th India International Trade Fair will begin at PragatiMaidan in New Delhi. The theme for this edition of the fair is ‘Ease of Doing Business‗. The fair will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises NitinGadkari. Union Minister PrakashJavadekar took charge First five days will be reserved for business as the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public and the Fair will be open to the general public Enterprises. from the 19th of this month. Entry tickets for MrJavadekar also holds Information and business days will be available for 500 rupees Broadcasting and Environment, Forest and per person and season ticket for 1,800 rupees. Climate Change portfolios. Secretary, Several countries, including Australia, Iran, Department of Heavy Industry, Asha Ram the UK, Vietnam, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Sihag, Secretary, Department of Public Bhutan, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia Enterprises, Sailesh and senior officers were are participating in the 14-day Trade Fair. present on the occasion. This year the status of ‗Partner Country‘ has ArvindSawanth was former Minister of Heavy been accorded to Afghanistan and South Industries and Public Enterprises Korea will be the Focus Country. Bihar and Jharkhand will be the 44. UP govt launches e-Ganna app, web portal focus states.
42. Golden Jubilee audio-visual anthem released for IFFI
Information and Broadcasting Secretary AmitKhare released Golden Jubilee audio- visual anthem for International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be held in Goa from 20th to 28th November. The motivational anthem features clips from festival films which have had a positive social Uttar Pradesh government has launched a impact. dedicated web portal and a mobile application, Over 50 films feature in the clip, which is e-Ganna App, for sugarcane farmers of the arranged along with the scheme of 9 Rasas. A state. Cane supply slip will now be issued to the farmers by sugar mills online.
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The web portal and e-Ganna App will help in 47. Office of Chief Justice within RTI Act, rules eradicating cane mafia and middleman and SC strengthen cane development societies. The portal and the App will ensure transparency in the process of getting slips, and facilitate sugarcane supply by farmers to mills and check irregularities. The Supreme Court (SC) has held that the 45. Justice Muhammad Raffiq takes oath as office of the Chief Justice of India is a public Chief Justice of Meghalaya HC authority and falls within the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice RanjanGogoi, upheld the 2010 Delhi High Court verdict and dismissed three appeals filed by Secretary General and the Central Public Information officer of the SC. Cautioning that RTI cannot be used as a tool of Justice Muhammad Raffiq took oath as Chief surveillance, the top court in its judgment held Justice of Meghalaya High Court. Meghalaya that judicial independence has to be kept in Governor Tathagata Roy administered the oath mind while dealing with transparency. of office and secrecy at Raj Bhavan in It said that the Right to Privacy is an important Shillong. aspect and it has to be balanced with Mr. Raffiq succeeds Ajay Kumar Mittal who is transparency while deciding to give out now the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High information from the office of the Chief Court. He will be the eighth Chief Justice of Justice. the Meghalaya High Court. Justice Rafiq The move to bring the office of the CJI under started his law practice in 1984. He practiced the transparency law was initiated by RTI exclusively in Rajasthan High Court in almost activist S C Agrawal. His lawyer all branches of law. PrashantBhushan had submitted in the SC that He has been recognized as an expert on the though the apex court should not have been Indian Constitution, service, land acquisition, judging its own cause, it is hearing the appeals tax and company law cases. In 2008, he was due to ―doctrine of necessity‖. appointed as Justice at the Rajasthan High The lawyer had described the reluctance of the Court. He also served as acting Chief Justice judiciary in parting information under the RTI of the Rajasthan High Court twice. Act as ―unfortunate‖ and ―disturbing‖, asking: ―Do judges inhabit different universe?‖ He had 46. SishuSuraksha APP to be launched in submitted that the apex court has always stood Assam tomorrow for transparency in functioning of other organs The Assam State Commission for Protection of state, but it develops cold feet when its own of Child Rights is going to launch a mobile issues require attention. app SishuSuraksha on the occasion of Children‘s Day. 48. 2010 Delhi High Court verdict The purpose of the app is to empower citizens The Delhi High Court on January 10, 2010, to take moral responsibility of protecting had held that the CJI office comes within the future generations. The app can be used by ambit of the RTI law, saying judicial anyone in the state to lodge a complaint which independence was not a judge‘s privilege, but will be directly registered at Commission. a responsibility cast upon him.
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The HC judgment was seen as a setback to the the quality and freshness of milk within then CJI, K G Balakrishnan, who has been minutes by changing its color. opposed to disclosure of information relating The quality and freshness of milk are decided to judges under the RTI Act. The HC had by the invasion and presence of microbes in dismissed a plea of the SC that contended the milk, the researchers explained in the study bringing the CJI‘s office within the RTI Act published in the journal Biosensors, and would ―hamper‖ judicial independence. Bioelectronics. They noted that bacteria and other microbes 49. Brazil’s JairBolsonaro to be the chief guest that grow in milk can not only affect its taste at Republic Day 2020 and freshness, but also result in health issues. Commonly used tests such as the methylene blue test, is time consuming, and could take many hours for color changes to indicate the presence and absence of microbes. The team, including scholar KuldeepMahato, Brazilian President JairBolsonaro has accepted developed the simple visual detection Prime Minister NarendraModi‘s invitation to technique to assess the quality of milk, without be the Chief Guest at India‘s Republic Day the need for special equipment and celebrations in 2020. instruments. Prime Minister Modi met Bolsonaro on the Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) is a sidelines of the 11th BRICS Summit, which is metalloprotein found naturally in raw milk being held in Brasilia. samples, and is considered an important Former French President François Hollande biomarker in the quality control of milk. was the chief guest at the Republic Day It is found in raw milk and is destroyed during celebrations in 2016. In 2017, Crown Prince pasteurization. ALP is also found in higher Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of United amounts in the case of milk derived from Arab Emirates took part in the Republic Day animals with infection in the mammary glands. celebrations as the chief guest. The researchers used simple filter paper, The year 2018 was historic as leaders of the 10 chemically modified it, and loaded it with a ASEAN nations attended the event as chief recognition element — anti-ALP — which guests. captures the ALP present in the milk. In 2019, South African President Cyril They used the RGB (Red Green Blue) filter in Ramaphosa was in attendance as the chief the phone to profile the color obtained, which guest. He was the second South African could be co-related to the concentration of president, after Nelson Mandela, to attend the ALP present in the test sample. grand event as its chief guest. The researchers successfully tested milk obtained from villages and commercially 50. IIT-G’s paper sensor can assesses quality of available milk samples using their paper-based milk in minutes sensor kit, and found that they could detect down to 0.87 units of ALP per milliliter of milk to about 91 per cent accuracy.
51. Mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh dies Researchers at the Indian Institute of Renowned mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Technology (IIT) Guwahati have developed a Singh died (age 74) at Patna Medical College paper-based sensor that can accurately assess and Hospital (PMCH) after prolonged illness.
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The renowned mathematician once worked at According to a Bureau of Indian Standards NASA and California University. (BIS) study, Mumbai ranks the highest in the Singh, who was born in Basantpur village of quality of water among capital cities in states Bhojpur district, did his schooling from where samples of tap water were tested. In NetarhatSchool of then undivided Bihar. He Mumbai, all 10 samples of tap water passed also studied at Patna Science College from the BIS test. where he straightway went to California Second in the list is Hyderabad, where only University in 1965 and did his Ph.D from the one sample failed. However, at the bottom of University in 1969. the list is Delhi, where all 11 out of 11 samples After receiving his Ph.D on Cycle Vector failing on 19 parameters of BIS test — thereby Space Theory, he worked at NASA. He reaffirming that the capital city has the poorest returned to India in 1971 water quality, the BIS study put. Singh taught at prestigious Indian Institute of None of the samples drawn from Chandigarh, Technology, Kanpur and Indian Statistical Thiruvananthapuram, Patna, Bhopal, Institute, Kolkata. He also worked at Tata Guwahati, Bengaluru, Gandhi Nagar, Institute of Fundamental Research, Lucknow, Jammu, Jaipur, Dehradun, Chennai Mumbai.Later, in the year 2014, Singh was and Kolkata complied with the requirements of appointed as guest faculty in B N Mandal the Indian Standard. University, Madhepura as visiting professor. The following methodology was followed for the study — 52. First Night trial Agni-II conducted IS 10500:2012 prescribes 48 parameters successfully including radioactive substance India has successfully conducted the first night Radioactive substance have been excluded trial of Agni-II, its versatile surface-to-surface from this exercise medium-range nuclear-capable missile from Test reports of Virological and Biological Dr Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast. parameters (three parameters) have been Agni-II, an intermediate-range ballistic missile received for Delhi only. All samples tested to (IRBM), has already been inducted into the conform to these three parameters. armed forces. Test reports for other 20 cities for virological This was the first time that the sophisticated and biological are awaited. Test reports of missile was test fired at night. microbiological and chemical tests have been The entire trajectory of the trial was tracked by received. a battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry Cities have been first categorized on the observation stations, electro-optic instruments number of conforming samples out of those and two naval ships located near the impact tested. point in the down-range area of Bay of Bengal. Cities which have the same number of The test was carried out by the specially conforming samples have been further formed Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of categorized on the basis of individual the Army with logistic support from the parameters in which samples have been non- Defense Research and Development conforming. Organization (DRDO). Free residual chlorine has been excluded from The two-stage ballistic missile can carry a this exercise since it is applicable only when payload of 1000 kg over a distance of 2000 water is chlorinated and a minimum limit has km. been prescribed for it.
53. Mumbai tops, Delhi at bottom of tap water 54. MHA launches campaign to end violence quality ranking against women
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The Home Ministry in collaboration with the comprises one million kilogram and white tea UN Women on flagged off an awareness one lakh kilogram. campaign to end violence against women from Sultanpur metro station. 56. DPIIT establishes Development Council for The initiative is part of the #OrangeTheWorld Bicycle global campaign. Department for Promotion of Industry and As part of the campaign, people would be Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of made aware about India's single emergency Commerce and Industry, Government of helpline 112, an internationally recognized India, has set up a Development Council for emergency number used in several countries. Bicycle for vision planning in design, The 112 service can be reached through voice engineering and manufacturing of lighter, call, 112 India App, SMS, email, respective smarter, value added, safe and faster premium state's 112 website and the panic button on bicycles which are comparable with global mobile phones. standards for exports and domestic market. Dialing the number provides an IT-based A Twenty-three-member Council will be response system for the timely dispatch of first headed by Secretary DPIIT. The constitution responders (police, fire, ambulance, etc.) to the of the Council is for a period of two years. location of distressed person, which is Joint Secretary, Light Engineering Industry identified through GPS or location based Division in DPIIT will be Member-Secretary. services of mobile phone. The Council will have 9 ex-officio members The 112 India mobile app has a unique from DPIIT and Department of Commerce, integrated 'shout' facility which allows Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs, immediate assistance from verified volunteers Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in proximity to the distressed person. The Council will stimulate value chain and The 112 services are available in 27 fuel accelerated demand growth of Make-in- States/UTs. The 112 India App and the India through the following activities: emergency response support system have been To improve competitiveness and level of developed in-house by Centre for services. Development of Advanced Computing To transform Indian bicycle technology and (CDAC). its value chain. To ensure development of holistic eco-system 55. Darjeeling's green and white teas get GI through close, coordinated and continuous tag, says industry body stakeholder persuasion. Darjeeling's green and white tea of the hills To undertake all possible measures for has been registered as geographical indication leveraging bicycle demand, it may inter-alia (GI) products in the country. include ensuring enabling (safe and These two varieties of Darjeeling tea have segregated) cycling infrastructure and been registered under Geographical Indications operations. of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act To enhance export competitiveness of bicycle 1999, with effect from October 2019. through support of schemes and favorable The Tea Board had filed an application in this trade policies. regard on December 2017 To popularize the incredible benefits of This will "strengthen the protection of the cycling through the campaigns piloted by the intellectual property rights of the Darjeeling concerned Ministries/ Departments of tea" which is considered as "niche and luxury" Government of India such as Ministry of products in the country and abroad. Health (health benefits), Ministry of Of the total annual production of 8.5 million Environment and Forest (air/ noise pollution kilograms of Darjeeling tea, green tea free benefits), Ministry of Petroleum and
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Natural Gas (energy saving benefits), 59. Amit Shah launches special winter-grade Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs diesel (decongestion benefits). Home Minister Amit Shah launched a special Development of medium and small industries winter-grade diesel, developed by Indian Oil to usher in a new mind-set through innovative Corporation, for use in the high-altitude schemes in a structured and synergetic way. regions of Ladakh. Motorists in high-altitude Development of skilled human resources sectors like Ladakh, Kargil, Kaza and development for bicycle manufacturing and Keylong face the problem of freezing of repair shops. diesel in vehicles when winter temperatures To identify and study best international drop to as low as minus 30 degree Celsius. practices and successful story to adopt for The government has initiated a number of bicycle manufacturing, recycling and development projects for Ladakh, in the areas infrastructure development in India. of power, solar energy, education and tourism, with an estimated investment of 50 57. NGT slaps Rs 280 crore fine on 22 tanneries thousand crore rupees. in UP's Kanpur The National Green Tribunal, NGT, has 60. AkilAbdulhamidKureshi sworn in as Chief imposed a penalty of Rs 280 crore on 22 Justice of Tripura High Court tanneries in Kanpur for causing pollution. Justice AkilAbdulhamidKureshi was sworn in A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Adarsh Kumar Goel also held the Uttar Tripura. Governor Ramesh Bais administered Pradesh government liable and slapped a the oath of office at old Raj Bhavan in penalty of 10 crore rupees on it. Agartala. The problem has not been tackled for the last Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, High Court 43 years and it has resulted in contamination judges, state ministers and senior officials of groundwater affecting the health of the were present at the swearing-in ceremony. inhabitants. Justice Kureshi was appointed as the Chief The Central Pollution Control Board may issue Justice on November 8. appropriate directions to ensure that no authority allows discharge of polluted sewage 61. Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan takes oath as Chief or effluents directly into a water channel in Justice of Jharkhand HC violation of the law even in the monsoon. Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan took oath as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court. He was 58. North India's 1st sugar mill which will administered the oath of office by Governor produce ethanol DraupadiMurmi in a ceremony at Raj Bhawan. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Chief Minister Raghuwar Das, judges of the has inaugurated North India's first sugar mill Jharkhand High Court and other dignitaries which will produce ethanol direct from were present at the function. sugarcane.The mill was inaugurated in Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan has been appointed as Pipraich area of Gorakhpur. the 13th Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High How ethanol is produced from sugarcane? Court. The post was lying vacant since May Ethanol is produced from biomass mostly via a this year after the former Chief Justice, fermentation process using glucose derived Anirudh Bose was appointed as a judge of the from sugars (sugar cane, sugar beet and Supreme Court. molasses), starch (corn, wheat, grains) or Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan was a judge in the cellulose (forest products) as raw materials. In Punjab and Haryana High Court. this form, it is renewable. He was elevated to Additional Judge of the Patna High Court on July 14, 2008. Later, he
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs was appointed as a permanent judge on economic transformation of our country since January 16, 2010. He also served as the Acting it came into being in 1952. Chief Justice of the Patna High Court for a RajyaSabha held its first sitting on May 13, brief period last year. 1952 and held a total of 5,466 sittings till the end of the last 249th session. During the last 62. Indian Army conducts 'SindhuSudarshan' 67 years, the Upper House passed a total of exercise in Rajasthan's Barmer 3,817 Bills including 108 Constitution The Sudarshan Chakra Corps of the Indian Amendment Bills. A total of 2,282 persons Army conducted 'SindhuSudarshan' exercise in have had the honor of being the members of Rajasthan's Barmer on November 16. Around RajyaSabha including 208 women and 137 40,000 jawans of the Indian Army are nominated members. participating in the exercise. From passing the Hindu Marriage and Divorce 'SindhuSudarshan' exercise will continue till Bill in 1952 to the Muslim Women (Protection December 05. of Rights on Marriage) Bill in 2019(Triple Approximately 40,000 troops, 700 'A' Vehicles Talak Bill), and 300 Guns of Sudarshan Chakra Corps of From imposition of additional excise duty on Southern Command are undertaking a massive dhotis in 1953 to introduction of GST in 2017, exercise in the deserts of Rajasthan From passing the Industrial Disputes showcasing their ability to undertake large (Amendment) Bill in 1954 to the New Delhi scale offensive manoeuvres as part of an International Arbitration Centre Bill in 2019, integrated air-land battle. From the passage of the Andhra State Bill in The synergy of information and technology to 1953 to the Jammu and Kashmir attain battlefield transparency and situational Reorganization Bill in 2019, awareness along with numerous other force From clearing the All India Institute of multipliers are being exploited during the Medical Sciences Bill in 1955 to the National exercise. Medical Council Bill in 2019, In this exercise, the newly inducted armed From setting up of the University Grants helicopter Rudra, equipped with electro-optical Commission in 1954 to empowering the pods, helmet-mounted sights and night vision Children with the Right to Free and goggles is being integrated with the Compulsory Education in 2009 and manoeuvres of the mechanized formations. From passing the Preventive Detention The operational readiness showcased by the (Second Amendment) Bill in 1952 to the mechanized battle groups of the Sudarshan Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Chakra Corps in a network-enabled Bill in 2019. environment using multiple, state of the art RajyaSabha has come a long way in force multipliers, has reaffirmed the addressing the challenges faced and meeting tremendous asymmetry enjoyed by the Indian the requirements of the nation from time to Army in Southern theatre over its adversary. time. Events planned for celebrating the landmark 63. Historic 250th RajyaSabha session 250th session of RajyaSabha. These include: RajyaSabha kicked off celebrations to mark Release of a publication, titled ―RajyaSabha: the historic 250th session of the House with a The Journey since 1952‖ providing glimpses change in uniform of its marshals. The two of various aspects of functioning of the House marshals, who stand next to the Chair, were and it‘s Hindi version; seen in military style uniform on the first day Discussion in the House on the ‗Role of of winter session. RajyaSabha in Indian Polity: Need for The Upper House RajyaSabhaduring the last Reform‘ on the first working day; 67 years has been an integral part of the socio-
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Release of a commemorative volume on the The purpose of the Bill is to ensure effective evolution of RajyaSabha and it‘s functioning regulation of surrogacy. It will prevent with 44 articles in Hindi and English by the exploitation of surrogate mothers and children sitting and former members and those born out of surrogacy. associated with the functioning of the House; The commercial surrogacy is banned and Release of a Silver coin of Rs.250; and considered illegal in many countries, including Release of Postal Stamp of Rs.5.00. New Zealand, the United Kingdom, China, Chairman Shri Naidu also informed the leaders South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. that a Joint Sitting of Members of both the Houses of Parliament will be held in the 66. ISRO to launch Cartosat-3, 13 commercial Central Hall on the 26th of this month marking nano satellites the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the India‘s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV- Constitution of India by the Constituent C47 will launch Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial Assembly on November 26, 1949. Nano satellites into Sun Synchronous orbit Shri Naidu also released a publication, titled from SatishDhawan Space Centre (SDSC) ―RajyaSabha: The Journey since 1952‖ SHAR, Sriharikota. providing glimpses of various aspects of The launch is tentatively scheduled at 0928 functioning of the House and its Hindi version. Hrs IST on 25th November subject to weather conditions. PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of 64. Parliament passes JallianwalaBagh PSLV in 'XL' configuration that is with 6 solid National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 strap-on motors. Parliament has passed the JallianwalaBagh This will be the 74th launch vehicle mission National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019, from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. with RajyaSabha approving it. The LokSabha The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 had passed this Bill in the last session. km at an inclination of 97.5 degree.PSLV-C47 The Bill seeks to amend the JallianwalaBagh will also carry 13 commercial Nano satellites National Memorial Act, 1951. It has a from the United States of America as part of provision to remove the President of the commercial arrangement with New Space Congress party as a trustee and clarifies that India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space. when there is no Leader of the Opposition in Cartosat-3 the LokSabha, the leader of the single largest Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile Opposition party will be the trustee. advanced satellite having high-resolution The Bill also allows the Central government to imaging capability satellite from ISRO, which terminate the term of a nominated trustee is intended to replace the IRS series. It will before the expiry of the period of his term, have a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 meters without assigning any reason. and Mx of 1 meter with a high quality resolution which is a major improvement 65. Surrogacy Regulation Bill, 2019 from the previous payloads in the Cartosat The RajyaSabha also took up Surrogacy series. Potential uses include weather Regulation Bill, 2019 for consideration and mapping, cartography or army defence, and passing. strategic applications. The Bill prohibits commercial surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy. Its provisions 67. India to host Kimberley Process inter- include establishing National Surrogacy sessional meeting Board, State Surrogacy Board and More than 300 delegates will participate in the appointment of appropriate authorities for the inter-sessional meeting of Kimberley Process regulation of practice and process of being hosted by India from June 17 to 21 in surrogacy. Mumbai.
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The Kimberley Process is a commitment to AOA will organize sports events in five remove conflict diamonds from the global categories covering players from 10 years to supply chain. Conflict diamonds means rough 60 years of age in the state. diamonds used by rebel movements or their During the meeting, various sub-committees allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining and commissions were also constituted for the legitimate governments. upcoming Khelo India Youth Games, which Kimberly Process members are responsible for is scheduled to be held in Assam during stemming 99.8 per cent of the global January 10-22, 2020. production of conflict diamonds. India is one of the founder members of 69. Company Law Committee-2019 submits its Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and is report the Chair of Kimberley Process for 2019 with The Company Law Committee was constituted the Russian Federation as Vice Chair. by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in AlokVardhanChaturvedi, head of the September, 2019, to further decriminalize the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, has been provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 based designated as Kimberley Process Chair 2019 on their gravity and to take other concomitant and RupaDutta, Economic Adviser at the measures to provide further Ease of Living for Department of Commerce, is India's Kimberly corporates in the country. Process focal point, according to a statement The report of the Committee was presented to issued by the Ministry of Commerce and the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Industry. Affairs, Smt. NirmalaSitharaman by Besides meetings of different working groups ShriInjetiSrinivas, Secretary, Ministry of and committees of the Kimberley Process Corporate Affairs, who chaired the Committee. Certification Scheme (KPCS), two special Recommendations are: forums on diamond terminology and artisanal The Committee has proposed amendments in mining titled 'Small Steps to Larger Outcomes' 46 penal provisions, so as to either remove will be held during the inter-sessional. criminality, or to restrict the punishment to At present, KPCS has 55 members only fine, or to allow rectification of defaults representing 82 countries including the through alternative methods, which would lead European Union with 28 members. to further de-clogging of the criminal justice system in the country. The main 68. AOA will launch 'Grassroot Olympic - recommendations of the Committee in Chapter Mission Talent Hunt' 1 are as follows: The Assam Olympic Association (AOA) will Power to exclude certain class of companies launch a new programme called 'Grassroot from the definition of ‗listed company‘, mainly Olympic - Mission Talent Hunt' to identify for listing of debt securities, in consultation the sports talent in the state and groom them. with SEBI; The decision was taken during the executive Including the provisions of Part IXA (Producer committee meeting in presence of Companies) of the Companies Act, 1956 in the SarbanandaSonowal (Assam chief minister), Companies Act, 2013; who is also the President of the Association. Proposing benches of the National Company The committee will interact with grassroot Law Appellate Tribunal; level sports organizations, clubs and sports Provisions for allowing payment of adequate organizers. The committee will prepare a remuneration to non-executive directors in detailed action plan andconnect with the field case of inadequacy of profits, by aligning the to spot the talented sportspersons. same with the provisions for remuneration to executive directors in such cases;
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Providing power to enhance the thresholds Indira Gandhi Peace Prize which trigger applicability of Corporate Social Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Responsibility provisions; Disarmament and Development is the Non-levy of penalties for delay in filing the prestigious award accorded annually by annual returns and financial statements in Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust to certain cases. individuals or organizations in recognition Providing for appeal against the orders of the of creative efforts toward promoting Regional Directors before the NCLT after due international peace, development and a examination; new international economic order; Exempting certain private placement ensuring that scientific discoveries are used requirements for Qualified Institutional for the larger good of humanity, and Placements (QIPs) after due consultation with enlarging the scope of freedom. SEBI; The prize carries a cash award of 2.5 Reviewing provisions on disqualification of million Indian rupees and a citation. A directors after due consultation and written work, in order to be eligible for examination; consideration, should have been published. Reviewing provisions in respect of debarment of audit firms after due consultation and 71. LokSabha passes Chit Funds (Amendment) examination; Bill, 2019 LokSabha passed the Chit Funds 70. David Attenborough to get Indira Gandhi (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by voice vote. The Peace Prize for 2019 bill seeks to amend the Chit Funds Act, 1982, The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, which regulates chit funds and prohibits a fund Disarmament and Development for 2019 will from being created without the prior sanction be conferred on renowned naturalist and of a State Government. broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. The amendments have been made to facilitate His name was selected for the prize by an the orderly growth of the chit fund sector to international jury chaired by former president remove bottlenecks and enable greater Pranab Mukherjee, the Indira Gandhi financial access to people. Memorial Trust announced. Under the legislation, the prescribed ceiling of About David Frederick Attenborough: aggregate chit fund amount for individuals has Sir David Frederick Attenborough was born 8 been raised from one lakh rupees to three lakh May 1926is an English broadcaster and natural rupees and in case of firms, the limit has been historian. He is best known for writing and raised from 6 lakh to 18 lakh rupees. presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Besides, words chit amount, dividend and Natural History Unit, the nine natural history prize amount have been substituted with terms documentary series forming the Life collection gross chit amount, the share of discount and that together constitute a comprehensive net chit amount. The legislation also increases survey of animal and plant life on Earth. the maximum commission of a foreman from He is a former senior manager at the BBC, five per cent to seven per cent and also allows having served as controller of BBC Two and the foreman a right to lien against the credit director of programming for BBC Television balance from subscribers. in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the only person to have won BAFTAs for programmes in each 72. Global Bio-India Summit to begin in Delhi of black and white, color, HD, 3D and 4K. In Three-day Global Bio-India Summit will begin 2018 and 2019, he received Primetime Emmy in New Delhi. Awards for Outstanding Narrator.
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It will be one of the largest biotechnology bestowed upon a military unit, to the Indian stakeholders conglomerate to be held in India Naval Academy in Ezhimala, Kannur in for the first time. Kerala. It will bring academia, innovators, researchers, President received the Guard of honour from start-ups, medium and large companies the Academy Cadets. together on the same platform. Kerala Governor ArifMuhammed Khan, Chief Over three thousand delegates from around 25 of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, countries and over 15 states of India will and State Minister, KadamkampallySurendran participate in the mega event. graced the occasion. President left for Delhi after the event. 73. UGC asks to celebrate Constitution Day University Grants Commission, UGC has 75. India announces visa exemption for issued circular to higher educational foreigners seeking medical treatment institutions to celebrate Constitution Day on India has announced a slew of exemptions for 26th of November. foreigners seeking medical treatment in India On this day in 1949, the Constitution was following the implementation of liberalized adopted which came into force on 26th medical visa policy. January, 1950, marking the beginning of a new Exemption has been given to foreigners from era in the history of India. getting their primary visa converted into The commission has requested universities and medical visa. It will be applicable for affiliated colleges to make dedicated efforts to obtaining indoor treatment up to 180 days for promote and spread awareness about the seeking admission in a hospital owing to constitution and fundamental duties among illness. their students, teacher‘s staff and officials. Treatment of diseases which require organ UGC will also develop a dedicated portal for transplant shall, however, be permitted only on promotion and monitoring of the activities a Medical Visa. throughout the year. Constitution Day 76. 2020 Hockey Pro League: Bhubaneswar to Constitution Day (National Law Day) is host home matches celebrated in India on 26 November every year Bhubaneswar will host India‘s home matches to commemorate the adoption of the of the 2020 Hockey Pro League. The second Constitution of India. On 26 November 1949, Hockey Pro League will be played between the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the January 11 and June 28. Constitution of India, and it came into effect The first team that India will host is the on 26 January 1950. Netherlands on Jan. 18. The Pro League will The Government of India declared 26 feature 144 matches in the coming season. November as Constitution Day on 19 The venues: November 2015 by a gazette notification. The Argentina: Buenos Aires, San Miguel de Prime Minister of India NarendraModi made Tucuman; Australia: Perth, Sydney; Belgium: the declaration on 11 October 2015 while Antwerp; China: Changzhou; Germany: laying the foundation stone of the B. R. Mengladbach, Hamburg, Berlin. Ambedkar's Statue of Equality memorial in Great Britain: London; India: Bhubaneswar; Mumbai. The Netherlands: Utrecht, Rotterdam, Hertogenbosch, Amsterdam; New Zealand: 74. PrezKovind presents prestigious President's Christchurch, Auckland; Spain: Valencia; Colour to Naval Academy USA: North Carolina. President Ram NathKovind awarded the President's Color, the highest honor that is
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 77. Haryana to setup Department of Foreign (IEPFA) Help Line number — 1800-114-667 Cooperation — and Call Centre. The newly-formed Haryana cabinet held a In order to facilitate the investors with smooth meeting chaired by Chief Minister information flow, the step taken by IEPFA to ManoharLalKhattar, in which several key develop a Help Line (Call Centre Solution) decisions were taken, including one to set up a with the help of CSC e-Gov SPV (Meity) will new department by the name of Department of come a long way in speeding the process in Foreign Cooperation to promote investment in addressing the queries of claimants. This is the state. one major step taken by the government to The cabinet also decided to bring an address the concerns of various claimants. amendment, allowing devolution of powers to The Help Line will facilitate callers in tracking the Gram Sabha to ban the sale of liquor the status of their claims refund. Citizens can within the local area. also report a suspicious claim on Help Line as The government has also decided to crack also the newly revamped IEPF portal at down on stubble burning. www.iepfportal.in, which is user-friendly interface for various stakeholders for gaining 78. Kolkata Becomes First City to Install 'Third information about the initiatives taken by the Umpire' RT-PCR Machines Government in addressing the investor In a major step towards upholding public protection related issues. health, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation The application developed by CSC will also (KMC) has installed first of its kind high-end record and maintain calls received on various reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction forms i.e. from Company and claimants. (RT-PCR) machines in India for quick IEPFA Background detection of diseases like dengue, tuberculosis The Government of India has established and swine flu. the Investor Education and Protection Fund These machines are to serve as a ‗third umpire‘ Authority (IEPF Authority) under the in situations when medical reports and blood provisions of Companies Act, 2013 to tests reveal contradictory results. The purpose inter-alia promote investors‘ education, is to give accurate DNA report on blood tests awareness and protection apart from in order to ascertain the exact cause of illness. making refunds of shares, unclaimed Through these machines, tests will be dividends, matured deposits / debentures to conducted free of cost. the investors. IEPFA also strives to provide Four machines have been installed in the initial investors with requisite knowledge and stages of the project at Hatbagan in North skills pertaining to investor education and Kolkata, Behala, Jadavpur and at Haji protection. Mohammad Mohsin Square in central part of the city. 80. Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards 2019 Through these machines, the KMC aims to The Union Minister ofthe Ministry of identify the root causes of diseases like dengue Chemical and Fertilizers, Shri D.V. as the city continues to record a sharp rise in SadanandaGowdaand the Union Minister of cases of mosquito-borne diseases. State of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Rattan LalKataria, conferred the 79. MCA Secretary inaugurates IEPF SwachhSurvekshanGrameen 2019 awards to Authority Help Line No. top ranked states, union territories, and ShriInjetiSrinivas, Secretary, Ministry of districts in the various categories on the Corporate Affairs, inaugurated the Investor occasion of World Toilet Day Education and Protection Fund Authority atPravasiBhartiya Kendra, New Delhi.
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The top ranked state – Tamil Nadu, and the top District Rank- District ranked district – Peddapalli (Telangana), along Zones/UT District Rank-3 with the state with the maximum citizen 1 Rank-2 Faridabad, Rewari, Mahendragarh, participation – Uttar Pradesh, had also been Northern felicitated by the Prime Minister, Haryana Haryana Haryana Peddapalli, Thoothukudi, Dindigul, Tamil ShriNarendraModi, at the Swachh Bharat Southern Telangana Tamil Nadu Nadu Diwas event commemorating the 150th birth Khunti, Dumka, Simdega, Eastern anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Jharkhand Jharkhand Jharkhand Ahmedabad on 2nd October, 2019. Mahisagar, PanchMahals, Western Patan, Gujarat Corporates were also felicitated for their Gujarat Gujarat contribution under the Swachhata Hi Seva Kolasib, Serchhip, North-East Aizawal, Mizoram campaign this year, for their efforts towards Mizoram Mizoram Union effective plastic waste management. These Daman Diu D & N Haveli were: the Cement Manufacturers Association Territories (CMA), Hindustan Unilever Limited and Zonal Ranking: AMUL. TOP 3 STATES – ZONAL AND UT This ranking was done based on a LEVEL comprehensive set of parameters including TOP 3 DISTRICTS – ZONAL AND UT surveys of public places like schools, LEVEL Anganwadis, PHCs, Haat/ Bazaars, Panchayat and citizen‘s perception of Swachhata and 82. NATGRID will come into operation by 2020 their recommendations for improvement of the The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in in program and data from the SBM-G IMIS. LokSabha informed that the National Intelligence Grid or NATGRID will come into 81. The top ranked States and Districts which operation by the end of next year. received awards are as below:Overall Progress of NATGRID is reviewed from time Ranking: to time at an appropriate level in the Central Top 3 States – 1) Tamil Nadu, 2) Haryana, Government. 3) Gujarat NATGRID has developed application software Top 3 Districts – 1) Peddapalli, Telangana, for Proof of Technology (POT) which is yet to 2) Faridabad, Haryana, 3) Rewari, Haryana be fully rolled out. NATGRID Solution is State with maximum citizen participation – planned to go live by December 31, 2020. 1) Uttar Pradesh The National Intelligence Grid or NATGRID State Rank- State is the integrated intelligence grid connecting Zones/UT State Rank-1 2 Rank-3 databases of core security agencies of the Uttar Northern Haryana Uttarakhand Government of India to collect comprehensive Pradesh patterns of intelligence that can be readily Southern Tamil Nadu Telangana Kerala accessed by intelligence agencies. Eastern Jharkhand Chhattisgarh West Bengal Madhya Western Gujarat Maharashtra 83. Cabinet approves proposal for enactment of Pradesh Recycling of Ships Arunachal North-East Mizoram Sikkim The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Pradesh NarendraModi has approved the proposal for Dadar and Union Territories Daman and Diu Nagar Puducherry enactment of Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 Haveli and accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009. Benefits:
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The proposed Bill restricts and prohibits the demolished 6323 tonnes in 2017, of known use or installation of hazardous material, ship scrapping across the world. which applies irrespective of whether a ship is The ship-recycling industry is a labor-intensive meant for recycling or not. For new ships, such sector, but it is susceptible to concerns on restriction or prohibition on use of hazardous environmental safety. material will be immediate, that is, from the date the legislation comes into force, while 84. Cabinet approves Patent Prosecution existing ships shall have a period of five years Highway programme for compliance. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Restriction or prohibition on use of hazardous Minister ShriNarendraModi has approved the material would not be applied to warships and proposal for adoption of Patent Prosecution non-commercial ships operated by Highway (PPH) programme by the Indian Government. Ships shall be surveyed and Patent Office (IPO) under the Controller certified on the inventory of hazardous General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, material used in ships. India (CGPDTM) with patent offices of Under the Bill, ship recycling facilities are various other interest countries or regions. required to be authorized and ships shall be The programme will initially commence recycled only in such authorized ship recycling between Japan Patent Office (JPO) and Indian facilities. Patent Office on pilot basis for a period of The Bill also provides that ships shall be three years only. recycled in accordance with a ship-specific Under this Pilot programme, Indian Patent recycling plan. Ships to be recycled in India Office may receive patent applications in shall be required to obtain a Ready for certain specified technical fields only, namely, Recycling Certificate in accordance with the Electrical, Electronics, Computer Science, HKC. Information Technology, Physics, Civil, Salient features: Mechanical, Textiles, Automobiles and The Government of India has decided to enact Metallurgy while JPO may receive a Bill, namely Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019, applications in all fields of technology. to provide for the regulation of recycling of PPH programme would lead to the following ships by setting certain international standards benefits for the Indian IP office: and laying down the statutory mechanism for Reduction in time to dispose patent enforcement of such standards. applications. It has also been decided to accede to the Hong Reduction in pendency of patent applications. Kong International Convention for Safe and Improvement in quality of search and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, examination of patent applications. 2009. An opportunity for Indian inventors including When the Hong Kong International MSMEs and Startupsof India to get Convention for Safe and Environmentally accelerated examination of their patent Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 comes into applications in Japan. force, its provisions will be implemented under The ambit of the programme may be extended the provisions of the Recycling of Ships Bill, in future, as decided by the Commerce & 2019 and rules and regulations framed there Industry Minister. The patent offices will under. frame their own guidelines for implementation Background: of the programme. India is the leader in the global ship recycling industry, with a share of over 30% of the market. As per UNCTAD report on Review of Maritime Transport, 2018, India had
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A FEW PROUD STUDENTS OF JNANAGANGOTHRI – POLICE SUB-INSPECTORS
SAY th BASAV CHETANKUMAR SS GUNAPALA FAIZUNNISA, 14 rd th EEDA AMREEN th ARAJ ANGADI, 83 12 Rank -2019 35th Rank -2019 JALNADE, 64 Rank-2019 Rank PSI-2019 Rank, PSI (2019)
KISHOR D, 6th th PAVANKUMAR C DHANYA N NAYAK, HONNESH KUMAR D LOHITH L S, 25 C, 50th Rank, PSI- 4th Rank, PSI-2019 Rank, PSI (KSRP), th 28 Rank, PSI-2019 Rank, PSI-2019 2019 2019
SHI H. HA DDESH NARNOOR, MANJUNATHA AMBAREESH, SHREEDHAR, PSI-2019 RISH KUMAR J, th 88 Rank, 2019 PSI 48th Rank, PSI (2019) RSI-2019 KSRP RSI-2019 33RD Rank
YASH nd th CHAITRA VIBHA, RAKSHIT, 2 Rank, WANT, 4 Rank, CID at th ADITYA, 1st Rank, DSI Maruti T 4 Rank, PSI (2017) RSI (2017) rd KSP (2018) 3 Rank, PSI (2017)
th KIRAN, 25th Rank th th ANIL, PSI 14 Rank PRASANNA, 36 SURESH CS, 47 Rank, BYRAPPA, 57th (2017) (2017) Rank, PSI (2017) PSI (2017) Rank, PSI (2017)
th th MANJUNATH, 75 MANJUNATH. S, BHAVYA, 14 Rank, PSI (2017) th Rank, PSI (2017) 78 Rank, PSI (2017)
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during FY19 was seen at $11.8 a barrel. The remaining 38.35 per cent stake is held by the 85. Assam govt to start Arundhati gold scheme Assam government (12.35 per cent) and Oil The Assam government will start Arundhati India (26 per cent). gold scheme by January next year for the The major reason why Numaligarh was kept registered newly married couples. Under the out of the strategic disinvestment was because scheme, an amount of 30 thousand rupees will of its importance being part of the Assam be given to the bride to purchase gold. Accord of 1985 signed between All Assam The scheme is aimed to promote marriage Students‘ Union and the Centre following the registrations and prevent under-age marriages anti-immigrant agitation. in the state. The annual income of the bride NTPC will buy the Centre‘s entire stake in two and her father should not be more than 5 lakh unlisted companies, THDC India rupees per year to get the benefit. and NEEPCO. The Centre owns 74.23 per cent The minimum age of the bride and groom to in THDC, with the rest owned by Uttar be 18 and 21 years to avail the benefit under Pradesh. It owns 100 per cent stake the scheme.This scheme would help in in NEEPCO. population control and also in empowering the While the Department of Investment and women Public Asset Management is appointing transaction advisors and asset valuations for 86. Cabinet approves strategic sale of BPCL, 4 these deals, the centre‘s internal calculations other PSUs show that NTPC‘s acquisition of the The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs companies could fetch the exchequer around approved the strategic disinvestment of the Rs 8,000 crore. Centre‘s entire stake in Bharat Petroleum These firms are those in which the centre (BPCL), Shipping Corp, THDC India, and already has a stake below 60 per cent, and NEEPCO, and most of its stake in Container could include Indian Oil (current government Corp, while giving up management control in stake 51.5 per cent), NTPC (54.50 per cent), these companies. Bharat Electronics (58.83 per cent), BEML It also gave an in-principle approval for the (54.03 per cent), Engineers India (52 per cent), government to reduce stake in certain state- GAIL India (52.66 per cent) and National owned companies to below 51 per cent in Aluminum Co (52 per cent). The stake in these some while retaining majority stake companies is likely to be pared through offers management control. for sale (OFS) on the exchanges. This gives These major divestment decisions were taken shape to a budget promise. even as the government races against time to meet its highest ever divestment target of Rs 87. Prithvi-2 missile successfully test fired at 1.05 trillion for 2019-20. The Centre hopes night that disinvestment proceeds will make up for India successfully test fired the indigenously some of the revenue shortfall that is expected developed nuclear capable Prithvi-2 missile at this year. night as part of a user trial by the Army from a Privatization of BPCL will be without the test range off Odisha coast. company‘s equity shareholding of 61.65 per Two Prithvi-2 missiles were test fired cent in Numaligarh Refinery in Assam. The consecutively and both tests met all Numaligarh Refinery will be carved out of parameters.The trial of the surface-to-surface BCPL and will be taken over by another state- missile with a strike range of 350 km was owned company. carried out from a mobile launcher from Numaligarh Refinery is the largest producer of launch complex-3 of the ITR between 7 pm to paraffin wax in the country. The GRM of NRL 7.15 pm.
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Objective 88. Cabinet approves establishment of the The objective is to establish the National National Institute of Sowa Rigpa Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) as an apex The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Institute for Sowa-Rigpa with aim of ShriNarendraModi approved the establishment bringing a valid and useful synergy of the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa in between Traditional Wisdom of Sowa- Leh as an autonomous organization under the Rigpa and modern science, tools and Ministry of AYUSH and to create the post of technology. It will help to promote Director in Level -14 to oversee interdisciplinary research & education of implementation of the project from the Sowa-Rigpa. construction stage itself. Consequent to the formation of Ladakh as 89. ViratKohli named PETA India’s Person of Union Territory and for the promotion of the Year native culture of Ladakh, it has been decided India captain ViratKohli wasnamed People for by the Government of India to promote Sowa- the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Rigpa system of medicine by establishing a India‘s ‗Person of the Year for 2019‘ for his National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) at animal advocacy efforts. Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh at an A vegetarian, Kohli‘s efforts to improve estimated cost of Rs.47.25 crore. conditions for animals include sending a letter The setting up of the National Institute of on PETA India‘s behalf to officials calling for Sowa-Rigpa would provide an impetus for the the release of Malti, an elephant used for rides revival of Sowa-Rigpa in the Indian Sub- at Amer Fort, who was reportedly violently continent. The Institute will also provide beaten by eight men. opportunities for students of Sowa-Rigpa not The 31-year-old also reportedly visited an only in India but also from other countries. animal shelter in Bengaluru to check on The Institute will be an autonomous National injured and formerly neglected dogs there, Institute under Ministry of AYUSH with the sending a message to his fans to adopt animals mandate to undertake interdisciplinary rather than buying them. education and research programmes in Sowa- Past recipients of PETA India‘s Person of the Rigpa in collaboration with premier national Year award include Congress leader and international Institutes and facilitate ShashiTharoor, former Supreme Court Justice integration of different systems of medicine. KS PanickerRadhakrishnan, and actors This will facilitate quality education, scientific Anushka Sharma, HemaMalini, R Madhavan, validation, quality control & standardization and Jacqueline Fernandez. and safety evaluation of Sowa-Rigpa products, standardized Sowa-Rigpa based tertiary health 90. Veteran actor ShaukatKaifi passes away in delivery and to promote interdisciplinary Mumbai research & education of Sowa-Rigpa at Veteran actor and ShabanaAzmi's mother undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral ShaukatKaifi passed away in Mumbai last levels. evening due to age-related illness at the age of Sowa-Rigpa 93.. Sowa-Rigpa is a Traditional Medical Kaifi's husband was the celebrated Urdu poet system of the Himalayan belt in India. It and film lyricist, KaifiAzmi. She and her has been popularly practiced in Sikkim, husband were leading lights of the Indian Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling (West People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and the Bengal), Himachal Pradesh, Union Progressive Writers Association (IWA), which Territory of Ladakh and now all over were the cultural platforms of the Communist India. Party of India. Also credited as ShaukatAzmi,
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Kaifi's acting credits include 'Bazaar', Commission (UGC) for the inclusion of Trans- 'UmraoJaan' and Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated gender as Third Gender in various scholarships film 'Salaam Bombay' Her last film was and fellowships. Shaadi Ali's 'Saathiya'. After KaifiAzmi's demise in 2002, she wrote 93. Jal Shakti Minister releases short an autobiography, 'Kaifi and I' which has also documentary film on Water Conservation been adapted to a play 'Kaifiaur Main'. It Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh premiered in Mumbai in 2006 on the fourth Shekhawat released a short documentary film death anniversary of KaifiAzmi. on Water Conservation named 'SHIKHAR SE PUKAR' in New Delhi. 91. Two-day conference of Governors, The film has been made to promote Lieutenant Governors to begin 'JalshaktiAbhiyan' and is based on the Journey A two-day Conference of Governors and of an IAS Officer Ravindra Kumar, who Lieutenant Governors will begin at the climbed Everest this year to attract the RashtrapatiBhavan. attention of people from top of the Everest on President Ram NathKovind will preside over the serious issue of Water Conservation and the conference. It will be the 50th such stopping Water Pollution. Conference to be held in RashtrapatiBhavan Film also gives a glimpse on the significance and the third Conference to be presided over of Himalaya as the main source of water needs by President Kovind. of India by means of the river. It also The Conference will discuss important posturizes the difficulties and challenges in thematic issues in various sessions. It includes climbing the highest peak of the world. tribal issues, reforms in agriculture, JalJeevan Mission, new education policy for higher 94. Tax department launches web portal for education and governance for ease of living. exchange of information Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime The Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Minister NarendraModi, Home Minister Amit Taxes (CBDT), P C Mody inaugurated the Shah, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Web Portal for Exchange of Information on Tomar, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Income Tax Website in New Delhi. Human Resource Development Minister The Web Portal consolidates all the relevant Ramesh PoakhriyalNishank, Tribal Affairs Automatic Exchange of Information related Minister ArjunMaunda and Jal Shakti Minister information at one place for financial Gajendra Singh Sekhawat will participate in institutions, officers and public. The portal the conference. would not only be useful for the domestic Vice-Chairman and the CEO of NITI Aayog financial institutions but will also help the and other senior officials from various foreign tax authorities and financial Ministries will also participat institutions to get information about the Indian laws, rules and procedures. 92. University of Calcutta includes 3rd Gender India is committed to exchange financial option in its admission forms account information automatically from 2017 The University of Calcutta has included the under the Common Reporting Standard on Third Gender option in its admission forms Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI). from the next academic session. That along with male and female, the admission forms for 95. Govt approved setting up of six plastic post-graduate and under-graduate courses will parks now have the option of the Third Gender. The government has approved setting up of six The decision has been taken following plastic parks in different parts of the country. directives from the University Grants
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These parks will have an ecosystem with state based items and others will be covered under of the art infrastructure building and enabling the ban. the common facility to consolidate and A fine of 10,000 rupees will be slapped on synergize the capacities of the domestic manufacturers, wholesalers and small traders downstream plastic processing industry. who defy the ban. If the ban is violated for the These parks are located in Assam, Madhya second time, the fine will be 25,000 rupees. Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. A third violation will invite closure and a fine This was stated by Chemicals and Fertilizers of 50,000 rupees. Minister DV SadanandaGowdain RajyaSabha. The Industries Department will introduce Out of them, the plastic park at Tamot in incentive schemes to encourage companies Madhya Pradesh is functional. that manufacture environment-friendly bags. Under the scheme, the government provides grant funding up to 50 per cent of the project 98. RBI constitutes 3-member panel for DHFL cost. The remaining project cost is to be The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) yesterday funded by State Government beneficiary constituted a three-member panel to advise the industries and by a loan from financial Administrator of Dewan Housing Finance institutions. Corporation Limited, DHFL, ahead of Four new plastic parks have also been given formally moving for resolution of the troubled in-principle approval for establishment in West mortgage lender under the insolvency law. Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand and IDFC First Bank's Non-Executive Chairman Chhattisgarh. Rajiv Lall, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance's Managing Director and Chief Executive N S 96. J&K achieves highest road length under Kannan and Mutual Funds' Association PMGSY in 2019 AMFI's Chief Executive N S Venkatesh would Jammu and Kashmir has achieved the highest be part of the panel. PMGSY road length in the country during the Reserve Bank of India superseded DHFL's current year so far. board and placed the company under an During the current fiscal, around 11,400 administrator in the wake of governance issues kilometers of different road projects against and severe liquidity crisis which had led to a the total sanctioned length of 19,700 string of defaults. kilometers. Consequently, against the sanctioned 2,214 99. Sub Lieutenant Shivangi is the first-ever habitations, 1,838 habitations have been woman pilot for Navy provided connectivity as on date which Indian Navy‘s first female pilot, Sub- includes 101 habitations connected during Lieutenant Shivangi, will join operational current fiscal. Similarly, under Central Road duties at Kochi Naval Base on December 2, Fund, 88 schemes have been completed which two days prior to Navy Day. A native of include 22 bridges and 66 roads. Muzzafarpur in Bihar, Shivangi was inducted into the Indian Navy through short service 97. Kerala to ban manufacturing, sale & commission as pilot and joined the naval storage of single-use plastic orientation course at the Indian Naval In Kerala, the manufacture, sale and storage of Academy (INA) in Ezhimala, Kannur. one-time-use plastic items will be banned from She was formally commissioned by Flag 1st of January next year. The decision was Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval taken at a State Cabinet meeting. Command AK Chawla on June 25, 2018. Plastic carry bags, plastic sheets, cooling films, After completing six months of rigorous plastic plates, cups, thermocol and Styrofoam- training at INA, Shivangi started flight training on Pilatus (PC 7) aircraft at Air Force
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Academy, Dundigal. On successful completion of two bird carcasses by a Bikaner-based of her training, she went on to complete the research organization had concluded that Dornier Conversion course from Dornier bacterium Clostridium botulinum had entered training squadron INAS 550 (Flying Fish) in from the soil into the meat of some dead birds. Kochi. She will be awarded wings on December 2. 101. Cabinet approves the Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019 100. Avian botulism' reason for bird deaths The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime near Sambhar Lake Minister ShriNarendraModi has given its The Indian Veterinary Research Institute approval for introduction of the Industrial (IVRI), Bareilly, confirmed avian botulism — Relations Code, 2019 in the Parliament. a neuro-muscular illness caused by a toxin Benefits: which is produced by a bacterial strain — as Setting up of two-member tribunal (in place of the reason for mass mortality of birds, one member) introducing a concept that some including migratory species from Northern of the important cases will be adjudicated Asia, at Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan. jointly and the rest by a single member The laboratory tests conducted on the samples resulting speedier disposal of cases. of carcasses collected from the lake confirmed To impart flexibility to the exit provisions the disease infecting the birds, the probability (relating to retrenchment etc.), for which, the of which was earlier stated by veterinarians in threshold for prior approval of appropriate the State. The illness, caused by a bacterium Government has been kept unchanged at 100 called Clostridium botulinum, affected the employees, but added a provision for changing nervous system of birds, leading to flaccid ‗such number of employees‘ through paralysis in their legs and wings and neck notification. touching the ground. The re-skilling fund is to be utilized for More than 18,000 carcasses of birds have been crediting to workers in the manner to be removed from the lake and its catchment area prescribed. so far, raising concern among Definition of Fixed Term Employment and environmentalists and ornithologists. The that it would not lead to any notice period and scientists at IVRI found the samples infested payment of compensation on retrenchment with maggots of third stage with a clear excluded. indication that the avian mortality had Vesting of powers with the government occurred over a period of time. officers for adjudication of disputes involving IVRI report had approved the regimen of penalty as fines thereby lessening the burden treatment adopted for birds recovered from the on tribunal. lake‘s shores. The rescue centers established Background: near the lake have treated 735 birds, of which The draft code on Industrial Relations has been 368 are alive and 36 have been released to prepared after amalgamating, simplifying and their natural habitat. rationalizing the relevant provisions of Located 80 km south-west of Jaipur, Sambhar following three Central Labor Acts: Lake is India's largest inland saline water body The Trade Unions Act, 1926 and has been designated as a wetland of The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) international importance, attracting thousands Act, 1946 of migratory birds during winter. The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 Avian flu ruled out A Bhopal-based laboratory had earlier ruled 102. India for Humanity' event organized at US out avian flu as the cause of deaths of birds Capitol after examining the viscera. The post-mortem
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Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of achievements in the fields of sports and Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Embassy and Jaipur adventure. Foot USA organized a special event pegged as NCC continues its relentless efforts towards 'India for Humanity - Jaipur Foot' at the US moulding the youth into responsible citizens of Capitol building. the country. The 'India for Humanity- Jaipur Foot' initiative focuses on Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of 104. Sangai Festival 2019 begins in Manipur compassion, caring and service to humanity, In Manipur, week-long Manipur and India's contribution to aseries of artificial SangaiFestival 2019 started. The festival is limb fitment camps in a number of countries organized by the State Tourism Department by the iconic Jaipur Foot from the and biggest festival held annually to promote BhagwanMahaveerViklangSahayataSamiti tourism. The formal inaugural function of the (BMVSS). festival was held at HaptaKangjeibung at The Jaipur Foot not just in India and all over Imphal. the world as we know they till date provided Manipur Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh 1.8 million limbs for amputees. It was thought attended the inaugural function as Chief Guest. that Mahatma Gandhi's selfless dedication was State Ministers, dignitaries from foreign a cause of humanity and this occasion should countries also attended the function. The also provide momentum to this Jaipur foot festival is held at different parts of Manipur. initiative. During the festival, cultural programmes, 103. Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata traditional games, folk dance and classical Samiti music will be performed by different Founded in 1975, BMVSS is the world's communities of the State as well as from other largest organization that has helped in States. The festival will conclude on the 30th rehabilitating over 1.78 million disabled in of this month. India and in 27 countries across the world. BMVSS provides its assistance, including 105. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kailash artificial limbs, calipers and other aids and Joshi dies at 91 appliances totally free of charge without any Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister geographical, gender or community bias. Kailash Joshi has passed away at the age of 91. The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the world's He died at a private hospital in Bhopal. largest uniformed youth organization, is Born on July 14, 1929, Joshi, who was called celebrating its 71st Raising Day on 24th as the 'saint of politics', served as the state's November. Defense Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar chief minister from 1977 to 1978. He was and DG NCC Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra paid MLA for eight terms and also served as homage to the martyrs, who made the supreme member of both the RajyaSabha and the sacrifice in the service of the nation, at the LokSabha. National War Memorial in New Delhi. 8th International Tourism Mart in Manipur The NCC Raising Day was also celebrated all The Ministry of Tourism, Government of over the country with the cadets participating India, in association with the North Eastern in marches, cultural activities and social States is organizing the ―International Tourism development programs. Mart‖ (ITM) at Imphal, Manipur from 23 The multifaceted activities and varied November to 25 November, 2019. curriculum of NCC provides unique The event will be jointly inaugurated on 23rd opportunities to the youth for their November 2019 by Minister of State (I/C) for development. Culture & Tourism, ShriPrahlad Singh Patel Many cadets have done the nation and the and Chief Minister of Manipur. organization proud by their remarkable
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This is the 8th International Tourism Mart and The International Tourism Marts are organized an annual event organized in the North Eastern in the North Eastern States on rotation basis. region with the objective of highlighting the Manipur is hosting this mart for the second tourism potential of the region in the domestic time.The earlier editions of this mart have been and international markets. held in Guwahati, Tawang, Shillong, Gangtok, It brings together the tourism business Agartala. fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight North Eastern States. The event has been 106. Two lakh Gram Panchayats to be planned and scheduled to facilitate interaction connected with internet, by 2020 between buyers, sellers, media, Government Centre has set a target to provide internet and agencies and otherstakeholders. broadband connectivity to two lakh Gram The North East Region of India comprising the Panchayats by March next year. states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, BharatNet project is being implemented in a Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, phased manner to provide broadband and Tripura and Sikkim, is endowed with diverse internet connectivity to all 2,50,000 Gram tourist attractions and products. The varied Panchayats in the country. topography of the region, its flora and fauna, Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed in around the ethnic communities with their rich heritage 45,000 Gram Panchayats and services are of ancient traditions and lifestyles, its festivals, being provided in over 16,000 Gram arts and crafts, make it a holiday destination Panchayats. The internet is being currently waiting to be explored. accessed mainly through mobile wireless 2G, The 8th International Tourism Mart, will put 3G and 4G technologies which at present the spotlight on ―Sustainable Tourism an cover more than 95 per cent population of the engine for Economic Growth and country. Employment‖. Besides deliberations on promotion of tourism in the North East Region 107. Bharat Broadband Network Limited or in general, the Mart will also give a platform BharatNet for promoting cultural ties, providing Bharat Broadband Network Limited is a enhanced connectivity to the States of North Special Purpose Vehicle set up under Eastern Region with other countries in our Companies Act by Government of India with neighborhood. an authorized capital of Rs. 1000 Cr. It has A total of 36 foreign Buyer delegates from been mandated to create the National Optical over 19 countries namely Australia, Canada, Fiber Network (NOFN) in India. Cambodia, Czech, Dubai, Italy, Japan, Oman, A total of around 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats Korea, Myanmar, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, spread over 6,600 Blocks and 641 Districts are South Africa, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, to be covered by laying incremental fiber. The USA, UK, Vietnam are participating in the timeline for this ambitious project is two years. Mart. The project cost is estimated to be about An exhibition by State Tourism Departments 20,000 Cr which will be funded by the USO from the North Eastern States including fund. display of beautiful handicrafts and handlooms is also being organized to show case the tourism products of respective participating States. The state government of Madhya Pradesh has also been invited to participate and give a presentation as it is a paired state with Manipur under the ―Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat‖ initiative.
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs (MoU) with Western Sydney University, Australia aimed at promoting collaboration in research and developing guidelines for integrating Ayurveda principles with modern medicine. The memorandum was agreed and exchanged on the occasion of the event 'India- Australia International Education and Research Workshop' held at the Ambedkar International Centre here. Complementing the traditional Ayurveda 108. Army celebrates 'Poonch Link up Day' medicine with conventional concepts of The Indian Army commemorated Poonch modern medicine is expected in generating Link-up day with fervor here and paid tribute scientific evidences that further help in to soldiers and local citizens for their supreme contributing to the global healthcare. sacrifice in defending Poonch during a conflict Both institutions are committed to take the in 1948. collaboration to the next level by identifying On November 22, 1948, Poonch was specific areas for collaboration in education, recaptured from Pakistani forces in 1948. research and practices of traditional medicine The Army honored the day by laying wreath at while ensuring the quality standards and also the War Memorial in Poonch district. by encouraging investment in traditional Various events were organized for the welfare medicine related infrastructure. of the local citizen. Physically challenged people were presented with wheelchairs and 111. Indian scientists identify a protein that two-wheelers. helps regulate blood sugar levels Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and 109. Military operations in Poonch district 1948 Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad Military operations took place in Poonch have demonstrated the role of a protein district, then part of the princely state of secretagogin (SCGN) in increasing insulin Jammu and Kashmir, in 1948 during the action in obesity-induced diabetes. conflict in Jammu and Kashmir between the The findings established SCGN as a functional Indian Army and Pakistani forces. Poonch insulin-binding protein with therapeutic withstood a siege by the Pakistanis from potential against diabetes. November 1947 till relieved by an Indian SCGN binds to insulin and protects it from offensive, Operation Easy on 20 November various stresses, increases its stability and adds 1948. to its action. The besieged garrison (group of soldiers Various kinds of cellular stresses can result in whose task is to guard the town or building) loss of structure and function of insulin, commanded by Brig. Pritam Singh, was ultimately leading to diabetes. maintained by air supply. Military operations Yogendra Sharma from CCMB and his ended with Poonch town and the eastern part colleagues Anand Sharma, of Poonch district in Indian hands and western RadhikaKhandelwal and AmruthaChidananda Poonch in Pakistani hands. have demonstrated the role of a protein secretagogin (SCGN) in increasing insulin 110. MoU signed with Sydney University to action in obesity-induced diabetes. promote Ayurveda The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has 112. Madhya Pradesh government to give 5% inked a Memorandum of Understanding reservation to sportspersons in jobs
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Madhya Pradesh government announced five the Constitution of India, and it came into percent reservation to sportspersons in state effect on 26 January 1950. government jobs. MP Minister of Sports and The Government of India declared 26 Youth Welfare JituPatwari made the November as Constitution Day on 19 announcement while inaugurating the November 2015 by a gazette notification. The Regional Olympic Games in Gwalior. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made the declaration on 11 October2015 while 113. Govt launches Credit-linked Subsidy laying the foundation stone of the B. R. Services Awas Portal Ambedkar‘s Statue of Equality memorial in IndiaMinister for Housing and Urban Affairs Mumbai. Hardeep Singh Puri launched Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal, CLAP, in New 116. Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Delhi. introduced in Lok Sabha The portal provides a transparent and robust Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman real-time web-based monitoring system for introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) credit-linked Subsidy Services, CLSS, Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha . beneficiaries. The Bill provides domestic companies with a Using the portal, a beneficiary can track his new option to pay tax at the rate of 22 per application status in real-time. cent, provided they do not claim certain The initiative would also benefit other deductions under the IT Act. stakeholders to work in synergy to release Currently, domestic companies with an subsidy to beneficiaries on time. annual turnover of up to 400 crore rupees pay income tax at the rate of 25 per cent. For 114. Devendra Fadnavis takes charge as other domestic companies, the tax rate is 30 Maharashtra Chief Minister per cent. Maharashtra, newly sworn Chief Minister The Bill also provides new domestic Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister manufacturing companies with an option to Ajit Pawar assumed charge. pay income tax at the rate of 15 per cent, provided they do not claim certain 115. November 26: Constitution Day to be deductions. celebrated The International Financial Services Centers Constitution Day will be celebratedacross the Authority Bill, 2019, Special Protection country on November 26.On this day in 1949, Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and The the Constitution was adopted and it came into Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 were also force on 26th January, 1950, marking the introduced in the House. beginning of a new era in the history of India. The Special Protection Group (Amendment) The government has planned yearlong Bill, 2019 was also introduced in the Lok nationwide activities to mark the 70th Sabha by Minister of State for Home G anniversary of the adoption of the Kishen Reddy. Constitution. According to the proposed amendment, the Various sections of the society will do a mass Prime Minister and their immediate family reading of the Preamble to the Constitution. members will get the cover. Constitution Day Any former Prime Minister and their family Constitution Day (National Law Day) is members may also get the security cover as celebrated in India on 26 November every per the gravity of threat perception. year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. On 26 November 1949, 117. Gadkari releases booklet at Agro Vision the Constituent Assembly of India adopted 2019 in Nagpur
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Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin by assured water and electric supply and is Gadkari released a booklet titled manned by trained staff. 'Convergence of National Highway The wildlife officials entrusted with this improvement/construction with water project visited Longleat Safari Park, England conservation and groundwater recharge' at for inspiration. It will have a lion safari, a deer Agro Vision-2019 in Nagpur. safari, an elephant safari, bear safari and a leopard safari. It also has a 4D theatre, which 118. UP govt launches immunization campaign gives you real close-ups with wildlife. against Filaria Uttar Pradesh government is launching a massive immunization campaign against the filariasis or Filaria. Central government has set year 2021 as the deadline for complete eradication of filaria in country. Under this campaign more than 65 thousand teams of health workers will distribute medicines to around 6.5 crore people till 10 December in 19 districts. Campaign will be launched by Health and Family Welfare Minister Jai Pratap Singh. 120. National Tribal Craft Mela 2019 in Last year as a pilot project triple drug therapy Bhubaneswar was tested in 5 district of country including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Varanasi and since the results were quite National Tribal Craft Mela - 2019 in encouraging, this time these 19 district have Bhubaneswar. been divided in double drug and triple drug More than 240 tribal artisans from 18 states categories in which they will be provided DEC including Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, tablet, Albendazole and ivermectin. Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, 119. Etawah lion safari inagurated Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, The Etawah Lion Safari was thrown open for Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West public and inauguration was done by Uttar Bengal are participating in the Mela. Pradesh Forest Minister Dara Singh Chauhan. Handicraft items, handloom products, iron, Formally known as Etawah Safari Park, it is bamboo products, puppetry, lacquer craft, spread in 350 hectares of land and has been along with tribal jewellery, craft and textiles developed as an educative tourist destination will be displayed by artisans during this seven- for children as well as youths. day-long event. According to the safari website, it was The objective of the Mela is to preserve, envisioned by then Chief Minister Mulayam promote and popularize traditional tribal art Singh Yadav in 2005 and the permission to and craft and help the artisans to find better establish a lion breeding center and lion safari opportunities to develop their skills through were obtained from the Central government in cross-cultural interactions for commercial 2013. viability of their products. In 2014, the first pair of lions reached the As a part of 5T initiative of the state safari and has now at least 18 lions in the government, 45 supplementary readers premises. prepared in 21 tribal languages have also been Besides the lion breeding center, the facility is released simultaneously by the Chief Minister equipped with hospital, staff quarters backed on the occasion. These supplementary readers
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs will be used as learning materials for authority of the Government of India and the multilingual education (MLE) of ST students. Government of Assam and spreading terror and panic among the people; indulging in 121. Govt Plans to Merge Daman and Diu, extortion of money from various sections of Dadra and Nagar Haveli the society with a view to financing and Two Union Territories — Daman and Diu, and executing its plans for the creation of a Dadra and Nagar Haveli — will be merged separate Bodoland; embarking on a systematic into one and a bill in this effect will be tabled drive for recruitment of fresh cadres with a in Parliament. view to continuing its terrorist and insurgency The move comes three months after Jammu activities. and Kashmir was bifurcated into two UTs — The ministry has extended the ban on NDBF Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. under the provisions of sub-section (1) of The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and section 3 of the Unlawful Activities Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill 2019 is (Prevention) Act, 1967. part of the proposed government business. NDFB has been involved in 62 violent The merger of the two UTs, located along the incidents since January 2015, resulting in western coast near Gujarat, will be done for killings of 19 civilians and 55 extremists, better administration and check duplications of besides the arrest of 450 ultras and various works. confiscation of 444 arms from them. So far, both the UTs have separate budgets and The National Democratic Front of Boroland different secretariats even though they are just The National Democratic Front of Boroland 35 km apart. Dadra and Nagar Haveli have just (NDFB) is an armed separatist outfit which one district while Daman and Diu has two. seeks to obtain a sovereign Boroland for the The merged UT is likely to be named as Bodo people. It is designated as a terrorist Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and its organization by the Government of India. headquarters could be Daman and Diu. NDFB traces its origin to Bodo Security Force, On August 5, the central government had a militant group formed in 1986. The current announced the abrogation of the special status name was adopted in 1994, after the group given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article rejected Bodo Accord signed between the 370 and its bifurcation into two UTs. Government of India and ABSU-BPAC. The The country currently has nine UTs after the group has carried out several attacks in Assam, creation of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, targeting non-Bodo civilians as well as the and Ladakh. However, with the merger of security forces Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the number of UTs will come down to eight. 123. Delhi Assembly to host 3-day Common wealth Youth Parliament 122. Ban on Bodo insurgents extended for 5 Delhi Assembly will host a three-day years Commonwealth Youth Parliament. The central government issued orders to As many as 47 participants from 24 extend the ban on Assam-based Bodo Commonwealth countries will participate in insurgent group National Democratic Front of the event along with eleven participants from Bodoland (NDFB) by another five years, citing India. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be the that the terrorist outfit had continued to Chief Guest of the event. indulge in illegal and violent activities It is for the first time that an Indian Legislature intended to disrupt the sovereignty and is hosting the Commonwealth Youth territorial integrity of India. Parliament. NDFB has been engaging in unlawful and The event is being organized to enlighten the violent activities thereby undermining the youth about legislative processes and
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encourage their participation in legislative Parliament passed the Transgender Persons procedures and decision making. (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, with the He said the Common wealth Youth Parliament RajyaSabha approving it by a voice vote. will be an opportunity to demonstrate the role The LokSabha had already passed the bill. It and purpose of legislature as an institution for defines a transgender person as one whose democracy and good governance. gender does not match the gender assigned at Common wealth Youth Parliament birth. The Common wealth Youth Parliament is an It provides every transgender person a right to annual gathering hosted by the Common reside and be included in his household. wealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). It The Bill prohibits discrimination against a brings together young people aged 18–29 from transgender person including denial of service, across the Common wealth of Nations to unfair treatment in education, employment, discuss issues of democracy and governance. healthcare, enjoyment of goods, facilities, Each member parliament of the Common opportunities available to the public, right to wealth Parliamentary Association has the movement and right to reside. opportunity to nominate up to two delegates to As per the legislation, no government or attend the Common wealth Youth Parliament. private entity can discriminate against a The Common wealth Youth Parliament rotates transgender person in employment matters annually through the nine regions of the including recruitment and promotion. Common wealth Parliamentary Association. There is no lacuna in the bill, and it contains all the provisions which are required for the 124. Parliament passes National Institute of welfare of the transgender. Design (Amendment) Bill The bill will take forward transgenders and Parliament has passed the National Institute of bring them into the mainstream. Grievance Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019, with the redressal mechanism has been set up for the LokSabha approving it. issues related to transgender. The RajyaSabha has already passed the bill. It seeks to amend the National Institute of 126. PM Modi launches Fit India School Design Act, 2014, which declares the National grading system Institute of Design, Ahmedabad as an Prime Minister NarendraModi launched the Fit institution of national importance. India School grading system in schools across It also seeks to declare four National Institutes the country. of Design located at Amaravati in Andhra The Fit India School rankings have been Pradesh, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Jorhat in divided into three categories -- The Fit India Assam and Kurukshetra in Haryana as Schools, which is the first level of ranking, Fit institutions of national importance. India School (3 star) and Fit India School (5 Currently, these institutes are registered as star). Societies under the Societies Registration Act, The level of ranking will depend on how much 1860 and do not have the power to grant importance the school gives to inculcating degrees or diplomas. On being declared fitness among its students and teachers, institutions of national importance, the four besides facilities available for fitness activities. institutes will be granted the power to grant In the Fit India Movement, schedules have degrees and diplomas. been drawn for ranking schools in accordance with fitness. The schools that achieve this 125. Parliament passes Transgender Persons ranking will also be able to use the Fit India (Protection of Rights) Bill logo and flag. Schools can declare themselves as fit by visiting the Fit India portal. Fit India three star
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and Fit India five star ratings will also be The Indian Navy will host military drill 'Milan given. 2020' in March which will witness the participation of several countries. 127. Ghasidas National Park declared as Tiger 41 nations from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Reserve Africa and Europe that share defense The Chhattisgarh government has decided to cooperation with India have been invited for declare Guru Ghasidas National Park in the the drill. state's Korea district as a tiger reserve. The countries to whom invitations have been The decision was taken at a meeting of sent are Indonesia, France, Mozambique, Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board chaired by Sudan, Israel, Qatar, Thailand, Malaysia, Chief Minister BhupeshBaghel. Australia, Somalia, Kenya, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Presently the state has three tiger reserves, Vietnam, Myanmar, New Zealand, USA, namely Indravati in Bijapur district, Udanti- Tanzania, Comoros, Maldives, Brunei, Sitanadi in Gariaband and Achanakmar in Philippines, Japan, UK, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bilaspur. Mauritius, Cambodia, Singapore, South Korea, Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey had filed a Public South Africa, Kuwait, Iran, Madagascar, Interest Litigation (PIL) in Chhattisgarh High Bangladesh, Russia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Bahrain, Court in September this year alleging inaction UAE and Seychelles by the state government in notifying the tiger The government pursues cooperation reserve, despite the National Tiger initiatives with friendly foreign countries, Conservation Authority (NTCA) approving it including in Indian Ocean Region, through in 2014. structured interactions like Staff Talks, During a hearing on the PIL in Chhattisgarh Empowered Steering Group. The areas of HC, the state government had sought more cooperation include capacity building, marine time from the HC to submit details of steps domain awareness, training, hydrography, taken by it for issuing notification for technical assistance, operational exercise. constitution of Guru Ghasidas tiger reserve. The HC had posted the matter for next hearing 130. CWRDM proposes ‘Water 4 Change’ with on December 12. foreign aid 128. Railways sets up Institute for Financial The Centre for Water Resources Development Management in Hyderabad and Management (CWRDM) with the support The Indian Railway Institute of Financial of six prominent institutes has come up with a Management (IRIFM) has been set up in new project, ‗Water 4 Change‘, which will be Hyderabad, The new entity set up to impart piloted in a phased manner in Kozhikode city, professional training in management of stimulating long-term research and field-level railway finances, was formally inaugurated by action on urban water management systems. Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman, Railway As many as six prominent organizations from Board, on a 14-acre campus at Moula-Ali, The Netherlands too are part of the project, Secunderabad. which will be considered for implementation The Chairman of the Railway Board also in Bhuj, Bhopal, and Shimla. envisaged a complete integrated package for To explain the project details, a launch railway training institutions in the country. workshop will be held at Malabar Palace. A. The ensuing batch of probationers belonging Pradeepkumar, MLA, will introduce the to Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) project. In Kozhikode city, nearly ₹1.15 crore will have opportunity to get trained here. will be spent for planning and implementation. Objective 129. India to host naval drill Milan 2020 in The core objective of the projectis to provide March communities and other stakeholders an
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs integrative, fit-for-purpose and context- Pradesh. In just under 18 minutes, the third sensitive design framework for liveable fast- generation, agile, advanced satellite Cartosat-3 growing secondary cities in a co-creative was injected at a height of 509 kilometers from manner. They said the project mainly the surface of the earth. addresses the disciplines of sanitary The separation of the customer payloads engineering, urban planning and governance, belonging to a US space technology firm hydrology, ecology, informatics, economics followed the Cartosat-3 to get separated from and their applications. launch vehicle one after the other. The whole It will address the need for an integrated launch mission got over in just under 27 systems approach for developing interrelated minutes. Its operational life is five years. technological, institutional and financial Cartosat-3 solutions for sustainable urban water Cartosat-3 is an advanced Indian Earth management. Observation satellite built and developed by The project will address the complex ISRO, which will replace the IRS series. It has challenges to urban water systems facing fast- a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 meters growing cities like Kozhikode, Bhuj, Bhopal making it the imaging satellite with highest and Shimla, resulting from population growth, resolution and Mx of 1 meter with a high rapid urbanisation, and climate change. quality resolution which is a major improvement from the previous payloads in 131. LokSabha passes Special Protection Group the Cartosat series. (Amendment) Bill Potential uses include weather mapping, The Bill says that when the proximate security cartography or army defense, and strategic is withdrawn from a former Prime Minister, applications. such proximate security shall also stand withdrawn from members of his or her 133. Online registration opens for girls seeking immediate family. admission in 5 Sainik schools It says it is considered essential to amend the Online registration is now open for girls for act to focus on the core mandate, as the admissions to class six in five Sainik schools security of the prime minister, as head of the for the next academic session. The schools are government, is of paramount importance for in Bijapur in Karnataka, Chandrapur in the government, governance and national Maharashtra, Ghorakhal in Uttrakhand, security. Kalikiri in Andhra Pradesh and Kodagu in By this amendment security cover will not Karnataka. been removed from the Gandhi Family but it The online application form is available on has been changed to Z Plus security with www.sainikschooladmission.in. The last date CRPF and Ambulance. of registration is December 6. The examination will be held on January 5 next year. It may be 132. ISRO successfully launches Cartosat-3 recalled that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, The national space agency ISRO(Indian Space in October, had approved the proposal for Research Organization) has successfully admission of girl children in Sainik schools. launched India‘s latest earth observation The schools were developed as an alternative satellite Cartosat-3 .The workhorse rocket to public schools education, aimed at nurturing PSLV in its C-47 version carried it along with boys from a cross-section of society to join the 13 other customer payloads into the intended Armed Forces officers' academies. polar sun-synchronous orbit. The launch vehicle was ignited at 09.28 hours 134. Assam bans gutka, pan masala containing from the second launch pad of the Satish tobacco-nicotine for 1 year Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra
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The Assam government has prohibited the come down from 40 million to 19,000 in a manufacture and sale of gutkha, pan masala or span of over three decades. any chewing material in the state. States' first vulture conservation and breeding In a recent order issued by the Food Safety center of its kind will be set up on the lines of Commissioner said that manufacture, storage, Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre at sale, display and transportation of any products Pinjore in Haryana, which is also the first in containing tobacco or nicotine are prohibited the country. In August, more than 100 vultures in the state for 1 year. were sighted near the site where the center will be established. 135. Uddhav Thackeray to take oath as The new center would be set up in association Maharashtra CM with Bombay Natural History Society, a Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra's chief wildlife research organization and It will be minister-designate Uddhav Thackeray will the first scientific assessment of vultures in the take oath to office, at the sprawling Shivaji state to find out which species is most Park in Central Mumbai. threatened and the locations where these The state will have a Shiv Sena chief minister natural scavengers are thriving. State forest after 20 years. The last Sena man to occupy the department had counted at least 900 vultures in CM‘s chair was Narayan Rane in 1999, after 13 districts in 2014. Manohar Joshi, who in 1995 became the first Sena CM. 137. Seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019" Thackeray is MahaVikasAghadi, a Shiv Sena, underway in New Delhi NCP, Congress alliance nominee for the post. A two-day seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019" The swearing-in follows days of dramatic is underway in New Delhi with the theme developments, including the three-day ―Communications: A Decisive Catalyst for government formed by the BJP with the Jointness‖. The seminar began is devoted to unexpected support from NCP leader the seminal theme of leveraging AjitPawar, who has since returned to the communications for achieving jointness SharadPawar-led party fold. between the three services. The BJP-led government collapsedafter Minister of State for DefenceShripadNaik AjitPawar stepped down as deputy Chief highlighted that the announcement of Chief of Minister. Soon after, Chief Minister Defense Staff by the Prime Minister has been DevendraFadnavis too submitted his made keeping in view the much-needed reform resignation to the Governor Bhagat Singh to streamline and further improve coordination Koshyari. and integration between the three services. A special session of the 14th state assembly Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal was called where the oath was administered to Lokpal Chairman Justice (retired) Pinaki 285 newly-elected members by pro-tem Chandra Ghose launched the new logo for Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar. the apex anti-corruption ombudsman. A new motto, ―Ma Gridhah Kasyas 136. Uttar Pradesh govt to set up state's 1st vidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone‘s vulture conservation wealth)‖, was also adopted. In a major step to conserve the endangered Open competition vulture population, the Uttar Pradesh Earlier, an open competition was conducted, government will set up state's first vulture inviting entries for the logo and the motto. A conservation and breeding centre in farenda total of 2,236 entries for the logo and 4,705 area of Maharajganj district. entries for the motto were received. There has been a sharp decline in the population of vultures in the country which has
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A logo designed by Prashant Mishra, a career spanning 58 years, died after resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, was suffering a cardiac arrest. finally selected. Dhar began his career with The Statesman The logo symbolizes how Lokpal protects and in 1961, after which he moved to cares for the people of India by establishing Hindustan Times. His cartoons have also justice as per law. appeared in The Independent, The Pioneer, The logo figuratively symbolizes the essence Delhi Times, New York Times, of Lokpal, with the inclusion of shapes such as Washington Post and Saturday Review, the ombudsman [Judges‘ Bench], the people among others. [three human figures], vigilance [an Ashoka Chakra forming an eye], the law [a shape of 139. DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy book] and the judicial [two tri-color hands awarded honorary fellowship by UK placed below, forming a unique balance]. Defense Research and Development Lokpal Organization (DRDO) chairman G Satheesh A Lokpal is an anti-corruption authority or Reddy was awarded the honorary fellowship body of ombudsman who represents the by the Royal Aeronautical Society of United public interest in the Republic of India. The Kingdom. current Chairperson of Lokpal is Pinaki The aeronautical society recognized Chandra Ghose. The Lokpal has jurisdiction contributions of Reddy towards indigenous over central government to inquire into design, development and deployment of allegations of corruption against its public diversified missile systems, aerospace functionaries and for matters connected to vehicles, guided weapons and avionics corruption. technologies in India. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act were passed Dr Reddy spearheaded Mission Shakti, the in 2013 with amendments in parliament, country's first Anti-Satellite Missile Test following the Jan Lokpal movement led by (ASAT) mission which demonstrated Anna Hazare in 2011. The Lokpal is extremely high degree of precision and responsible for enquiring into corruption technological prowess, enabling India join a charges at the national level while the select group of four nations with such Lokayukta performs the same function at the capability. He bolstered the Ballistic Missile state level. Defense (BMD) programme and successfully 138. Former Navy Chief Admiral Sushil demonstrated missile interception capabilities Kumar passes away at high altitudes. Former Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar He led the development of advanced avionics passed away at the Army‘s Research and and achieved streak of successful missions of Referral Hospital in Delhi. He was 79. long range Agni 5 strategic missile. His R & D Admiral Kumar was the 16th Chief of contributions have made India self-reliant in Naval Staff and oversaw naval operations Missiles and Avionics technologies. during the Kargil conflict of 1999. Reddy is the first Indian recipient of the He recently authored a book, A Prime prestigious award in over 100 years. Minister to Remember- Memories of a Dr Reddy is known for his vision and Military Chief, on Prime Minister capability to develop indigenous technologies AtalBihari Vajpayee, in which he credited and is famous in students as "Junior Kalam" Mr. Vajpayee for turning a ―strategic and 'Next Generation Missile Man" due to his tactical loss into a massive victory‖. knack on advanced technologies. Cartoonist SudhirDhar dies at 87 Dr. Satheesh Reddy has received numerous Renowned cartoonist SudhirDhar, whose awards that include AIAA Missile Systems works have graced several newspapers in a Award, National Aeronautical Prize, National
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs Systems Gold Medal, National Design Award, IEI-IEEE (USA) award for engineering 141. Cabinet approves extension of norms for excellence, Homi J Bhabha Gold Medal and packaging in jute materials Technology Leadership Award. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi has 140. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates NuGen accorded its approval for mandatory packaging Mobility Summit-2019 of foodgrains and sugar in jute material for the Union Minister of Road Transport and Jute Year 2019-20. Highways and Micro, Small and Medium The Government has retained the scope of Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated NuGen mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Mobility Summit-2019 at International Center Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987 as per of Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar last year. The decision of the Cabinet in Haryana. mandates that 100% of the food grains and The three-day conference is the largest 20% of the sugar shall be mandatorily packed automotive technology event in the country so in diversified jute bags. far. Automotive technology experts from 15 The decision to pack sugar in diversified jute countries including India will be presenting bags will give an impetus to the diversification more than 120 technical research papers in this of the jute industry. Further, the decision also event. This conference will be held from mandates that initially 10% of the indents of November 27 to 29, 2019 at the ICAT Centre jute bags for packing foodgrains would be in Manesar. placed through reverse auction on the GeM The NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 is the first portal. This will gradually usher in a regime of in a series of the conference organized by price discovery. ICAT. Its benefits will be found in finding The approval will benefit farmers and workers suitable alternative to IC engine running for located in the Eastern and North Eastern about 125 years in the country and the world. regions of the country particularly in the states The focus will be on developing new of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, technological solutions according to global Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura. requirements. The jute industry is predominantly dependent New Generation Mobility shall be Green, safe on Government sector which purchases jute and affordable, the theme of this event has bags of value of more than Rs. 7,500 crore been setup around new generation topics like every year for packing foodgrains. This is e-mobility, Hydrogen Mobility, Connected done in order to sustain the core demand for Vehicles and ITS. More than 200 companies the jute sector and to support the livelihood of producing vehicles and components will the workers and farmers dependent on the display their products in the exhibition. sector. The Conference will also host live test demonstrations, training sessions, panel 142. Other Support provided to the Jute Sector discussion and test track demonstrations. In order to improve the productivity and During the conference, future vehicle quality of raw jute through a carefully technologies such as connected mobility, designed intervention, called the Jute ICARE, autonomous vehicles, electric mobility, the Government has been supporting alternative fuels, intelligent transportation approximately two lakh jute farmers by systems, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen IC disseminating improved agronomic practices engines, vehicle dynamics, advanced materials such as line sowing using seed drills, weed and laboratories associated with light management by using wheel-hoeing and nail- weighting and re-cycling Trials will also be weeders, distribution of quality certified seeds shown. and also providing microbial assisted retting.
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs These interventions have resulted in enhancing Ambassador of India and Bhutan, and assume the quality and productivity of raw jute and his office. increasing income of jute farmers by Rs. The decision of appointing Satoshi Suzuki as 10,000 per hectare. the new ambassador to India was take in the In this connection, to support jute farmers, a Cabinet meeting held on September 27 in grant of subsidy of Rs. 100 crore for two years Japan. The decision was also taken about the starting from 2018-19 has been approved to new ambassador to Malaysia also. Hiroshi enable JCI to conduct MSP operations and Oka, Director, Middle East Africa Bureau, will ensure price stabilization in the jute sector. move to become the Ambassador of Malaysia. With a view to support diversification of jute Prior to being head of the Foreign Policy sector, the National Jute Board has Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, collaborated with National Institute of Design Satoshi Suzuki was Deputy Minister for and a Jute Design Cell has been opened at Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gandhinagar. Further, promotion of Jute Geo Japan. Textiles and Agro-Textiles has been taken up Suzuki has earlier served as Director-General, with the State Governments particularly those Intelligence, and Analysis Service, and in the North Eastern region and also with provided regular intelligence briefings to the departments such as Ministry of Road Foreign Minister and Vice-Minister on Transport and Ministry of Water Resources. regional and international strategic issues. With a view to boost demand in the jute sector, Government of India has imposed Definitive 144. Ministry of shipping approves Loktak Anti-Dumping Duty on import of jute goods Inland waterways project in Manipur from Bangladesh and Nepal with effect from 5th January, 2017. With a view to promoting transparency in jute sector, Jute SMART, an e-govt initiative was launched in December, 2016, providing an integrated platform for procurement of B-Twill sacking by Government agencies. Further, the JCI is transferring 100% funds to jute farmers Union Minister of Shipping: online for jute procurement under MSP and MansukhMandaviya commercial operations. Uses: The project will give a boost to the development of inland water transport 143. Envoy of Japan, Slovenia presents their connectivity in the North-eastern states and credentials to Kovind will also boost the tourism sector there. Ambassadors of Japan and Slovenia presented Loktak Lake: Is the largest freshwater lake in their credentials to President Ram NathKovind Northeast India and is famous for the phumdis at a ceremony held at the RashtrapatiBhavan. (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and The envoys who presented their credentials organic matter at various stages of are: Satoshi Suzuki of Japan and decomposition) floating over it. The lake is MarjanCencen of Slovenia. located at Moirang in Manipur state, India, Satoshi Suzuki, head of the Foreign Policy KeibulLamjao National Park is on Loktak Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lake is the only floating national park in the Japan.His previous overseas positions include world. South Korea, United Kingdom, and Indonesia. An authority on security, intelligence and foreign policy, the 60-year old Satoshi Suzuki will replace Kenji Hiramatsu, the present
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145. NIFTEM to conduct National Organic Previous awardee: AmitavGhosh Festival of Women Entrepreneurs, Indian Navy commissions sixth Dornier aircraft squadron Location: Naval Air Enclave- Porbandar on Gujarat coast. Chief Guest: Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral M S Pawar Host: NIFTEM(National Institute of Food Name derived: INAS (Indian Naval Air Technology Entrepreneurship and Squadron) 314derives its name Raptors from Management) the Bird of Prey family.The insignia of the MoU: Ministries of Food Processing Industries squadron depicts a Raptor bird searching over and Women and Child Development the vast blue expanse of the sea. Minister of Food Processing Industries: Uses: The aircraft can be used for electronic HarsimratKaurBadal warfare missions, maritime surveillance, Minister of Women and Child Development: search and rescue and to provide targeting data SmrithiIrani to weapon platform. Objectives: The festival aims to encourage This squadron will operate the Dornier aircraft, Indian women entrepreneurs and farmers to a multi-role SRMR aircraft, with twin connect with buyers and thus, empower them turboprop engine manufactured by Hindustan through financial inclusion, while also Aeronautical Limited, Kanpur. promoting organic food produce in India. Navy is procuring 12 new Dornier aircraft from HAL with state-of-the-art sensors and 146. Malayalam poet Akkitham wins 55th equipment including glass cockpit, advanced Jnanpith Award surveillance radar, optical sensors and networking features.
147. India successfully test fires twoSpike anti- tank missiles
About AkkithamAchuthan: Born in 1926, at Amettikkar, Kerala. AkkithamAchuthanNamboothiri, popularly Location: Madhya Pradesh known as Akkitham is one of the most Army Chief: General BipinRawat revered names in Malayalam poetry. Apart About Spike: Spike is a fourth generation from poetry, his literary excellence has missile which can engage any target with footprints in genre like drama, reminiscence, precision at ranges up to 4 kilo meters. The critical essays, children literature, short Spike long-range anti-tank missiles will bolster stories and translations. the Army's fire power capability. Other awards won: A Padma Shri awardee,
the SahityaAkademi Award (1973), Kerala SahityaAkademi Award (1972 and 1988), Mathrubhumi Award, Vayalar Award and KabirSamman. Board: chaired by Pratibha Ray
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs 148. 1st Intl. Conference on “Landslides Risk 150. 2019 Global Diplomacy Index Reduction and Resilience" Index by: Sydney-based Lowy Institute India rank: 12th among the 61 countries Top Ranks: China US France Japan State for Home Affairs: G Kishan Reddy Russia Location: New Delhi. Least ranked: Bhutan (61) Organizer: National Institute of Disaster About: The 2019 Lowy Institute Global management (NIDM) Diplomacy Index visualizes the diplomatic Act related: Disaster Management Act 2005 networks of 61 G20, OECD and Asian Objective: Developing technology to countries and territories, allowing users to anticipate disasters like landslides and compare the most significant diplomatic develop infrastructure to quickly respond to networks in the world. The 2019 edition now minimize the damageon communities, makes data available across three years – 2016, livestock, environment leading to huge loss of 2017 and 2019 – and sees the addition of one lives. new country, Lithuania, which joined the
OECD in July 2018. 149. India's economic growth hits over 6-year 151. Global Migration Report 2020 low
Report by: International organization for Migration Growth rate: 4.5 per cent in the July- International migrants: India (17.5 million), September period of this fiscal Mexico (11.8 million) and China (10.7 During the six-month period of April to million) September 2019, the Indian economy grew 4.8 International remittances: India ($78.6 billion), per cent as against 7.5 per cent in the same China ($67.4 billion) and Mexico ($35.7 period a year ago. billion). Previous low: The previous low was recorded Remittance-sending country: US ($68 billion), at 4.3 per cent in the January to March period United Arab Emirates ($44.4 billion) and of 2012-13. Saudi Arabia ($36.1 billion). The Reserve Bank had lowered the GDP Internally population of displaced people: growth projection for 2019-20 to 6.1 per cent Syria (6.1 million), Colombia (5.8 million) and from an earlier forecast of 6.9 per cent. the Congo (3.1 million). Recent IMF data: India's GDP growth at 6.1 About IOM: per cent in 2019-20 and 7 per cent in Financial Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter- Year 2020-21 in its recently released report on governmental organization in the field of World Economic Outlook. migration and works closely with Chief Economic Adviser: K Subramanian governmental, intergovernmental and non- governmental partners.
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With 173 member states, a further 8 states of eight dialogue partner countries including holding observer status and offices in over 100 India, USA China, Japan, republic of Korea, countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting Australia and New Zealand are also humane and orderly migration for the benefit participating in the summit. of all, The summit would discuss comprehensive and HQ: Switzerland sustainable ASEAN economic development and on negotiations related to the Regional International Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) including market opening. The RCEP is a 1. Eritrea, Saint Kittis sign ISA Framework proposed free trade agreement ( FTA) between Agreement the ten members state of ASEAN and its partnercountries. The summit is likely to discuss security and cybercrime.
4. India signs MoU with Saudi to launch RuPay card in Gulf Kingdom
Two new countries Eritrea and Saint Kittis and Nevis have signed the International Solar Alliance‘s (ISA) Framework Agreement at its second Assembly held in New Delhi. With this 83 countries have so far signed the ISA framework agreement. India signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to launch the RuPay card in the country, 3. 35th ASEAN Summit begins in Bangkok making it the third nation in the West Asia to initiate India‘s digital payment system which will benefit not only the 2.6 million Indians in the Gulf Kingdom but also Haj and Umrah pilgrims. The RuPay card is a first-of-its-kind Indian domestic Debit and Credit Card payment The 35th ASEAN Summit began in Bangkok. network, with acceptance at ATMs, POS The summit will continue till November 4. devices and e-commerce websites. It was Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan -o-Cha launched in 2012 to fulfill the Reserve Bank of inaugurated this summit at IMPACT India‘s vision to have a domestic, open and convention complex.Prime Minister multilateral system of payments. NarendraModi will attend this summit on India has already launched the RuPay card in November 3rd and 4th. the UAE, Bahrain, Singapore and Bhutan. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations During Prime Minister NarendraModi‘s visit, (ASEAN) is a group of ten member countries aMoU was signed to launch the RuPay cards that encourages political,economic and social in Saudi Arabia, said a joint statement issued co-operation in the region. at the end of his visit. Advancing Partnership for sustainability is the There are over 2.6 million Indians working in theme of the summit. Saudi Arabia, the largest expatriate community During five days summit East Asia summit in the country. Nearly two lakh Haj pilgrims (EAS) and Regional Comprehensive and over three hundred thousand Umrah Economic Summit (RCEP) will be also held. pilgrims from India visit Saudi Arabia every Apart from leaders of 10 Asean countries head
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs year and acceptance of Rupay card will allow Jaipur-Crafts and Folk Arts(2015), Varanasi- them to transact at cheaper rates. Creative city of Music (2015),Chennai- RuPay is a highly secure network that protects Creative city of Music(2017) against cyberhacks and is India‘s version of Ministry of Culture is the nodal Ministry of Master Card and Visa. Government of India for all matters in Today, there are close to 500 million RuPay UNESCO relating to culture cards in circulation in India. RuPay has also tied-up with international 6. 7th India-US Economic and Financial players like Discover, Japan Credit Bureau and Partnership meeting held in Delhi China Union Pay to enhance its international 7th India – US Economic and Financial acceptance and recently achieved a milestone partnership meeting was held in New Delhi. It of issuing 25 million RuPay cards. was co-chaired by Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman and US Secretary of Treasury Steven T Mnuchin. During meeting both sides took stock of the efforts undertaken to further improve mutual 5. UNESCO designates Mumbai as member of cooperation on a wide range of multilateral UCCN subjects including anti-money laundering and combating financing of terrorism. Both sides not only discussed policies to stimulate growth but also deliberated on the significant steps taken by both the countries to strengthen financial sector and they also discussed capital flows investment in UNESCO has designated Mumbai as a infrastructure and deepening of financial member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network relations. (UCCN) in the field of FILM and Hyderabad in the field of GASTRONOMY. 7. Sheikh Sultan inaugurates Sharjah UCCN, created in 2004, is a network of cities International Book Fair 2019 which are thriving, active centers of cultural activities in their respective countries. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246 cities. The member cities that form part of the Network come from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations. The 38th edition of the Sharjah International They work together towards a common Book Fair (SIBF) 2019 was inaugurated by mission: placing creativity and the creative Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, economy at the core of their urban Supreme Council Member and Ruler of development plans to make cities safe, Sharjah. Nearly 1800 exhibitors from 77 resilient, inclusive and sustainable, in line with countries are participating in the Fair. The fair the United Nations 2030 Agenda for will showcase 987 activities presenting Sustainable Development. scientific, knowledge and literary themes. The 7 categories for recognition under UCCN This year‘s book fair will be carrying the are Crafts and Folk Arts, Design, Film, theme of the Sharjah World Book Capital Gastronomy, Music, Media Arts and (SWBC), ‘Open Books Open Minds‗, to Literature. Previously, 3 Indian cities were recognized as members of UCCN, namely-
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs promote books and reading across age groups not parties to the Protocol can participate in and communities. Protocol-related meetings as observers. Republic of Mexico has been declared as From 2011 the meetings have also been used the Guest of Honour at the 38th edition of to negotiate the Paris Agreement as part of the SIBF. The Fair will bring together a host of Durban platform activities until its conclusion Arab and international guests and celebrities in 2015, which created a general path towards including OrhanPamuk, the first Turkish climate action. novelist to win the 2006 Nobel Prize for The first UN Climate Change Conference was Literature; famous host Steve Harvey and the held in 1995 in Berlin. leadership guru, Robin Sharma. America‘s host, Steve Harvey, has been 9. Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri announced Sharjah International Book Fair inaugurates Temple in Kathmandu (SIBF 2019)‘s ‗Principal Guest of Honour’. Sharjah International Book Fair is an annual event and runs for 11 days.
8. Madrid to host COP 25 in December India‘s Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri inaugurated Mathadhis building for Budhanilkantha Narayan Temple in Kathmandu. Budhanilkantha Temple is situated at the foothills of Shivpuri in Kathmandu valley. The Spanish capital city of Madrid will host The shrine has probably the largest stone idol the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) of Lord Vishnu in Nepal reclining on a bed of from 2 to 13 December. The decision was Nagas or serpents in the middle of a small taken following Chile‘s stepping down as host pond. Budhanilkantha temple has great for the event due to the ongoing street protests religious and cultural significance for Hindus in the South American country. all over the world. Thousands of pilgrims and UN Climate Change Conference tourists from India and other parts of the world The United Nations Climate Change visit the temple every day. Conferences are yearly conferences held in the The newly constructed Mathadhis building in framework of the United Nations Framework the temple premises would stand as an Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). important icon of age-old cultural bond They serve as the formal meeting of the between India and Nepal. It has been UNFCCC Parties (Conference of the Parties, constructed with India‘s grant assistance of COP) to assess progress in dealing with 21.80 million Nepali rupees. climate change, and beginning in the mid- The project underlines the importance 1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to accorded by India to the preservation and establish legally binding obligations for promotion of the rich religious, cultural and developed countries to reduce their greenhouse historical heritage of Nepal. The three storey gas emissions. building will house Mathadhis and several From 2005 the Conferences have also served young monks. as the ―Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol‖ 10. 2-day BIMSTEC Conclave to be held in (CMP); also parties to the Convention that are Visakhapatnam
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China has sought to accelerate the deal as it faces slowing growth from a trade war with the U.S., which withdrew from the Trans- Pacific Partnership after Donald Trump took office in 2017. A deal would further integrate Asia‘s economies with China just as the Trump The two-day BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal administration urges Asian nations to shun initiative multi-sector technical and economic Chinese infrastructure loans and 5G cooperation) Conclave will be held on 7th and technology. 8th November at Visakhapatnam. Vizag port trust is hosting the conclave first 12. TVS Motor Chairman bags Deming award time ever since the formation of BIMSTECH in 1997. Seven-member countries that include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Srilanka, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan are participating in the conference. Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh L. Mandaviya will inaugurate the conclave. The thrust would be to discuss and share VenuSrinivasan, Chairman of TVS Motor experiences in increasing productivity, Company and Sundaram Clayton, was availing investment opportunities, conferred with the Deming ‗Distinguished development of free trade zones, development Service Award for Dissemination and of tourism and measures required for safety Promotion Overseas‘, at a ceremony held in and security. Tokyo. Ease of doing business, sharing of expertise, Srinivasan becomes the first Indian and emulation of best practices would be few industrialist from India to be bestowed with among the deliberations. this prestigious award for his contributions in the field of Total Quality Management (TQM). 11. India pulled out of RCEP Deming award The Deming Prize is the highest award for TQM in the world. Deming ‗Distinguished Service Award for Dissemination and Promotion Overseas‘ is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the dissemination and promotion of Total Quality Management (TQM) and is sponsored India conveyed its decision to exit the Regional Comprehensive Economic by Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers Partnership, or RCEP,paving the way for 15 (JUSE). other countries to sign the China-backed Candidates require recommendations from the regional trade deal next year. members of the Deming Prize Committee, and their primary activities must also be outside India had pushed the other 15 nations to address its concern over deficits and open their Japan. markets to Indian services and investments. 13. Over 11,000 scientists worldwide declare India‘s exit from the deal removes the biggest impediment to a pact meant to cover about a global climate emergency third of the global economy.
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Other ominous signs from human activities include sustained increases in per-capita meat production, global tree cover loss and number of airline passengers. There are some encouraging signs — such as decreases in global birth rates, decelerated forest loss in the Brazilian Amazon and increases in wind and solar power — but even these are tinged with worry, the scientists Declaring a global climate emergency, more noted. than 11,000 scientists from 153 countries have The decline in birth rates has slowed over the warned that ―untold suffering‖ is inevitable last 20 years, for example, and the pace of without deep and lasting shifts in human Amazon forest loss appears to be starting to activities that contribute to greenhouse gas increase again. emissions and other factors related to climate change. 14. India, Russia to form aftersales support In a paper published in the peer-reviewed groups journal Bioscience, 11,258 signatories, India and Russia agreed to form specific including 69 from India, present trends in working groups for aftersales support of key climate change and provide a set of effective defence platforms and intensify efforts to mitigating actions. finalize a cooperation programme for 2021- The declaration of a climate emergency is 2030. based on scientific analysis of more than 40 This was agreed between Defense Minister years of publicly available data covering a Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart broad range of measures, including energy use, General Sergei Shoigu at the 19th India- surface temperature, population growth, land Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on clearing, deforestation, polar ice mass, fertility Military and Military Technical Cooperation rates, gross domestic product and carbon meeting. emissions. The Russian side affirmed its readiness to The global coalition of scientists led by Ripple operationalize the joint venture lndo-Russia and Christopher Wolf from OSU point to six Rifles Private Limited for the manufacture of areas in which humanity should take world class Kalashnikov AK 203 rifles in India immediate steps to slow down the effects of a at the earliest. warming planet. In September, the two countries had signed an These are energy, short-lived pollutants, Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for nature, food, economy, and population. mutual cooperation in joint manufacturing of According to the paper, mitigating and spares, components, aggregates and other adapting to climate change while honoring the material related to Russian or Soviet-origin diversity of humans entails major defense equipment. transformations in the ways global society India is aiming for setting up 50 joint ventures functions and interacts with natural (JVs) for spares and components in the next 4- ecosystems. 5 years. Also, there is need to encourage these The scientists noted that multiple global new JVs to take advantage of the industrial assemblies in recent decades have agreed that corridors of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. urgent action is essential, but greenhouse gas As part of measures to further deepen the emissions are still rapidly rising. military exchanges between the military training institutions, Russia would depute an
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs officer for the National Defense College the score this year is the culmination of short- (NDC) course commencing 2020. term and regressive policies by successive As a special gesture, Gen. Shoigu requested governments. Years‘ worth of draconian the participation of an Indian military legislation and investment in structures that contingent in the Army Parade on the occasion stymie freedom of expression has led to an of 75th Anniversary of the victory in the environment where the internet in Pakistan is Second World War. more unsafe and less inclusive. The report observed that authorities frequently 15. Pak among worst countries for internet disrupt telecommunication services during freedom protests, elections, and religious and national holidays, often citing security concerns. During the 2018 general elections, mobile internet services were notably suspended in parts of Balochistan, and in all of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) during both the election period and in the lead- Pakistan is among the worst 10 countries in the up. world for internet and digital media freedom, Over 800,000 websites hosting political, according to a report by an internet watchdog. religious and social content remain blocked The Freedom House, an international internet while the Pakistan Telecommunication rights group released its ‗Freedom on the Net‘ Authority continued to restrict content in a (FoTN) report for the year 2019, titled ‘The nontransparent and arbitrary fashion. Crisis of Social Media’, recording an overall The report that governments around the world decline in global internet freedom between were increasingly using social media to June 2018 and May 2019. manipulate elections, monitor their citizens, The watchdog in its report placed Pakistan at tilting the technology toward digital 26, out of 100 (100 being the worst) one place authoritarianism. down from last year‘s ranking, Dawn News Since June last year 33 of the 65 countries quoted the report as saying. assessed in FoTN experienced deterioration in The country scored 5 out of 25 for obstacles to internet freedom. access, 14 out of 35 for limits on content, and 7 out of 40 for violation of user rights index. 16. Voyager 2 probe reaches interstellar space Globally, Pakistan is among the worst 10 NASA‘s Voyager 2 has become the second countries in terms of internet and digital media human-made object in history to reach the freedom. In terms of regional ranking, edge of our solar system, after the spacecraft Pakistan emerged as the third worst country exited the protective bubble of particles and after Vietnam and China. magnetic fields created by the Sun. Besides decline in internet freedom, the report Its twin, Voyager 1, crossed this boundary in found election manipulation in Pakistan 2012, but Voyager 2 — launched 41 years ago through informational tactics such as the — carries a working instrument that will coordinated use of hyper-partisan provide first-of-its-kind observations of the commentators, bots, or news sites to nature of this gateway into interstellar space. disseminate false or misleading content as well Voyager 2 now is slightly more than 18 billion as technical tactics, including intentional kilometers from Earth. restrictions on connectivity and blocking of While the probes have left the heliosphere, websites. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 have not yet left the The report for Pakistan was authored by the solar system, and won‘t be leaving anytime Digital Rights Foundation. According to DRF soon.
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Comparing data from different instruments Their five-year lifespans have stretched to 41 aboard the trailblazing spacecraft, mission years, making Voyager 2 NASA‘s longest scientists determined the probe crossed the running mission. outer edge of the heliosphere on November 5. This boundary, called the heliopause, is where 17. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan re- the tenuous, hot solar wind meets the cold, elected as President of UAE dense interstellar medium. Mission operators still can communicate with Voyager 2 as it enters this new phase of its journey, but information — moving at the speed of light — takes about 16.5 hours to travel from the spacecraft to Earth.By comparison, light travelling from the Sun takes about eight minutes to reach Earth. The UAE‘s Supreme Council of the Union has The most compelling evidence of Voyager 2‘s re-elected His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin exit from the heliosphere came from its Zayed Al Nahyan as its President for a fourth onboard Plasma Science Experiment (PLS), an five-year term, in accordance with the instrument that stopped working on Voyager 1 provisions of the UAE Constitution. in 1980, long before that probe crossed the President Sheikh Khalifa was first elected heliopause. President of the UAE by the Supreme Council Even though Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause of the Union on 3rd November, 2004. in 2012, it did so at a different place and a President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa different time, and without the PLS data. So accompanied the builder of the UAE we‘re still seeing things that no one has seen renaissance, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan before Al Nahyan, in the founding stage in the 70s Together, the two Voyagers provide a detailed and 80s of the last century. After the death of glimpse of how our heliosphere interacts with the Founding Father, he led the country and the constant interstellar wind flowing from contributed to the prosperity of the UAE, and beyond. its prominence locally and globally. NASA also is preparing an additional mission
— the upcoming Interstellar Mapping and 18. Samudra Shakti:maritime exercise Acceleration Probe (IMAP), due to launch in 2024 — to capitalize on the Voyagers‘ observations. Voyager 2 launched in 1977, 16 days before Voyager 1, and both have travelled well beyond their original destinations. The spacecraft were built to last five years and conduct close-up studies of Jupiter and Saturn. A two-day bilateral maritime exercise between However, as the mission continued, additional the navies of India and Indonesia, called flybys of the two outermost giant planets, ‗Samudra Shakti‘, concludedin Uranus and Neptune, proved possible. Visakhapatnam. As the spacecraft flew across the solar system, INS Kamorta, an Anti-Submarine Warfare remote-control reprogramming was used to Corvette, conducted joint exercises with endow the Voyagers with greater capabilities Indonesian Warship KRI UsmanHarun, a than they possessed when they left Earth. multi-role Corvette, in the Bay of Bengal off the Visakhapatnam coast.
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The joint exercises included manoeuvres, capabilities. Part of the training incorporates surface warfare exercises, air defense surface movements from ship-to-shore, where exercises, weapon firing drills, helicopter US and Indian forces will demonstrate naval operations and boarding operations. integration, advance interoperability, and The harbor phase which was conducted on exchange best practices. November 4 and 5 included professional The UNS Jalashwa, USS Germantown, INS interactions in the form of Subject Matter Airavat, and a survey vessel in a hospital ship Expert Exchanges (SMEE), cross deck visits, role will be participating in Tiger TRIUMPH. simulator drills, planning conferences, sports US and Indian forces will embark their fixtures and social interactions. counterpart‘s ships during the sea phase to become familiar with each other‘s tactics, 19. First ever US-India Tri-Services techniques, and procedures. Amphibious Exercise 20. Brazil hosting BRICS summit
About 1,200 Indian Soldiers, Sailors, and Brazil is hosting 2019 BRICS summit, this Airmen, and 500 US Marines, Sailors, and time in capital Brasilia from 13th to 14th Airmen will participate in the nine-day November. BRICS brings together five major long Tiger TRIUMP economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and Tiger TRIUMP, the first-ever Tri-Services South Africa having 23 percent of the global Amphibious Exercise between India and GDP and around 17 percent of the share in United State (US) is scheduled from world trade. November 13 to November 21 near It started off primarily with an economic Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, in Andhra aspect but has now actually diversified into the Pradesh. political, security issues, socio-economic This unique exercise will include events and issues, and also people-to-people connections. field training that simulate moving a This is Prime Minister NarendraModi‗ssecond humanitarian assistance and disaster relief visit to Brazil and his first visit after the new force from ship to shore. administration led by the president Bolsonaro The objective is to build the capacity of both assumed office on 1st January 2019. the Indian and US participants, while 2019 edition of BRICS will be its 11th improving their ability to operate together. summit, happening every year since its During Tiger TRIUMPH, defense forces from inception. India and the US will become familiar with BRICS plenary session will be held on 14th each other‘s aviation support capabilities. The Nov. Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct cross- Several rounds of security drills have been deck landings on the USS Germantown‘s conducted, both on land and in air to make it a flight deck and execute a simulated casualty successful summit which is expected to see evacuation from the shore to the acting many firsts with the launches of Innovation hospital ship. BRICS Network, BRICS Institute of Future All Tiger TRIUMPH training pertains to Network and a Women Business Alliance. developing either counter-terrorism or humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
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This year‘s BRICS will also see a major focus on counter-terrorism measures, in addition, to 22. PM Modi inaugurates Integrated Check clean energy and push to multilateralism. Post of Kartarpur Corridor About BRICKS: The term ―BRIC‖ was coined in 2001 by then- chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Jim O‘Neill, in his publication Building Better Global Economic BRICs. The foreign ministers of the initial four BRIC states (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) met in New Prime Minister NarendraModi formally York City in September 2006 at the margins of inaugurated the Integrated Check Post of the the General Debate of the UN General Kartarpur Corridor. Assembly, beginning a series of high-level Modi was accompanied by Punjab Chief meetings. A full-scale diplomatic meeting was Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Union held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on 16 June Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and 2009. HarsimratKaurBadal and actor and Gurdaspur BRICS is an association of five major lawmaker Sunny Deol at the inauguration. emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, The Integrated Check Post or the passenger India, China and South Africa. Originally the terminal building is where pilgrims will get first four were grouped as ―BRIC‖ (or ―the clearance to travel through the newly-built BRICs‖), before the induction of South Africa corridor. The check post will facilitate Indian in 2010.The BRICS members are known for pilgrims to visit GurudwaraKartapur Sahib in their significant influence on regional affairs; Pakistan. all are members of G20. The opening of the corridor, which
connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in 21. Mauritius Prime Minister PravindJugnauth Gurdaspur district of Punjab claims victory in the election to GurdwaraKartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, comes days before the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, on November 12. At Ber Sahib Gurdwara at SultanpurLodhi, PM Modi was received by former ShiromaniGurdwaraPrabandhak Committee In Mauritius, Prime Minister PravindJugnauth chief JagirKaur, who is in-charge of claimed victory in the election as official celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of preliminary results showing his alliance taking Sikhism‘s founder Guru Nanak Dev. The a comfortable lead over rivals in the Indian Prime Minister was presented a ‗siropa‘ (robe Ocean nation. of honour) by Kaur on behalf of the SGPC. Projections from the Electoral Commission Kartarpur Corridor gave a large lead to a coalition led by The Kartarpur Corridor is a border corridor Jugnauth, who took the helm of one of between Pakistan and India, connecting the Africa‘s wealthiest countries when his father Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib stepped down in 2017. (located in Punjab, India) and GurdwaraDarbar Partial results from the state-run commission Sahib (in Punjab, Pakistan). The corridor is forecasted that Jugnauth‘scenter-right intended to allow religious devotees from Morisian Alliance will win 38 of 62 possible India to visit the Gurdwara in Kartarpur, 4.7 seats in parliament.
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kilometres (2.9 miles) from the Pakistan-India NASA showcased an early version of its first border. all-electric experimental aircraft, the X-57 The Kartarpur Corridor was first proposed in “Maxwell,‖ on at its lesser-known aeronautics early 1999 by the prime ministers of India and lab in the California desert. Pakistan, AtalBihari Vajpayee and Nawaz Adapted from an Italian-made Tecnam Sharif, respectively, as part of the Delhi– P2006T twin-engine propeller plane, the X-57 Lahore Bus diplomacy. has been under development since 2015 and On 26 November 2018, the foundation stone remains at least a year away from its first test was laid down on the Indian side and after two flight in the skies over Edward Air Force Base. days, on 28 November 2018, the foundation But after attaching the two largest of 14 stone on the Pakistani side was laid down by electric motors that will ultimately propel the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. The plane – powered by specially designed lithium corridor was completed for the 550th birth ion batteries – NASA deemed the Maxwell anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on 12 ready for its first public preview. November 2019. NASA also showed off a newly built simulator that allows engineers, and pilots, to get the feel 23. Mohammad Imran appointed Bangladesh of what it will be like to maneuver the finished High Commissioner to India version of the X-57 in flight, even as the plane remains under development.
25. Iran finds new oilfield with 53 billion barrels of crude
Mohammad Imran has been appointed as the new High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India. He is currentlyBangladesh‘s Ambassador to United Arab Emirates. He succeeds Syed Muazzem Ali. The Iran has discovered a new oil field containing announcement was made by the Ministry of 53 billion barrels of crude, President Hassan Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Rouhani said, a find that would increase Iran‘s A career diplomat Muhammad Imran belongs proven reserves by over a third. to the 1986 batch of Bangladesh Civil Service The field covers 2,400 square kilometers (926 (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre. He has served square miles) and is located in Iran‘s Bangladesh Missions in different capacities in southwestern province of Khuzestan.The 80- Kolkata, Berlin, Bonn, Ottawa and Jeddah. He metre deep field stretches nearly 200 has also been Bangladesh‘s Ambassador to kilometers from Khuzestan‘s border with Iraq Uzbekistan. to the city of Omidiyeh, Rouhani. Dr Mohammad Imran is a graduate from The find would add around 34 percent to the Mymensingh Medical College. OPEC member‘s current proven reserves, estimated by energy giant BP at 155.6 billion 24. NASA showcases early version of its first barrels of crude oil. all-electric aero plane Iran is a founding member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and sits on what were already the world‘s fourth- biggest oil reserves and second-largest gas reserves.
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But it has struggled to sell its oil since US astrophysicist Sir Arthur Eddington, to President Donald Trump withdrew from a describe the maximum radiation intensity a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed star can have before that radiation causes the unilateral sanctions on Iran. star to expand. The remaining parties to the accord — Britain, This point depends strongly on the China, France, Germany and Russia — have composition of the material lying above the worked to save it by avoiding US sanctions, emission source. but their efforts have so far borne little fruit. 27. India to host Shanghai Cooperation 26. NASA detects huge X-ray burst from outer Organizationmeet in 2020 space
NASA has detected a massive thermonuclear explosion coming from outer space, caused by a massive thermonuclear flash on the surface India will host the 19th council of heads of of a pulsar — the crushed remains of a star government of the Shanghai Cooperation that long ago exploded as a supernova. Organization in 2020, the first such high level The explosion released as much energy in 20 meeting of the eight-member grouping to be seconds as the Sun does in nearly 10 days. organized by New Delhi after its admission NASA‘s Neutron Star Interior Composition into the grouping in 2017. Explorer (NICER) telescope on the It was proposed at the Tashkent meeting by International Space Station (ISS) detected a member states to India to take the initiative to sudden spike of X-rays on. hold the 2020 meetings of the heads of the The X-ray burst, the brightest seen by NICER government and India has agreed. so far, came from an object named ―J1808―. Shanghai Cooperation Organization The observations reveal many phenomena that The SCO is a China-led eight-member have never been seen together in a single burst. economic and security bloc in which India and In addition, the subsiding fireball briefly Pakistan were admitted as full members in brightened again for reasons astronomers 2017. Its founding members included China, cannot yet explain. Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan The detail NICER captured on this record- and Uzbekistan. setting eruption will help astronomers fine- The SCO has four observer states, namely tune their understanding of the physical Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia. It processes driving the thermonuclear flare-ups has six dialogue partners, namely Azerbaijan, of it and other bursting pulsars. Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri ―J1808‖ is located about 11,000 light-years Lanka. away in the constellation Sagittarius. The SCO, which has its headquarters in It spins at a dizzying 401 rotations each Beijing, holds summits of heads of states as second, and is one member of a binary system. well as heads of government meetings Its companion is a brown dwarf, an object annually in member countries. larger than a giant planet yet too small to be a The SCO holds 40 per cent of the world star. A steady stream of hydrogen gas flows population lives in its countries, which from the companion toward the neutron star, produce an aggregate GDP of more than USD and it accumulates in a vast storage structure 18 trillion, that is more than the 22 per cent of called an accretion disk. the global GDP and by 2025, it is expected to Astronomers employ a concept called the reach 38-40 per cent. ―Eddington limit‖, named after English
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India‘s membership was strongly pushed by may find himself jailed for a term up to 10 Russia, while Pakistan‘s entry into the years and he will also be required to pay grouping was backed by China. various fines. The newest legislation covers all sports and it 28. Japanese spacecraft starts year-long is believed that the recent investigation by journey home from asteroid Anti-Corruption Unit prompted this bill to be drafted. Sri Lanka‘s Sports Minister Harin Fernando presented the bill in the parliament and former skipper ArjunaRanatunga who is a now a cabinet minister supported the new legislation during parliamentary debates. After departing from a distant asteroid, Japan‘s The country‘s Sports Ministry worked closely Hayabusa2 spacecraft started its year-long with the International Cricket Council‘s (ICC) journey home after successfully completing its ACU during the process of drafting the bill. mission to bring back soil samples and data The legislation not only seeks to punish any that could provide clues to the origins of the person related to a sport who is directly solar system. involved in fixing, but also those who provide The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency says inside information. Curators who prepare the spacecraft left its orbit around the asteroid surfaces to suit betting operators or the match Ryugu, about 300 million kilometers from officials who deliberately misapply the rules Earth. for money can also face a jail term if found Hayabusa2 made two touchdowns on the guilty. asteroid and successfully collected data and It is also now illegal for former players and samples during its 1½-year mission since others involved in sports to provide corrupt arriving there in June 2018. The spacecraft is figures access to current players. The bill also expected to return to Earth in late 2020 and criminalises ―acts of omission‖, which drop a capsule containing the precious samples includes failure to report corrupt approaches. in the Australian desert. This means that Sri Lankan cricketers who are Scientists hope the samples contain carbon and approached by corruptors now have to report organic matter that could explain how they are these approaches not only to the ICC‘s ACU, related to Earth. but also to a Special Investigation Unit appointed by Sri Lanka‘s government. 29. Sri Lanka becomes nation to criminalize Recently, Bangladesh‘s all-rounder Shakib Al offences related to match-fixing Hasan was handed a two-year ban, with one year being suspended for not reporting a suspected match-fixing offer to the ICC‘s ACU. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been under investigation by the ICC‘s ACU since 2017. Former cricketer SanathJayasuriya was Sri Lanka has become the first South Asian charged under the ICC Code and he was nation to criminalize several offences related handed a two-year ban. to match-fixing as its parliament passed all three readings of a bill labeled ―Prevention of 30. Health emergency declared in Yemen over Offences Related to Sports‖. epidemics If a person is found guilty of committing an offence related to corruption in sports, then he
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs third most visited art museum in the world in 2018. 56-year-old Nita Ambani is the Founder and Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, an Indian philanthropic organization that has supported the museum since 2016, beginning with the exhibition NasreenMohamedi. Citing that the country is battling malaria and In 2017, the Museum had honoredAmbani at dengue fever, Yemen‘s health authorities The Met Winter Party, an event celebrating the declared a health emergency in the country. achievements of those who foster greater The epidemics spread over Yemeni Northern diversity and inclusion in the world of art. She provinces, including Hodeidah, Hajjah, is also a member of The Met‘s International Raymah, Mahweet, Taiz, Ibb, and Saada. Council. A total of 116,522 confirmed cases of malaria and 23,000 confirmed cases of dengue fever 32. Indian wins ‘BRICS-Young Innovator have been recorded since January. Prize’ The health sector in Yemen has been badly affected by the civil war, which allowed the spread of infectious diseases, including cholera. According to the World Health Organization Ravi Prakash, an Indian PhD scholar has won (WHO), cholera in Yemen has set the world‘s the USD 25,000 BRICS-Young Innovator record with over 1 million people being Prize for inventing an affordable indigenous infected. The disease has claimed the lives of milk chilling unit for smaller and marginal over 2,000 people since 2017. rural dairy farmers. Prakash, PhD scholar of ICAR-National Dairy 31. Nita Ambani to be board member of New Research Institute (NDRI), Bangalore, was a York’s Metropolitan Museum part of 21-member delegation sent to Brazil by the Department of Science and Technology for the 4th BRICS-Young Scientist Forum (YSF), 2019. The technology can be used for chilling milk from the point of production by bringing down the temperature of raw milk from 37C to 7C Businesswoman Nita Ambani has been elected within 30 minutes using nano-fluid based to the board of the Metropolitan Museum of phase change materials. Art in New York City, Reliance Foundation BRICS-Young Innovator Prize announced, adding that she is the first Indian The BRICS Young Innovator Prize aims to to be honored with the role of a trustee in the recognize and reward the best results related to Museum‘s 149-year-history. research, development and innovation projects The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest that represent technological innovation and a art museum in the United States, with potential contribution to the science and permanent collections consisting of works of technology sector of the BRICS countries. art from ancient Egypt, as well as scriptures It is in special recognition of young talented from nearly all the European masters. The 149- entrepreneurs and researchers, whose year old museum draws millions of visitors outstanding innovations will make a profound from across the world every year and was the impact on the socio-economic environment and conditions of life in BRICS societies.
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs BRICS then also suggested the launch of BHIM UPI BRICS is the acronym coined for an QR code-based payments internationally. association of five major emerging national MOU economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and Ashraf also witnessed the signing of a South Africa. This year‘s event is being held in memorandum of understanding between the Brasilia from November 13-14 under the Trade promotion Council of India (TPCI) and theme BRICS: Economic Growth for an the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Innovative Future. for working towards access of the TPCI dashboard to Business sans Borders (BSB). 33. BHIM UPI goes global BSB, a project conceived by MAS and Singapore‘s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), is a hub for connecting trade platforms of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). BSB is currently running a pilot with SMEs in Southeast Asia and India. Once fully rolled out, it will allow millions of As a first step towards internationalization, a SMEs across the region to reach a wider pilot demo of BHIM UPI QR-based payments market domestically and internationally and began in Singapore with a live transaction at a access ancillary services like credit facilities, merchant terminal at the FinTech Festival insurance, logistics, and legal and professional 2019. services, said the High Commission. High Commissioner of India to Singapore
Jawed Ashraf demonstrated the first 34. Lancet report transaction under the pilot run, which will More than five lakh people died prematurely in continue during the Singapore FinTech India in 2016 due to dangerous levels of Festival 2019 that is being held between outdoor air pollution and over 97,000 of them November 11 and 15. died after being exposed to pollutants from This QR code-based system would allow coal burning, a new report revealed. anyone with a BHIM app to scan the The Lancet Countdown 2019 on health and Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) at climate change also cautioned that the impact NETS terminals in Singapore for payments. of air pollution in India will worsen if the This is the first time that BHIM app has gone country does not shift from coal-based energy. international. It emphasized on rapidly decreasing coal use The project is being jointly developed by the to zero, saying it was crucial to meeting the National Payments Corporation of India commitments of the Paris Agreement. (NPCI) and the Network for Electronic Total energy supply from coal increased by 11 Transfers (NETS) of Singapore. per cent in India from 2016 to 2018 and out of It is targeted to go fully live by February 2020 over 5.29 lakh premature deaths in 2016 due to and cover thousands of terminals in Singapore, dangerous levels of outdoor fine particulate air after the Reserve Bank of India‘s approval. pollution (PM2.5), over 97,400 deaths were By February 2020, it is also expected that all from coal. RuPay cards, including domestic ones, will be The energy landscape will have to change acceptable in Singapore. drastically, and nothing short of a 7.4 per cent This is another achievement for fintech year-on-year cut in fossil carbon dioxide cooperation between India and Singapore, after emissions from 2019 to 2050 will limit global the launch of RuPay International card and warming to the more ambitious goal of 1.5 SBI‘s UPI based remittance app in May 2018 degree Celsius. by Prime Minister NarendraModi, who had
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Coal continues to be the second largest Mr. Premadasa has also resigned from his post contributor to global primary energy supply of deputy leader of United National Party (after oil) and the largest source of electricity under Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe. generation (at 38 per cent, compared with gas, Mr. Rajapaksa has got overwhelming support the next highest at 23 per cent)and most of the in majority-dominated areas of south and is growth in total primary energy supply (TPES) expected to get over 52 per cent of overall of coal has been in Asia, notably China, India, votes. and Southeast Asia. 36. Pakistan becomes first country to introduce Overall, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil new vaccine to combat typhoid fuels have risen by 2.6 per cent from 2016 to Pakistan on became the first country in the 2018, the report said. world to introduce a new typhoid vaccine in an Another global study from Switzerland, held effort to combat a drug-resistant strain of the earlier this year, revealed that China and the potentially fatal disease in the Sindh province. US may be the largest producers of coal Ongoing outbreak of an extensively drug- power, but power plants in India take the resistant typhoid fever that began in the highest toll in the world when it comes to country in November 2016. The strain of health as coal-fired power plants produce more Salmonella Typhi bacteria, which has become than just carbon dioxide, which contributes to a so-called ―superbug‖, has so far infected global warming. around 11,000 people in the country, with Coal burning also releases particulate matter, Sindh province the worst-hit. sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury According to experts, death rates among those — thus damaging the health of many people infected by the ―superbug‖ could rise around the world. dramatically to as much as 20%. The 2019 Lancet report presents an annual The vaccine, approved by the World Health update of 41 indicators across five key Organization (WHO) in 2018, will initially be domains: climate change impacts, exposures, used during a two-week immunization and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and campaign staring from November 18 to resilience for health; mitigation actions and November 30 in the urban areas of Sindh. health co-benefits; economics and finance; and Later, the government would expand it to the public and political engagement. rest of the country on the basis of a phased The report represents the findings and national introduction strategy. consensus of 35 leading academic institutions The government introduced the vaccine in and UN agencies from every continent. Sindh province in a response to an outbreak of typhoid since November 2016 which affected 35. GotabayaRajapaksa to be Sri Lanka's new a large number of children. President In 2017, 63% of typhoid cases and 70% of Mr. GotabayaRajapaksa will be sworn in as typhoid deaths in Pakistan were among new President of Sri Lanka. children aged below 15 years. This comes after he has surged ahead in the The two-week campaign, launched with the vote count for Presidential elections held. support of Geneva-based Gavi vaccine MrGotabaya is the brother of former President alliance, aims at targeting 10.1 million MahindaRajapksa and served as Defence children aged between nine months and 15 Secretary during the end of LTTE war. years in urban areas of Sindh. About 4.7 His main rival SajithPremadasa has conceded million children in the metropolis of Karachi defeat and congratulated Rajapaksa on his would also be administered the vaccine. victory. GAVI vaccine alliance is backed by several global organizations, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO, the
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs World Bank and the UNICEF, which arranges Prime Minister of Thailand, General bulk buys to lower vaccine costs for poor PrawitWongsuwan, Defence Minister of Japan countries. Taro Kono, Defence Minister of Australia TCV is a one-dose vaccine, injected Linda Reynolds and Defence Minister of New intramuscularly, that is lower in cost and has Zealand Ron Mark. higher efficacy. It is expected to provide long 39. India hosted the 8th International lasting immunity in adults, children and infants Conference on Agricultural Statistics older than 9 months of age. Union Agriculture Minister ShriNarendra Typhoid is a highly contagious disease that Singh Tomar inaugurated the event and Bill spreads quickly when people live in crowded Gates was Chief Guest. neighborhoods with weak water and sanitation The 8th International Conference on infrastructure. Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-VIII) organized by the Ministry of Agriculture in New Delhi 37. Sudarsan Pattnaik to win prestigious Italian from 18th to 21st November 2019. award for sand art The conference organized in collaboration Acclaimed Indian sand artist SudarsanPattnaik with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme has been conferred the Italian Golden Sand Art Implementation, ISI-CAS, FAO, the USDA, Award, 2019 at a ceremony in Rome, ADB, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates becoming the first Indian to win the Foundation, Eurostat, AfDB and various other prestigious award for his contribution to sand organizations. The theme of this year‘s ICAS art. is ‗Statistics for Transformation of Representing India at the International Agriculture to Achieve the Sustainable Scorrano Sand Nativity event held in Lecce Development Goals (SDGs)‘. from November 13 to 17, Mr. Pattnaik created For the first time that such an important a 10-foot high sand sculpture of Mahatma conference in the field of agriculture statistics Gandhi along with Russian artist is happening in the country and this will be a PavelMinilkov. learning opportunity for the statisticians, I have received the Italian Golden Sand Art young scientists and decision makers in India Award 2019 by Mr. Vito Maraschio the to adopt modern practices in agriculture such president of eight sculptors from different as Big Data analysis, AI, precision farming countries participated in the festival. etc. Till now, Mr. Pattnaik has participated in more than 60 international sand art festivals and 40. ICMR inks deal with US body, Gates championships around the world and has won Foundation for healthcare research many prizes for India. collaboration The event was held under the patronage of the The declaration of intent between ICMR and Puglia Region in South Italy. the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) of the National Institutes of 38. 6th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting- Health, USA and BMGF was exchanged in the Plus to be held in Thailand presence of US Ambassador Kenneth I Juster The 6th ASEAN Defence Ministers‘ Meeting- and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation co- Plus (ADMM-Plus) will be held in Bangkok, chair Bill Gates Thailand. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh The collaboration will establish a research along with 17 other Defense Ministers of fellowship programme for young scientists in ADMM-Plus countries will attend the meeting. India and US to expand research that will On the sidelines of ADMM-Plus, Rajnath advance discovery to improve clinical practice Singh today held bilateral meetings with US and benefit public health in both countries. Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, Deputy
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The initial focus of this fellowship programme The Pakistani missile test came days after is intended to engage scientists in infectious India conducted the first night trial of 'Agni-II', disease and immunology research, with an its versatile surface-to-surface medium range emphasis on diseases that affect women and nuclear-capable missile. children. The 'Agni-II' missile has a strike range of 2,000 km and is an intermediate range ballistic 41. 108th Foundation Day of ICMR missile. It has already been inducted into the During the event, which also marked the armed forces. celebration of 108th Foundation Day of ICMR, Gates presented ICMR Lifetime Achievement 43. India ranks 59 on IMD World Talent Award for Outstanding Achievement in Ranking Report Healthcare to three game changers of the India has slipped 6 places to 59 ranks on a country in the field of health. global annual list of 63 countries, due to low The awards were presented to Dr Cyrus S quality of life and expenditure on education, Poonawalla, Chairman and Managing according to the latest edition of IMD World Director, Serum Institute of India; Talent Ranking, which was topped by DrKiranMazumdar-Shaw, Chairman and Switzerland. Managing Director, Biocon India; and The ranking, which is based on the DrPrakash Baba Amte, Director, performance in three main categories -- LokBiradariPrakalp. investment and development, appeal and The awardees have been recognized for their readiness, noted that India is also lagging efforts in providing better health care to people behind fellow BRICs countries - China ranked in the country and globally through innovative 42nd on the list, Russia (47th) and South diagnostics, cost-effective life-saving tools and Africa (50th). increasing access to healthcare at the India also witnessed one of the sharpest grassroots. declines among Asian economies owing to low International Conference on Agricultural quality of life, negative impact of brain drain, Statistics and the low priority of its economy on ICAS is a series of conferences that started in attracting and retaining talents. 1998 based on overarching need for The drop is a combination of several factors agricultural data worldwide. The conference is including expenditure on education (per conducted every three years based on student) and the quality of education which overarching need for agricultural data may be linked to the GDP growth. worldwide and the last conference was held in There are other issues that have an equally Rome in 2016. important impact than GDP growth, such as the effectiveness of the health system and 42. Pak successfully test fires Shaheen-1 women's participation in the labor force. surface-to-surface ballistic missile Switzerland retained its title as the world's top Pakistan conducted a successful test launch of talent hub, while Europe leads the way in a surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of fostering the best conditions for delivering all types of warheads up to 650 competitiveness in a skills-scarce global kilometers. economy. The launch of Shaheen-I missile was held as Denmark was placed second and Sweden was part of a training exercise aimed at testing the in the third place. operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces The Top 10 was completed by Austria (4th), Command. Luxembourg (5th), Norway (6th), Iceland The Shaheen-1 missile is capable of delivering (7th), Finland (8th), the Netherlands (9th) and all types of warheads up to range of 650 KMs. Singapore (10th).
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The countries at the top of the rankings share completed by NASA and fully reveals a strong levels of investment in education and a dynamic world of dunes, lakes, plains, craters high quality of life. and other terrains. Meanwhile, China ranked in the lower half of Findings: the index. China (42nd) fell 3 places due to Titan is the only planetary body in solar low ranking on government expenditure per system other than Earth known to have stable student, cost of living index and exposure to liquid on its surface. But instead of water particle pollution. raining down from clouds and filling lakes and In Asia, Singapore, along with Hong Kong seas as on Earth, on Titan what rains down is SAR (15th) and Taiwan (20th) lead in terms of methane and ethane -- hydrocarbons that we talent competitiveness due to the readiness of think of as gases but that behave as liquids in talent pool. Titan's frigid climate. Singapore rose from 13th to 10th position Titan has an active methane-based hydrologic compared to last year, Hong Kong SAR from cycle that has shaped a complex geologic 18th to 15th, and Taiwan from 27th to 20th. landscape, making its surface one of most geologically diverse in the solar system. 44. India and Uzbekistan sign Security Despite the different materials, temperatures Cooperation Agreement and gravity fields between Earth and Titan, A delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Minister many surface features are similar between the of Internal Affairs, Mr. PulatBobojonov, met two worlds and can be interpreted as being the Indian delegation, led by Union Minister products of the same geologic processes. for Home Affairs, ShriAmit Shah, in New The map shows that the different geologic Delhi. Mr. Bobojonov is on a bilateral visit to terrains have a clear distribution with latitude, India from November 20-23, 2019. globally, and that some terrains cover far more During the meeting, the two sides discussed area than others. issues of mutual interest including bilateral NASA's Cassini, which operated between counter-terrorism cooperation, capacity 2004 and 2017 and did more than 120 flybys building and training for Uzbek security of the Mercury-size moon. Specifically, they personnel in Indian institutions, border used data from Cassini's radar imager to guarding and disaster management. penetrate Titan's opaque atmosphere of Emphasizing on India-Uzbekistan Strategic nitrogen and methane. Partnership, the Ministers welcomed increased In addition, the team used data from Cassini's cooperation between India and Uzbekistan in visible and infrared instruments, which were the area of security cooperation. able to capture some of Titan's larger geologic An Agreement on Security Cooperation features through the methane haze. between the Ministry of Home Affairs of India and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of 46. Russia is Country of Focus at IFFI 2019 Uzbekistan was also signed by the two International Film Festival of India, IFFI Ministers. The Agreement will further features a Country of Focus that brings out the strengthen cooperation between India- cinematic excellence and contributions of that Uzbekistan in the diverse fields including particular country every year and this year, the counter-terrorism, organized crime and human country of focus is Russia. trafficking. The section will showcase eight movies from Russia. 45. First global geologic map of Saturn's largest The inaugural feature film is "The Hero". The moon Titan completed film speaks about Andrey who had graduated The first map showing the global geology of from Secret Service School and later moved to Saturn's largest moon, Titan, has been Europe. Andrey's father warns him to go
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underground as the Security Forces were The National Investigation Agency is hosting looking out for him. The film brings out the the first counter-terrorism exercise for the thrilling ruthless spy game followed in Russia. ―Quad‖ countries — India, U.S, Japan and Australia — in Delhi on November 21 and 22. 47. Satya Nadella named Fortune’s ‘Business The ‗CT-TTX‘ (counter-terrorism table-top person of the Year 2019’ exercise) is first such engagement among the Microsoft‘s India-born CEO SatyaNadella has Quad countries on regional and global issues grabbed the top spot in Fortune‘s of common interest and also in the domain of ―Businessperson of the Year 2019‖ list. Other counter-terrorism and cooperation. Indian-origin CEOs in the Top 20 list are It is being conducted as the partner countries Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga (8th spot) and have resolved to take the international counter- Santa Clara, California-based computer terror offensive, preparedness, mitigation and networking company Arista‘s head synergy to the next level and therefore the JayshreeUllal (18th position). table-top exercise would be attended by CT Fortune‘s annual list features 20 business (counter-terrorism) officials and security leaders ―who tackled audacious goals, experts of the Quad countries. overcame impossible odds, found creative The exercise is to assess and validate CT solutions‖. response mechanisms in the light of emerging Nadella took over as Microsoft CEO from terrorist threats as well as to provide Steve Ballmer in 2014. opportunities to share best practices and to Under Nadella‘s leadership, Microsoft is explore areas for enhanced cooperation unstoppable. The recent $10 billion Pentagon amongst participating countries. Cloud contract win over Amazon Web Better understanding Services (AWS) is tantamount to the fact that The exercise is aimed at enabling the Nadella is hell-bent to make Microsoft the best participating countries to understand much tech company in the world. better the response systems to terror incidents For its entire fiscal year 2019, Microsoft that exist in other member countries. This will reported revenue of $125.8 billion which help in recognition of the best practices increased 14 %and $39.2 billion net income -- prevalent in respective countries. The table-top setting a new record fiscal year for the exercise also aims to further improve the inter- company. agency cooperation between different CT and Microsoft that continues to be valued as a $1 other agencies of Quad countries. trillion company returned $7.7 billion to The dialogue between the Quad countries was shareholders in the form of share repurchases initiated in 2007 and with renewed and dividends in the fourth quarter of fiscal negotiations from 2017 onwards, the first year 2019. ministerial-level dialogue among the members In the Fortune‘s list, Elizabeth Gains, CEO of was held in September this year on the Perth-based Fortescue Metals Group was at the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly. second spot, followed by CEO of Chipotle The foundation of the Quad is based on Mexican, Brian Niccol. collective effort and shared commitment on Nadella was also listed among the top 10 best- counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and performing chief executives in the world in the disaster relief, maritime security cooperation, Harvard Business Review (HBR) list in development finance, and cyber security October. among the four democratic nations.
48. NIA to host counter-terrorism exercise for 49. Microsoft launches 'K-12 Education Quad countries Transformation Framework
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Microsoft has launched its "K-12 Education Projectile, 5"/54 MK 92 MOD 1 Ammunition" Transformation Framework" to facilitate including other ammunition, spare parts, comprehensive digital transformation of personnel training and equipment training, schools in India, a model which has been publications and technical data, transportation, adopted in over 50 countries so far, the U.S. Government and contractor technical company said on Thursday. assistance and other related logistics support. The framework comprises four pillars -- This proposed sale will support the foreign leadership and policy, modern teaching and policy and national security of the United learning, intelligent environments and States by improving the security of a strategic technology blueprint. regional partner and it will improve India's To help school principals initiate their journey capability to meet current and future threats of digital transformation, the programme will from enemy weapon systems. offer a series of workshops based on each of The MK-45 Gun System will provide the these pillars. Education leaders in more than capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and 50 countries have already adopted the anti-air defense missions while enhancing framework to help plan their learning interoperability with the U.S. and other allied strategies. forces. India will use the enhanced capability The future of learning will be profoundly as a deterrent to regional threats and to social, personalized, and supported by teachers strengthen its homeland defense and technology. This change starts with The principal contractor will be BAE Systems schools creating flexible environments that Land and Armaments, Minneapolis, Minnesota empower students to learn skills important in with gun manufacturing in Louisville, life and work such as communication, Kentucky. creation, using technologies, working in teams, problem solving and resilience. 51. UK, India scientists collaborate on clean air The framework is aimed at providing solutions for Delhi education leadership, government decision Atmospheric scientists from the UK and India makers, teachers and most importantly have partnered to tackle chronic air pollution, learners, tools to achieve the ambitious change which is impacting the health of more than 20 many schools seek, and to thoughtfully million people in Delhi. integrate technology in powerful and The Indian capital, one of the country‘s most productive ways. densely populated metropolises, has some of Over 700 schools had participated in the the worst air pollution of any city in the world. "Education Days" conducted by the tech giant Air quality experts from the University of where the framework was launched. Manchester partnered with their counterparts from the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences 50. US approves sale of 13 naval guns worth $1 (IMES), the Indian Institute of Tropical billion to India Meteorology (IITM) and the Indian Institute United States has approved the sale of 13 of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) to help drive MK45 Naval guns and related equipment for science-based policy changes. an estimated cost of $1.0210 billion to India. Their new, and ongoing, study will further The Defense Security Cooperation Agency identify the causes behind the pollution crisis delivered the required certification notifying and inform ongoing and future policy before Congress of this possible sale on November analyzing the effectiveness of the 19, 2019. interventions. India had requested to "buy up to thirteen (13) Air pollution in Delhi is linked to a range of MK 45 5 inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) naval guns factors, including heavy traffic, burnt waste and three thousand five hundred (3,500) D349 and dusty air in pre-monsoon season. Crop
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs burning is a very important source at the end than in 2017 and 53 per cent lower than its of the growing season. Pollution impacts are peak in 2009. similarly wide-ranging: lung damage, heart This trend indicates that terror attacks in India disease, cognitive impairment and other are becoming steadily less bloody. In 1998, conditions have been associated with poor about 4.3 people were killed in each attack. quality of air. That dropped to 1.6 deaths per attack in 2008, One of the key measures for determining the and 0.5 in 2018. "In 2018 alone, 69 per cent of true extent of Delhi‘s current pollution attacks had zero fatalities and 22 per cent had problem will be to measure particulate matter one fatality", says the report. concentrations across the city. This detail will With the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) build a picture of the sum-total of all under pressure and in retreat, the world‘s hazardous solid and liquid particles suspended deadliest terrorist group is now the Taliban in in the air. Afghanistan, which accounted for 38 per cent Scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical of all deaths in 2018. Meteorology have already developed the ISIS had been the deadliest group each year SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather since 2013. At third place is the Khorasan Forecasting and Research) for advanced air Chapter of the Islamic State, which is active in quality forecasting for Delhi. Afghanistan and Pakistan and is now surfacing The SAFAR system has recently developed in India. At fourth place is the deadly Nigerian ultrahigh resolution (400 m2) emission group, Boko Haram. inventory for Delhi which accounted 26 Jammu & Kashmir is India‘s region most sources and concluded that the transport sector impacted by terrorism in 2018, with 321 is the most dominant sector contributing 41% attacks, resulting in 123 deaths, most of which in total particulate matter concentration. were perpetrated by the HizbulMujahideen The industrial sector has been found to be the (HM), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar- second most dominating factor contributing e-Taiba (LeT). 22.3%. The contributions from power sector, India‘s second most impacted region was biofuel sector, re-suspended dust and others Chhattisgarh, in the centre of the communist are found to be 3%, 5.7%, 18% and 11.7% "red corridor". Chhattisgarh suffered 138 respectively. attacks in 2018, resulting in 123 deaths, all from Maoist extremists. While there were far 52. India seventh-most affected by terror, but fewer attacks than in Kashmir, the death toll in attacks becoming less bloody Chhattisgarh is identical. With 350 Indians killed and 540 injured in 748 In the 2019 Global Terrorism Index, terrorist incidents in 2018, India is at seventh worldwide deaths from terrorism fell for the place in a global think tank‘s list of countries fourth consecutive year after peaking in 2014, most affected by terrorism. when 33,555 people were killed in terror- The annual report by the Sydney-based related incidents. Since then, the number of Institute for Economics and Peace states that deaths has steadily decreased to 15,952 in the the country most affected by terrorism in 2018 current year. was Afghanistan (7,379 killed), displacing Iraq This decline was not uniform across countries. (1,054 killed) as the deadliest country. Iraq, 98 countries reported fewer terror-related now at second place, is followed by Nigeria, deaths, with Europe recording an improvement Syria, Pakistan and Somalia, in that order. of 70 per cent — its lowest number of The report states that 8,473 Indians have died incidents since 2012. since 2001 at the hands of terrorists. However, the 2018 death count was 10 per cent lower 53. India, Japan hold mine counter measure exercise
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A maiden bilateral exercise between the Indian physical activity per day – including 85 per Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense cent of girls and 78 per cent of boys. Force (JMSDF) on explosive ordnance Among 146 countries, the lowest levels of disposal and mine counter measure was insufficient physical activity in boys were undertaken. found in Bangladesh, India and USA. In 2016, Personnel of the Indian Navy and from the Philippines was the country with the highest warships Bungo and Takashima of JMSDF‘s prevalence of insufficient activity among boys Minesweeper Division 3 took part in the (93 per cent), whereas South Korea showed exercise. highest levels among girls (97 per cent) and The Japanese vessels are in Kochi till both genders combined (94 per cent). November 25 on a goodwill visit. Authors of the study to be published in The Captain Seiji Ikubu, who commands the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health on have Minesweeper Division 3, along with Captain noted that the lower levels of insufficient Taiko Eda, DefenceAttache at the Japanese physical activity in Bangladesh and India Embassy in India, and the commanding (where 63 per cent and 72 per cent of boys officers of the visiting vessels called on Rear were insufficiently active in 2016, Admiral R.J. Nadkarni, Chief of Staff of respectively) may be explained by the strong India‘s Southern Naval Command, for focus on national sports like cricket. discussions on topics of interest to both forces. The US rates (64 per cent) may be driven by good physical education in schools, pervasive 54. India ranks 8th in WHO study on physical media coverage of sports, and good activity availability of sports clubs (such as ice hockey, According to data pooled fromWHO study on American football, basketball, or baseball). physical activity 298 school-based surveys The study also finds across all 146 countries across 146 countries including 1·6 million studied between 2001-2016 girls were less students aged 11–17 years. More than four in active than boys in all but four (Tonga, Samoa, five school-going adolescents aged 11–17 Afghanistan and Zambia). The difference in years were insufficiently physically active in the proportion of boys and girls meeting the 2016. recommendations was greater than 10 The assessment included all types of physical percentage points in almost one in three activity, such as time spent in active play, countries in 2016 ( 43 of 146 countries), with recreation and sports, active domestic chores, the biggest gaps seen in the United States of walking and cycling or other types of active America and Ireland (more than 15 percentage transportation, physical education and planned points). Most countries in the study (107 of exercise. 146) saw this gender gap widen between 2001- A cricket-loving nation has now got the World 2016. Health Organization (WHO) stamp of approval for the sport! India is among the top ten 55. New vaccine for diarrhea passes ranking countries with the lowest level of A potential vaccine against diarrhea has been insufficient physical activity among proven safe and effective in an early stage adolescents. Bangladesh tops the list while clinical trial carried out in Bangladesh. USA‘s adolescents figure fourth on the list of The study, published in the journal The Lancet 146 countries. India is ranked eighth with Infectious Diseases, studied the safety and overall prevalence of insufficient physical effectiveness of an oral, inactivated vaccine activity in adolescents at 73.9 per cent. candidate -- ETVAX -- against toxin- More than 80 per cent of school-going producing E. coli bacteria which caused adolescents globally did not meet current diarrhea. recommendations of at least one hour of
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According to the researchers, including those internationally renowned architect of from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, Bangladesh Saif Ul Haque to design the the specific type of the bacteria are the primary school. cause of diarrhea, leading to substantial illness He took up the project and came with a school and death in children in low- and middle- which has won many prestigious awards income countries (LMICs) as well as in including the Aga Khan award. It is a floating travellers to LMICs. school named ‗The Arcadia Education The scientists selected 450 infants and children Project‘. in Bangladesh between six months to five The Arcadia Education Project years of age as participants for the study. ‗The Arcadia Education Project‘ in South The vaccine used in the study consisted of Kanarchor of Bangladesh is an innovative inactivated E. coli bacteria expressing high concept. It is an amphibious school built with levels of proteins that triggered the immune local material and expertise near the capital reaction, and a subunit protein called 'LCTBA'. city Dhaka. The floating school is unique in its The children were administered the vaccine design and novel in its concept. The school either alone or together with different doses of also serves as a shelter, a day care centre and a an immunity boosting agent called an adjuvant vocational training center for the local people. to assess the vaccine's safety and effectiveness. The project involved construction of a school They found that the vaccine induced serum in an area which is under water during the and intestinal immune responses in the monsoon months. The architect of the project participants. Saif Ul Haque designed a school which The study noted that 80-100 per cent of the remains on the ground during dry season and children between two and five years of age, floats on water when the area is submerged in and 50-80 per cent of infants between six and water during monsoon. eleven months of age responded to all key He utilized only the local material-bamboo, immunity generating components of the used tires and steel drums for constructing the vaccine. amphibious structure for school. The The researchers said the vaccine along with the workforce and artisans for the project were adjuvant enhanced the magnitude, breadth, and also drawn locally. kinetics of the intestinal immune responses in The project has been lauded for its infants. contribution to improve the lives of rural students coming from poor families. The 56. Floating school project in Bangladesh wins school provides an open, connected space to Aga Khan Architecture Award provide a conducive atmosphere for the An innovative project for constructing a children. floating school for marginalized children in The architect of the project Saif Ul Haque is Bangladesh has been awarded the prestigious credited with many remarkable architectural Aga Khan Architecture Award 2019. works in Bangladesh. BRAC Training Center Bangladesh is a land of water. A large part of in Faridpur, Banchte Shekha Center in Jessore, its landscape remains submerged under water Camp house for French Archaeological during the monsoon months. When Razia Mission in Bogra and Govinda Gunalanker Alam came back from England after retirement Hostel in Chittagong are some of his important as teacher, she wanted to build a school for works. He has delivered lectures and taught in children which is spacious, modern and various course at Dhaka, ETH Zurich, healthy for learning. Switzerland and University of Pennsylvania, She also wanted it to be built at a land which USA. was under water for about six months of the His writings on architecture and city have been year during monsoon period. She contacted the published in Bangladesh and abroad. His
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs books include Pundranagar to climate change which has resonated with Sherebanglanagar: Architecture in Bangladesh schoolchildren across the world. (1997) and Sherebanglanagar: Louis I. Kahn Cameroonian peace activist Divina Maloum, and the making of a Capital Complex (2002). aged 15, also received the International Children's Peace Prize, awarded by the Dutch KidsRight organization, which has been 57. Aga Khan Award for Architecture handing out the prize since 2005. The Aga Khan Award for Architecture The children's peace prize is linked to a (AKAA) is an architectural prize established 100,000 euro grant which is invested in by Aga Khan IV in 1977. It aims to identify projects linked to the winners' causes. and reward architectural concepts that Previous winners of the award include Malala successfully address the needs and aspirations Yousafzai, a Pakistani schoolgirl who of Muslim societies in the fields of campaigned for girls' right to education. contemporary design, social housing, Greta Thunberg community development and improvement, Greta Thunberg (born 3 January 2003) is a restoration, reuse and area conservation, as Swedish environmental activist on climate well as landscape design and improvement of change whose campaigning has gained the environment. international recognition. The award is associated with the Aga Khan Thunberg first became known for her activism Trust for Culture (AKTC), an agency of the in August 2018 when, at age 15, she began Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). spending her school days outside the Swedish The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is parliament to call for stronger action on global presented in three-year cycles and has a warming by holding up a sign saying (in monetary prize totaling US$1 million that is Swedish) "School strike for the climate". Soon, shared by multiple winning projects. It other students engaged in similar protests in recognizes projects, teams, and stakeholders in their own communities. Together, they addition to buildings and people. organized a school climate strike movement under the name Fridays for Future. After 58. 25 November: International Day for the Thunberg addressed the 2018 United Nations Elimination of Violence against Women Climate Change Conference, student strikes The United Nations General Assembly has took place every week somewhere in the world designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against 60. Last Sumatran rhino in Malaysia dies Women (Resolution 54/134). The premise of The Sumatran rhinoceros has become extinct the day is to raise awareness of the fact that in Malaysia, after the last of the species in the women around the world are subject to rape, country succumbed to an illness. domestic violence and other forms of violence; Rhino, named Imanwas 25 years old, died of furthermore, one of the aims of the day is to natural causes due to shock in her system. She highlight that the scale and true nature of the had uterine tumours since her capture in March issue is often hidden. 2014. 2019 Theme:"Orange the World: Sabah authorities have said they hope to Generation Equality Stands Against Rape". collaborate with Indonesia to reproduce the critically endangered species through artificial 59. Greta Thunberg awarded international insemination. children's peace prize The Sumatran rhino, the smallest of five Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg was rhinoceros species, once roamed across Asia as awarded an international children's peace far as India, but its numbers have shrunk prize, for her work in the struggle against drastically due to deforestation and poaching.
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The WWF conservation group estimates that partnership. It will help identify new areas for there are only about 80 left, mostly living in forging strategic engagement and will define the wild in Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. the goals to be achieved and benefits to be The International Union for the Conservation derived. of Nature identifies the Sumatran as well as Benefits the Black and Javan rhinoceros as being The proposal aims to benefit the citizens with critically endangered. Both African and improved economic and commercial linkages Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the with Saudi Arabia irrespective of any gender, others have a single horn. class or income bias. Only about 24,500 rhinos survive in the wild This Agreement with Saudi Arabia will open with another 1,250 in captivity worldwide, the new avenues of partnership in strategic areas IUCN says. Of these, more than two-thirds are like defense, security counter-terrorism, energy white rhinos. security and renewable energy. Rhinos are killed for their horns, which consist of keratin similar to human hair and nails and 63. Cabinet approves Agreement between Chile are used in traditional medicines in parts of for avoidance of double taxation Asia. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister ShriNarendraModi approved the signing of the 61. Saudi Arabia elected to UNESCO’s World Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement Heritage Committee (DTAA) and Protocol between the Republic of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, member state India and the Republic of Chile for the of the United Nations Educational, Scientific elimination of double taxation and the and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was prevention of fiscal evasion and avoidance elected to the World Heritage Committee for with respect to taxes on income. the first time, days after winning the Major impact: membership in the UNESCO Executive Board. The DTAA will facilitate elimination of Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minister double taxation. Clear allocation of taxing of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, rights between Contracting States through the who is also Chairman of the National Agreement will provide tax certainty to Committee for Education, Science and investors & businesses of both countries while Culture, said that the Kingdom's election to the augmenting the flow of investment through World Heritage Committee shows the fixing of tax rates in source State on interest, international community's confidence in the royalties and fees for technical services. Kingdom's standing and supportive role for The Agreement and Protocol implements preserving the world heritage. minimum standards and other recommendations of G-20 OECD Base 62. Cabinet approves establishment of Strategic Erosion Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project. Partnership Council Inclusion of Preamble Text, a Principal The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Purpose Test, a general anti-abuse provision in ShriNarendraModi approved Post Facto the the Agreement along with a Simplified Agreement signed by Prime Minister on 29th Limitation of Benefits Clause as per BEPS October, 2019 for establishment of Strategic Project will result in curbing of tax planning Partnership Council between India and Saudi strategies which exploit gaps and mismatches Arabia. in tax rules. The Agreement will enable the leadership at Implementation Strategy and Targets: the highest-level in both countries to meet After Cabinet approval, necessary formalities regularly and monitor progress in the ongoing for bringing the Agreement and Protocol into initiatives/projects under the strategic force will be completed. Implementation
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would be watched and reported by the The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Ministry. Minister ShriNarendraModi has given ex-post facto approval for the MoUs between India and Saudi Arabia in the field of combating 64. Cabinet approves India-Myanmar illicit trafficking and smuggling of Narcotic agreement to prevent human trafficking Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Chemical The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved Precursors. the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Benefits: signed between India and Myanmar on The MoU shall facilitate and enhance the enhancing bilateral cooperation between each cooperation between the two countries in other for prevention of trafficking in persons. combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of The agreement will also strengthen the narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and friendship between the two Asian countries chemical precursors, as defined by the United and to increase bilateral cooperation on the Nations international Drug Control issues of prevention, rescue, recovery and Conventions. repatriation related to human trafficking. Under the MoU, there is a provision for the It will strengthen cooperation to prevent all exchange of relevant information as well as forms of human trafficking ensure a speedy methods, identities and suspicious activities of investigation and prosecution of traffickers and producers, smugglers and traffickers of organized crime syndicates in either country. narcotic drugs, details of trafficking of NDPS The agreement will further strengthen and Precursors Chemicals on requisitions and immigration and border controls cooperation financial details of the traffickers arrested on and implementation of strategies with relevant drug related charges. ministries and organizations to prevent Under the MoU, there is also a provision for trafficking in persons. notification of the details of the arrested citizen It will also set up working groups and task of the other Party for committing the crime of force to make efforts to prevent human illicit trafficking or smuggling of narcotic trafficking and organize capacity building drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical programmes for the agencies concerned of precursors and consular access to the arrested both countries. person. Human Trafficking has national as well as The MoU also provides for exchange of international ramifications. The complex chemical reports/analysis of narcotic drug, nature of human trafficking calls for a psychotropic substances and chemical precures multidimensional strategy in tackling it at the seized within the territory of either party and domestic, regional and international level. data/information about illegal laboratories of Being global in scope, international narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and cooperation and collaboration is essential to chemical precures and their technical check human trafficking. specifications. Strengthening cooperation between border Background control agencies and the establishment of Illegal Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade. direct channels of communication between Massive production and circulation of drugs India and Myanmar can be an effective tool in through various convenient routes especially countering trafficking in persons and through Afghanistan is paving ways for high promoting cross-border and regional consumption of drugs amongst youth thus cooperation. creating a negative impact on public health and adding to criminalization of the society. 65. Cabinet approves MoUs signed between Drug trafficking has also provided funding for India and Saudi Arabia insurgency and terrorism in various regions
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs throughout the world. Narco-terrorists and international criminal organizations that thrive on the illegal drug trade now threaten the security of many nations. Sports 1. Rohit Sharma becomes 1st Indian male cricketer to play 100 T20I Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar has won India‘s second gold defending his World Para Athletics Championships title in the men‘s F46 javelin throw event in Dubai. With this, India has secured three Tokyo Paralympic Games quota, along with the bronze winner Ajeet Singh and Rinku. Stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma became the Gurjar came up with his season‘s best effort of first Indian man and second in world cricket to 61.22m to claim the top spot. Singh sent the complete 100 T-20 Internationals. spear to a distance of 59.46m to clinch the He reached the milestone when he led the team bronze while Rinku finished fourth. in the second match against Bangladesh at the While, YogeshKathuniya added silver for Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. India in men‘s discus throw F56 event with a Shoaib Malik with 111 games from Pakistan is best throw of 42.05m. the only player to have played more than 100 India now has two gold, two silver and a T20 Internationals. bronze in the Championships. Rohit is currently the top-scorer in this format with 2452 runs with regular skipper ViratKohli 4. KentoMomotawins china open second in the list with an aggregate of 2450 runs. Rohit has scored the runs at a strike-rate of 136.67 with four hundreds and 17 half- centuries.
2. India to host 2023 Men’s Hockey World KentoMomota won his 10th title as Japan‘s Cup world number one defeated Taiwan‘s world India will host the 2023 Men‘s Hockey World number two Tien-chen to retain his Fuzhou Cup from 13th to 29th of January. Making this China Open Badminton crown on Sunday. announcement, the International Hockey Momota battled past Chou 21-15, 17-21, 21-18 Federation (FIH) said India will play host to at Fuzhou. the men‘s tournament. Home hope Chen Yufei similarly successfully While Spain and the Netherlands have been defended the women‘s title with a victory over named as the co-hosts of the 2022 Women‘s Japan‘s NozomiOkuhara. World Cup scheduled to be held from 1st to Chen lost the first game 21-9 to Okuhara but 22nd of July. The decisions were made during recovered to lift the Fuzhou title for the second FIH‘s Executive Board Meeting in Lausanne, year in a row by winning the next two 21-12, Switzerland. 21-18. Okuhara has now lost all six finals, she has contested this year. 3. Sundar Singh wins gold in World Para Athletics Championships 5. India record medal haul at World Para Athletics Championship
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India has recorded the best-ever nine medals Greek tennis player StefanosTsitsipas has won haul at the World Para Athletics the ATP Finals beating Austria's Dominic Championship in Dubai. Thiem 6-7, 6-2, 7-6. This was the debut of With two gold, two silver and five bronze, Tsisipas in ATP Finals. The match was held at India secured 13 qualifying spots at the Tokyo the O2 Arena in London, lasted for 2 hours 2020 Paralympics. Until this edition, London and 36 minutes. 2017 had been India's best-ever show where Tsitsipas had qualified for the finals after the para-athletes finished with five medals in defeating six-time champion Roger Federer in the joint 34th place. the semi-finals. Asian Para Games 2018 champion javelin ATP thrower SandeepChaudhary in F64 category The ATP (Association of Tennis won the Gold for India. In the same event, Professionals)Finals is the second highest tier India had its single two podium finish with of annual men's tennis tournament after the SumitAntil taking the silver (62.88m). four Grand Slam tournaments. Another gold came from Sundar Singh Gurjar A week-long event, the tournament is held who defended his Worlds title in men's javelin annually each November at the O2 Arena in F46 category with a season's best distance of London, United Kingdom. In 2021 it will 61.22 meters. move to Turin, Italy. The ATP Finals are the Seasoned high jumper Sharad Kumar claimed season-ending championships of the ATP Tour the other silver medal for India, clearing the and feature the top eight singles players and bar at a season-best 1.83 meters in men's high doubles teams of the ATP Rankings. The jump T63 finals. tournament was first held in 1970, although it China topped the medals tally with 59 medals was known under a different name. including 25 gold. Brazil (39) and Great Roger Federer holds the record for the most Britain (28) followed China. The USA ended singles titles with six, while Peter Fleming and fourth with 34 medals. Russia, participating in John McEnroe hold the record for the most the championships for the first time since the doubles titles with seven. 2016 doping ban, was sixth with 41 medals. Recent Grand Slam tournaments winners in 2019: 6. Sarita Devi elected as member of AIBA Tournaments Men Singles Women Singles athletes commission Austalian open Novak Naomi Osaka LaishramSarita Devi of Manipur is among the Djokovic six boxers from 5 continents who were elected French open Rafael Nadal Ashleigh Barty as members of AIBA Athletes Commission (international Boxing Association). Wimbeldon Novak SimonaHalep LaishramSarita Devi was inspired by Djokovic Muhammad Ali's achievements, and turned US open Rafael Nadal Bianca professional in boxing in the year 2000. She is Andreeschu DSP in Manipur Police. The election of the Athletes Commission 8. First ever pink ball Test match between members was organized during AIBA Men India and Bangladesh and Women World Boxing Championships The first ever pink ball Test match between 2019 in Russia. Boxers from all over the world India and Bangladesh will begin at the Eden nd voted for new members - one per continent, Gardens in Kolkata on 22 November. The except Europe which has two representatives. second test of the two-match series against Bangladesh will also be a historic Day-night 7. StefanosTsitsipas beats Dominic Thiem to Test. The play will begin at 1 PM. Pink balls win ATP Finals title
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NOVEMBER-2019 JNANAGANGOTHRI Monthly Current Affairs will be used in place of red balls for better Austalian open Novak Naomi Osaka visibility under lights. Djokovic Both the Indian and Bangladeshi teams have French open Rafael Nadal Ashleigh Barty undergone sessions in Indore to get used to the Wimbeldon Novak SimonaHalep pink ball. The City of Joy is going to achieve Djokovic another record when first ever day and night Test Cricket match will be played with pink US open Rafael Nadal Bianca ball. Andreeschu The Bangladeshi Prime Minister SaikhHasina, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee 10. India bag 28 medals gold in U-15 Asian will inaugurate the match by ringing bell at Wrestling C’ships one of the biggest stadium of the country, the In wrestling, India concluded its campaign at Eden Gardens in presence of BCCI President the Under-15 Asian Championships with 28 SouravGanguly and others. medals, including 13 gold, 14 silver and a Both the team have already reached in Kolkata bronze. The superb show by Indian grapplers and had net practices at the Eden Gardens. The continued as they won 5 gold on the last day at entire stadium has been decorated with pink Taichung, China. Led by 2019 Cadet World colour. Sourav unveiled the official mascots of Championships bronze medalist Deepak the event Pinku-Tinku. Chahal, the freestyle grapplers captured four Eight of the 12 Test-playing nations have had gold while one gold came in the Greco-Roman a stint with the pink ball. India is the only category. major Test-playing nation to have not played a While Chahal won the gold in 75kg, Vishal in day-night Test while Bangladesh, too, will also 62kg, SagarJaglan in 68kg and Jatin in 85kg be making their debut with the pink ball. were the others who finished on the top podium. Sagarwas down 1-6 against 9. Rafael Nadal clinches sixth Davis Cup title BexultanovYerkhan of Kazakhstan before In tennis, world number one Rafael Nadal has making a remarkable turnaround in the last 20 clinched sixth Davis Cup title for Spain after seconds to win the bout 7-6. Harsh remained beating Denis Shapovalov of Canada in front unbeatable in 44 kg category of Greco Roman. of a jubilant home crowd in Madrid. Nadal For the first time, India finished on top of the defeated Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) to clinch team rankings in freestyle category with 225 Spain‘s 2-0 win against Canada. points as all 10 wrestlers finished on the Earlier, compatriot, Roberto Bautista Agut put podium. Kazakhstan finished second while Nadal in position to clinch the trophy with a 7- Japan was third. 6, 6-3 win against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the opener. 11. Deepika bags gold, Ankita wins silver in The world number one has won all eight of his Asian archery rubbers this week to help Spain to a first title Indian archers DeepikaKumari and since 2011. In 2010 Nadal won three majors, AnkitaBhakat won the gold and silver medals but the 33-year-old will likely look back on in the women's individual recurve event of the 2019 as an extraordinary year as he won the 21st Asian Championships in Bangkok. French Open and the US Open, made the Deepika defeated Ankita 6-0 in the one-sided Australian Open final and also reached the final. The duo had earlier secured an individual Wimbledon semifinals. Olympic quota for the country by storming Recent Grand Slam tournaments winners in into the semifinals of the event. 2019: Tournaments Men Singles Women Singles 11. Sports Ministry constitutes committee to review Draft National Sports Code
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Sports Ministry has constituted a 13-member expert committee to review the Draft National Sports Code. The expert committee will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Mukundakam Sharma. Former sports persons GaganNarang, BhaichungBhutia, Anju Bobby George and national badminton coach PulellaGopichand are part of the panel. Boxing Federation president Ajay Singh, KhoKho Federation president Sudhanshu Mittal, Athletics Federation president AdilleSumariwala and Weightlifting Federation president B P Baishya have been included in the committee. The panel will also feature a representative from the Indian Olympic Association. Director General Sports Authority of India or his representative and Dr A Jayathilak, Principal Secretary Sports in Government of Kerala will be the other members of the panel. Joint Secretary (Sports) will be the coordinator in the committee. The panel has been formed to suggest measures to make the Sports Code acceptable to all the stakeholders. It will try to strike a balance between the autonomy of National Sports Federations vis-a-vis need for transparency and autonomy.
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