www.gradeup.co w 1 www.gradeup.co Current Affairs Year Book 2018 PDF Dear readers, This PDF is a complete docket of important Current Affairs news and events that occurred in the year 2018. This file is important and relevant for all competitive exams like UPSC, BPSC, UPPSC, Other PCS, State and other Govt. Exams. Schemes Launched by Union/State Govt. December 1. SC introduced Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 in pilgrimage every year, the expenses for which India will be borne by the government. • The Supreme Court (SC) introduced a witness 3. Jammu & Kashmir Govt. launches AB-PMJAY Scheme protection regime in the country noting that one • Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik of the main reasons for witnesses turning hostile launched the ambitious “Ayushman Bharat- is that they are not given security by the State. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)” • It also announced that the Witness Protection scheme which would benefit over 31 lakh Scheme, 2018 will come into effect immediately residents in the state. across all States. • The governor distributed golden cards among 10 • This scheme is aimed at enabling a witness to eligible beneficiaries for availing the annual depose fearlessly and truthfully, would be the health cover facility, marking the launch of the law of the land till Parliament enacted suitable scheme in the state. legislation. 4. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana • The Witness Protection Scheme 2018 was • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is a framed by the Central government based on the conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant inputs received from 18 States/Union and lactating women of 19 years of age or above. Territories, 5 States Legal Services Authorities • The scheme is launched by the Ministry of and open sources including civil society, three Women and Child Development Government of High Courts and police personnel, as well. India. 2. Delhi Govt. launches Free Pilgrimage Scheme for • The programme, which became applicable from Senior Citizens January 1, 2017 provides a cash incentive of Rs • Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched 5,000 in three instalments to pregnant women the 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana' which and lactating mothers for the first child through offers free travel packages for senior citizens Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT). from Delhi to five religious circuits. 5. PRASAD Scheme of Ministry of Tourism • Under this free pilgrimage scheme, a Delhi • The Centre has included Gangotri and Yamunotri resident above 60 years will be eligible to take in Uttrarakhand, Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh free pilgrimage along with his or her spouse. and Parasnath in Jharkhand under a central • 1100 senior citizens from each Assembly scheme to develop pilgrimage and heritage Constituency would now undertake free destinations in the country. 2 www.gradeup.co • With the new additions, the number of sites • Under the scheme ‘Prasad’, the Ministry of under the PRASAD scheme has now become 41 Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance in 25 states. (CFA) to State Governments/Union Territory • The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Administrations for development and Tourism in 2014-15. beautification of the identified pilgrimage • PRASAD stands for -Pilgrimage Rejuvenation destinations. and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive. November 1. Ministry of HRD launches faculty development • The objective is to prepare second tier academic programmes - LEAP & ARPIT heads who are potentially likely to assume • A unique initiative of online professional leadership roles in the future. development of 15 lakh higher education faculty About ARPIT programme using the MOOCs platform SWAYAM, Annual • ARPIT is a 40-hour module with 20 hours of Refresher Programme in Teaching (ARPIT) video content offered in a highly flexible format was launched on 13th Nov. and can be done at one’s own pace and time. • The ministry of human resource development • There are built-in assessment exercises and also launched Leadership for Academicians activities as part of the academic progression in Programme (LEAP) which will be implemented the course. through 15 top institutions like IITs, TISS, DU, • At the end of the course, they will be a terminal JNU and IISERs and also include a week training assessment which can be either online or a in a foreign campus of the likes of Harvard written examination. University, Oxford University, Purdue University • All faculties who have successfully completed the and NTU Singapore, among others. online refresher course will be certified. 2. Eight States achieve 100% household electrification About LEAP programme under Saubhagya scheme • LEAP is a three-week flagship leadership • 8 States which achieved 100% household development training programme (two-weeks electrification under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli domestic and one-week foreign training for Har Ghar Yojana - Saubhagya scheme are Madhya second level academic functionaries in public Pradesh, Tripura, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, funded higher education institutions. Mizoram, Sikkim, Telangana and West Bengal. • LEAP programme will be offered by 15 NIRF top • With this, total 15 States in India have 100 per ranked Indian Institutions namely, IIT Roorkee, cent household electrification. IIT Kanpur, NIT Trichy, Indian Institute of • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Rs Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, 16320-Crore ‘Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi, Ghar Yojana'- Saubhagya on September 25, 2017 IIT Bombay and TISS Mumbai, among others. to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. • The scheme aims to achieve the goal of universal Objective of LEAP household electrification in the country by March 31, 2019. 3 www.gradeup.co 3. Gujarat tops in implementing Ayushman Bharat (CSIF)’ created by the National Cooperative • Gujarat has emerged as the top performer of the Development Corporation (NCDC). Centre’s ambitious health financing scheme - 7. CCEA approves ACROSS scheme Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya • Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired Cabinet Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which was launched on Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) has September 23, promises health coverage of Rs 5 approved continuation of nine sub-schemes of lakh per family to over 10 crore poor families. umbrella scheme “Atmosphere & Climate • Over 3.4 lakh beneficiaries have been treated Research-Modelling Observing Systems & under the scheme since its launch until Services (ACROSS)” during 2017-2020. November 24, according to the National Health • The scheme aims at improving skill of weather Agency. and climate forecast through sustained • Tamil Nadu ranked second at 54,273 hospital observations, intensive Research & and Chattisgarh third at 53,180. Development. • The scheme refers to the atmospheric science 4. Health Ministry launches Integrated Disease programs of the Ministry of Earth Sciences Surveillance Programme (IDSP) (MoES). • Ms. Preeti Sudan, Union Health Secretary did 8. Government Launches Bhasha Sangam initiative - soft-launch of the Integrated Disease • The government has launched a unique initiative Surveillance Programme (IDSP) segment of the called Bhasha Sangam to introduce school Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) in students to 22 Indian languages. seven states. • The initiative, under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, • The path-breaking initiative will provide near- was active for the period between 22nd real-time data to policymakers for detecting November 2018 – 21st December 2018. outbreaks, reducing the morbidity and mortality • Bhasha Sangam is a programme for schools and and lessening disease burden in the populations educational institutions to provide multilingual and better health systems. exposure to students in Indian languages. 5. Gau Samridhi Scheme launched by Kerala govt. 9. UP Govt launches Women empowerment resolution • Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched campaign – the ‘Cow Samridhi Plus Scheme’ to provide • Uttar Pradesh Government launched the Women insurance coverage to dairy farmers in the state. Empowerment Resolution Campaign to develop • The government subsidized scheme, as abilities in women for leadership and rights. proposed, will give insurance coverage to dairy • The purpose of this campaign is to ensure the farmers at low premium rates. empowerment of women through different 6. Yuva Sahakar Scheme launched by Agriculture programs in the state. Ministry • It was launched by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister • Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on November 20, Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh launched the ‘Yuva 2018. Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and 10. Union HRD Minister launches ‘Institution’s Innovation Scheme. Innovation Council (IIC)’Program • Aim - The schemes aim for attracting youth to • Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launched cooperative business ventures. the ‘Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) • The scheme will be linked to Rs 1000 crore program under Innovation cell in New Delhi. ‘Cooperative Start-up and Innovation Fund 4 www.gradeup.co • HRD Ministry has established Innovation cell at • Out of the 25 percent procurement mandated AICTE with purpose to systematically foster from MSMEs, 3 percent must now be reserved culture of Innovation in all Higher Education for women entrepreneurs. Institutions (HEIs) across the country. 11. PM launches Support and Outreach Programme for 12. Saura Jalnidhi scheme launched by the Odisha Govt.