UNIQUE IAS ACADEMY No.5/45 NVN Layout, New Siddhapudur, Gandhipuram, Coimbatore - 44 UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS FEBRUARY- 2020 S.NO INDEX PAGE NO GS PAPER – I 1 THE POETS QUOTED IN THE BUDGET SPEECH 1 2 POOMPUHAR: DIGITALLY RECREATED 1 3 VIRTUAL EXPERIENTIAL MUSEUMS 2 4 THE KUMBHABHISHEKAM AT SRI BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE 3 5 CHINDU YAKSHAGANAM 4 6 KONARK SUN TEMPLE 4 7 SAMMAKKA SARALAMMA JATARA 5 8 RADIO AND TRIBAL LANGUAGE 6 9 LUI-NGAI-NI FESTIVAL 6 10 MATRIBHASHA DIWAS 6 11 KALA KUMBH 6 12 E-MASIHA APP 7 13 BHARAT-BANGLA TOURISM FESTIVAL 7 14 NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY 7 15 UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) 8 16 ASSAM ACCORD: CLAUSE 6 8 17 INDONESIA‟S MOUNT MERAPI VOLCANO 9 GS PAPER – II 1 PRESIDENT ADDRESSES JOINT SITTING OF PARLIAMENT 9 2 NATIONAL MEANS-CUM-MERIT SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME (NMMSS) 10 3 SEDITION LAW 10 4 ARTH-GANGA 10 5 RURBAN MISSION 11 6 „CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR ST PRI REPRESENTATIVES‟ AND „1000 12 SPRINGS INITIATIVES‟ 7 SATHI INITIATIVE 12 8 OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA (OCI) 13 9 MORE TRIBES IN ST CATEGORY IN KARNATAKA 13 10 MEDICAL DEVICES UNDER DRUGS AND COSMETICS ACT 14 11 22ND LAW COMMISSION 15 12 EMPOWERED TECHNOLOGY GROUP 15 13 MAHADAYI TRIBUNAL‟S AWARD 15 14 NATIONAL LEVEL AWARENESS PROGRAMME (NLAP) 2020 17 15 KHELO INDIA UNIVERSITY GAMES 17 16 TELANGANA MUNICIPAL POLLS: FACIAL RECOGNITION APP 17 17 CANDIDATES WITH CRIMINAL HISTORY 18 18 LIVE ATTENUATED CLASSICAL SWINE FEVER (CSF) CELL CULTURE VACCINE 19 19 INDIANS WITH CANCER: WHO REPORT 19 20 WHO NAMES THE NEW CORONA VIRUS: “COVID-19” 20 21 DOMESTIC RO SYSTEMS 20 22 SOCIAL PROTECTION FRAMEWORK 21 23 WORLDWIDE EDUCATING FOR THE FUTURE INDEX (WEFFI) 2019 22 24 ICOSDITAUS-2020 22 25 RESERVATION TO MUSLIMS 23 26 GRAM NYAYALAYAS 23 27 PRISON REFORMS 24 28 NORTH EAST SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS CONCLAVE 2020 24 29 DATA LOCALIZATION 25 30 RAISE 2020- „RESPONSIBLE AI FOR SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT 2020‟ 26 31 SURROGACY (REGULATION) BILL, 2019 26 32 PANEL TO CURB CHILD PORN 28 33 RESERVATION IS NOT A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT 29 34 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SCIENCE 29 35 SC/ST AMENDMENT ACT,2018 30 36 BATTING FOR THE DOWNTRODDEN 30 37 WHY NO ACTION ON PLEAS ON T.N. MLAS DISQUALIFICATION, ASKS SC 32 38 H MUKHYAMANTRI PARIVARTAN YOJNA 33 39 WE THINK DIGITAL 34 40 AYUSHMAN BHARAT 34 41 UNPARLIAMENTARY 35 42 VOTING RIGHTS FOR PRISONERS 35 43 THE NINTH SCHEDULE OF THE CONSTITUTION 36 44 DISSENTER NOT ANTI-NATIONAL, SAYS SC JUDGE 37 45 HATE SPEECH 37 46 DELIMITATION OF ASSEMBLY SEATS IN J&K 38 47 DELIMITATION IN NE STATES 39 48 CHIEF VIGILANCE COMMISSIONER(CVC) 39 49 PAKISTAN RETAINED ON GREY LIST OF FATF 40 50 MALDIVES REJOINS COMMONWEALTH 41 51 BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION 41 52 BREXIT 42 53 SYRIA‟S CIVIL WAR 42 54 EAST ASIA SUMMIT (EAS) 44 55 BLUE DOT NETWORK 44 56 INDIA CENTRAL ASIA BUSINESS COUNCIL 45 57 LUCKNOW DECLARATION 46 58 BIMSTEC 47 59 INDIA AND PORTUGAL 48 60 TRUMP IN INDIA 48 GS PAPER – III 1 KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF ECONOMIC SURVEY 2019-20 50 2 KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF UNION BUDGET 2020 – 21 53 3 CARING SOCIETY 56 4 MACRO ECONOMIC INDICATORS 58 5 DUTY ON CHEMICAL 59 6 VIVAD SE VISHWAS 59 7 ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT DESTINATION 60 8 MONETARY POLICY FRAMEWORK 60 9 MASALA BONDS 61 10 BUDGET PROPOSALS ON TAX SLABS 62 11 CENTRAL CONSUMER PROTECTION AUTHORITY 63 12 USTR TAKES INDIA OFF DEVELOPING COUNTRY LIST 64 13 15TH FINANCE COMMISSION REPORT 66 14 COOPERATIVE BANKS 67 15 RETAIL PAYMENT SYSTEMS 68 16 REVAMPING OF CROP INSURANCE SCHEMES 68 17 INDIA‟S „IMPORTED‟ FOOD INFLATION 69 18 ALTERNATIVE DISPUTES RESOLUTION (ADR) MECHANISMS 70 19 HUBBALI-DHARWAD BUS RAPID TRANSIT (BRT) PROJECT 70 20 UJH MULTIPURPOSE PROJECT 71 21 MAJOR PORT IN MAHARASHTRA 71 22 STAR RATING OF MINES 72 23 EASTERN DEDICATED FREIGHT CORRIDOR 72 24 SANTUSHT PORTAL 74 25 DISTRICT EXPORT PLAN (DEP) 74 26 EASE OF LIVING INDEX(EOLI) AND MUNICIPAL PERFORMANCE INDEX(MPI) 74 27 UN WORLD PULSES DAY 75 28 DOUBLE TAXATION AVOIDANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN 76 29 SPICE+ FOR INCORPORATION OF COMPANIES 77 30 APIARY ON WHEELS 77 31 MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND EARLY WARNING SYSTEM (MIEWS) 78 32 INDIAN NATIONAL CENTRE FOR OCEAN INFORMATION SERVICES 78 33 FARMER PRODUCER ORGANISATIONS (FPOS) 78 34 EASE 3.0 FOR TECH-ENABLED BANKING 79 35 LI-ION BATTERIES IMPORTS 80 36 NATIONAL TECHNICAL TEXTILES MISSION 81 37 CORONAVIRUS AND GLOBAL MARKETS 81 38 INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDEX 82 39 AGROCHEMICAL SPRAYING 83 40 BATS AND BAT HUNTERS IN NAGALAND 83 41 ASSAM‟S BURHI DIHING RIVER 84 42 THE LOCUST ATTACK 85 43 FOREST FIRES IN 2019 85 44 CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD 86 45 GLOBAL GO TO THINK TANK INDEX 87 46 CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS (CMS) 87 47 JALDAPARA NATIOANL PARK 89 48 GODAVARI, KRISHNA AND KAVERI RIVER LINKING PROJECT 89 49 CLIMATE RISK AND RESPONSE 92 50 ANTARCTIC GLACIER 92 51 HIMALAYAN GLACIER 93 52 THANATOTHERISTES, REAPER OF DEATH 94 53 „FUTURE OF EARTH, 2020‟ REPORT 94 54 URBAN HEAT ISLANDS IN INDIA 95 55 BUDDAH NULLAH 96 56 NATURE RANKING INDEX-2020 96 57 MALAI MAHADESHWARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 97 58 KAWAL TIGER RESERVE 98 59 GHAZIABAD MOST POLLUTED CITY IN THE WORLD 98 60 INTER-LINKING OF RIVERS 99 61 ULSOOR LAKE POLLUTION 101 62 DEBATING WATER QUALITY 101 63 U.P. POLLUTION CONTROL BODY 102 64 BLOOD-REDSNOW IN ANTARCTICA 103 65 CAUVERY DELTA AS PROTECTED SPECIAL AGRICULTURE ZONE 103 66 HAMPI ISLAND - VIRUPAPURA GADDI 103 67 DECADAL FORECAST SYSTEM 104 68 SOIL HEALTH CARD DAY 105 69 PAKKE TIGER RESERVE 105 70 JALYUKT SHIVAR ABHIYAN 106 71 CANCER GENE MAP 106 72 LEAP YEARS 107 73 ISRO‟S NEXT GIANT LEAP IN SPACE 107 74 GAGANYAAN ASTRONAUTS 108 75 ISRO AND 10 EARTH IMAGING SATELLITES 108 76 GISAT-1 109 77 NASA‟S INSIGHT 109 78 NASA‟S ORION TO ARTEMIS MISSION 110 79 GENOME MAPPING 111 80 BIOFUEL FROM MICROORGANISMS 111 81 EARTH CAPTURES NEW „MINI MOON‟ 112 82 SWINE FLU 112 83 INDIGENOUS BIO-JET FUEL 112 84 WHAT IS YARAVIRUS? 113 85 DEEP FAKES 114 86 „5G HACKATHON‟ 114 87 DEFEXPO 2020 115 88 INS KARANJ 115 89 OFFSHORE PATROL VESSEL-6 “VAJRA” 116 90 BIMSTEC DISASTER MANAGEMENT EXERCISE -2020: 116 91 INTEGRATED AIR DEFENCE WEAPON SYSTEM 117 92 SHARANG 117 93 EXERCISE AJEYA WARRIOR-2020 117 94 EXERCISE INDRADHANUSH – 2020 118 95 EXERCISE MILAN 2020 118 96 BAY OF BENGAL OFFSHORE SAILING EXPEDITION (BBSE) 118 97 GLOBAL MEDICAL DATA LEAK 118 98 SAFER INTERNET DAY 119 99 BODO AGREEMENT 119 100 INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES AND ANALYSES 120 101 DEFENCE SPENDING 121 UNIQUE IAS ACADEMY UPSC Current Affairs February – 2020 LOGOHERE GS PAPER - 01 ART AND CULTURE - Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. THE POETS QUOTED IN THE BUDGET SPEECH Context : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman quoted four poets in her Budget speech: Pt. Dinanath Nadim, Avvaiyar, Thiruvalluvar and Kalidas, a sweep from Tamil Nadu to Kashmir, from ancient to contemporary India. Dinanath Nadim: The Kashmiri nationalist poet Dinanath Nadim was at the centre of Kashmir‘s progressive movement, especially in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Nadim wrote in Kashmiri, Hindi and Urdu, and inspired a powerful tradition of Kashmiri poetry. He received the Sahitya Akademi award in 1986 for his opera Shuhul Kull (The Shady Tree). Well-known works : Vitasta (Jhelum River), Safar Taa Shehjaar (The Journey And The Shade) and Bombur Taa Yemberzal (The Bumble Bee And The Narcissus Flower). Avvaiyar : Avvaiyar translates to ―Respected Woman‖, and the title was used by several woman poets who contributed to Tamil literature during different periods of time. Thiruvalluvar: Thiruvalluvar or Valluvar is a Tamil poet and philosopher. He is believed to have lived between 3rd-4th century or 8th-9th century. He is best known as the author of Thirukkuṛaḷ, a collection of couplets on ethics, political and economical matters and love. Kalidas: Kalidas is a legendary Sanskrit scholar. He is believed to have lived during the middle of the fourth and early fifth centuries AD during the reigns of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya and Kumaragupta.One of his famous works is Raghuvamsa. Source:- Indian Express POOMPUHAR: DIGITALLY RECREATED Context : The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched ‗Project Digital Poompuhar‘ to recreate the Chola Dynasty port city, Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu. Poompuhar: Poompuhar was once an ancient port city which served as the capital of the early Chola kings in Tamilakam. It is also mentioned in works of Sangam Tamil literature. The port city flourished in inter-continental trade but shifted with time. Finally, it was re- established at the present location at the mouth of the river Cauvery around 3,000 years ago. The shifts took place due to the continuous kadalkol or rising sea levels and the submergence of the delta. 1 NVN Layout, Gandhipuram, Coimbatore Ph: 0422 4204182 Mob: 9884267599, 9843167599 UNIQUE IAS ACADEMY UPSC Current Affairs February – 2020 LOGOHERE Recent Studies : The Indian Remote Sensing Satellites showed that the city was established initially in the Cauvery Delta about 30km away from the present Poompuhar town around 15,000 years ago. The study also provided insights about the life history and the social, cultural as well as technological evolution of Poompuhar. It also revealed the age of Poompuhar from 3000 years to 15,000 to 20,000 years. Despite several studies on Tamil literature, archaeology, underwater exploration and geosciences, the exact location of initial establishment of Poompuhar, its age, later shifts and the reasons and periods of its extinction, remained unresolved.