INSIGHTS IAS SIMPLIFYING IAS EXAM PREPARATION CURRENT AFFAIRS AUGUST 2019 www.insightsactivelearn.com | www.insightsonindia.com Table of Contents (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora GENERAL STUDIES – I ____________________ 6 and fauna and the effects of such changes. ___ 18 Topics: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects Why a crater on the moon is named ‘Mitra’? __ 18 of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. __________________ 6 GENERAL STUDIES - II ___________________ 20 1. Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman’ Awards __ 6 Topics: Indian Constitution- historical 2. Char Dham pilgrimage ____________________ 6 underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. ____ 20 Topics: Modern Indian history from about the 1. Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 _ 20 middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues. The 2. Article 371 of the Constitution ____________ 23 Freedom Struggle – its various stages and 3. The fragility of India’s federalism __________ 25 important contributors /contributions from 4. Delimitation of Constituencies ____________ 26 different parts of the country. ______________ 8 5. A monumental litmus test ________________ 28 1. Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Topics: Functioning of Judiciary ____________ 29 (Amendment) Bill, 2019 ____________________ 8 1. India’s fast-track courts __________________ 29 2. Quit India Movement ____________________ 8 2. Time to strike the gavel __________________ 30 3. 73rd Independence Day ___________________ 9 Topics: Appointment to various Constitutional Topic: World history; Political philosophies like posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms various Constitutional Bodies. ______________ 31 and effect on the society. _________________ 10 Bigger and better: On number of Supreme Court 1. International Day for Remembrance of the Slave judges __________________________________ 31 Trade and Abolition- August 23 _____________ 10 Topics: Parliament and State Legislatures – 2. Liberalism runs into national populism _____ 10 structure, functioning, conduct of business, 3. What happened during Gulf War? How was India powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. involved? _______________________________ 11 ______________________________________ 32 Topics: Role of Women ___________________ 12 1. J&K Reservation Bill _____________________ 32 1. New rights for Saudi women _____________ 12 2. Inter-state River Water Disputes (Amendment) 2. Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Bill _____________________________________ 34 Marriage), Bill 2019 _______________________ 12 3. Code of Conduct for MPs and MLAs ________ 35 Topics: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity 4. Legislative Council ______________________ 36 of India. _______________________________ 14 Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union 1. Commission to Examine Sub Categorization of and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to other Backward Classes ____________________ 14 the federal structure, devolution of powers and 2. Age of marriage different for men and women finances up to local levels and challenges therein. ________________________________________ 15 ______________________________________ 37 3. Project SURE ___________________________ 16 1. Democracy and its discontents ____________ 37 Topics: Population and associated issues, poverty 2. National Register of Citizens (NRC) _________ 39 and developmental issues, urbanization, their 3. Nationalism and subnationalism in separate problems and their remedies. ______________ 16 Kannada flag _____________________________ 41 1. Child well-being index ___________________ 16 Topics: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi- 2. State of the World Population 2019 ________ 17 judicial bodies. __________________________ 42 Topics: Important Geophysical phenomena such as 1. Haryana Administrative Tribunal __________ 42 earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone 2. CBI Autonomy __________________________ 42 etc., geographical features and their location- 3. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) changes in critical geographical features ________________________________________ 44 www.insightsonindia.com 1 InsightsIAS Topics: Government policies and interventions for Topics: Salient features of the Representation of development in various sectors and issues arising People’s Act. ___________________________ 77 out of their design and implementation. _____ 45 One Nation One Election ___________________ 77 1. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 _ 45 Topics: Important aspects of governance, 2. SANKALP Project _______________________ 46 transparency and accountability, e-governance- 3. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment applications, models, successes, limitations, and Bill, 2019 ________________________________ 46 potential; citizens charters, transparency & 4. POCSO Act ____________________________ 47 accountability and institutional and other 5. National Population Register (NPR) ________ 48 measures. _____________________________ 78 6. Rajasthan Passes Bill mandating death penalty 1. PRAGATI ______________________________ 78 for ‘honour killing’ ________________________ 49 2. National Conference on e-Governance adopts 7. Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019 50 ‘Shillong Declaration’ ______________________ 79 8. Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 __________ 51 3. National Digital Library of India ___________ 79 9. Consumer Protection Bill ________________ 52 Topics: Development processes and the 10. Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 ___________ 53 development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, 11. National Medical Commission Bill ________ 54 various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders. ________ 82 12. Draft National Resource Efficiency Policy __ 56 Village volunteer system ___________________ 82 Topics: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Topics: India and its neighbourhood- relations. 82 performance of these schemes. ____________ 57 Simla Agreement _________________________ 82 1. Transgender Rights Bill __________________ 57 Topics: Bilateral, regional and global groupings 2. Transgender Rights Bill __________________ 58 and agreements involving India and/or affecting 3. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban ______ 59 India’s interests. ________________________ 83 4. PMUY ________________________________ 60 1. UN Convention on International Settlement 5. Janaushadhi Sugam _____________________ 62 Agreements ______________________________ 83 6. North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) _ 63 2. ICJ Jurisdiction on Bilateral Issues __________ 84 7. National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) 3. South-South and Triangular Cooperation ____ 85 ________________________________________ 63 4. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) __________________________________ 86 Topics: Issues relating to development and 5. Talking trade with the EU ________________ 87 management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. _______ 64 Topics: Effect of policies and politics of developed 1. Atal Community Innovation Centre (ACIC) and developing countries on India’s interests, Program ________________________________ 64 Indian diaspora. ________________________ 88 2. National Education Policy (NEP) ___________ 65 1. UNSC Resolution 47 on Kashmir ___________ 88 3. National Digital Health Blueprint __________ 67 2. Currency Manipulation __________________ 89 4. World Breastfeeding Week 1st – 7th August _ 68 3. India’s NFU Policy _______________________ 90 5. Institutes of Eminence Scheme ____________ 68 4. BASIC countries_________________________ 91 6. IMPRINT ______________________________ 69 5. Henley Passport Index ___________________ 92 7. National Youth Awards __________________ 70 6. Scope for third party mediation in Kashmir __ 92 8. International Youth Day _________________ 70 7. China’s One Country Two Systems policy ____ 93 9. National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) ___ 71 8. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) _ 95 10. New anti-tuberculosis drug ______________ 72 9. US Space Command _____________________ 96 11. National Initiative for School Heads and Topics: Important International institutions, Teachers Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) ____ 73 agencies and fora, their structure, mandate. __ 97 12. Oxytocin ban _________________________ 74 1. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty 13. H1N1 ________________________________ 74 ________________________________________ 97 14. Fit India Movement ____________________ 75 2. UNIDO ________________________________ 97 15. e-cigarettes __________________________ 76 3. UN Palestine refugee agency ______________ 98 www.insightsonindia.com 2 InsightsIAS 4. UN Convention on International Settlement 3. Govt. to launch ‘Uber for tractors’ app to aid Agreements _____________________________ 99 farmers ________________________________ 126 5. Special Purpose Trust Fund ______________ 100 Topics: Issues related to direct and indirect farm 6. UN Security Council ____________________ 100 subsidies and minimum support prices; Public 7. WTO reforms _________________________ 101 Distribution System objectives, functioning, 8. Is the World Trade Organization becoming a new limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks