DECEMBER 2020 IASBABA'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE Controversy surrounding “Love Jihad” Historic Recession: On India’s GDP slump 2020 State Of The Education Report For India India Water Impact 2020 Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) P a g e | 1 PREFACE With the present shift in examination pattern of UPSC Civil Services Examination, ‘General Studies – II and General Studies III’ can safely be replaced with ‘Current Affairs’. Moreover, following the recent trend of UPSC, almost all the questions are issue-based rather than news- based. Therefore, the right approach to preparation is to prepare issues, rather than just reading news. Taking this into account, our website www.iasbaba.com will cover current affairs focusing more on ‘issues’ on a daily basis. This will help you pick up relevant news items of the day from various national dailies such as The Hindu, Indian Express, Business Standard, LiveMint, Business Line and other important Online sources. Over time, some of these news items will become important issues. UPSC has the knack of picking such issues and asking general opinion based questions. Answering such questions will require general awareness and an overall understanding of the issue. Therefore, we intend to create the right understanding among aspirants – ‘How to cover these issues? This is the 67th edition of IASbaba’s Monthly Magazine. This edition covers all important issues that were in news in the month of DECEMBER 2020 which can be accessed from https://iasbaba.com/current-affairs-for-ias-upsc-exams/ VALUE ADDITIONS FROM IASBABA Must Read and Connecting the dots. Also, we have introduced Prelim and mains focused snippets and Test Your Knowledge (Prelims MCQs based on daily current affairs) which shall guide you for better revision. ‘Must Read’ section, will give you important links to be read from exam perspective. This will make sure that, you don’t miss out on any important news/editorials from various newspapers on daily basis. Under each news article, ‘Connecting the dots’ facilitates your thinking to connect and ponder over various aspects of an issue. Basically, it helps you in understanding an issue from multi-dimensional view-point. You will understand its importance while giving Mains or Interview. Must Read Articles: We have not included them in the magazine. Those following DNA on daily basis may follow it- https://iasbaba.com/current-affairs-for-ias-upsc-exams/ “Tell my mistakes to me not to others, because these are to be corrected by me, not by them.” www.IASbaba.com P a g e | 2 Table of Contents HISTORY/CULTURE/GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................... 9 Annapurna Idol to be brought back from Canada ............................................................................. 9 Hampi Stone Chariot ........................................................................................................................ 9 Gwalior and Orchha included in World Heritage City ...................................................................... 10 Hawker Culture in Singapore included in UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity 11 T.N. government gives nod for Jallikattu ........................................................................................ 12 Madhya Pradesh Government organizes ‘Raag-Bhopali’ exhibition to promote Zari-Zardozi .......... 13 POLITY/GOVERNANCE ......................................................................................... 14 NRI Voting ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Interfaith marriages: Controversy surrounding “Love Jihad” .......................................................... 15 Foundation stone laid for New Parliament Building........................................................................ 16 Karnataka’s New Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill ....................................................................................... 17 SC upholds Allahabad HC decision with regard to exotic wildlife species ........................................ 17 Inadequacies of Justice Delivery System......................................................................................... 18 Winter session Of Parliament cancelled this year due to Covid-19 ................................................. 19 Election Commission proposes to extend the facility of postal ballots to overseas and NRIs ........... 20 Increasing Parliament’s efficacy and effectiveness ......................................................................... 20 Manipur's ZOMI renews its demand for the creation of Zoland Territorial Council ......................... 21 A.P. High Court order and Article 356............................................................................................. 21 SOCIAL ISSUE/WELFARE ...................................................................................... 24 IIT-Bombay comes up with Urban Quality Of Life Index .................................................................. 24 Tamil Nadu Commission for Case-wise Data ................................................................................... 25 UP government launches scheme for Tharu Tribals ........................................................................ 27 Vanchit Ikai Samooh Aur Vargon Ki Aarthik Sahayta (VISVAS) Yojana ............................................. 27 New 'Policy on School Bag 2020' by the Ministry of Education ....................................................... 28 Nurses and midwives ..................................................................................................................... 28 Development Projects In Kutch Region .......................................................................................... 29 2020 State Of The Education Report For India: Vocational Education First ..................................... 30 Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) ................................................................... 31 Accelerating India's Covid-19 Social Protection Response Programme ........................................... 31 Eight-member committee makes Recommendations on Reservation in IITs ................................... 32 Human Freedom Index 2020 released ............................................................................................ 33 Teacher vacancies at IITs and reservation ...................................................................................... 33 www.IASbaba.com P a g e | 3 Order issued for Matru Sahyogini Samiti in MP .............................................................................. 35 E-Sampada: A new Web Portal and Mobile App launched .............................................................. 36 WOMEN ISSUE .................................................................................................... 37 Bills proposing death penalty for rape approved by Maharashtra cabinet ...................................... 37 Marital Rape .................................................................................................................................. 37 HEALTH ISSUE ...................................................................................................... 40 World AIDS Day 2020 ..................................................................................................................... 40 World Malaria Report, 2020 released ............................................................................................ 40 Antimicrobial Resistance ................................................................................................................ 41 Influenza makes people more susceptible to bacterial infections: Sweden’s Karolinska Institute .... 42 UN Decides Cannabis Not A Dangerous Narcotic ............................................................................ 43 The 2nd Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) inaugurated ......................................................................... 44 IRDAI standardises health policies for Robotic and bariatric surgeries ............................................ 44 HGCO19: India’s first indigenous mRNA vaccine candidate receives approval ................................ 45 5th National Family Health Survey (NFHS) released........................................................................ 46 Plasmdium Ovale: Uncommon type of Malaria .............................................................................. 46 Lancet Citizens’ Commission for Universal Health Coverage ........................................................... 47 Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance In India.............................................................................. 47 Doctors witness increased cases of Covid-19 triggered Mucormycosis ........................................... 48 Recognition Scheme for Hygiene Rating Audit Agencies ................................................................. 48 GalSafe Pigs approved by FDA ........................................................................................................ 49 B.1.1.7 Lineage: New variant of SARS-CoV-2 .................................................................................. 50 Reading NFHS data ........................................................................................................................ 50 Preventive measures started against Shigellosis in Kerala .............................................................