W.B.C.S Current Affairs 02 February 2019 to 08 February 2019.

1) The Supreme Court has upheld the section 139AA of the Income Tax Act and said that linking of PAN with Aadhaar is mandatory for the filing of Income Tax returns. The Supreme Court made these observations while hearing an appeal filed by the Centre against a Delhi High Court order allowing two people, Shreya Sen and Jayshree Satpute, to file Income Tax returns for 2018-19 without linking their Aadhaar and PAN numbers. Noting that with regard to Assessment Year 2018-19 the two petitioners had filed the Income Tax returns in terms of the orders of the High Court and the assessment has also been completed, Supreme Court said that for the assessment year 2019-20, the income tax return shall be filed in terms of the judgment passed by this court. Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act: Section 139AA of the Income-Tax Act 1961 was introduced by the Finance Act, 2017. The section makes it mandatory to quote Aadhaar / Enrolment ID of Aadhaar application form, for the filing of return of income as well as in the application form to enrol for PAN. The section also specifies that those already in possession of the PAN numbers must mandatorily link their PAN numbers with Aadhaar. Failure to do so would result in PAN number becoming invalid.Continue Reading W.B.C.S Current Affairs 02 February 2019 to 08 February 2019.

2) Macedonia takes a major step on road to NATO membership. The conflict over the name with Greece had become a damper in its membership to NATO. With the conflict with Greece taken to logical end with the conclusion of Prespa Agreement, Macedonia has signed accession papers with NATO. The signing of accession papers allows Macedonia take part in NATO ministerial meetings as an invitee. To acquire full membership, all 29 current members must ratify the accession protocol. Russia Raises Concerns: Russia has raised concerns against Macedonia becoming part of NATO. Russia has accused NATO of destabilising the Balkans by pushing Macedonia and Montenegro to join NATO. Russia sees Balkan nations as its sphere of influence and is against NATO or any other body led by US or EU making inroads to these Balkan countries. NATO’s membership provides a guarantee of mutual defence, provides a welcome insurance policy against possible incursions. Russia perceives this as an attempt by the west to contain it by making inroads to the areas which Russia considers its sphere of influence. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO): North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a military and political alliance established through the Washington Treaty. NATO aims to promote democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty states that an armed attack against one of the member states would be considered as an attack against all members, and other members would assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary.

3) The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the abolition of institutions of Ombudsman for income tax and indirect tax. The office of Income-Tax Ombudsman was set up in 2003 to deal with grievances of public related to the settlement of complaints relating to income tax. Why did the government decide to abolish the office of Ombudsman? The following are cited as reasons for the abolition of the Ombudsman: People are preferring online grievance redressal mechanism. The institution failed to achieve its objectives as the number of new complaints have fallen to single digits. The institution of Ombudsman could not prove to be more effective than regular existing parallel channels of grievance redressal. Other mechanisms like Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System and Aaykar Seva Kendras are being preferred by the people. Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System: Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) is an online web-enabled system developed by NIC. The platform based on web technology aims to enable submission of grievances by the aggrieved citizens from anywhere and anytime (24×7). On the basis of the grievances received Ministries/Departments/ Organisations who scrutinize and take action for speedy and favourable redress of these grievances. CPGRAMS also facilitate tracking of grievances through the system generated unique registration number. Aaykar Seva Kendras: Aaykar Seva Kendras are established as part of I-T department’s ‘Sevottam’ scheme which seeks to change the Income-tax department’s perception from a purely enforcement agency to a service provider. The Aaykar Seva Kendras help taxpayers file their returns and redress their grievances. They are meant to be a single window solution for all tax services.

4) The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister has approved the amendments to the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018. The amendments introduced based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance strengthen its objective to effectively tackle the menace of illicit deposit-taking activities in the country, and prevent such schemes from duping poor and gullible people of their hard earned savings. Features of the Bill- The salient features of the bill are: The Bill bans Deposit Takers from promoting, operating, issuing advertisements or accepting deposits in any Unregulated Deposit Scheme. The Bill ban unregulated deposit-taking activities altogether, by making them an offence. The existing legislative-cum-regulatory framework which only comes into effect ex-post with considerable time lags; The Bill creates three different types of offences, namely, running of Unregulated Deposit Schemes, fraudulent default in Regulated Deposit Schemes, and wrongful inducement in relation to Unregulated Deposit Schemes. The Bill provides for severe punishment and heavy pecuniary fines to act as a deterrent. The Bill provides for repayment of deposits in cases where such schemes nonetheless manage to raise deposits illegally. The Bill provides for attachment of properties/assets by the Competent Authority, and subsequent realization of assets for repayment to depositors. Timelines have been provided for attachment of property and restitution to depositors. The Bill enables the creation of an online central database, for collection and sharing of information on deposit-taking activities in the country; The Bill also defines “Deposit Taker” and “Deposit” comprehensively. Definition of “Deposit Taker” and “Deposit” under the Bill Deposit Takers include all possible entities (including individuals) receiving or soliciting deposits, except specific entities such as those incorporated by legislation; Deposit is defined in such a manner that deposit-takers are restricted from camouflaging public deposits as receipts, and at the same time, not to curb or hinder acceptance of money by an establishment in the ordinary course of its business. The Bill adopts best practices from State laws and entrusts the primary responsibility of implementing the provisions of the legislation to the State Governments.

5) The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2019. The amendment bill aims to amend the Cinematograph Amendment act 1952. The features of the amendment bill are: The amendment bill makes film piracy offences punishable with imprisonment up to three years and fines that may extend to 10 lakh or both. The amendment states that any person, who without the written authorisation of the copyright owner, uses any recording device to make or transmit a copy of a film, or attempts to do so, or abet the making or transmission of such a copy, will be liable for such a punishment. Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 deals with who can watch and exhibit which films and penalties for violating terms and conditions related to the exhibition of board-certified films. The amendment bill adds a new subsection (4) to section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 with the definition of piracy and the penal provisions for the same. The Cinematograph Amendment Bill, 2019 aims to tackle film piracy by including the penal provisions for unauthorised camcording and duplication of films. The bill when passed will build a credible deterrence which would increase industry revenues, boost job creation, fulfil important objectives of India’s National Intellectual Property policy and will give relief against piracy and infringing content online.

6) The Mental illness is the most neglected and tabooed aspect of Indian health care system. To address the burden of mental disorders, the Government of India has undertaken the following steps: National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) is under implementation since 1982. District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) is under implementation in 517 districts of the country for detection, management and treatment of mental disorders/ illness. Funds are provided to each district under the DMHP for sensitization training of Community Health Workers and elected representatives of the community at District Hospital/ Community Health Centre for awareness generation regarding early signs and community health-seeking behaviour for mental illness. The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 provides that the appropriate Government shall take all measures to ensure that the Government Officials including police officers and other officers of the Government are given periodic sensitization and awareness training. Three Central Mental Health Institutions namely National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur and Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi have been strengthened for augmenting the human resources in the areas of mental health and to provide quality mental health services in the country. To increase the number of qualified mental health professionals in the country, the Government, under the NMHP, is implementing manpower development schemes for the establishment of Centres of Excellence and strengthening/ establishment of Post Graduate (PG) Departments in mental health specialities. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is regularly reviewing and monitoring the functioning of the three Central Mental Health Institutions and the Institutions supported under manpower development schemes of NMHP.

7) India is now the second largest consumer and importer of the LPG in the world. This is attributed to government initiatives to push for cleaner alternatives to traditional cooking fuels such as firewood and cow dung. Import of LPG: The import of LPG grew by 12.5 per cent over the past five years to 12 million metric tons (13 million tons) in 2018-19. India now stands at the second position when it comes to the import of LPG surpassing Japan. India is at second place behind China. The exporters of LPG to India include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iran. Consumption of LPG: The number of active LPG consumers in India has grown at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent – from 14.8 crore in 2014-15 to 22.4 crore in 2017-18. Increase in population combined with LPG penetration in rural areas has resulted in an average growth of 8.4 per cent in LPG consumption, making India the second largest consumer of LPG in the world at 22.5 million tonnes. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas estimates that LPG consumption would grow to 30.3 million tonnes by 2025 and 40.6 million tonnes by 2040. The flagship scheme of the government Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has made a significant contribution towards enhancing the penetration of LPG, especially in rural areas. The renewed targets under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) aims to provide LPG connections to 8 crore households before March 31, 2020.

8) Delhi Government has launched Zero Fatality Corridor with an aim to curb the number of accidents. The announcement was made by the Minister of Transport, Delhi during the opening ceremony of the Road Safety Week. About the Zero Fatality Corridor- The important facts related to the Zero Fatality Corridor are: A 3km stretch between Bhalswa chowk and Burari chowk on the outer ring road has been chosen as a case study in this regard. The selected stretch has four blackspots namely Burari chowk, Bhalswa chowk, Mukundpur chowk, and Jahangirpuri bus stand. This 3km stretch will be observed for scientific assessment of accidents, road engineering, road-user engagement. Experts will also ensure that safety and security measures such as police enforcement and rapid emergency care are made available on this stretch. The initiative is a collaborative approach of the transport, health, education, public works department, together with Delhi traffic police to ensure that road fatalities in Delhi are reduced. Data shows that around 67 fatal road accidents occurred on this road over a span of two years starting 2016. The Zero Fatality Corridor project aim is to reduce the fatalities to near zero levels on this particular stretch. After evaluating the impact of the initiative, the government aims to replicate this model in other parts of the city. The initiative is part of the plan of action to reduce fatalities due to road crashes by 30 per cent by 2020.

9) In agriculture Census, the operational holdings are categorised in five size classes as shown below: Marginal: Below 1.00 hectare. Small: 1.00-2.00 hectare. Semi- Medium: 2.00-4.00 hectare. Medium: 4.00-10.00 hectare. Large: 10.00 hectare and above. The India Rural Development Report 2012-13 prepared by the IDFC Rural Development Network notes that Small farms are more efficient, especially in cultivating labour-intensive crops or tending livestock, but land holdings are too small to generate sufficient household income. To improve the condition of Small and Marginal farmers and to double the income of farmers by 2022, Government is realigning its interventions from the production-centric approach to farmers’ income-centric initiatives, with focus on better and new technological solutions. The interventions include implementation of schemes like, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Soil Health Card, Neem Coated Urea, Rainfed Area Development under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), National Agriculture Market scheme (e-NAM), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil palm (NMOOP), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Mission on Agriculture Extension & Technology (NMAET).

10) Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojana (PM JAY) is a scheme of the government under Ayushman Bharat to reduce the financial burden on poor and vulnerable groups arising out of catastrophic hospital episodes and ensure their access to quality health services. Implementation of PM JAY: The following steps have been undertaken for the effective implementation of the PM JAY: The State Governments have been given the flexibility to implement PM JAY either through insurance companies, or directly through trust/society, or in a mixed mode. National Health Agency (NHA) has been set up by the Government to implement PM JAY through State level Health Agencies. A robust IT system has been put in place for effective implementation of the Scheme. Central Grievance Redressal Management System has been set up for receiving grievances. A system has been put in place to acknowledge, record, escalate & resolve grievances as per well-defined process through a three-tier grievance redressal structure. A multi-prong approach has been adopted by putting in place a fraud control mechanism. PM-JAY scheme would provide poor, deprived rural families and identified occupational categories of urban workers’ families as per the latest Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data (approx. 50 crore beneficiaries) with health benefit cover of Rs Five Lakhs per family per year at free of cost. The health benefits under the scheme include more than 1,350 medical packages covering surgery, medical and daycare treatments, cost of medicines and diagnostics.

11) India has made significant progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in recent years. The following steps have been initiated by the government to strengthen the fight against HIV: A 360-degree multimedia campaign along with mass media supported by outdoor media such as hoardings, bus panels, information kiosks, folk performances and exhibition vans to create awareness on HIV/AIDS has been initiated. Training and sensitization programmes for Self-Help Groups, Anganwadi workers, ASHA, members of Panchayati Raj Institutions and other key stakeholders are also being organised to spread awareness about treatment and other facilities. Awareness activities are being conducted amongst High-Risk Groups including Female Sex Workers, Men having Sex with Men, Injecting Drug Users, Hijra/ Transgenders and Bridge Population like truck drivers, migrants etc. as part of Targeted Intervention projects. HIV & AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 has been notified to address the challenges related to the disease in a comprehensive way. The act addresses various issues like discrimination against People Living with HIV at the workplace, an education setting, health setting and public places and also provides for a robust grievance redressal mechanism where compliant against discrimination would be disposed by Ombudsman at the state level. Steps have been taken by the government to track the patients through HIV diagnosis from care to treatment- Patients diagnosed with HIV are put on Anti Retro Viral Treatment irrespective of their CD4 Count. Mission Sampark has been launched to reach out to all those who are Left to Follow Up and are to be brought under Antiretroviral therapy (ART) services. Counsellors are tasked to ensure tracking of HIV positive patients through telephone and home visits in the case of those who drop out between diagnosis and treatment to maintain their adherence to treatment. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Strategic Plan 2017-24 aimed at eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030.

12) The Venezuela crisis is deepening with passing time. European Union, Australia, US, New Zealand have recognised Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader as the president. Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader, has said that President Nicolás Maduro is illegitimate and has asserted himself as Venezuela’s interim president. What’s the crisis? Both Juan Guaidó and Nicolás Maduro have debatable claims to legitimacy. As a result, the whole issue has become messy. Venezuela has been grappling with crisis spiral for years with growing political discontent further fuelled by skyrocketing hyperinflation, power cuts and shortages of food and medicine. The recent crisis haunting Venezuela is Who is the President? How did the Presidential Crisis begin? On 23rd January the leader of the legislature, Juan Guaidó, declared himself acting president and said he would assume the powers of the executive branch from there onwards. This was a challenge to President Nicolás Maduro, who had been sworn into a second six-year term in office just two weeks previously. President Maduro condemned this as a ploy by the US to oust him. Nicolás Maduro was first elected as President with a thin margin of 1.6 percentage votes in April 2013 after the death of his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. Nicolás Maduro was re-elected to the office of president for a second six-year term in highly controversial elections in May 2018, which most opposition parties boycotted. After being re-elected Nicolás Maduro announced that announced he would serve out his remaining first term and only then be sworn in for a second term. The National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó argues that because the election was not fair. Articles 233 and 333 of Venezuela’s constitution empower the head of the National Assembly takes over as acting president under such circumstances. Juan Guaidó has staked the claim to be the acting president, as he was the head of the legislature.

13) The government of Thailand has approved the proposal to name Siamese fighting fish as the National Aquatic Animal. The decision for based on the recommendation of the National Identity Committee of Thailand which promotes Thai cultural pride forwarded its endorsement of the fighting fish. The government has approved the proposal owing to the cultural and historical significance of the Siamese fighting fish for Thailand. The Siamese fighting fish was chosen as it’s a native, unique species to the kingdom’s waters and an important animal for Thailand’s economy. Siamese Fighting Fish: The Siamese fighting fish commonly known as the betta is a popular fish in the aquarium trade. The Siamese fighting fish is native to the Mekong basin of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and mostly found at Chao Phraya river in Thailand. The Siamese fighting fish was registered as intangible cultural heritage by the Cultural Ministry in 2013. The designation of Siamese fighting fish as Thailand’s national aquatic animal could help boost both conservation efforts and commercial breeding. The IUCN status of the Siamese fighting fish is Vulnerable. The threats to the Siamese Fighting Fish include Human intrusions & disturbances, Natural system modifications through the construction of Dams Presence of Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases, Pollution due to domestic & urban wastewater, Industrial & military effluents and Agricultural & forestry effluents.

14) The second edition of the Asia LPG Summit was inaugurated by Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas at New Delhi. The two-day summit with the theme ‘LPG – Energy for Life’ will deliberate over series of subjects including how India’s successful Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana can become a viable model for other countries to replicate particularly those striving to provide clean cooking fuel to its people. The summit has been organized jointly by the major Indian oil marketing companies (OMCs) Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum together with the World LPG Association (WLPGA). World LPG Association: World LPG Association (WLPGA) is the authoritative voice of the global LPG industry representing the full LPG value chain. WLPGA was established in 1987 and granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1989. Mission of WLPGA: Demonstrate the benefits of LPG and inform, educate and influence all stakeholders. Support the development of LPG markets. Promote compliance with standards, good business and good safety practices. Identify innovation and facilitate knowledge transfer. The WLPGA brings together over 250 private and public companies operating in more than 125 countries involved in one, several or all activities of the industry. The Association aims to add value to the sector by driving premium demand for LPG, while also promoting compliance with good business and safety practices. WLPGA has developed long-standing partnerships with other international bodies such as various departments of the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Development Banks and a number of well-respected international NGOs such as the Partnership on Clean Indoor Air (PCIA) and E+Co.

15) The seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Services Business Activity Index report makes the following observations about the Services Business Activity in India: The index witnessed a drop for the second straight month in January to 52.2 from 53.2 in December. The fall indicates a softer expansion in output. The growth was supported by favourable public policies, enhanced capacities and greater demand. The upturn was curbed by competitive pressures and election uncertainty. The report notes that a sharp and accelerated rise in manufacturing production counteracted the slowdown in activity growth across the service economy. The report notes that Business activity growth in the Indian service sector cooled further at the start of 2019, amid the weakest upturn in new work since last September. Optimism regarding the outlook was sustained and the companies have continued to hire. The job creation was at a three-month high. Even though the inflation rates remained mild by historical standards, the costs rose to a greater extent than in December. There was a moderate increase in sales that was the weakest in four months. The slowdown was centred on the domestic market as new orders from abroad grew to the greatest extent since last September. Expansion rates in the Indian service sector have been at similarly modest levels for the past four months and the data for January extends the trend. There is some sign that growth may run out of steam, in the short-term at least, as seen by the weakest improvement in demand for four months and relatively subdued optimism.

16) The State Bank of India’s UK head Sanjiv Chadha has been honoured with the ‘Freedom of the City of London’ award in recognition of his contribution to promoting the bilateral relations. Sanjiv Chadha was nominated for the honour by Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin and Sheriff Vincent Keaveny. Sanjiv Chadha and His contributions: Sanjiv Chadha took up the position at the helm of the 98-year-old London office of the State Bank of India in 2014. He was instrumental in expanding the bank’s presence across the UK, and in boosting wider bilateral ties in financial services. Sanjiv Chadha was an excellent voice leading the Indian banking community and overseeing significant investment into the City. Freedom of the City: Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by a City of London Corporation upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. The genesis of the ‘Freedom of the City of London’ is traced to the medieval time of around 1237. The honour enabled recipients to carry out their trade. The previous Indian recipient of the honour is Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

17) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed Rs 2 crore penalty on UCO Bank for non-compliance of instructions issued by RBI on the collection of account payee instruments and those on frauds-classification and reporting. RBI directions on Fraud Classification and Reporting: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) advises banks from time to time about the major fraud-prone areas and the safeguards necessary for the prevention of frauds. RBI also forwards the details of frauds of an ingenious nature not reported earlier so that banks could introduce necessary safeguards by way of appropriate procedures and internal checks. It is continuous process banks report to the Reserve Bank full information about frauds and the follow-up action taken thereon. Since the delays in reporting of frauds and the consequent delay in alerting other banks about the modus operandi and issue of caution advice against unscrupulous borrowers could result in similar frauds being perpetrated elsewhere, Banks are strictly required to adhere to the timeframe fixed in this circular for reporting fraud cases to RBI failing which banks would be liable for penal action as prescribed under Section 47(A) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. To ensure uniformity in reporting, frauds have been classified as under, based on the provisions of the Indian Penal Code: Misappropriation and criminal breach of trust. Fraudulent encashment through forged instruments, manipulation of books of account or through fictitious accounts and conversion of property. Unauthorised credit facilities extended for reward or for illegal gratification. Negligence and cash shortages. Cheating and forgery. Irregularities in foreign exchange transactions. Any other type of fraud not coming under the specific heads as above. The UCO Bank which is under the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework of RBI has reported a net loss of Rs 633.88 crore for the first quarter of this financial year.

18) The Sentinelese Tribe are indigenous people inhabiting North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal in India and are considered one of the world’s last uncontacted peoples. They are considered as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). Laws to Safeguard the interests of Sentinelese Tribe- Laws promulgated for the protection of interests of Sentinelese Tribe are: A &N Islands (PAT) Regulation 1956. Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Restrictions under Foreigner (Restricted Area) Orders, 1963. Visa Manual Conditions/Passport Act 1920. Indian Forest Act, 1927. Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Other Steps to safeguard their interests- The major steps taken towards protection of their interests include: The entire North Sentinel Island along with 5 km coastal sea from high water mark is notified as a tribal reserve. The Sentinelese are still in isolation practising primordial hunting and gathering way of life. The Government has adopted an ‘eyes-on and hands-off’ practice to protect and safeguard the Sentinelese tribe. A protocol for the circumnavigation of the North Sentinel Island has been notified. The ships and aircraft of Coast Guard and boats of Marine Police make sorties around North Sentinel to keep surveillance. The coastal sea up to a fixed extent of 1 Km to 5 Km abutting the tribal territory has also been notified as a tribal reserve so that marine resources like fish, turtle etc are available exclusively for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). The Sentinelese tribe is at the verge of extinction. The 2011 census estimates their numbers at a mere 50.

19) The cross-border infiltration and illegal immigration are posing serious security threats to both internal and external security. The government has undertaken following steps to arrest the cross-border infiltration: Multipronged approach to check infiltration by patrolling; sharing of intelligence and conduct of joint operations; erection of border fencing; installation of border floodlights; use of watercrafts/boats and floating Border Out Posts (BOPs) for domination of riverine area of the border; liaison with police, intelligence agencies, local government agencies; laying nakas; establishment of observation posts have been undertaken. Surveillance equipment like Night Vision Devices (NVDs); Hand Held Thermal Imagers (HHTIs); Long Range Recce Observation Systems (LORROS), etc have been deployed for effective technical surveillance. Mobile Vehicle Check Posts (MVCPs), Area Domination Patrols (ADPs), short and long-range patrols along the border are being launched on regular basis. Review of vulnerability mapping of BOPs from the point of infiltration is carried out. Based on threat perception and security requirements, the fencing/ floodlighting has been erected along India-Pakistan and India Bangladesh borders. The constructions of border roads are expedited keeping in view the administrative and operational requirements of the Border guarding forces. Even then due to hostile, mountainous terrain and porous nature of the border incidents of the infiltrations are still reported.

20) The following steps have been taken to assist the National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for effective implementation of its schemes: The Ministry of Minority Affairs is providing grant-in-aid assistance for strengthening the infrastructure & operational capability of State Channelising Agencies (SCAs), for effective implementation of NMDFC schemes. A new Annual Family Income eligibility criterion of up to Rs.6.00 lacs per annum has been introduced for greater coverage of persons from the targeted minority communities. Quantum of loans under the Term Loan scheme increased from Rs.10.00 lacs to Rs.30.00 lacs, while under Micro Finance scheme, it has been increased from Rs.0.50 lacs to Rs.1.50 lacs per SHG member. Under the Education Loan scheme, the quantum of loan has been increased from Rs.5.00 lacs to Rs.20.00 lacs for domestic courses & from Rs.10.00 lacs to Rs.30.00 lacs for courses abroad. Self Declaration/Self Certification/Self Attestation of documents has been adopted in case of Religion Certificate, Family Income, Residence Proof, Mark Sheet, etc. Transfer of loan directly in Bank Account of Beneficiary through National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)/ Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Insurance of beneficiary and their assets to safeguard against any untoward incident. National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC): The National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) is a not for profit company under the companies act 1956. It works under the aegis of Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and was constituted in 1994. Minority Communities in India: The notified Minorities under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, are Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists & Parsis. Jain community was also added into the list of notified Minority Communities in January 2014. NMDFC aims to provide concessional finance to the notified Minorities for the self-employment/ income generation activities.

21) The National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) is implementing various schemes for the socio-economic development of the ‘backward sections’ amongst the notified minorities. The schemes are being implemented through the State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) nominated by the respective State Governments/UT Administration. Categorisation of Beneficiaries- The NMDFC categorises the beneficiaries under two categories, They are: Credit Line-1: For those with the annual family income 98,000 for rural areas & Rs.1.20 lacs for urban areas. Credit Line-2: For those with higher annual family income eligibility criterion of up to Rs.6.00 Lacs. Schemes of NMDFC: Credit Schemes- The various credit schemes like Term Loan, Micro Finance, Education Loan and Mahila Samridhi Yojana are introduced to enhance the livelihood opportunities by promoting income generation activities. Mahila Samridhi Yojana: Skill development training is imparted to a group of women in women-friendly trades under the scheme and a stipend @ Rs.1,000 is available for each woman during the training period. During the period of training, the women are formed into Self Help Group, followed by infusion of micro-credit maximum up to Rs.1.00 lacs per member for the purpose of using the skill developed during the training, for income generation activities. Promotional Schemes: NMDFC is implementing promotional schemes like Vocational Training & Marketing Support for with preference to women beneficiaries. Vocational Training Scheme: Under the Kaushal Se Kushalta scheme skill development training programs of 200 to 250 hrs duration are organized and Stipend of Rs.1,000 per candidate per month is provided. The schemes guarantee placement of minimum 70% candidates trained under the scheme. Marketing Assistance Scheme: The Marketing Assistance Scheme envisages promoting sale & marketing of their products at remunerative prices through participation /organizing exhibitions at State/District level.

22) The disaster relief exercise ‘Exercise Rahat’ will be demonstrated in Jaipur, Kota and Alwar in Rajasthan on Feb 11-12. About the Exercise- The important aspects related to the ‘Exercise Rahat’ are: On behalf of the Indian Army, Jaipur based Sapta Shakti Command will conduct the Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise, Exercise Rahat. Exercise Rahat is being conducted in coordination with NDMA to synergise efforts for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. The joint exercise will see participation from Armed Forces, National Disaster Management Response Mechanism (NDMRM), State Disaster Management Authority of Rajasthan and District LMAs. The exercise will be conducted simultaneously in three places, beginning at Jaipur in the form of a tabletop exercise and at Kota and Alwar. During the exercise, on-ground capability and coordination amongst various stakeholders will be demonstrated. As a prelude to the exercise, a curtain raiser has been organized at Jaipur Military station on 4th February 2019.

23) The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) under the Ministry of AYUSH is implementing following schemes to encourage farming/cultivation, conservation, processing and promotion of medicinal plants throughout the country: National AYUSH Mission (NAM)- The large scale farming/cultivation of medicinal plants is being supported under the ‘Medicinal Plants’ component of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM). The scheme provides support for: Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer’s land. Establishment of nurseries for the supply of quality planting material. Post-harvest management. Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc. Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants: The central sector scheme Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants provides project-based support for following activities: In-situ conservation through the development of Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs). In-situ/Ex-situresource augmentation. Ex-situ conservation through the establishment of herbal gardens. Livelihood linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) / Panchayats / Van Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) / Self Help Groups (SHGs). IEC activities like Training / workshops / Seminars/ Conferences etc. Research & Development. Promotion of marketing and trade of medicinal plants produce. Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plants Produce: The scheme is aimed to encourage Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs) in medicinal plants and enhance the quality and safety of their produce. As per information of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), an organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change estimated more than 8,000 species of medicinal plants are found in India. The Madras High Court has ruled against negative marking in competitive examinations saying they are bad in law. Observations of the Madras High Court: The Madras High Court while hearing a petition filed by an IIT JEE aspirant who failed to clear the Mains due to negative marking has made the following observations: The Madras High Court has accepted the petitioner’s argument that negative marking is not prevailing anywhere else in the world. The court said that negative marking acts only as “a bolt in the brain development” of students and prevents them from making intelligent guesses. Deducting marks for wrong answers would not in any way help in analysing the intelligence, aptitude or knowledge of the candidates. Every candidate could not be expected to know all answers for sure. In such circumstances, the practice of negative marking would hamper brain development and create a fear psychosis among students. The court rejected the CBSE counsel’s argument that in Indian context the practice is necessary. The judge stated that “Intelligent guessing is an art. It is very useful in our life. One cannot be sure about all things at all times. An individual will come across a situation where he/she has to decide an issue not merely based on his knowledge but with little guessing. While intelligent guessing requires an amount of prior knowledge on the subject, wild guessing is a decision taken just like that” The Madras High Court ruled not to give negative marks for wrong answers and directed the CBSE to communicate the order to the National testing Agency which conducts the JEE (Main) exam.

24) The UK home secretary has ordered the extradition of Vijay Mallya over allegations of £1bn fraud. The UK home secretary noted that Vijay Mallya, the first to be declared Fugitive Economic Offender is accused in India of conspiracy to defraud, making false representations and money laundering offences. The liquor baron is still defiant and he has said that he would appeal against the extradition. Vijay Mallya and his Extradition: The judge hearing Mallya’s extradition request noted that Mallya had misrepresented how loans from Indian banks were used. The judge described Mallya as a glamorous, flashy, famous, bejewelled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy who charmed and cajoled these bankers into losing their common sense and persuading them to put their own rules and regulations to one side. The Indian investigation agencies allege that Mallya has misled Indian Banks about the fortunes of his failing Kingfisher airline, before laundering the cash to fund his Formula One team and other projects. The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the tycoon’s £977m debts linked to the airline, which went bust in 2012.

25) The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has stated that the Central Government expects a 20 per cent decline in road accidents from the current five lakh a year and Parliament’s nod to pending legislation Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill will also help curb the accidents. Features of the Bill: The features of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017 are: The bill seeks to redress the difficulties faced in obtaining driving licenses without the help of touts by taking the process online. Tests for driving licences will be automated, and learner’s licences will be issued online. The bill provides for an increase of fines for breaking road rules. The new law states that driving licence issued to a person under the age of 30 is valid till the person turns 40. For those who receive licences between the ages of 30 and 50, the licence will remain valid for 10 years. If the licence is issued between 50 and 55 years, it will be valid until the person turns 60, and above 55 years, licences will carry a five-year validity. The bill defines aggregators as a digital intermediary or market place for a passenger to connect with a driver for the purpose of transportation and makes it optional for the states to follow central guidelines related to the aggregators. The bill leaves the regulation of aggregators should be left to states. The bill also removes the cap on payments to be made under third-party insurance proposed in the 2016 bill. The bill provides for the recall of vehicles if the defective vehicle is a danger to the environment, the driver or other road users. The manufacturer would be required to reimburse all buyers with the full cost of the vehicle, replace the defective vehicle, and if necessary pay a fine as specified by the government. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017 has been passed by the Lok Sabha and is pending in the Rajya Sabha.

26) Azim Premji Chairman of Wipro Ltd will be felicitated with the Ernst & Young Lifetime Achievement Award. Ernst & Young, famously known as EY is a multinational professional services firm and is one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. Motivational Journey of Azim Premji: Azim Premji was born on July 24, 1945, to an affluent Gujarati entrepreneur. He inherited Wipro, a vegetable oil company at the age of 21 after the sudden demise of his father. Azim Premji was pursuing Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, USA when he took over the reins of his family business in 1966. He was written off to carry the herculean task and was publicly advised to sell his shareholding and give it into more mature hands. This further strengthened his resolve to make Wipro a success story. Under his able leadership, Wipro diversified from hydrogenated cooking fats to bakery fats, ethnic ingredient based toiletries, hair care soaps, baby toiletries, lighting products and hydraulic cylinders. The expulsion of IBM from the Indian market led to a vacuum and Wipro ventured into software services taking advantage. The rest is history. He led Wipro from a hydrogenated cooking fats company to a pioneer in providing integrated business, technology and process solutions on a global delivery platform. Wipro Technologies is the largest independent R&D service provider in the world and is ranked among the top 100 technology companies globally. In 2005 Premji was conferred the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in 2011. Premji has also pledged to donate USD 2 billion for improving school education in India, the first of its kind by any Indian billionaire.

27) The data shows that the fiscal deficit touched 112.4 per cent of the full-year budget target of Rs 6.24 lakh crore at the end of December. The important data highlights related to the fiscal deficit are: The gap between Government’s expenditure and revenue stood at Rs 7.01 lakh crore during April-December of the current financial year which ends in March. The deficit was 113.6 per cent of the Budget Estimate by the end of December. The government had earlier budgeted to cut the fiscal deficit to 3.3 per cent of GDP or Rs 6.24 lakh crore in 2018-19, from 3.53 per cent in the previous financial year. The interim budget for 2019-20 revised the fiscal deficit upwards marginally to 3.4 per cent of GDP or over Rs 6.34 lakh crore, on account of the additional outlay of Rs 20,000 crore for funding income scheme for small farmers. The revenue receipts of the government totalled Rs 10.84 lakh crore or 62.8 per cent of BE in 2018-19 till December, compared with 66.9 per cent during the same period last year. The revenue receipts stood at 66.9 per cent during the same period last year. The earlier estimate to mobilise Rs 17.25 lakh crore revenue during the current fiscal has been revised upwards to over Rs 17.29 lakh crore in the 2019-20 interim budget. Tax revenue was 63.2 per cent of budget estimates compared with 73.4 per cent in the comparable period of the previous year. The total expenditure of the government at December-end was Rs 18.32 lakh crore or 75 per cent of budget estimates. The increase in the fiscal deficit has been attributed to lower revenue collections.

28) The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released the data related to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows during April-September 2018-19. The important aspects from this data: The Foreign direct investment (FDI) into India was declined by 11 per cent to USD 22.66 billion during April-September period of 2018-19. The FDI inflows during April-September 2017-18 stood at USD 25.35 billion. The FDI which attracted large FDI are services (USD 4.91 billion), computer software and hardware (USD 2.54 billion), telecommunications (USD 2.17 billion), trading (USD 2.14 billion), chemicals (USD 1.6 billion), and automobile industry (USD 1.59 billion). Singapore with the FDI of USD 8.62 billion inflow was the largest source of FDI during April-September 2018-19. Singapore was followed by Mauritius (USD 3.88 billion), the Netherlands (USD 2.31 billion), Japan (USD 1.88 billion), the US (USD 970 million), and UK (USD 845 million). The Foreign Direct Investment growth witnessed a five-year low growth of 3 per cent at $ 44.85 billion in 2017-18. The decline in the growth rate of FDI could adversely affect the country’s balance of payments and may also impact the value of the rupee.

29) The National Testing Agency (NTA) which is vested with the responsibility of the conduction of competitive exams has taken the following measures to acquaint aspirants with the computer-based examinations: A mobile application has been launched through which students can practice or take mock tests on their smartphones. The National Testing Agency has also launched a network of more than 4,000 Test Practice Centres (TPCs). These measures are aimed at ensuring the aspirants especially those from rural areas are not at disadvantage due to the mode of the exam. National Testing Agency: National Testing Agency is a premier, specialist, autonomous and self-sustained testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions. The National Testing Agency is entrusted with the responsibility to address the challenge of assessing the competence of candidates through an efficient, transparent and error-free process. Functions of the National Testing Agency: The functions of the National Testing agency are: To identify partner institutions with the necessary infrastructure from the existing schools and higher education institutions to facilitate the conduct of online examinations without adversely impacting their academic routine. To set-up a question bank for all subjects using modern techniques. To establish a strong R&D culture as well as a pool of experts in different aspects of testing. To help individual colleges and universities in the field of testing and to provide training and advisory services to institutions in India. To provide quality testing services to the academic institutions in India. To develop a state of the art culture of testing in India by using domestic and international expertise. To collaborate with international organizations like ETS to achieve the same. To undertake any other examination that is entrusted to it by the Ministries/Departments of Government of India/State Governments. To undertake the reforms and training of school boards as well as other bodies where the testing standards should be comparable with the entrance examinations. The National Testing Agency will be chaired by an eminent educationist and the governing council of the National Testing agency is headed by the Secretary, Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Human Resource and Development. The National Testing agency is successfully conducting Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) main for undergraduate engineering admissions and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions.

30) The Road Safety Week was initiated by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways with an aim to raise public awareness about traffic rules and ultimately reduce casualties due to road accidents. Charitable Organizations, Non-Government Organizations and Private firms across the country join hand with the government to provide logistic support to the Road Safety Week Campaign. The Road safety week is observed annually to make people more aware of the traffic rules and to persuade them to follow rules while on road. Road Safety Week 2019: India is celebrating the 30th Road Safety Week from 04th February (Monday) to the 10th February (Sunday). The following activities are organised as part of the Road Safety Week 2019: Road safety leaflets including roses, chocolates and flowers are distributed to the travellers on the road. Commuters are sensitized about the methods and necessities of the road safety means they must understand the use of helmets or seat belts while driving on the road or anywhere. Various painting and drawing competitions, road safety announcements, exhibitions, road rules test, girls scooter rally to encourage the use of helmets, debates on road safety at the All India Radio, workshops, seminar and etc activities are organized. Free medical checkup camps and driving training workshops are organized for the drivers to encourage them towards road safety. Road safety quiz competitions are also organized to promote people about road safety. Traffic safety games including card games, puzzles, board games and etc are organized to educate school children about road safety. The road accidents are mainly attributed to behavioural tendencies such as habitual flouting of traffic rules like- not wearing a helmet, not wearing a seat belt, jumping traffic lights, over speeding, drunken driving etc. Road Safety Week is aimed at making people aware of the perils of not following traffic rules and the emotional and financial trauma that it could bring to their families.

31) Union Minister for Tourism K J Alphons delivering the inaugural speech at the 2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit highlighted the contribution of the of the tourism sector to the GDP as below: India’s tourism sector generated USD 234 billion revenue in 2018 and the sector registered a growth of over 19 per cent. India was ranked third in the tourism sector, according to the 2018 report of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The global revenue growth from tourism sector was five per cent and Indian tourism sector grew by 19.4 per cent.87 per cent of revenue was contributed by domestic tourists and 13 per cent foreign tourists. The earnings from foreign tourists were about USD 27 billion. The revenue from the foreign tourists grew by about 14 per cent in India compared to global growth of 7 per cent. Spiritual tourism contributed around 60-70 per cent of the total domestic tourists. ASEAN-India Youth Summit: The ASEAN-India Youth Summit aims to provide a platform for youth leaders of both India and ASEAN to engage with each other to develop a resilient and symbiotic relationship between countries. The ASEAN-India Youth Summit is organised by India Foundation, in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat and Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India (MEA). The first India-ASEAN Youth Summit was held in 2017 and the theme was Shared Values, Common Destiny. The second India-ASEAN Youth Summit was held in Guwahati with the theme Connectivity: Pathway to Shared Prosperity.

32) The Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the judicial complex in Amaravati. The judicial complex will house the interim High Court for Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Justice of India also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a permanent High Court to be built in Nelapadu of Guntur district. The construction of new high court was necessitated after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. The High Court which was common for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana till 2018 and recently the separate high courts were notified by the union government after the order from the Supreme Court. Judicial complex in Amravati: The Judicial Complex in Amravati was built by Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority within a short span of eight months. The total construction cost is estimated around Rs 173 crores. As a temporary arrangement, the complex will house the High Court of Andra Pradesh. Once the construction of the new high court at Nelapadu of Guntur district is completed, the complex will house the city civil court. Originally the first High Court of Andra Pradesh was inaugurated on July 5, 1954, in Guntur and was moved to Hyderabad only in October 1956.

33) Every year World Cancer Day is observed on February 4. The day is observed to save millions of preventable deaths each year through education, raising awareness and by pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the deadly disease. I Am and I Will: On the World Cancer Day, the Union for International Cancer Control launched a new 3-year campaign with the theme: “I Am and I Will”. The campaign is aimed to increase public-facing exposure and engagement to inspire the change that is required to build a cancer-free future for the world. Burden of Cancer: The global burden of cancer is estimated to have increased to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Approximately one in five men and one in six women worldwide develop cancer in their lifetime, and one in eight men and one in 11 women die from the disease. In India around 2.25 million cases with over 1 lakh new cases being registered every year. The disease led to nearly 7 lakh deaths in 2018. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates that India is likely to register over 17 lakh new cases and report over 8 lakh deaths by 2020. If some serious interventions are not made to alter the course of the disease, the global burden is expected to rise to close to 30 million new cases by 2040.

34) Iran announced the successful test flight of Hoveizeh long-range cruise missile on February second which marks the 40th anniversary of 1979 Islamic revolution. The Hoveizeh Cruise Missile is part of the Soumar family of cruise missile and has a range of over 1,350 km (840 miles). It is designed to use against ground targets. The Hoveizeh missile needs a very short time for its preparedness and can fly at a low altitude and is manufactured by the Aerospace Industries Organization of Iran. 1979 Islamic Revolution: The democratically elected prime minister in Iran was thrown out and the Shah was restored to the throne with the help of American CIA. In the times of cold war, the US wanted to keep the Shah in power as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. Iran was reaping enormous benefits from oil production and the gap was widening between the wealthy and the poor. The recession in 1975 led to tension between the classes. In October 1977, the son of the Shia cleric Ayatollah Khomeini died of heart attack and the rumours spread that he had been murdered by the SAVAK secret police. Shah was battling for life due to cancer at the time. Shah had his Information Minister published an article in the leading newspaper that slandered Ayatollah Khomeini was a tool of British neo-colonial interests and a man without faith. This angered people and the theology students in the city of Qom exploded in angry protests. To suppress the protests the shah came down heavily on the protestors and what followed as a massacre at Qom. Further, there were series of protests across Iran against the misadventures of Shah and his administration which culminated in the revolution of 1979 where the monarch of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was overthrown and his government was replaced with an Islamic republic under the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a leader of one of the factions in the revolt.

35) The 22nd AIIMS would come up in Haryana. The announcement was made regarding this at the Interim Budget 2019. The AIIMS would be established at Manethi village in Haryana’s Rewari district. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS): All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is the autonomous institutions set up under the act of parliament. The All India Institute Of Medical Sciences Act, 1956 provides for the establishment of AIIMS as Institute of National Importance. Objectives of AIIMS: To develop a pattern of teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in all its branches so as to demonstrate a high standard of medical education to all medical colleges and other allied institutions in India. To bring together in one place educational facilities of the highest order for the training of the personnel in all important branches of the health activity. To attain self-sufficiency in postgraduate medical education. Functions of AIIMS: Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in medical and related physical biological sciences. Nursing and Dental education. Innovations in education. Producing medical teachers for the country. Research in medical and related sciences. Health care : preventive, promotive and curative; primary, secondary & tertiary. Community based teaching and research. AIIMS Institutions aims to develop patterns of teaching in Undergraduate and Post-graduate Medical Education in all its branches so as to demonstrate a high standard of Medical Education in India and to bring together in one place educational facilities of the highest order for the training of personnel in all important branches of health activity; and to attain self-sufficiency in Post-graduate Medical Education.

36) India’s One-day International (ODI) captain Mithali Raj has become the first woman to play 200 ODI matches with her appearance in the match against New Zealand. The record for largest number of games played by a Woman Cricketer was already in the name of Mithali Raj. Mithali Raj had achieved the milestone when she played her 192 ODI of the career, going past Charlotte Edwards’ record of 191 appearances. The 36-year-old Mithali Raj is playing the game at the international circuit for almost twenty years and she is also the fourth-highest among the cricketers as a whole, as Mithali is just behind Sachin Tendulkar (463), Sanath Jayasuriya (445) and Javed Miandad (233). Journey of Mithali Raj: Mithali Raj made her ODI debut back on 25 June 1999 against Ireland in Milton Keynes. Mithali Raj is the leading run scorer in the ODIs among women with 6622 runs. Of the 213 matches India has played since her debut, she has played in all of them barring 13. Mithali Raj also holds the record for leading a country in ODIs most number of times with 123 matches.

37) Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian asylum-seeker detained in Papua New Guinea under Australian asylum laws has won the Victorian Prize for Literature. Behrouz Boochani was awarded for his work “No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison”. The astonishing fact is that Boochani wrote the work on his phone and sent it to Omid Tofighian bit-by-bit in text messages. Omid Tofighian is the book’s translator who worked with Boochani over five years to bring the stories to life. The book “No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison” narrates experiences and fear Boochani felt in the guarded camp, which was shuttered last year after a local court ruling and the asylum-seekers moved elsewhere on the island. Australia Detention Policy: The Australia Detention Policy deports asylum-seekers who try to enter the country by boat to Manus Island or Nauru in the Pacific for processing, with those found to be refugees barred from resettling in Australia. The international community is criticising Australia for its attempt to use remote Pacific islands such as Nauru as a ‘dumping ground’ for people seeking asylum and protection by boat to Australia. This offshore processing policy of Australia is giving rise to a completely avoidable health crisis and needlessly destroying lives due to serious levels of mental illness, trauma, depression, self-harm, sexual assault and suicides.

38) World Wetlands Day was celebrated on February 2nd with the theme of “Wetlands and Climate Change”. The theme signifies the importance of healthy and intact wetlands to one of the most pressing challenges of our times, climate change. The theme has been chosen to initiate action against the drainage of wetlands. The theme Wetlands and Climate Change is aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of wetlands, such as swamps, marshes, mangroves or peatlands, to help us cope with and mitigate global warming. Significance of Wetlands: The importance of Wetlands is listed below- Almost 90% of disasters are water-related and affects 60% of humanity that lives along coastlines by flooding and tsunamis. Wetlands are key to climate change mitigation. Wetlands function as a natural and extremely efficient carbon sink. For Example, peatlands which cover only 3% of land mass, absorb and store twice the amount of carbon as all the world’s forests combined. Wetlands act as a buffer for climate catastrophes that help communities be resilient against the immediate impacts of climate change. Why February 2nd is celebrated as World Wetland Day? The World Wetlands Day aims to bring attention towards the protection of the fragile wetlands which are threatened by human activity. The rate of disappearance of Wetlands is 1% which is at a higher rate than deforestation. Wetlands are also are exposed to draining and burning for agricultural enterprise and rural development, as well as rising sea levels. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February 1971 to commemorate the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention at the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The two-fold objectives of the Ramsar Convention are Conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands and stop the encroachment and loss of wetlands.

39) IPS officer Rishi Kumar Shukla has been appointed as the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fixed tenure of two years. Rishi Kumar Shukla is currently serving as the chairman of Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation in Bhopal. The appointment of the Rishi Kumar Shukla was approved by the Appointments Committee of the cabinet based on the recommendation of the selection committee headed by the Prime Minister. The CBI Director search committee headed by Prime Minister has the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition as members. Supreme Court Observations: The appointment of the CBI director gains significance in the backdrop of comments made by the Supreme Court which had said that it was “averse” to the arrangement of an interim CBI Director and the Centre should “immediately” appoint a regular chief of the probe agency. The Supreme Court stated that the post of CBI Director is sensitive and important, and it is not good to keep an interim director of the agency for a longer period. The Supreme Court sought to know why the government has not made the appointment yet.

40) The Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan scheme in the interim budget 2019 for workers in the unorganised sector. About the Scheme: The features of the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan scheme are- Under the scheme, an assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 per month will be provided to workers in the unorganised sector after 60 years of age. To avail of the scheme, workers will have to contribute a minimal Rs 100 month per month. The scheme is expected to benefit 10 crore workers. This new pension scheme will run alongside the existing Atal Pension Yojana, which guarantees returns post-retirement. The budget also increased gratuity limit from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh from the next fiscal. The scheme is touted as to become the world’s biggest pension scheme for the unorganised sector in five years. The scheme is designed as a tribute to the workers in the unorganised sector who contribute around 50 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

41) The Interim Budget 2019 has increased the allocations to the Defence Ministry by 6.87 per cent to Rs 3.18 lakh crore against last year’s allocation of Rs 2.98 lakh crore. Allocations to Defence Ministry- The Defence Ministry budget outlay includes: Of the total allocation of Rs 3.18 lakh crore, Rs 1,08,248 crore has been set aside for capital outlay for the year 2019-2020 to purchase new weapons, aircraft, warships and other military hardware. Rs 1,12,079 crore has been set aside for payment of pensions. The defence budget is around 1.44 per cent of the GDP. Of the total capital outlay of Rs 1,08,248 crore, the Army was granted Rs 29,447 crore, the Navy was given Rs 23,156 crore and the Indian Air Force got an allocation of Rs 39,302 crore. The revenue expenditure which includes expenses on payment of salaries and maintenance of establishments has been pegged at Rs 2,10,682 crore as against Rs 1,88,118 crore for 2018-19. The capital outlay for armed forces is 32.19 per cent of the government’s total capital expenditure of Rs 3,36,293 crore. The allocation to the defence ministry for capital expenditure is said to be inadequate given the kind of modernisation our armed forces are envisaging.

42) The present government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented an uncompromising stance on fiscal deficit in the beginning. In its first budget, the government had stated that “we cannot go on spending today which would be financed by taxation at a future date”. The government emphasised on “inter-generational equity” and not leaving behind “a legacy of debt for our future generations” highlighting its commitment for adhering to the fiscal deficit norms. Change in Stance: There was a deviation from this uncompromising stance on Fiscal Deficit during the second half of the government’s tenure: The fiscal deficit for 2017-18 deepened from the targeted 3.2% to 3.5% of GDP. The interim Budget has put the fiscal deficit target for 2018-19 at 3.4% of GDP, marginally higher than the budgeted 3.3%. The targets under the Fiscal Responsibility Management Act also saw a revision over the years with the original 3% target set for 2016-17 now being pushed to 2020-21. The Medium Term Fiscal Policy-cum-Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement has attributed the fiscal slippage in the last two years mainly on the lower-than-projected revenues from GST and the government having to provide support to farmers on account of low crop prices. The critics attribute these fiscal slippages to aftermath impacts of the twin shocks of demonetisation and GST. The policy further states that the accrual of the full benefit of GST reforms and revenues is expected to take some more time and the stabilisation phase is expected to continue in 2019-20 too. Further, the full fiscal impact of the income support scheme for farmers will also be felt in 2019-20.

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