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  • W.B.C.S Current Affairs 16 February 2019 to 22 February 2019.
    Posted on March 22nd, 2019 in Weekly Current Affairs
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    W.B.C.S Current Affairs 16 February 2019 to 22 February 2019.

    1) The Central government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada to work on various environmental issues including climate change, forest resource management and wildlife. Features of the MoU: The MoU was signed by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for the next 10 years to explore opportunities for collaborations in the field of forestry science. The opportunities for collaboration will be explored through organizations like Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Forest Survey of India (FSI), Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy and Directorate of Forest Education, Uttarakhand, and UBC. The MoU will assist in the exchange of students, researchers and faculty, developing research projects, livelihood opportunities and augment the income of the forest-based communities. The MoU will also assist industries to optimise the utilisation of forest-based resources with access to technology to different stakeholders by the respective organisations. The areas to be explored for collaboration under the MoU include Collaborative research on wood sciences, forest resource management, adaptation and mitigation to climate change, forest genetics and breeding, wildlife, ecology, remote sensing, insect and disease pests, extension, conservation of flora and fauna, biotechnology, bio-energy and bio-economy. Joint conferences, seminars, workshops and exhibitions will be arranged as part of the MoU to take the collaboration forward.Continue Reading W.B.C.S Current Affairs 16 February 2019 to 22 February 2019.

    2) Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a bilateral meeting with her counterpart from Spain Josep Borrel. Both the leaders met at Madrid’s Viana Palace, the Spanish foreign ministry’s official headquarters to discuss the most pressing issues on the international agenda. Highlights of the Bilateral Meet- The important outcomes of the bilateral meeting are: Both India and Spain supported the promotion of multilateralism and a rules-based concept of free trade. The meet acknowledged the growing degree of interlocution between Spain and Indian and the current understanding between the two countries that share values, democratic principles and vision regarding international affairs. Both discussed the budding potential of closer economic ties and industrial and technological cooperation between the Mediterranean and South Asian nations especially in fields in which Spanish businesses are global leaders such as the civil use of nuclear energy, transport, the railway sector and renewable energy. The meet acknowledged India’s increasing influence when it comes to the promotion of international stability and security. Spain expressed condolences and solidarity in the aftermath of a brutal suicide bombing at Pulwama that has killed at least 40 paramilitary troopers. Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit medal: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was presented with Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit medal to honour India’s support for Spanish victims of the earthquake that devastated Nepal in April 2015. The award recognises the extraordinary service by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain.

    3) A month-long Festival of India in Nepal is being held at Nepal. Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari was the chief guest of the opening ceremony. Festival of India in Nepal: The Festival of India in Nepal is organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu with support from India’s Ministry of culture. The Festival of India in Nepal is aimed at consolidating and strengthening our existing age-old relations, reinforcing sensibilities, affinities and shared cultural bonds between the people of our two countries. The Festival aims to contribute towards sustaining and enhancing mutual understanding between India and Nepal. On the opening day, the Sumit Roy Group depicted the life-span of the Buddha through melody and drama. The month-long festival will host cultural performances which include Mridangam instrumental performance by Pandit Yella Venkateshwara, Punjabi folk dance by Harinder Pal and group; Theatre art by Su-Samannaya group; Kathakali dance by Haripriya and group and Maithali Sons and Dances by Prangan Group. Together with cultural events the Festival also hosts an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhiji together with a speech competition on the Mahatma Gandhiji besides a seminar on Sanskrit. Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center: Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) aims to promote awareness of India’s composite cultural heritage and to strengthen the existing cultural ties across the world. The centres are run by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

    4) The data released from the Ministry of Commerce and Industries shows that the FDI inflows to India contracted by 7 per cent to USD 33.49 billion during April-December in the financial year 2018-19. Key Facts about FDI inflow to India: The FDI inflow during April-December 2018-19 at USD 33.49 was 7 per cent lower than the FDI inflow of USD 35.94 billion during April-December 2017-18. The sectoral wise breakup of the FDI in the corresponding period is as listed below: services (USD 5.91 billion), computer software and hardware (USD 4.75 billion), telecommunications (USD 2.29 billion), trading (USD 2.33 billion), chemicals (USD 6.05 billion), and the automobile industry (USD 1.81 billion). Singapore was the largest FDI contributor during April-December 2018-19 with USD 12.97 billion inflow. Singapore was followed by Mauritius (USD 6 billion), the Netherlands (USD 2.95 billion), Japan (USD 2.21 billion), US (USD 2.34 billion), and the UK (USD 1.05 billion). This decline in the FDI inflows could put pressure on the country’s balance of payments and may also adversely impact the value of the rupee.

    5) The 4th India-ASEAN Expo and Summit was inaugurated by Union Minister for Commerce and Industries, Suresh Prabhu. The summit will be held between 21-23 February 2019 in New Delhi. India-ASEAN Expo Summit: The India-ASEAN Expo Summit is organised with FICCI to carry forward the momentum and to further strengthen India-ASEAN relations under the Act-East Policy. The 4th India-ASEAN Expo and Summit aim to build upon the success of the previous edition of ASEAN-India Business and Investment Meet and Expo which was held in 2018 as a precursor to India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit. The Summit aims to provide a platform for the policy makers, industry captains and business leaders to come together and forge a common vision for India and ASEAN’s mutual growth and progress. The Expo Summit provides a platform for buyer-seller meetings to provide business leaders with an opportunity to closely interact with their counterparts and consolidate B2B and B2G relations. The summit will host various Plenary Sessions on sectoral engagements with ASEAN which will be attended by the Ministers and other eminent delegates from ASEAN and India. ASEAN: ASEAN or Association of South East Asian Nations is an association of nations brought into existence on August 8, 1967, after ASEAN declaration (also known as Bangkok declaration). ASEAN aims to promote social progress, economic growth and cultural development between member countries and resolution of differences by peaceful negotiations. Founder countries of ASEAN were Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand. Later the body expanded with the joining of 5 more nations Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam and Cambodia did the latest entry into the group in 1999.

    6) Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti inaugurated Sikaria Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd at Village Tulakona in Agartala. This is the 17th Mega Food Park in the country and first in the state of Tripura. Highlights about the Mega Food Park of Tripura- The Mega Food Park has been set up in 50 acres of land at the cost of Rs. 87.45 crore. The food park is having facilities of fully operational Dry warehouse and material handling of 5000 MT, Pineapple canning and Pulping line of 2 MT/Hr each, Packing Unit, Ripening Chambers of 40 TPD, Cold Storage of 5000 MT with Frozen Storage of 1000 MT, Quality Control, Research & Development Centre. The Mega Food Park also has fully developed Industrial plots for setting up processing units and Standard Design Factory (SDF) Sheds to provide ready to move in the facility for micro and small enterprises. The Mega Food Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and generate a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 Crore annually. The Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 5000 people and benefit about 25000 farmers. Mega Food Park Scheme: The Mega Food Park scheme was initiated in 2008. These mega food parks create modern infrastructure facilities for food processing along the value chain from farm to market along with strong forward and backward linkages through a cluster-based approach. The Ministry of Food Processing is implementing Mega Food Park Scheme to give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with a particular focus on perishables. The government of India provides financial assistance up to Rs. 50.00 Crore per Mega Food Park project.

    7) The North-Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram celebrate Statehood Day celebrated statehood day on February 20. Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh celebrated the 32nd and 47th Statehood Day respectively. Brief History- Mizoram: The Statehood to Mizoram was the culmination of the struggle led by Mizo National Front (MNF), a political organisation born in 1961. MNF took to armed insurrection and raised uprising against the Government, attacking the government installations at Aizawl, Lunglei, Chawngte, Chhimluang and other places demanding sovereign independence of Greater Mizoram. In 1967 MNF was banned by the government of India and this further fuelled the armed agitation led by the MNF. Mizoram was declared Union Territory in 1972. But it did not satisfy the protestors demanding separate statehood. The Memorandum of Settlement was signed between the Mizo National Front and the Indian Government on June 30, 1986, where the Mizo National Front surrendered arms and immediate arrangements were made to solidify Mizoram as a full-fledged state in India. Consequently, the Indian Constitution was amended through the Mizoram State Act, 1986 and the Mizoram state came into existence. Arunachal Pradesh: Initially, Arunachal Pradesh was directly under the Governor of the provincial government of Assam. After the constitution came into being the Government of Assam was relieved of its responsibilities of the North East Frontier Agency and the powers were vested in the Governor of Assam, a constitutional post and an agent of the President of India. NEFA was re-named as Arunachal Pradesh and subsequently, in 1972 Arunachal Pradesh became the Union Territory of the Republic of India. In the year 1975 Arunachal Pradesh Council was converted into a Provisional Legislative Assembly and a council of ministers was appointed for Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh attained full statehood on 20 February 1987 after the passing of the Constitution 55th Amendment Act.

    8) The government of Punjab has sought an apology from the British government for the JallianwalaBagh massacre. A resolution demanding an apology from the British government was passed unanimously from the Punjab Assembly. Resolution of Punjab Assembly- The resolution passed unanimously by the Punjab Assembly states: The tragic massacre of innocent protesters in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on April 13, 1919 remains one of the most horrific memories of British colonial rule in India. This shameful military action against locals peacefully protesting against the oppressive Rowlatt Act has since received worldwide condemnation. Proper acknowledgement could only be by way of a formal apology by the British government to the people of India, as India observes the centenary of this great tragedy. The resolution unanimously recommended the state government to take up this matter with the government of India to impress upon the British government to officially apologise for the massacre of innocent people at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. UK condemns avoids Apology: In 2013, then British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Jallianwala Bagh. He had voiced regret over the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and referred to it as a ‘shameful event in British history’. In 2017 London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s called for an official apology on the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Thereafter UK Foreign Office stated that government has “rightly condemned” the “deeply shameful act” in British history in the past and had invoked the regret expressed by then PM David Cameron in 2013.

    9) Union Human Resource Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched Operation Digital Board to leverage technology to boost quality education in the country. Operation Digital Board: Operation Digital Board (ODB) is a revolutionary step which will make both learning as well as the teaching process interactive and popularize flipped learning as a pedagogical approach. The features of the programme are- Operation Digital Board has been launched on the lines of Operation Blackboard to provide better digital education in schools. Under Operation Digital Board seven lakh classrooms of 9th, 10th and 11th standards and two lakh classrooms of colleges and Universities will be equipped with digital boards in the next three years. The initiative is aimed at improving the quality of education and offer new opportunities and new ways of teaching and learning. Together with converting classrooms into digital classrooms and providing e-resources to students, the Operation Digital Board will aid in the provisioning of personalised adaptive learning as well as Intelligent Tutoring by exploiting emerging technologies like Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics. UGC will be the implementing agency for ODB in Higher Education institutions. The central government will implement the scheme in the schools in association with state government.

    10) The Aero India 2019 was inaugurated by Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. The Aero India 2019 will be held for 5 days from February 20 to 24 and each day of the five day air show would have a special theme. Day one would be Inaugural Day, the theme for day two and three is Start-Up Day and Technology Day respectively Day, Day four would be Women’s Day and day five Public Day. Aero India 2019: The Aero India 2019 has a tagline “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities” and has a logo inspired by the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The Ministry of Defence has planned following events as per the theme of the day during the Aero India 2019: Start-up Day: The Start-up day would witness a start-up showcase event on February 21 to tap into the highly motivated entrepreneurial talent pool of the country. The showcase event is aimed at providing the platform for interactions between the domestic and international start-up community, key policymakers in the Indian defence sector, and CEOs of leading Indian and global start-ups. Womens’ Day: Women’s Day would be organised On February 23 to showcase achievements made by women in the aerospace sector on February 23. The Women’s Day would witness felicitation of women achievers, unveiling of the brochure highlighting achievements of women, experience sharing by leading women in Aero-Space Sector and flying display by women pilots, paratroopers etc. Drone Olympics: Drone Olympics provides an opportunity for all the UAV manufacturing enthusiasts to showcase the capabilities of the Drones they are manufacturing. Technology Day/Students Day: Technology Day would be observed on February 22 to provide an opportunity for the students involved in the aerospace sector, both civil and defence to showcase their projects. Photography contest: A Photography contest would be held on the theme ‘Flying Objects’ for the general public during the closing day. Missing man formation: Three aircrafts Jaguar, Tejas and Su-30 Mki flew past in the missing man formation to pay tribute to the Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi who lost his life while carrying out a practice sortie for the Aero India 2019.

    11) President Trump has signed a directive to create a Military Space Force. The directive orders the Pentagon to establish the Space Force as the sixth branch of the United States military, to go along with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Military Space Force: The main goal of the Space Force is to secure and extend American dominance of the space domain. The features of the Military space force are: Rather than deploying soldiers in space, the Space Force will focus on national security and preserving the satellites and vehicles that are dedicated to international communications and observation. Space could be a new warfighting domain and the US aims to be combat ready with Military Space Force. The Space force will be responsible to deter and defeat threats in space and will organize, train, and equip military space forces. The Space force will ensure unfettered access to, and freedom to operate in space, and to provide vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces. Details about the Space Force like exactly how much it might cost remains unclear. The creation of military space force to materialise requires approval from the US Congress.

    12) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) standard certification for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The DRDO’s FOC certification testifies the combat-readiness of Tejas. The Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) is a DRDO laboratory authorised to certify military aircraft and airborne systems. To get the final operational clearance, the aircraft must have battle-time capabilities of mid-air refuelling, AESA radar, electronic warfare suites, a variety of bombs and weapons, among others. LCA Tejas: LCA Tejas is lightweight single-seat multi-role jet fighter powered by a single engine. It has tailless and compound delta wing design made entirely of composite structures. It is pegged as the world’s smallest and lightest supersonic fighter aircraft in its class. LCA Tejas is first advanced fly-by-wire Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) designed, developed and manufactured indigenously by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) as part of LCA programme, started in the 1980s to replace India’s ageing MiG-21 fighters. It was named ‘Tejas’, which means ‘radiance’, by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Advance Features: LCA Tejas is equipped with the quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system to ease handling by the pilot. It also has a digital computer-based attack system and autopilot mode. It is also equipped with the satellite-aided Inertial Navigation System. Stealth Features: It has many features of stealth fighter aircraft. Its radar cross section is very less compared to other aircrafts like MiG-29, F-16 due to its small size and extensive usage of carbon composites. It incorporates a glass cockpit in which the pilot is fed with real-time information. It also has open architecture software for avionics which can be easily updated as and when required. Range: It has a limited reach of little over 400-km and will be mainly used for close air-to-ground operations (unlike Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKIs or Rafale which have deep strike capability into enemy territory due to their long range). Weaponry: It can fire air-to-air missiles, carry bombs and precision guided ammunition. DRDO has successfully tested fired Tejas with different kinds of weaponry and missiles including R-73 air-to-air missile, bomb dropping (including laser-guided bombs). DRDO also plans test firing of indigenous Astra missile from the Tejas. Operations: LCA Tejas had commenced operations from Sulur Air Force Station in Tamil Nadu in July 2018, two years after it was formally inducted into IAF. The fighter jet is part of ‘Flying Daggers’ of 45 Squadron of IAF. Southern Air Command based in Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram has been entrusted with the responsibility of integrating fighter aircraft in IAF’s concept of operations.

    13) 150 students of Srilanka from all 25 districts were awarded the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi scholarships for study in India. The Scholarships were awarded by Sri Lankan Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu at a special ceremony in Colombo. Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships: The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships are merit-cum-means based Scholarship instituted in 2006-07 for Sri Lankan students and is awarded annually by the High Commission of India in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka. Recipients of the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships receive cash assistance during their two years of Advanced Level studies. The High Commission of India has increased the scholarship amount from Rs. 2,000 to 2,500 per month from 2015-16 onwards and accordingly; this year’s awardees will receive Rs. 30,000 annually during their two years of ‘Advanced Level studies. The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship has benefitted more than 1,100 meritorious students since its inception in the year 2006. Other Initiatives of India to boost the Education in Sri Lanka: India and Sri Lanka have a robust relationship and India is taking giant steps to help the education sector of Sri Lanka. They include: India is constructing new classrooms in 27 schools in the North. India handed over the largest University Auditorium in Sri Lanka in the University of Ruhuna, in the South. India has provided assistance for the new trilingual school in Polonnaruwa and Saraswathy College Kandy. The government of India is also providing opportunities to young Sri Lankans to study in reputed Indian Institutions of higher education through more than 270 scholarships per year, besides providing 370 short-term training slots every year to working professionals from Sri Lanka under ITEC programme.

    14) The European Parliament and the Council have struck a deal reduce average CO2 emissions compared with 2019 levels. The features of the deal are: To reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from new trucks and buses by 30 per cent by 2030. The deal proposes a binding CO2-reduction target for trucks at the EU-level for the first time and includes a clear stimulus for zero and low-emission trucks. Trucks account for almost one-quarter of the EU’s transport-related emissions and the EU did not have limits on emissions from heavy-duty vehicles till now. The EU has the ambition of being climate-neutral from 2050. EU had agreed in December 2018 on targets for cutting emissions from cars and vans. The curbs on the transportation sector are expected to help the bloc meet its overall goal of reducing greenhouse gases by at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030 under the Paris climate accord. European Parliament: The Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters in all Member States to represent people’s interests with regard to EU law-making and to make sure other EU institutions are working democratically. The Parliament acts as a co-legislator, sharing with the Council the power to adopt and amend legislative proposals and to decide on the EU budget. European Council: The European Council brings together EU leaders to set the EU’s political agenda. The members of the European Council are Heads of state or government of EU countries, European Commission President, High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy. European Commission: The European Commission is the EU’s executive arm. It takes decisions on the Union’s political and strategic direction.

    15) The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has received clearance from the Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence for production of 114 ‘Dhanush’ long-range artillery guns. Dhanush Long Range Artillery Guns- The features of the Dhanush long-range artillery guns are: Dhanush Long Range Artillery Guns are the first ever indigenous 155 mm x 45 calibre long-range artillery gun. Dhanush Long Range Artillery Guns are equipped with inertial navigation-based sighting system, auto-laying facility, onboard ballistic computation and an advanced day and night direct firing system. The self-propulsion unit on Dhanush allows the gun to negotiate and deploy itself in mountainous terrains with ease. Dhanush is also electronically upgraded to enhance firing accuracies, laying speeds of the existing gun and to provide compatibility with various kinds of ammunition as well. Dhanush howitzer is an improved version of Bofors guns acquired by India between 1987 and 1991. Dhanush howitzer is a reverse-engineered upgraded variant of the original Bofors design. Dhanush reportedly has a new maximum effective range of 38 kilometres in salvo mode. Dhanush howitzer is capable of firing eight rounds per minutes and needs a crew of six to eight artillerymen. Ordnance Factory Board: Indian Ordnance Factories organisation is a family of 41 Ordnance Factories under the aegis of its corporate headquarters Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata. It works under the aegis of Ministry of Defence. The ordnance factories form an integrated base for the indigenous production of defence hardware and equipment. The primary objective of the ordnance factories is achieving self-reliance in equipping the armed forces with state of the art battlefield equipment.

    16) Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first ever diesel-to-electric converted locomotive at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Diesel-to-Electric Converted Locomotive: The 10,000HP freight locomotive was converted from two units of old diesel locomotives of 2600 HP each with indigenous technology. The conversion was achieved in record time with the help of engineers from Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Chittaranjan Locomotive Works(CLW), and BHEL. The conversion has proved to be cost effective as it requires half of the rehabilitation cost of old locos and it is also environment-friendly with enhanced traction power to double the average speed of goods train. DLW has developed a new prototype electric locomotive converted from diesel locomotive as part of the Indian Railways Mission 100 per cent electrification and de-carbonization agenda. Indian Railways Mission 100 per cent Electrification: The Indian Railways has undertaken Mission 100 per cent electrification to electrify the last leg of about 13,675 Km railway tracks at a cost of Rs 12,134 crore. The 100 per cent electrification will electrify all broad gauge lines of Indian Railways and it will make Indian Railways the largest electrified rail network in the world. Benefits of 100 per cent Electrification: Reduced dependence on imported diesel. Enhanced line capacity and higher haulage capacity. Seamless train operations ensuring better speed. Improved signalling system for enhanced safety. Direct employment generation during construction for nearly 20.4 crore man days. 100 per cent electrification also provides environmental benefits like reduced environment cost per tonne-kilometre, 24% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2027-2028 and a reduction of nearly 2.83 billion litres of fossil fuel consumption per annum.

    17) The Union government has proposed a new rural Livelihood Scheme, the National Rural Economic Transformation Project under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). National Rural Economic Transformation Project: The features of the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) are: The project would be undertaken with loan assistance from the World Bank. The project aims to provide interventions to enhance the livelihoods promotion, access to finance and scale-up initiatives on digital finance and livelihood interventions. Projects under NRETP would provide alternate channels of financial inclusion, creating value chains around rural products, introduce innovative models in livelihoods promotion and access to finance and scale-up initiatives on digital finance and livelihoods interventions. DAY-NRLM: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) aims to create efficient and effective institutional platforms for the rural poor to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services. Originally called as Aajeevika – National Rural Livelihoods Mission, the programme was renamed as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in 2015. DAY-NRLM aims to organize the poor into SHGs and make them capable of self-employment with a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated component for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas. The scheme aims to help rural poor to set up self-employment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit. It is implemented across the country in all States and Union Territories (except Chandigarh and Delhi) and it is one of the world’s largest initiatives to improve the livelihood of poor.

    18) The Union Government has cleared the construction of Rs 30,274 crore Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) to connect the national capital with Meerut through Ghaziabad. The RRTS would enable to cover the 82 kilometre-stretch in less than 60 minutes by high-speed and green public transit. The project would be undertaken by a Special Purpose Vehicle the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) as joint ownership of the Centre and State Governments with equal contribution. Regional Rapid Transport System: Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) is a rail-based high-speed regional transit system. RRTS will be implemented for the first time in India in the New Delhi-Meerut stretch. It aims to provide the fastest, comfortable and safest mode of commuter transport in the National Capital Region (NCR). Of the total 82.15 Kms stretch 68.03 kilometers would be elevated and 14.12 km would be underground. Benefits of RRTS: The RRTS trains will reduce pollution and road congestion taking more than one lakh private vehicles off-road. Provides efficient regional connectivity. High speed mobility will also drive balanced socio-economic growth with increased economic activities and will improve the quality of life of citizens. 18 kilometers stretch between Modipuram and Meerut South stations on the RRTS infrastructure will meet the local mobility needs of citizens of Meerut. Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is first of the three prioritized corridors planned for implementation in Phase-1 and other two are Delhi-Gurugram-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat Corridors.

    19) The government of Odisha has launched the KALIA Chhatra Bruti scholarship for the children of farmers. The Scholarship is under the KALIA, Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation, a scheme for financing farmers in Odisha. Eligibility for the Scholarship: Students should be the children of KALIA beneficiaries. They should be studying in government professional colleges on merit. The government has launched the ‘KALIA Chhatra Bruti’ programme so that the children of the farmers excel in the future. Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation: Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) is a support scheme of Odisha whose primary targets are small farmers, cultivators and landless agricultural labourers. The features of the scheme are: Under the Scheme, Odisha would spend Rs 10,180 crore over three years until 2020-21 in providing financial assistance to cultivators and landless agricultural labourers benefitting 92% of the cultivators in the state and including every category from big farmers to landless cultivators. The government would provide Rs 10,000 per family as assistance for cultivation, Rs 5,000 each in the Kharif and Rabi seasons, for five cropping seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22. The financial assistance under the scheme is not linked to the quantum of land owned. The scheme also targets landless households, specifically SC and ST families; They will be supported with a unit cost of Rs 12,500 for activities like goat rearing, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, poultry farming and fishery. The Scheme also provides a life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of the same amount for 57 lakh households. The Scheme also proposes interest-free crop loans up to Rs 50,000. KALIA scheme was introduced by the government of Odisha as an alternative to the demand of farm loan waiver. KALIA scheme strives to target rural activities as a whole by supporting farming on a small scale, sharecropping, fishing and animal herding which doesn’t get covered under loan waiver schemes.

    20) The 7th National Photography Awards were presented by Union Minister of State (IC) for Information & Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore. The seventh edition of National Photography Awards was organised at National Media Centre in New Delhi. The theme for the Professional category was “Women-led Development” and theme for Amateur category was “Fairs and Festivals of India”. Awardees List: A total of 13 awards were presented during the ceremony. The Lifetime Achievement Award has a cash prize of Rs.3,00,000. The awards in Professional Photographer of the Year category and Amateur Photographer of the Year category had a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000 and Rs.75,000 respectively. 5 Special Mention Awards in both Professional and Amateur categories were awarded with cash prize of Rs.50,000/- and Rs.30,000/- each respectively. The winner’s list is enlisted below: Lifetime Achievement Award – Shri Ashok Dilwali. Professional Photographer of the Year – Shri SL Shanth Kumar. Amateur Photographer of the Year – Shri Gurdeep Dhiman. Special Mention Awards (Professional) – Shri Arun Sreedhar, Shri P.V. Sunderrao, Shri Kailash Mittal, Shri Mihir Singh, Ms Ranita Roy. Special Mention Awards (Amateur) – Shri V. Ravi Kumar, Ms. S. Neelima, Shri Manish Jaisi, Shri Mahesh Balasaheb Lonkar, Shri Avijit Datta. National Photography Awards: National Photography Awards are presented by the Photo Division under Ministry of I&B. The Photo Division previously existed as a separate Unit and now has been brought under the aegis of PIB. National Photography Awards aims to promote art and technique of photography and to encourage professional and amateur photographers from all corners of the country.

    21) The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launched the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal as part of the women safety initiatives. Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO): The Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) is an online module available to law enforcement agencies at all levels, national, state, district and police station. It allows the state to undertake real-time monitoring and management of cases of rape to be able to complete the investigation in two months. ITSSO leverages the existing Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems which is a nationwide network enabling sharing of information between Police Stations, State officers and security agencies. ITSSO will aid in the effective implementation of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2018 mandates completion of investigation and trials in rape cases within two months. Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal: The government had brought in the Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal to monitor the safe city project introduced in the eight cities which are: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai. The portal will aid in online tracking of deployment of assets and infrastructure. The safe city project funded through the Nirbhaya Fund is a joint endeavour of city’s police and municipal bodies, The project involves identifying crime hotspots and saturating them with CCTV cameras, drone-based surveillance and deployment of automated number plate reading (ANPR) equipment through an integrated smart control room.

    22) The 112 helpline which was earlier launched in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland was launched in 16 states and UTs by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS). The 16 states and Union Territories where the helpline was launched were Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir. Emergency Response Support System (ERSS): The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) integrates police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) helpline numbers into a single 112 helpline number and the process is on to integrate the health emergency number (108) soon. To access the ERSS the person can dial ‘112’ on a phone. The person can also press the power button of a smartphone three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre or long press the ‘5’ or ‘9’ key to activate the panic call from the normal phone. The ERSS can also be accessed through ‘112’ India mobile app, which is available free on Google Play Store and Apple Store or log onto the ERSS website for the respective state and send an emergency email or SOS alert to state Emergency response centre.

    23) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer Rs 28,000 crore as interim dividend to the government. RBI had already transferred Rs 40,000 crore to the government in August 2018 and with the additional 28,000. The government would receive a total of Rs 68,000 crore from the central bank in the current fiscal. This dividend of Rs 68000 will be the highest receipt for the government from RBI in a single financial year. It exceeds the Rs 65,896 crore the government received in FY16 and Rs 40,659 crore in FY18. RBI follows a July-June financial year and usually distributes the dividend in August after annual accounts are finalised. RBI is providing the interim dividend for the second consecutive year. The RBI had paid Rs 10,000 crore interim dividend in March last year taking the total dividend to Rs 40,659 crore for the year. The interim dividend by RBI will help the government to meet its revised budget estimates that include an allocation for the first-ever income transfer to farmers and to improve the fiscal position ahead of the general elections in 2019. The budget had factored in interim dividend from the RBI. In the revised estimate for FY19, the government budgeted Rs 74,140 crore from dividends and surpluses of RBI, nationalised banks and financial institutions. Friction over Dividend: The RBI and the Central government were at loggerheads over the issue of payment of dividends. The government had calculated the profit retained by RBI toward risks and reserves in FY17 and FY18 amounting to Rs 27,380 crore and had wanted this transferred to it. The government had asked for an interim surplus transfer as well as the amount retained by the RBI from surpluses of the previous two years. To address the issues related to the transfer of dividend comprehensively a committee had been set up RBI under former Reserve Bank of India governor Bimal Jalan.

    24) Dr G C Anupama has been elected president of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI). Dr G C Anupama was elected to the post in the ASI Executive Council elections for triennium 2019-22. She has become the first woman to head the prime association of professional astronomers in the country. Dr G C Anupama: Dr G C Anupama at present is the Dean and Senior Professor at the Bengaluru based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). She did her PhD from IIA Bangalore and her post-doctoral work at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) at Pune. She has been serving as a faculty at IIA Bangalore since 1994. She is also the recipient of the Sir C V Raman award for young scientists in 2000. Dr G C Anupama was the Project in Charge for the design and establishment of the Himalayan Telescope at Leh in Ladakh and she is also part of the Indian core team which is part of the international team engaged in establishing the thirty meter telescope (TMT) at cost of over USD 1 billion in the USA (Hawaii). Astronomical Society of India: Astronomical Society of India is the prime association of professional astronomers in India and has close to 1,000 members. The objectives of the Astronomical Society of India include the promotion of Astronomy and related branches of science in India. It organizes scientific meetings and supports the popularisation of Astronomy and other similar activities.

    25) During the visit of Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Argentina has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in the sector of nuclear energy. The MoU signed was signed between the Department of Atomic Energy, India and National Atomic Energy Commission, Argentina. Features of the MoU: Argentina has expertise in building small-capacity reactors and it is looking to work with India in some third country in tripartite projects. The MoU for cooperation within the framework of Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership would bolster institutional linkages in civil nuclear research, development and capacity building. The MoU will aid in enhancing and exploring cooperative ventures in the area of nuclear power and its societal uses in health, agriculture, industrial application, training and capacity building. Nuclear Ties between India and Argentina: In the year 2010 India and Argentina had signed an agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. INVAP which is an Argentinean Company is working on the Fission Molly Project to build a molybdenum plant in Mumbai. The plant would primarily focus on creating isotopes. Argentina is also an exporter of some nuclear components used in Indian power reactors.

    26) During the visit of Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Argentina has signed an agreement the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance. The agreement was signed by Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie in the presence of ISA’s Director-General Upendra Tripathy. The agreement of the International Solar Alliance was open opened for signature during the COP22 at Marrakech on November 15, 2016. The signatories of the agreement include India, France, Australia, UAE, UK, Japan amongst others. Argentina is the 72nd country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance. International Solar Alliance: International Solar Alliance aims to provide a common platform to address the specific solar technology deployment needs of the solar resource-rich countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Availability of abundance of solar energy in these countries can be utilised to generate cost-effective solar power to address the challenges of the absence of universal energy access, energy equity and affordability. International Solar Alliance will not duplicate the efforts that other bodies like International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), International Energy Agency (IEA), Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), United Nations bodies, bilateral organizations which are currently engaged in. Rather it will establish networks and develop synergies with them and supplement their efforts in a sustainable and focused manner. International Solar Alliance is the first body that will have a secretariat in India. India plays a significant role in the alliance in terms of being a host as well as a major contributor in achieving the target of 1 TW of solar energy by 2030. With a target to produce 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, India would account for a tenth of ISA’s goal.

    27) India and Argentina signed 10 MoUs and Agreements during the ongoing three-day visit of the Argentine President Mauricio Macri. President Mauricio Macri of Argentina held bilateral talks with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18th February 2019. The visit of Argentine President Mauricio Macri also marks 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Buenos Aires. MoUs and Agreements Signed- Six MoUs were signed between the two sides are: MoU on defence cooperation was signed between the defence ministries of the two nations. MoU on Tourism was signed for cooperation in the field of Tourism. MoU on Broadcasting content was signed on Cooperation and Collaboration between Prasar Bharti, India and the Federal System of Media and Public Contents, Argentina. MoU in pharmaceuticals was signed between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO), GoI, and National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology, Argentina. MoU on Antarctic Co-operation was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Argentina and the Ministry of Earth Sciences of India. MOU was signed between Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP), India, and CNEA, the Secretariat of Energy, Argentina. Two work-plans have been agreed upon in the field of Agriculture – Work Plan on Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare of India and the Ministry of Production and Labour of Argentina. Work Plan for the year 2019-21 between Indian Council of Agriculture Research and the State Secretary of Agro-industry of the Ministry of Production and Labour of Argentina An Agreement was signed for the establishment of India-Argentina Centre of Excellence for Information and Technology. Modi-Macri Joint Statement: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Macri met for the fifth time. The last time they met was on the sidelines of the G20 Summit held in Argentina in December 2018. Prime Minister Modi hailed the 70 years of Indo-Argentine ties in the joint statement. Both the nations strongly condemned terrorism, the recent incident being the Pulwama terrorist attack on 14th February 2019, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

    28) The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has unveiled a “state-of-the-art” domestically produced submarine capable of firing cruise missiles. The launch has gained significance due to the skewed relations with the USA. Fateh Submarine: The launch was held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. Fateh, which means ‘Conqueror’ in Farsi (Persian language) is Iran’s first submarine in the semi-heavy category. It fills a gap between the light Ghadir-class and the heavy Kilo-class submarines that Iran possesses. The underwater-vessel weighs nearly 600 tonnes and is equipped with torpedoes and naval mines in addition to cruise missiles. The submarine can operate more than 200 metres below sea level for up to 35 days. It has subsurface-to-surface missiles with a range of about 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles), making it capable in reaching Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. The launch is one of the most important projects Iran’s military have undertaken in the last 40 years mostly because of its vertical launching system. Heightening Global Tensions: Iran has been aggressively launching new weapons in the recent few months. On 2nd February 2019, the day of the 40th Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, they successfully test-fired the Hoveizeh cruise missile, with a range of up to 1,350km. Again on 7th February, they test-fired a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) called the Dezful. This aggressive weaponisation by Iran and the withdrawal of the USA from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA on May 8, 2018, is fuelling the global tensions. About JCPOA: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal or Iran deal, is an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program reached in Vienna on 14 July 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 (USA, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany), and the European Union. Under this agreement, Iran agreed to reduce its medium-enriched Uranium stockpile and reduce the number of Uranium centrifuges in the coming 13 years. Iran also agreed to give regular access to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to their nuclear facilities. In return, the economic and nuclear sanctions on Iran were lifted by the USA, EU and the United Nations.

    29) Belgium’s Elise Mertens has claimed the biggest title of her career by beating top seed Simona Halep of Romania 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the Qatar Open. The final was played on 16th February 2019 in Doha. About Elise Mertens: Currently ranked 21 in the world rankings, Ms. Mertens has won five singles and six doubles WTA titles as well as 24 ITF titles to date. This is her biggest tour title. She overcame a lengthy medical time-out for a back issue in the first set; lost 18 points in a row at one stage in the second set, but then came back strong to finally win the title. This was a big upset in the world of Tennis as Simona Halep is ranked number three. About the Qatar Open 2019: The Qatar Open is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts and is part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour. It is held annually at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar, since 1993. In the 2019 edition, the Men’s Singles was won by R. Bautista Agut of Spain by beating T. Berdych of Czechoslovakia.

    30) The Union Tourism Minister K. J. Alphons inaugurated the ‘Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady’ project at Vagamon, Kerala on 17th February 2019. This project is a part of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. About the Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady Project: The Eco Circuit project was sanctioned in December 2015 at the cost of Rs. 76.55 crores. It has been developed as a 150 km circuit and includes Eco-Adventure Tourism Park at Vagamon, Cultural Centre at Kadamanitta, Eco Log Huts at Peerumedu, Idukki, Approach Roads, Walking trails, Rain Shelters at Pine Valley Forest, Thekkady, Kumily, MoozhiyarDam, Penstock and Kakki. The eco-tourism circuit aims to protect the flora and fauna of Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts including places like Gavi, Peerumedu About the Swadesh Darshan Scheme: India’s rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritage provides great scope to develop tourist circuits on specific themes to attract the tourists having a special interest in visiting such places. Recognizing this huge potential the Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched by the Union Ministry of Tourism in 2014-15. This flagship scheme of the Ministry of Tourism aims at the development of thematic circuits in a planned and prioritized manner across India. The Ministry of Tourism has already sanctioned 77 projects at the cost of Rs. 6131.88 Crore to 30 States and UTs. Of these 30 projects / major components of projects are expected to be completed during the current financial year, of which 12 projects worth Rs.1024.49 crore, covering the states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Kerala and Sikkim have already been inaugurated.

    31) After the withdrawal of the Most Favored Nation tag to Pakistan, India has now increased the customs duties for imports from Pakistan to 200%. The increase in the customs duty would drastically increase the prices of Pakistani goods in India and make exports unfeasible. Pakistan Exports to India: Pakistan’s exports to India include fresh fruits, cement, petroleum products, bulk minerals and ores, finished leather, processed minerals, inorganic chemicals, cotton raw, spices, wool, rubber product, alcoholic beverage, medical instruments, marine goods, plastic, dyes and sports goods. The increase in the customs duty would adversely impact Pakistan’s exports to India, which stood at USD 488.5 million (around Rs 3,482.3 crore) in 2017-18 as it would drastically increase the price of goods in India. The increase in the customs duty is in accordance with its domestic Foreign Trade (Development And Regulation) Act which allows the government to prohibit, restrict or regulate the import or export of goods and also conform to the global trade norms which do not require any country to furnish any information disclosure for which it considers contrary to its essential security interests and allow countries any action which they consider necessary for the protection of their essential security interests.

    32) IT giant, Infosys has launched the app InfyTQ app to offer learning and engagement experiences for engineering students. The online free platform InfyTQ is open to all engineering students in their third and fourth year. InfyTQ encourages holistic development by imparting technical as well as professional skills and helps them become industry ready. How InftTQ will benefit the Students? InfyTQ which is available on both mobile and desktop is equipped with a plethora of content, courses and news to establish talent readiness at an industry level through online assessments and certification. InfyTQ will benefit students by enabling a process of continuous learning through a continuous transfer of digital skills and expertise from the Infosys innovation ecosystem. Through courses centred around conceptual and practical aspects of technology, InfyTQ will help students receive a thorough understanding of the fundamental building blocks which includes extensive hands-on learning to aid the intelligent application of concepts in the real world. InfyTQ will offer advanced learning materials and enable virtual programming environments for certain sets of students to further hone their technical skills. The courses will also help students in navigating the art of effective contextual response, inter-personal relationships, communication and email, etiquette among others. InfyTQ will also assist students to stay connected with the organization, keep up with the latest happenings and familiarize themselves with Infosys culture and value system The employability of the Indian Engineering students has always put into question. The InfyTQ is a step forward in building the employability skills of the Indian Engineering students.

    33) A mega exercise, EXERCISE VAYU SHAKTI-2019 involving 140 fighter jets and attack helicopters, in a firepower demonstration was held close to the border with Pakistan at Pokhran in Rajasthan. Indian Airforce Strength at Display: The mega exercise, EXERCISE VAYU SHAKTI-2019 displayed the might of the Indian Airforce- The IAF showcased firepower capability of indigenously-developed platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and efficacy of Akash surface-to-air missile and Astra air-to-air missile. For the first time, the ALH and the Akash were deployed in a military exercise. A total of 137 aircraft including Sukhoi-30s, Mirage 2000s, Jaguars, Mig-21 Bison, Mig-27, Mig-29, IL78, Hercules and AN-32 aircraft participated in this mega exercise. Vayu Shakti and Gagan Shakti: Vayu Shakti and Gagan Shakti are two important exercises held by Indian Airforce. Exercise Vayu Shakti demonstrtaes the IAF’s ability to strike targets on the ground such as enemy convoys and tanks, radar stations, railway yards and military headquarters. The other important dimension of air power, air-to-air combat is out into display at another exercise of IAF called Gagan Shakti.

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