About:

• Components: Satkosia Tiger Reserve comprises of two adjoining Sanctuaries of central Odisha named as Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Sanctuary.
  
  
• Establishment: These two sanctuaries together covering an area of 963 sq.km. have been notified as Satkosia Tiger Reserve in 2007.
  
  
• Location: It is located in the Angul district of Odisha where the Mahanadi River passes through a 22 km long gorge in the Eastern Ghats mountains. The area is also a part of the Mahanadi elephant reserve.
  
  
• Biodiversity: Satkosia is the meeting point of two bio-geographic regions of India; the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats, contributing to immense biodiversity. The major plant communities are mixed deciduous forests including Sal and riverine forest.
  
  

About:

• It was first announced in the Union Budget 2017-18.
  
  
• It has been started by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF) with an outlay of Rs 10881 crore.
  
  
• Under this scheme, milk cooperatives will be provided financial assistance of Rs 8004 crore in the form of a loan at 6.5% interest, which will be reimbursed over a period of 10 years.
  
  
• Under this, the first instalment of Rs 440 crore is being given to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) today.
  
  
• Objective of the scheme is to create additional milk processing capacity of 126 lakh litre per day, milk drying capacity of 210 MT per day and milk chilling capacity of 140 lakh litre per day.
  
  

About:

• The "National Scholarship Portal Mobile App" will ensure a smooth, accessible and hassle-free scholarship system for students from poor and weaker sections.
  
  
• All the scholarships are being given directly into bank accounts of the needy students under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode through the National Scholarship Portal to prevent duplication and leakage.
  
  

Benefits of mobile app for the students:

• Students will get all the information regarding various scholarships on this mobile app;
  
  
• They will be able to apply for scholarships sitting in their home;
  
  
• Students can upload necessary documents on this mobile app;
  
  
• Students can check the status of their application, scholarship disbursement etc.s
  
  

About:

• District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) provide comprehensive services to persons with disabilities and facilitate creation of infrastructure and capacity building at the district level for awareness generation, rehabilitation and training of rehabilitation professionals.
  
  

The salient features of the DDRC are as under –

• 310 districts have been identified and 263 DDRCs have been set up
  
  
• Awareness generation, early intervention and assessment of the need of assistive devices to divyangjans.
  
  
• Therapeutic services such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy etc. to divyangjans through rehabilitation professionals.
  
  
• Equipment for rehabilitation services.
  
  

Scheme revision:

DDRCs scheme has been revised with effect from 01-04-2018. The salient features of the revised schemes are –

• Increase in honorarium and contingency by 2.5 times;
  
  
• Grant-in-Aid for equipment increased from Rs. 7 lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs at the time of setting up of DDRC;
  
  
• Upto 75% of the Grant-in-Aid can be given on the recommendation of District Magistrate/Collector;
  
  
• Payment for rentals of leased premises;
  
  
• Funding of DDRC from SIPDA rather than DDRS and Number of staffs has been increased from 10 to 12.
  
  

About:

• The Dawoodi Bohrasare a sect within the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam. Ismailism is a branch of Shia Islam.
  
  
• How many? The worldwide number of Dawoodi Bohras is estimated at just over one million. 
  
  
• In which regions do they live? Dawoodi mainly reside in the western cities of India and also in Pakistan, Yemen and East Africa. The majority of adherents reside in Gujarat state in India and the city of Karachi, Pakistan.
  
  
• History: The sect adopted Islam from Egypt, spread to Yemen and trace their ancestry to early conversion to Ismaili Shi’ism during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph – Imam al Mustansir.
  
  

 Khatna:

• “Khatna” or “khafd” is a pre-pubescent coming of age ceremony carried out in the Dawoodi Bohra community in India. Dawoodi Bohras use the word “khatna” or circumcision to refer to the removal of the prepuce from the genitalia of both boys and girls.
  
  
• Female khatna can be classified under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of Type I Female Genital Mutilation or Female Genital Cutting.
  
  

Key findings:

• Suicide was the leading cause of death in India in 2016 for those aged 15-39 years; 2% of the suicide deaths among women and 57.7% among men were in this age group.
  
  
• The suicide rate among the elderly has increased over the past quarter century.
  
  
• Suicide Death Rate (SDR) in India is higher especially for women. India’s proportional contribution to global suicide deaths is high and increasing. 37% of such deaths among women globally occur in India.
  
  
• The highest age-specific SDR among women in 2016 was for ages 15-29 years.
  
  
• India’s contribution to global suicide deaths increased from 25.3% in 1990 to 36.6% in 2016 among women, and from 18.7% to 24.3% among men.
  
  
• Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, consistently had a higher SDR for both men and women.
  
  

About:

• Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs includes two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) combined in a single dosage form, which is manufactured and distributed in fixed doses.
  
  
• Common examples of FDCs: Cough syrups Phensedyl and Corex, Vicks Action 500.
  
  

Advantages of FDCs:

• Burden of keeping track of several medications, understanding their various instructions, etc. is reduced which improves patient compliance and therefore improves treatment outcomes.
  
  
• The FDCs are more economic than single ingredient drugs.
  
  
• The manufacturing cost is quite low as compared to the cost of producing separate products
  
  
• Then there is Simpler logistics of distribution.
  
  

Disadvantages of FDCs:

• If an adverse drug reaction occurs from using an FDC, it may be difficult to identify the active ingredient responsible for causing the reaction.
  
  
• If the drugs combination is not appropriate, then it can lead to some patients getting too much of an ingredient and others getting too little. FDCs "limit clinicians' ability to customize dosing regimens." 
  
  

Appointment of CJI:

Article 124 of the Constitution of India provides for the manner of appointing judges to the Supreme Court (SC). But there is no specific provision in the Constitution for appointing the Chief Justice.

• CJI should be the senior most judge of the Supreme Court (SC). Law Minister to seek recommendation of the outgoing CJI for appointment of new CJI at an appropriate time.
  
  
• In case of doubt about the fitness of the senior-most Judge to hold office of CJI consultation with other Judges under Article 124(2) to be made.
  
  
• Law Minister to put up recommendation to Prime Minister (PM) who will advise the President on appointment.
  
  

Seniority at the apex court is determined not by age, but by:

• The date a judge was appointed to the SC.
  
  
• If two judges are elevated to the Supreme Court on the same day, (1) the one who was sworn in first as a judge would trump another; (2) if both were sworn in as judges on the same day, the one with more years of high court service would ‘win’ in the seniority stakes; (3) an appointment from the bench would ‘trump’ in seniority an appointee from the bar.
  
  

Tenure:

• Once appointed, the Chief Justice remains in office until the age of 65 years.
  
  
• Article 124(4) of Constitution of India provides that a SC Judge including CJI can be moved only through a process of impeachment by Parliament
  
  

About:

• Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence.
  
  
• It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi.
  
  
• Duration: It is a ten-day festival, starting on the fourth day of Hindu Lunisolar calendar month Bhadrapada, which typically falls in the months of August or September of the Gregorian calendar.
  
  

Celebrations:

• The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha clay idols privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary stages).
  
  
• The festival ends on the tenth day after start, wherein the idol is immersed in a nearby body of water, thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to Mount Kailash to Parvati and Shiva.
  
  
• At public venues, along with the reading of texts and group feasting, athletic and martial arts competitions are also held.
  
  

About:

• Located in Pathankot district, Punjab, the project will be constructed on the canal from Shahpurkandi Barrage to Madhopur headworks, downstream of the existing Ranjit Sagar Dam.
  
  
• The water released by Ranjit Sagar Dam shall be utilised for generating power from this project.
  
  
• Shahpur Kandi project would be completed in three years and would generate 207 MW power and irrigate 95,000 acres of land farmers.
  
  
• Background: The genesis of the project can be traced to a 1979 agreement between Punjab and J&K governments for the Ranjit Sagar (Thein) Dam.
  
  
• Agencies involved: While the project will be implemented by Punjab, a tripartite team headed by a Member, Central Water Commission (CWC), and comprising the Chief Engineers of the two states, will monitor it.
  
  

Benefits:

• Shahpur Kandi would allow India to utilise fully the water of the Ravi as per the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
  
  
• For Punjab: It will provide a balancing reservoir to enable the upstream Ranjit Sagar Dam project to act as a peaking station, besides having its own generation capacity of 206 MW and irrigating 37,173 hectares of cultivable command area in Punjab and J&K.
  
  
• For J&K: J&K will get 20% of the power generated through the project at Rs 3.40 per unit with prospective effect.
  
  

The Committee shall have the following functions, namely:

• to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of members;
  
  
• to prepare a Code of Conduct for members and to suggest amendments or additions to the Code from time to time
  
  
• to examine cases concerning the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct by members;
  
  
• to tender advice to members from time to time on questions involving ethical standards either suo motu or on receiving specific requests.
  
  

About:

• Centre has hiked ethanol prices, with a special incentive for ethanol directly produced from 100% sugarcane juice, in a dual bid to reduce both surplus sugar production and fuel import bill.
  
  
• The ethanol produced from sugar is blended with petrol.
  
  

Background:

• Surplus sugar production has been depressing sugar prices. Record production of more than 31 million tonnes this year is far higher than domestic consumption rates of 25 million tonnes.
  
  
• As a result, sugar mills have struggled to pay their dues to cane farmers, and despite various government measures to improve liquidity, the arrears to farmers stand at more than Rs. 13,000 crore.
  
  
• Paying remunerative prices to ethanol suppliers will help in reduction of cane farmers’ arrears, in the process contributing to minimising the difficulty of sugarcane farmers.
  
  

About:

• Upon completion of electrification of the proposed routes, Indian Railways broad gauge network will be 100% operational on electric traction.
  
  
• This electrification is likely to be completed by 2021-22.
  
  

Benefits:

• Proposed electrification is mainly for missing links and last mile connectivity and will increase the operational efficiency, enhance the line capacity and improve the average speed of trains
  
  
• Post electrification, Indian Railways is likely to save Rs 13,510 crore per annum in fuel bill
  
  
• It will also generate direct employment of about 20 crore man days during the period of construction.
  
  

About:

• Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) will provide remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce by providing MSP assurance to farmers.
  
  
• Components of PM-AASHA: The new Umbrella Scheme is comprised of (1) Price Support Scheme (PSS), (2) Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and (3) Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS).
  
  
• The other existing schemes of Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) for procurement of paddy, wheat and nutri-cereals/coarse grains and of Ministry of Textile for cotton and jute will be continued for providing MSP to farmers for these crops.
  
  
• Comment: This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of India to protect the farmers’ income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers. Government has already increased the MSP of kharif crops by following the principle of 1.5 times the cost of production.
  
  

Price Support Scheme (PSS)

• In PSS, physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
  
  
• In addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts.
  
  
• The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.
  
  

Price Deficiency Payment Scheme this scheme (PDPS):

• Under PDPS, it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified.
  
  
• In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process.
  
  
• All payment will be done directly into registered bank account of the farmer.
  
  
• This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market.
  
  

About:

• The amendment will ensure including the four new National Institutes of Design (NID) at Amaravati/Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh; Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh; Jorhat, Assam and Kurukshetra, Haryana within the ambit of the National Institute of Design Act, 2014.
  
  
• It will declare the four NIDs as Institutions of National Importance (INIs) at par with the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
  
  
• Some minor amendments to the Act including re-naming NID Vijayawada as NID Amaravati and nomenclature of Principal Designer as equivalent to Professor are also proposed in the Bill.
  
  

About:

• The United Nations Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) on the Prevention and Control of NCDs coordinates the activities of relevant UN organizations to support Governments to meet high-level commitments to respond to NCD epidemics worldwide.
  
  
• The commitments were made by Heads of State and Government in the 2011 Political Declaration on NCDs.
  
  
• The Task Force was established by the UN Secretary-General in 2013 and placed under the leadership of WHO.
  
  

About:

• The report is a joint initiative of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  
  
• It is a comprehensive analysis of several major non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
  
  

Key Findings during the period of 1990 to 2016:

• Indians have registered a 50% increase in the prevalence of ischemic heart disease and stroke.
  
  
• The number of diabetes cases have climbed up from 26 million to 65 million.
  
  
• The number of people ailing from chronic obstructive lung disease went up from 28 million to 55 million
  
  
• The proportional contribution of cancers to the total loss of health in India has doubled from 1990 to 2016, but the incidence of different types of cancers varies widely between the States.
  
  

State-wise disease burden:

• Punjab has been ranked at the top for the burden of ischemic heart disease, followed by Tamil Nadu, and vice-versa for diabetes.
  
  
• West Bengal topped with the largest number of stroke cases followed by Odisha.
  
  
• Kerala was ranked at the top for the burden of cancer, followed by Assam.
  
  
• Being overweight was found to be a major risk factor for diabetes doubled in every State of India from 1990 to 2016.
  
  

About:

• Standard Project Storm (SPS) means the heaviest rainstorm that has occurred in a region as per rainfall records analysed through a hydro-meteorological approach.
  
  
• Technically, it is a storm which has occurred over an area, with the maximum depth in that area. For determining it, experts look at historical rainfall records, for all storms in the region and determine the depth and maximum area that it affected in that period.
  
  
• The ‘Probable Maximum Precipitation’ for different basins provides the historical rainfall records.
  
  

About:

• It has been built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) for the National Technical Research Organisation, the technical intelligence agency working directly under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Adviser.
  
  
• It is a first of its kind ocean surveillance ship being built as part of the efforts to strengthen the country’s strategic weapons programme.
  
  
• The ship has the capacity to carry 300-strong crew with hi-tech gadgets and communication equipment and a large deck capable of helicopter landing.
  
  
• It will be named after its induction into the Indian Navy. For now, it is referred as VC 11184.
  
  
• Once ready, this would put India in the elite of club of a few countries that have such a sophisticated ocean surveillance ship.
  
  

Apsara:

• ‘Apsara’, the first research reactor in Asia became operational in Trombay campus of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Maharashtra in
  
  
• The reactor was shut down in 2009. Now, Apsara, is now operational as 'Apsara-U'.
  
  

Apsara-upgraded:

• On 10th September 2018, ‘Apsara-upgraded’, a light water swimming pool type research reactor, of higher capacity, became operational at Trombay.
  
  
• Composition: The reactor, made indigenously, uses plate type dispersion fuel elements made of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). 
  
  
• Application:
  • By virtue of higher neutron flux, this reactor will increase indigenous production or radio-isotopes for medical application by about 50%.
    
    
  • It would also be used for research in nuclear physics, material science and radiation shielding.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Location: The Model ICTAI will be based in
  
  
• Primary objective: To conduct advanced research to incubate Artificial Intelligence (AI)-led solutions in three important areas – healthcare, agriculture and smart mobility.
  
  
• Timeline:
  • NITI Aayog – in the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence Discussion Paper released this year – recommended establishing ICTAIs in the country through private sector collaboration for applied research in AI
    
    
  • The learning and best practices developed through this model ICTAI will be used by NITI Aayog to set up the future ICTAIs across country.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• ‘Rail Sahyog’ will provide a platform for the Corporates & PSUs to contribute to creation of amenities at/near Railway Stations through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
  
  
• The companies interested in contributing can register their requests on portal. The selected applicants will be intimated to deposit the funds with Railways/nominated agencies like RITES/RAILTEL etc which will get the work executed thereafter.
  
  
• The activities identified to be funded through CSR are: Construction of toilets in circulating areas of all stations with provision of
  • low cost sanitary pad vending machine in female toilets and
    
    
  • condom vending machine in male toilets.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) is a scheme launched in 2015.
  
  
• Under it, Government of India has setup a new institution called Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd. (MUDRA) for providing loans upto 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.
  
  
• Under PMMY, MUDRA has created three products i.e. 'Shishu', 'Kishore' and ‘Tarun’ as per the stage of growth and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit. These schemes cover loan amounts as below:
  • Shishu: covering loans up to ₹50,000
    
    
  • Kishore: covering loans above ₹50,000 and up to ₹5,00,000
    
    
  • Tarun: covering loans above ₹5,00,000 and up to ₹10,00,000
    
    
  
  
  
• These loans are given by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, Cooperative Banks, MFIs and NBFCs.
  
  
• Present status: Till date, A total of Rs. 6.37 lakh crore has been disbursed under the scheme by various finance institutions.
  
  

Salient feature of Act:

• It empowers a person living with HIV to report discrimination meted out against them in fields of employment, health care services, educational services, public facilities, property rights, holding public office, and insurance.
  
  
• It penalises "propagation of hatred" against the protected person. Violator could be punished with a minimum jail term of three months to a maximum of two years and can be fined up to one lakh rupees.
  
  
• It makes Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) a legal right for all HIV/AIDS patients. It has also adopted "test and treat" policy which means any person testing positive will be entitled for free treatment by the state and central government.
  
  
• It provides for confidentiality of HIV-related information and makes it necessary to get informed consent for undertaking HIV tests, medical treatment and research.
  
  
• It is mandatory for state governments to appoint an Ombudsman to inquire into complaints related to the violation of the Act and the provision of health care services. Failure to comply with any order given by the Ombudsman could lead to a fine a maximum of Rs 10,000.
  
  
• It safeguards the property rights of HIV positive people. Every HIV infected person below the age of 18 years has the right to reside in a shared household and enjoy the facilities of the household.
  
  

About:

• Hike for ASHA workers:
  • Routine incentives given by the Union Government to ASHA workers are being doubled.
    
    
  • In addition, all ASHA workers and their helpers would be provided free insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).
    
    
  
  
  
• Hike for Anganwadi workers:
  • Anganwadi workers receiving honorarium of Rs. 3000, would now receive Rs. 4500. Similarly those receiving Rs. 2200, would now get Rs. 3500.
    
    
  • Honorarium for Anganwadi helpers has also been increased from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2250.
    
    
  • Anganwadi workers and helpers using techniques such as Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS), would get additional incentives ranging from Rs. 250 to Rs. 500.
    
    
  
  
  
• The remuneration hike will be effective from next month.
  
  

About:

• Mandate: it is an intergovernmental international tribunal for Criminal prosecution of individuals for four main crimes namely –
  • Genocide,
    
    
  • War crimes,
    
    
  • Crimes against humanity and
    
    
  • Crime of aggression.
    
    
  
  
  
• Established in: 2002 by Rome statue.
  
  
• HQ: Hague, Netherlands. The Court's official seat is in The Hague, Netherlands, but its proceedings may take place anywhere.
  
  
• Jurisdiction:
  • It can exercise its jurisdiction only when national courts are unwilling or unable to investigate or prosecute such crimes.
    
    
  • The Court can generally exercise jurisdiction only in three cases, viz.
    • if the accused is a national of a state party,
      
      
    • if the alleged crime took place on the territory of a state party or
      
      
    • if a situation is referred to the Court by the United Nations Security Council.
      
      
    
    
    
  • Judges: 18; Elected for 9-year term.
    
    
  • Members: 123 countries. Israel, United States, Russia, china and India are not its member.
    
    
  • United States and ICC: The United States has not signed up to the court and in 2002, its Congress passed a law enabling Washington to invade the Netherlands to liberate any U.S. citizen held by the court.
    
    
  • Relation with UN:
    • While not a United Nations organization, the Court has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations.
      
      
    • When a situation is not within the Court’s jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction.
      
      
    
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• This is the third edition of joint military training exercise between Indian Army and Kazakhstan Army.The second edition of the exercise was held in India in 2017.
  
  
• The 14 day long joint exercise is being conducted from 10 Sep to 23 Sep 2018.
  
  
• The joint training aims to build & promote army to army relations and exchange skills & experiences between the two armies.
  
  

About:

• Status: AWBI is a statutory advisory body under the Union Ministry of Environment. It derives its legal structure from the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
  
  
• HQ:
  
  
• Mandate:
  • It frames rules on how animals ought to be humanely treated everywhere.
    
    
  • It has also frequently litigated to have stricter laws to ensure animals were not unduly harassed or tortured.
    
    
  
  
  
• Membership: Several government organisations, along with animal rights activists and parliamentarians, are represented on the Board.
  
  

Rules for featuring animals in films as per “The Performing Animals (Registration) Rules, 2001”:

• The owner shall ensure that the animal is not continuously used for excessive number of takes in shooting a film without getting adequate rest.
  
  
• The owner shall ensure that while using an animal in shooting a film, the fight sequence shall not be shot in any livestock holding area and that no birds are shown in cages.
  
  
• The owner shall inform the prescribed authority at least four weeks in advance informing the place, date and time of the actual making of the film wherein the animal is to be used.
  
  

About:

• Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF), an infectious viral disease originally from South Africa that affects cattle.
  
  
• It is caused by a group of ruminant gamma herpes viruses including Alcelaphine gamma herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1) and Ovine gamma herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2).
  
  
• The virus is transmitted from pregnant or recently-lambed sheep or goats to cattle although several months may elapse between such contact and clinical disease.
  
  
• It has neither a cure nor a vaccination that can prevent its spread.
  
  

About:

• PISA is an acronym for Program for International Student Assessment.
  
  
• it is a triennial international survey which was first administered in
  
  
• It is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
  
  
• Objective: It assesses the quality of education systems across the world by evaluating students in science, mathematics and reading.
  
  
• Criteria:
  • The two-hour computer-based test focuses on 15-year-old students as they have either completed or are near the end of their compulsory education in most countries.
    
    
  • PISA requires the examinees to have finished at least six years of formal schooling.
    
    
  
  
  
• Participation in PISA:
  • About 5.5 lakh students in 72 countries took the test in 2015.
    
    
  • However, many non-OECD members including all SAARC nations, Greenland, Argentina and the entire African continent (except Algeria and Tunisia) either don’t regularly participate or haven’t participated at all in PISA.
    
    
  • Till date, India has participated only once in PISA in 2009.
    
    
  
  
  

About:                                                   

• The three projects include:
  • 500 MW additional power supply from India to Bangladesh,
    
    
  • Akhaura - Agartala Rail Link and
    
    
  • Rehabilitation of the Kulaura-Shahbazpur section of Bangladesh Railways.
    
    
  
  
  
• The supply of additional 500 MW power to Bangladesh is being done using the transmission link between West Bengal and Bangladesh. With the completion of this project, 16 GW of power is now being supplied from India to Bangladesh.
  
  
• Akhaura-Agartala rail link would connect Akhaura in Bangladesh with Tripura’s capital city Agartala through Nischintapur in the Indo-Bangla border. The rail link is expected to be operational in 2019.
  • Apart from Agartala-Akhaura rail project, a bridge is being constructed over River Feni which would connect Sabroom in south Tripura with Feni district of Bangladesh.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Under this, Delhi residents can now apply for 40 government documents – from driving licences to marriage certificates – to be delivered at their homes for a fee of ₹50 per service.
  
  
• Mobile Sahayak:
  • The applicant would have to call 1076 – the centralised number – and fix an appointment with a mobile sahayak.
    
    
  • He/she will go to their home and help with filling forms, payment of fees and collection of documents. After this, he/she would then submit the documents at the government office concerned, which would post the certificate or licence once issued.
    
    
  
  
  
• The project has been outsourced by the Administrative Reforms Department to VFS Global.
  
  
• The move would end the long waiting time at government offices.
  
  
• The number of services to be home-delivered would be increased to 100 within three months.
  
  

About:

• A Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) functions under the supervision, control and overall guidance of the Election Commission of India.
  
  
• It is not a constitutional post.
  
  
• Types of elections dealt: to Representation of the People’s Act 1950 and 1951 –
  • Each state of India must be assisted with a CEO during the State Assembly elections as well as the general elections.
    
    
  • The CEO also has a significant role to play during the elections to the office of the President and the Vice-President of India.
    
    
  
  
  
• Functions:
  • Supervising the preparation, revision and maintenance of the electoral rolls in the state.
    
    
  • To enhance communication between the voters of a state and the different departments of elections within the state.
    
    
  • CEO also superintends District Electoral Officers.
    
    
  
  
  
• Eligibility for becoming a CEO:
  • He must be an Indian Administrative Services Officer.
    
    
  • He/she must not be a member of any political party for the duration of his tenure
    
    
  • He/she must not hold any office of profit.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• The bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Union ministry of Tourism in July 2017. It was passed by Lok Sabha on January 2, 2018.
  
  
• It amends the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
  
  
• Prohibited Area: Section 20A of the 1958 Act defines a ‘prohibited area’ (an area of 100 meters around a protected monument) where construction is prohibited. The bill amends this section to permit construction of public works in ‘prohibited areas’.
  
  
• Definition of ‘public works’: It provides for a new definition of "public works" in section 2 of the Act. it includes construction of any infrastructure that is
  • financed & carried out by the central government for public purposes and
    
    
  • necessary for public safety and security
    
    
  
  
  
• The construction will be undertaken in prohibited areas only when there is no other alternative.
  
  
• Role of National Monuments Authority: It will decide whether a construction project qualifies as ‘public works’ or not. It will make its recommendations, with written reasons, to the central government (which will take the final decision).
  
  

Arguments against the bill:

• Any construction, whether for a public project or private purpose, will pose risks to a monument.
  
  
• Allowing an exception for “public works” will give a major push to encroachments and illegal construction in the guise of public purpose.