About: 

• Location: It is a 426-metre-long Pre-Stressed Concrete Box Girder type bridge over Diffo river on Roing-Koron-Paya road in Arunachal Pradesh. 
  
  
• Implemented by: Project Udayak, Border Roads Organisation (BRO). 
  
  
• Significance: The bridge which would provide uninterrupted access between Dibang valley and Lohit valley region of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh and an all-weather Road to the troops deployed on the China Border. 
  
  

About:

• 5 Heads of States from Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Denmark, Czech Republic and Malta along with the captains of industry from various sectors & over 30,000 delegates from India and abroad are taking part in the event. 
  
  
• For the first time, there is a separate pavilion showcasing products from the African countries. 
  
  
• Earlier, he also inaugurated the first ever Ahmedabad Shopping Festival at Sabarmati River Front. 
  
  
• First edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit was held in 2003 under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, to give a boost to the investments in Gujarat. 
  
  
• Since then it has played the role of a catalyst leading to several other such summits annually in states across the country. 
  
  

About:

• Objective: The event aims at extending the outreach of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) to the poorest of poor and the most vulnerable. 
  
  
• Key highlights: During the fortnight various activities will be organized across the country with active participation from the States and Cities. 
  • A survey named ‘Safety Net Survey’ is being conducted to identify eligible SHG members not covered by government programs. The survey will be completed by 31st January 2019 and the sanction letters/benefits will be distributed during the event. 
    
    
  • A new platform called ‘Shehri Sahabhagita Manch’ has been proposed for regular meetings of ULB officials with SHG federations. 
    
    
  • A National Conference on Street Vending will also be held to discuss way forward to support livelihoods of street vendors. 
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• The Central Government has been bringing-out an Annual Status Paper on Government Debt since 2010-11.
  
  
• This paper enhances transparency by providing a detailed account of debt operations during the year and an assessment of the health of the public debt portfolio based on internationally accepted debt performance indicators.
  
  

Key findings of the paper:

• Total liabilities of the government have increased by 49 % to Rs. 82 lakh crores in the last four-and-half years during the NDA government.
  
  
• The huge surge in government's debt has been propelled by 51.7 % growth in public debt from Rs. 48 lakh crores to Rs. 73 lakh crores in the four-and-half year period.
  
  
• Dependence on market loans show a similar rise of 47.5 % to more than Rs. 52 lakh crores during the period.
  
  
• While debt raised through gold bonds was nil at the end of June 2014, it stood at Rs. 9,089 crores including the gold monetisation scheme.
  
  
• The overall liabilities of the Central government are on a medium-term declining trajectory and government's debt portfolio is characterised by prudent risk profile. Debt profile of the government is comfortably placed in terms of debt sustainability parameters.
  
  
• Government is primarily resorting to market-linked borrowings for financing its fiscal deficit.
  
  
• The Paper also provides Debt Management Strategy of the Central Government for the years 2018-21 which will guide the borrowing plans of the Government.
  
  

About:

• Nomenclature: INS Kohassa has been named after a White- Bellied Sea Eagle, which is a large bird of prey endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI). 
  
  
• History: NAS Shibpur was established in 2001 as a Forward Operating Air Base (FOAB) for surveillance in North Andaman. 
  
  
• Location: The airfield is located in the northern most part of the islands. 
  
  
• Significance:
  • The airfield holds strategic importance. With the addition of this airfield, the Andaman & Nicobar Command’s (ANC) ability to operate independently from all the regions of the ANI will get a great boost. 
    
    
  • Post commissioning, the station will function as a base for joint operation of both military and civil aircraft in keeping with the UDAN scheme of the government. 
    
    
  • As part of Phase II expansion plan, the runway length would subsequently be extended to 3000m. This will enable the operation of wide-bodied civil and defence aircrafts in the future. 
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) was formerly known as the Northern Areas. 
  
  
• It is an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir but is currently under Pakistani occupation. 
  
  
• Gilgit Baltistan has been under the control of Pakistan since April 1949, when the leadership of the so-called Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was forced to sign away this territory to Pakistan. 
  
  
• However, the region does not have any place in the constitutional framework of Pakistan and has been kept under the tight control of the central government. 
  
  
• Gilgit-Baltistan shares a border with Azad Kashmir, together with which it is referred to by the United Nations as "Pakistan administered Kashmir". 
  
  

Recent development:

• India reiterated that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which also includes the so-called 'Gilgit-Baltistan' has been, is and shall remain an integral part of India. 
  
  
• The response came after the Pakistani court said in an order that Gilgit-Baltistan came within its domain. 
  
  
• It was delivering its comments after the Government of Pakistan ordered constitutional safeguards for the region which previously was not given these safeguards explicitly. 
  
  
• Pakistan in recent months had taken a series of steps to ensure full constitutional and legal guarantees to the region which was strategically important for the country especially in view of the passage of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through the region.
  
  
• According to India, such attempts by Pakistan in these occupied territories are aimed to camouflage grave human rights violations, exploitation and sufferings of the people living there. 
  
  

About:

• A start-up based in Tokyo – ALE Co. Ltd – developed the micro-satellite for delivering the first artificial meteor shower over Hiroshima in the spring of 2020. It calls the initial experiment as a "shooting stars on demand" service. 
  
  
• The microsatellite was launched on the small-size Epsilon-4 rocket that was launched from the Uchinoura space centre by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). 
  
  
• Features: 
  • The satellite is to release tiny balls that glow brightly as they hurtle through the atmosphere, simulating a meteor shower. The satellite carries 400 tiny balls whose chemical formula has not been disclosed. 
    
    
  • When the satellite is in orbit, it will be programmed to eject the balls at the right location, speed and direction to put on a show for viewers on the ground. 
    
    
  • Each star is expected to shine for several seconds before being completely burned up -- well before they fall low enough to pose any danger to anything on Earth. 
    
    
  • It is possible to change the colours they glow by tinkering with the chemicals. 
    
    
  
  
  
• The company plans to launch a second satellite on a private-sector rocket in mid-2019. 
  
  

A Brief Overview of Meteor Terminology: 

• Asteroids: Asteroids, also known as planetoids, are objects that orbit the sun, too small to be a dwarf planet, but large enough to get their own identity. 
  
  
• Meteoroids: These are rocks, orbiting the sun, smaller than asteroids (basically, anything smaller than 10-meters). Many of them burn up in Earth’s atmosphere on entry. 
  
  
• Meteors: When an asteroid/meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, it becomes a meteor (also known as a shooting star). Friction from Earth’s atmosphere causes most meteors to burn up.
  
  
• Fireballs: If a meteor is ‘unusually bright’ it is known as a fireball. A fireball is caused by friction from Earth’s atmosphere – it’s just a bigger rock so it burns brighter. 
  
  
• Bolides: A bolide is a fireball that explodes in mid-air. 
  
  
• Meteorite: For those meteors, fireballs, bolides, or fragments there of that survive the trip through the atmosphere and impact the Earth, they become meteorites. A meteorite is basically any non-terrestrial rock that has reached earth. 
  
  

About: 

• A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery (abbreviated as LIB) is a type of rechargeable battery. 
  
  
• Components: 
  • Li-ion batteries use an intercalated lithium compound as one electrode material, compared to the metallic lithium used in a non-rechargeable lithium battery. 
    
    
  • The electrolyte, which allows for ionic movement, and the two electrodes are the constituent components of a lithium-ion battery cell. 
    
    
  
  
  
• Working: In this, lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging. 
  
  
• Application: They are one of the most popular types of rechargeable batteries for portable electronics. LIBs are also growing in popularity for military, battery electric vehicle and aerospace applications. 
  
  
• Benefits: They have high energy density, tiny memory effect and low self-discharge. 
  
  
• Safety hazards: These batteries can pose unique safety hazards since they contain a flammable electrolyte and may be kept pressurized. A battery cell charged too quickly could cause a short circuit, leading to explosions and fires. 
  
  

Recent development:

• BHEL will be sending a team of senior officers for study of the techno-commercial issues soon. Based upon the recommendations of the team, further process towards formation of Joint Venture will be carried forward. 
  
  
• Significance: 
  • With this, India has finally taken steps into its energy security and clean energy commitment to the world. 
    
    
  • This project will bring energy independence by replacing oil imports with abundant renewable. It will also create integrated manufacturing ecosystem resulting in self-reliance and lower cost. 
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Research agency Itihaasa has been founded by Kris Gopalakrishnan, former CEO and co-founder of Infosys. 
  
  
• The agency computed the number of research publications in peer-reviewed journals in the field of AI between 2013-2017 as listed out by Scimago, a compendium that tracks trends in scientific research publications. 
  
  
• Its key findings are:
  • In terms of high-quality research publications in AI, India, with 12,135 documents, ranks third in the world behind China (with 37, 918 documents) and the United States (with 32,421 documents). 
    
    
  • However, in terms of the number of times an article is referenced, India ranked only fifth and trailed the United Kingdom, Canada, the U.S. and China. This suggests that India needs to work at improving the quality of its research output in AI. 
    
    
  • The Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology were among the key centres for AI research. 
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• D Gukesh reached the landmark at the age of 12 years, seven months and 17 days.
  
  
• On the all-time list of youngest GMs, Gukesh now holds the second place.
  
  
• He is India’s 59^th GM is also the youngest in the country after breaking the record of state-mate R. Praggnanandhaa set in June last year.
  
  
• He captured the title at the Delhi International chess Grandmaster Open held recently.
  
  

About:

• Objective: The state-of-the-art Museum, aims to take its visitors through a journey of over a century of Indian cinema in a story telling mode with the help of visuals, graphics, artifacts, interactive exhibits and multimedia expositions.
  
  
• Bodies/People involved: The museum has been
  • built by: NBCC (India) Limited – a state-owned Navratna public sector undertaking,
    
    
  • designed by: the National Council of Science Museums and
    
    
  • implemented by: the films division under the ministry of information and technology.
    
    
  
  
  
• The creation of the Museum has been guided by the Museum Advisory Committee headed by Shyam Benegal. An innovation Committee headed by Prasoon Joshi was also constituted to provide an upgrade to NMIC.
  
  
• Location: The Museum is housed in the following two buildings in the Films Division campus in Mumbai.
  • The New Museum Building: It has following four Exhibition Halls (1) Gandhi & Cinema, (2) Children’s Film Studio, (3) Technology, creativity & Indian cinema and (4) Cinema across India.
    
    
  • Gulshan Mahal: The 19^th century historic palace Gulshan Mahal is an ASI Grade-II Heritage Structure which has been restored as part of the NMIC project. It showcase the journey of over a hundred years of Indian cinema in 9 sections.
    
    
  
  
  

Timeline:

• 2005: The Maharashtra government banned all dance bars in the state.
  
  
• 2006: Bombay High Court quashes the ban.
  
  
• 2013: Supreme court upholds the order of the Bombay high court.
  
  
• 2014: The Dance bar regulation bill passed by Maharashtra assembly unanimously.
  
  
• 2015: Supreme Court ordered dance bars to be thrown open again and classified dance as a profession.
  
  
• 2016: Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) Act, 2016 brought in to circumvent supreme court verdict.
  
  
• 2019 (January): Supreme Court allows re-opening of dance bars.
  
  

Recent verdict:

• The supreme Court quashed certain provisions of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (Working therein) Act, 2016, arguing that dance is an occupation. Some of these provisions are –
  • mandatory installation of CCTVs (as it is a violation of privacy),
    
    
  • only persons of good character would be allowed to run dance bars (as the term “good character” is too vague),
    
    
  • partition between bar rooms and the dance floor and
    
    
  • Dance bars should be 1 km away from religious places and educational institutions (as it is not geographically possible in a city like Mumbai)
    
    
  
  
  
• However, it upheld some provisions. These are –
  • Allowing the payment of tips to performers as it has been customary and an integral part of traditional dance culture (but showering of currency notes cannot be allowed).
    
    
  • Fixing the timing of dance bars in the state from 6 pm to 11.30 pm.
    
    
  
  
  

Reception:

• Social activists and Bharatiya Bar Girls' union hailed Supreme Court’s verdict paving way for reopening of dance bars in Maharashtra.
  
  
• Thousands of bar dancers, who lost their jobs or were forced to work as waitresses and singers in hotels, can come back to their original profession. Over 75,000 women were employed in dance bars when the state government decided to shut them down in 2005.
  
  
• According to a section of lawyers, Supreme Court has drawn a balance between the rights of citizens and duty of the state to govern.
  
  

Key concepts:

• 'Wakf/Waqf:
  • Generous Muslims adhering to the principles of 'endowment' in Islam often dedicate large properties in the name of God. The proceeds from these properties are dedicated to meet the exclusive needs of the poor. This type of property is called 'Wakf'.
    
    
  • Apart from landed (often agricultural) and built up commercial and residential properties, Wakfs in India include Mosques, Dargahs, Khanqahs, Maqbaras, Idgahs, Anjumans and so on.
    
    
  
  
  
• Waakif: The person who so dedicates his or her property is known as Waakif.
  
  
• Mutawalli: The person nominated by the Waakif to manage the affairs of the Wakf property is known as Mutawalli.
  
  

Zakiullah Khan Committee:

• The recommendations of the committee will ensure that Waqf rules are made easy for better utilisation of Waqf properties and to free these properties from disputes.
  
  
• Union Government will take necessary action on the recommendations of the committee after examining the report.
  
  

Other steps taken wrt Waqf properties:

• Government will utilize Waqf properties for socio-economic empowerment of the needy sections of society. There are around 76 lakh registered waqf properties across the country.
  
  
• Central Government is awarding  Mutawallis (custodians) who are performing well in management of waqf properties to ensure their utilisation for betterment of people.
  
  
• The Central Waqf Council is providing financial help to state waqf boards for digitalisation of waqf records. 90 % waqf properties have already been digitised.
  
  
• Under “Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram (PMJVK)”, the Minority Affairs Ministry has constructed schools, colleges, ITIs, skill development centres, “Sadbhav Mandap”, “Hunar Hub”, hospitals, business centres etc on waqf properties across the country.
  
  
• A one-man “Board of Adjudication” at the Central level has been established under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court justice to deal with complaints and disputes regarding waqf properties.
  
  
• Three-member tribunals are being established in the states. About 23 states have established these tribunals so far.
  
  

About:

• DDRS is a Central Sector Scheme of Government of India.
  
  
• Objective: To provide financial assistance to NGOs working for education and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. Under DDRS, Grant-in-Aid is released to about 600 NGOs every year.
  
  
• Background: It is being implemented since 1999. This scheme was revised in 2018 and the revised scheme is being implemented since 1st April 2018.
  
  
• Implementing Agency: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
  
  

About:

• Measles and Rubella are highly contagious viral diseases that are spread by contact with an infected person through coughing and sneezing.
  
  
• Although these two viral diseases are quite similar in the way they spread and in their symptoms, but they have significant differences.
  
  

Measles:

• Also known as:
  
  
• Symptoms: Infection with Measles is followed by high fever, rash that spreads over the body, cough, running nose and red watery eyes.
  
  
• Effect: It can cause permanent damage to the victim of that disease. The measles will remain for weeks in most of the cases.
  
  
• The disease is preventable through two doses of vaccine.
  
  

Rubella:

• Also known as: German Measles.
  
  
• Symptoms: Infection with Rubella is followed by rash and low fever. It may be associated with
  
  
• swelling of lymph node and joint pain. The emergence of these rashes is far less bright than that of the measles.
  
  
• Effect: Rubella causes a milder illness than measles. It is also known as three-day illness as it continues to exist for three days. But it is of particular concern because if a pregnant woman becomes infected, the virus can cause severe birth defects.
  
  

Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS):

• Rubella infection in pregnant women may have serious consequences causing miscarriages, stillbirths or severe birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
  
  
• Children with CRS can suffer hearing impairments, cataracts, heart defects, developmental delay and many other lifelong disabilities.
  
  

Indian scenario:

• Number of cases: The latest Global Measles and Rubella Update says India had 56,399 confirmed measles cases and 1,066 confirmed rubella cases in 2018.
  
  
• Target: India, along with ten other WHO South East Asia Region member countries, have resolved to eliminate measles and control rubella/CRS by 2020.
  
  
• Measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign: To achieve the above target, union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has initiated a MR vaccination campaign under which all children’s in the age group of 9 months to less than 15 years will be given a single shot of MR vaccination.
  
  
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine: It is an immunization vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles). Private practitioners in India have been giving MMR Vaccine to children for many years.
  
  

About:

• Objective: The Centre's flagship scheme incentivises employers to promote employment generation.
  
  
• Salient features: Under it, government pays full employers’ contribution of 12 % (towards Employees’ Provident Fund and Employees’ Pension Scheme), for a period of 3 years to new employees registered with EPFO on or after 1st April 2016, with salary up to 15,000 rupees/month.
  
  
• Launched in:
  
  
• Implemented by: Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
  
  
• Benefits: PMRPY has a dual benefit i.e.
  • on the one hand, the employer is incentivised for increasing the employee base in the establishment through payment of EPF contribution of 12% of wage, which otherwise would have been borne by the employer.
    
    
  • On the other hand, a large number of workers find jobs in such establishments. These workers also have access to social security benefit through Provident Fund, Pension and Death Linked Insurance.
    
    
  
  
  
• Present status:2 Lakh establishments have benefitted from the scheme.
  
  

About:

• Composition: The Task Force was headed by Joint Secretary (Border Management) and having members from BSF, Department of Space and Border Management Division, MHA.
  
  
• In the report, following areas have been identified for use of space technology –
  • Island development 
    
    
  • Border Security
    
    
  • Communication and Navigation
    
    
  • GIS and Operations Planning System
    
    
  • Border Infrastructure Development
    
    
  
  
  
• Key recommendations: To execute the project in a timebound manner, a short, medium and long term plan has been proposed for implementation in five years in close coordination with ISRO and ministry of Defence (MoD).
  • In short-term, immediate needs of border guarding forces (BGFs) will be met by procurement of high resolution imagery and hiring of bandwidth for communications.
    
    
  • In mid-term, one satellite is being launched by ISRO for exclusive use of MHA.
    
    
  • Over the long term, MHA will develop ground segment and network infrastructure to share satellite resources by user agencies, develop a Central Archival Facility for storing various imagery resources and dissemination of the same to user agencies.
    
    
  • Deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in remote areas will be coordinated by Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) -based GPS.
    
    
  
  
  
• Implementing agencies:
  • With the assistance of Department of Space, MHA would implement the project.
    
    
  • BSF has been designated as lead agency for implementation of network infrastructure.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Full name: UNNATI is an acronym for Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly and Training programme.
  
  
• What is it? UNNATI is a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite development.
  
  
• Key Features:
  • The programme provides opportunities to the participating developing countries to strengthen in assembling, integrating and testing of Nanosatellite.
    
    
  • UNNATI programme is planned to be conducted for 3 years by U.R. Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in 3 batches and will target to benefit officials of 45 countries.
    
    
  • The first batch of this programme was launched in Bengaluru with 30 participants from 17 countries. They will be imparted two months training.
    
    
  
  
  
• Background: It has been launched by ISRO as part of initiative by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs that is commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE-50). 
  
  

About:

• Ace Indian female wrestler Vinesh Phogat has become the first Indian athlete to receive a nomination in the prestigious Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award.
  
  
• The 24-year-old Vinesh from Haryana made a sensational comeback after battling a long injury lay-off to win a gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Jakarta Asian Games.
  
  
• She will be competing for the award with golf great Tiger Woods, Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris, American alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Manyu, and Dutch para-snowboarding star Bibian Mentel-Spee.
  
  
• The Awards will be presented in Monaco on the 18th of next month. Monaco is a tiny independent city-state on France’s Mediterranean coastline.
  
  

About:

• Objective: The Web Campaign ‘SĀNJHI - MUJH MEIN KALĀKĀR’ is an initiative to promote the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of the country by direct public-participation.
  
  
• Strategy: Under this unique talent search, participant will showcase their talent in the fields of music, dance, drama, puppetry, folk and tribal arts, culinary skills, painting, sculpture etc.
  
  
• Coverage: It promotes the following forms that are aligned with the domains of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) as per the Convention of Safeguarding the ICH under UNESCO –
  • Oral traditions and expressions, including language;
    
    
  • Performing arts;
    
    
  • Social practices, rituals and festive events;
    
    
  • Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
    
    
  • Traditional craftsmanship
    
    
  
  
  
• First phase:
  • The first phase of this campaign was earlier initiated in November 2018 during Diwali season under which people uploaded various audios and videos for music, dance, poetry recitation etc. and images for visual art forms like painting, craftwork etc.
    
    
  • More than 500 entries were received from various regions of the country. A Screening Committee considered many as worthy for further promotion and commendation.
    
    
  
  
  
• Second phase: The second phase has been launched around the harvest festival season of January, which is celebrated all across the country as Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Bhogali Bihu, Torgya, Uttarayan, Attukkal Pongal etc.
  
  

About:

• Location: It is located at Morangi, Golaghat district, Assam along the NH-37.
  
  
• Ownership: The refinery is owned by Numaligarh Refinery Limited, a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum (61.65%), Oil India (26%) and Govt. of Assam (12.35%).
  
  
• Recent development:
  • The CCEA has decided to expand the capacity of Numaligarh Refinery to 9 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) from 3 MMTPA.
    
    
  • It involves setting up of crude oil pipeline from Paradip to Numaligarh and petroleum product pipeline from Numaligarh to Siliguri at a cost of over Rs. 22,000 crore.
    
    
  • The project will be completed within a period of 48 months.
    
    
  • Benefits: This decision is a part of the Government's Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for the North East.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Voter Awareness Forums (VAFs) are informal Forums for generating awareness around electoral process through activities like discussions, quizzes, competitions and other engaging activities.
  
  
• All employees of the Organisation (government, private and NGOs) are expected to become members of the VAF with the Head of the Organisation acting as the Chair.
  
  
• VAF is part of the Electoral Literacy Club (ELC) programme of ECI.
  • The ELC programme was launched on the 8^th National Voters Day (25^th January 2018).
    
    
  • It envisages setting up of Electoral Literacy Club in every educational institution and Chunav Pathshala at every booth to cover those outside the formal education system.
    
    
  • Around 2.11 Lakh ELCs have already been established across the country in the first year of the launch of the programme.
    
    
  
  
  

Saksham:

• Saksham is an acronym for Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav.
  
  
• Agencies involved: It is an annual flagship event of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of India.
  
  
• Objective: To make citizens aware about the conservation and effective utilization of petroleum products.
  
  

Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA):

• Objective: Advising government to promote energy efficiency so as to Conserve fossil fuel, Save money and Reduce the environmental impact of oil use.
  
  
• Parent ministry: Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
  
  
• Established in: 1978
  
  

About:

• Key objectives of the project: Faster and accurate outcomes for taxpayer, enhancing user experience at all stages, improving awareness and education through continuous engagement and promote voluntary tax compliance.
  
  
• Benefits:
  • The move will help in bringing down the income tax return (ITR) processing time to one day from the present 63 days and hence speed up issue of refunds to the tax payers' bank account directly.
    
    
  • It will also help in improving tax payers' awareness and education through continuous engagement.
    
    
  
  
  
• Implementing agency: This project of the Income Tax Department will be implemented by “IT major Infosys”.
  
  
• Budget: Union Cabinet has sanctioned an estimated ₹4,241.97 crore for the project.
  
  
• Implementation duration: The project is expected to take 18 months to develop and three months to be tested before it is implemented.
  
  

About:

• Nomenclature: Export-Import Bank of India is also known as EXIM Bank of India or simply EXIM Bank.
  
  
• Background: Exim Bank of India (Exim Bank) was established in 1982 under an Act of Parliament.
  
  
• Mandate:
  • It is the apex financial institution for financing, facilitating and promoting India's international trade.
    
    
  • It provides financial assistance to export-oriented Indian companies. It also coordinates the working of institutions engaged in financing exports and imports.
    
    
  
  
  
• Ownership: It is fully owned by the Government of India.
  
  
• Regulation: It is regulated by RBI.
  
  
• HQ: Mumbai.
  
  

Recent decision:

• The Union Cabinet has approved capital infusion in Exim Bank to the tune of Rs.6,000 crore. The equity will be infused in two tranches of Rs. 4,500 crore in FY 2018-19 and Rs.1,500 crore in FY 2019-20 respectively.
  
  
• The Cabinet also approved an increase in the authorized capital of Exim Bank from Rs. 10,000 crore to Rs. 20,000 crore.
  
  
• The recapitalisation bonds will be on the lines issued to Public Sector Banks.
  
  
• Significance: EXIM Bank is the principal export credit agency for India and infusion of capital into it will enable it to augment capital adequacy and support Indian exports with enhanced ability.
  
  

About:

• The Director General of Police (DGP) is a three-star rank and the highest-ranking police officer in States. The DGP is the head of the state police force.
  
  
• All DGPs are Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.
  
  

2006 guidelines:

• In its 2006 judgment in Prakash Singh vs Union of India, the SC laid down guidelines for appointment and removal of the DGP.
  
  
• Selection: DGP of the State shall be selected by the State Government from amongst the three senior most officers of the department who have been recommended by UPSC.
  
  
• Tenure: Once selected for the job, he should have a minimum tenure of at least 2 years irrespective of his date of superannuation.
  
  
• Removal: The DGP can be removed by the State government in consultation with the State Security Commission consequent upon any action taken against him under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules or following his conviction in a court of law in a criminal offence or in a case of corruption, or if he is otherwise incapacitated from discharging his duties”.
  
  

2018 guidelines:

• In July 2018, the SC laid down further guidelines for the appointment of a DGP by the States.
  
  
• It declared that no state government can appoint their favourite police officer suiting their political choice as the acting DGP. The concept of an acting DGP was not considered in the 2006 judgement on police reforms.
  
  
• To prevent this, the court directed all the states to send their proposals to the UPSC at least three months prior to the date of retirement of the DGP.
  
  
• It also said that that an endeavour has to be made to ensure that the person appointed as DGP continues despite his date of superannuation but not beyond a reasonable period.
  
  

About:

• Background: The annual award was instituted by the Government of India in 1995 during the commemoration of 125^th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
  
  
• Cash prize: The award carries an amount of Rs 1 Crore as well as an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item.
  
  
• List of recipients of The Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 –
  
  

• Jury: The names of awardees were chosen by a jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
  
  

About:

• Under this scheme, awards will be given in two categories i.e. (1) Bal Shakti Puruskar to individuals and (2) Bal Kalyan Puraskar for institutions/individuals working for children.
  
  
• The WCD ministry has shortlisted 26 awardees including one joint award for Bal Shakti Puraskar under the category of innovation, scholastic, sports, arts & culture, social service and ‘bravery’.
  
  
• It has also finalized the names of 2 individuals and 3 institutions under Bal Kalyan Puraskar.
  
  
• The awards will be given by the President of India on January 22 in the run-up to Republic Day.
  
  

About:

• The news comes nearly two weeks after China’s Chang’e-4 mission became the first human-made vehicle to land softly on the far side of the Moon. Chang’e-4, which consists of a lunar lander and rover, is carrying multiple experiments and technologies to study the Moon’s terrain.
  
  
• The lander also has a 3-kilogram canister that contains six different biological species that are intended to germinate and grow. Those include seeds for cotton, rapeseed, potato, and Arabidopsis. Fruit fly eggs and yeast are also in the canister.
  
  
• Soon after Chang’e-4’s landing, the biology experiment was turned on and given water. Now, China has released pictures which show sprouting cotton plants.
  
  

About:

• Dhanya Sanal is a deputy director at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and a Defence Ministry spokesperson here.
  
  
• She was the only woman among the first batch of 100 trekkers, who began their two-day trip to cover 22 km to reach the Agasthyakoodam peak.
  
  
• With this, she became the first woman to reach Agasthyakoodam peak after the Kerala High Court recently lifted a restriction on women undertaking the annual trek.
  
  

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs):

• They are like mutual funds in the stock market in the field of real estate sector.
  
  
• Working: REITS sells units to investors. This money is invested in real estate projects to earn rental income. This income is then distributed to unit holders and the units are listed and traded on stock markets like any other equity share.
  
  

Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs):

• It is a modified REITS type structure for infrastructure projects.
  
  
• It will attract long term finance from foreign and domestic sources including the NRIs
  
  
• An InvIT would be a trust with parties such as sponsor, investment manager, trustee and project manager.
  
  

Recent amendments in guidelines:

• Now, REITs and InvITs can accept only Applications Supported by Blocked Amount (ASBA).
  
  
• The manager on behalf of the REIT or InvIT will announce the floor price or price band at least two working days prior to the opening of the bid in case of an initial public offer. Currently, it is five days.
  
  
• The trusts may extend the bidding issue period for a minimum of three working days in case of force majeure, banking strike or similar circumstances. However, the extension should not exceed the 30-day bidding period.
  
  
• The amendments have been made to rationalise and ease the process of public issue of units of REITs and InvITs.
  
  

About:

• Full form of KALIA: Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation.
  
  
• Background: KALIA was launched in December 2018 and completed its first phase of registration recently.
  
  
• Launched by: Odisha government.
  
  
• Budget: Under the scheme, Rs 10,180 crore will be spent over three years until 2020-21 in providing financial assistance to cultivators and landless agricultural labourers.
  
  
• Beneficiaries:
  • The scheme will benefit 92% of the cultivators in the state and include every category from big farmers to landless cultivators.
    
    
  • Although the scheme is not linked to the amount of land owned, the government insists it will “greatly benefit” sharecroppers and cultivators, who own little or no land.
    
    
  
  
  
• Features:
  • All farmers will be provided Rs 10,000 per family as assistance for cultivation. Crop loans up to Rs 50,000 are interest-free.
    
    
  • They will be supported with a unit cost of Rs 12,500 for activities like goat rearing, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, poultry farming and fishery.
    
    
  • Elderly, sick and differently-abled population who are unable to take up cultivation, will be provided Rs 10,000 per household per year for sustenance.
    
    
  • It also includes a life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of the same amount for 57 lakh households.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• What is the disease?
  • Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) is a disorder of the nervous system in which the cue to breathe is lost when the patient goes to sleep. This results in a lack of oxygen and a build-up of carbon dioxide in the body, which can sometimes turn fatal.
    
    
  • Those suffering from CCHS, can lose their life if they fall into deep sleep.
    
    
  
  
  
• Names: CCHS disease is also known as Ondine’s Curse. Ondine, a nymph in French mythology, had cursed her unfaithful husband that he would forget to breathe the moment he fell asleep.
  
  
• Vulnerable groups: Though the name describes the disorder as congenital, some forms of the disease may also be present in adults.
  
  
• Cause:
  • The mutation of a gene called PHOX2B, which is crucial for the maturation of nerve cells in the body, can cause CCHS.
    
    
  • It can also be genetically acquired, which is when it is congenital. However, mutation is more common than a transmission of the mutated gene from parent to child.
    
    
  
  
  
• Symptom:
  • A typical presentation of the lack of breathing is when the lips start turning blue.
    
    
  • CCHS patients also have problems in regulation of heart rate and blood pressure, sweat profusely, often have constipation and cannot always feel pain.
    
    
  
  
  
• Treatment: Treatment typically includes mechanical ventilation or use of a diaphragm pacemaker. In Yatharth’s case, the surgery that has been prescribed proposes to put a diaphragm pacemaker.
  
  

About:

• DD Science: It is a one-hour slot on Doordarshan National channel, which will be telecast Monday to Saturday from 5 pm to 6pm. DD Science may also be scaled up to a full-fledged channel in the future.
  
  
• India Science: It is an internet-based channel, which is available on any internet-enabled device, and will offer live, scheduled play and video-on-demand services. India Science (www.indiascience.in) has a 24x7 presence.
  
  
• The two channels will have science-based documentaries, studio-based discussions, and virtual walkthroughs of scientific institutions, interviews and short films and will be completely free to access.
  
  
• This is the first step in creating a national science channel for the country.
  
  
• The channels are being implemented and managed by Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous organisation of DST.
  
  

About:

• Duration: The two-day summit is being held on 15-16 January, 2019.
  
  
• Theme of Summit: ‘Flying for all-especially the next 6 Billion'.
  
  
• Organizers: It is being organised by Ministry of Civil Aviation in association with FICCI.
  
  
• Objective: To offer stakeholders an opportunity to deliberate on how technology-driven innovations will change air travel in the decades to come.
  
  
• Venue: Mumbai.
  
  

About:

• Background: The decision was taken in pursuance of decision in the 32nd Meeting of GST Council held on 10th January, 2019 at New Delhi.
  
  
• Composition: Nitin Patel, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat will be the Convener of this 7-Member GoM.
  
  
• Terms of Reference (ToR) for the GoM:
  • Analyse tax rate of GST for boosting the Real Estate Sector under GST regime by providing a Composition Scheme for Residential Construction Units.
    
    
  • Examine various aspect of levy of GST on Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) and Development Rights in a joint Development Agreement and suitable model.
    
    
  • Examine and suggest any other aspect relevant to boost Real Estate Sector, which may be brought to the notice of GoM.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Background: the scheme of EMRSs was introduced in the year 1997-98 to ensure tribal students get access to quality education in the remote tribal areas.
  
  
• Implementing ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  
  
• Features: In December 2018, Union Cabinet revamped the scheme with following features –
  • Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) will be setup in every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons. Thereby around 462 schools will be set up in addition to the 288 EMRSs already sanctioned.
    
    
  • There will be an Autonomous Society under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs similar to Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti to run the EMRSs.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Kollam Bypass is a 13 km, 2-lane bypass is located on NH-66 that bypasses central business district (CBD) of Kollam city in Kerala.
  
  
• It is a joint venture between the Union and state government.
  
  
• Significance:
  • It will reduce ravel time between Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram and decongest the traffic in Kollam town.
    
    
  • The importance of the Kollam bypass is that it touches 3 major National Highways (NH 66, NH 183 and NH 744).