About:

The data was tabled at a time when multiple agencies are involved in the rescue of 15 miners trapped in a rathole mine in Meghalaya.

Summary data:

• Of the 377 deaths, 129 occurred in 2017 alone. As many as 145 died in 2016, while the figure was 103 in 2015.
  
  
• Coal mine deaths:
  • Coal mines have accounted for the highest number of casualties due to accidents in mines. Of the 377, more than half, 210, were killed in coal mines.
    
    
  • Jharkhand, which recorded 69 deaths in the three years, has accounted for the highest death of coal mine workers in accidents inside mines.
    
    
  • Goda in Jharkhand witnessed one of the biggest open cast mine accidents in 2016 when 23 workers died in December that year.
    
    
  
  
  
• Metal mines death:
  • During the period, 152 persons died in accidents in metal mines across the country.
    
    
  • Rajasthan, one of highest mineral producing States in the country, accounted for 48 deaths while Andhra Pradesh recorded 29 deaths.
    
    
  
  
  
• Oil mines death:
  • During this period, 15 deaths were reported in oil mines, most of them occurring in Assam and Gujarat.
    
    
  
  
  

Context:

About:

• The Centre of Excellence is aimed at collaborative Research & Capability Building in the areas of Oil, Gas & Energy.
  
  
• It will work towards developing sustainable solutions and explore new frontiers in technology for future energy needs.
  
  
• The Centre of Excellence will leverage the expertise available with IIT Bombay and the Oil and Gas industry. It will also provide an institutionalised platform for Industry - Academia interactions.
  
  
• The MoU will meet the need of the Mission Green, as it will encourage Research and development in the sector and also do the capacity building.
  
  

About:

• Composition: The eight-member expert committee will be headed by former SEBI chairman U.K. Sinha.
  
  
• Terms of References:
  • The panel would review the current institutional framework in place to support the MSME sector, and examine the factors affecting the timely and adequate availability of finance to the sector.
    
    
  • The panel will also review existing MSME-focussed policies and their impact, and study the global best practices with respect to MSMEs and recommend their adoption in India.
    
    
  
  
  
• Tenure: The committee will submit its report by the end of June 2019.
  
  
• Background: The MSME sector has been facing stress due to the demonetisation exercise and implementation of GST.
  
  

Benefits:

The approval will facilitate –

• Recognition of Trade Unions at Central and State level;
  
  
• Ensure true representation of workers in the tripartite bodies;
  
  
• Check on the arbitrary nomination of workers’ representatives by the Government; and
  
  
• Reduce litigations and industrial unrest.
  
  

Opposition to move:

• Most trade unions, however, opposed the proposed amendments, claiming that the government was trying to interfere in their functioning.
  
  
• Ten Central trade unions had earlier written to the Labour Ministry objecting to the draft version of the amendment Bill; the only major stand-out was the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
  
  
• They have alleged that the amendments would give the government final authority in case of disputes within or between the unions.
  
  

Key points of the Scheme of amalgamation:

• Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank are transferor banks and Bank of Baroda (BoB) is transferee bank. This would mean that the merged entity would be known as the Bank of Baroda (BoB).
  
  
• The scheme shall come into force on April 1, 2019.
  
  
• Upon commencement of the scheme, the undertakings of the transferor banks as a going concern shall be transferred to and shall vest in the transferee bank.
  
  
• Every permanent and regular officer or employee of the transferor banks shall become an officer or employee and shall hold his office or service therein in the transferee bank.
  
  

Significance:

• The amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with the amalgamated bank being India's second largest Public Sector Bank.
  
  
• Strengths of individual banks - such as Dena Bank's relatively higher access to low-cost CASA deposits, Vijaya Bank's profitability and availability of capital for growth, and the extensive and global network and offerings of BoB will translate into advantages in terms of market reach, operational efficiencies and the ability to support a wider offering of product.
  
  
• The amalgamation will help create a strong globally competitive bank with economies of scale and enable realisation of wide-ranging synergies.
  
  

About:

• The Bodo Accord was signed in 2003 which resulted in the establishment of a Bodoland Territorial Council under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
  
  
• However, there have been representations from different organizations of Bodos to fulfil various outstanding demands. 
  
  
• In this background, Union Cabinet has approved the
  • establishment of a Bodo Musuem-cum-language and cultural study center,
    
    
  • modernization of existing All India Radio Station and Doordarshan Kendra at Kokrajhar
    
    
  • and naming a Superfast Train passing through BTAD as ARONAI Express.
    
    
  
  
  
• Relevant Ministries will take the required actions to implement these decisions.
  
  
• The State Government will also take necessary measures related to appropriate land policy and land laws, besides setting up of Institutions for Research and Documentation of Customs, Traditions and Languages of indigenous communities.
  
  

About:

• After Assam agitation of 1979-1985, Assam Accord was signed in 1985.
  
  
• Clause 6 of the Assam Accord envisaged that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.
  
  
• However, it has been felt that Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has not been fully implemented even almost 35 years after the Accord was signed.
  
  
• The Cabinet, therefore, approved the setting up of a High-Level Committee to suggest safeguards as envisaged in Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
  
  
• The Composition and Terms of Reference of the Committee will be issued separately by the Ministry of Home Affairs. 
  
  

Features:

• The bill will modify the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) of Arunachal Pradesh.
  
  
• The following changes will be made in list of STs of Arunachal Pradesh:
  • Deletion of Abor – Removal of duplication
    
    
  • Replace Khampti – There is no tribe called ‘Khampti’
    
    
  • Inclusion of Mishmi-Kaman, Idu and Taraon – Existing entry is only of ‘Mishmi’. There is reportedly no such community.
    
    
  • Inclusion of Monpa, Memba, Sartang, Sajolong (Miji) in serial No. 9 in lieu of 'Momba'. 
    
    
  • Inclusion of 'Nocte', "Tangsa', Tutsa', 'Wancho' in lieu of 'Any Naga Tribes' in serial No. 10 in list of Scheduled Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. These are reportedly the only Naga tribes in the State.
    
    
  
  
  

Benefits:

• After the Bill becomes an Act, member of the communities newly listed in the revised list of STs of Arunachal Pradesh will also be able to derive benefits meant for STs under the existing Government schemes of the and reservation in services and educational institutions.
  
  
• The decision to replace the generic term ‘any Naga tribes’ with the specific names of the tribes is likely to have a bearing on the peace talks with the NSCN-IM, which has been campaigning for a Greater Nagalim for the Nagas across Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Myanmar.
  
  

About:

• The Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and has been continuing since 12th Five Year Plan.
  
  
• Objective: The Scheme aims to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation building activities.
  
  
• Sub-schemes: Following are eight sub-schemes under Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram:
  • Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS);
    
    
  • National Youth Corps (NYC);
    
    
  • National Programme for Youth & Adolescent Development (NPYAD);
    
    
  • International Cooperation;
    
    
  • Youth Hostels (YH);
    
    
  • Assistance to Scouting & Guiding Organizations;
    
    
  • National Discipline Scheme (NDS); and
    
    
  • National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP).
    
    
  
  
  
• Target beneficiaries:
  • The Scheme beneficiaries are the youth in the age-group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of 'youth' in the National Youth Policy, 2014.
    
    
  • In case of programme components specifically meant for the adolescents, the age-group is 10-19 years.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• With this approval, the existing society "National Health Agency" has been dissolved and will be replaced by National Health Authority as an attached office to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
  
  
• The existing multi-tier decision making structure has been replaced with the Governing Board chaired by the Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India which will enable the decision making at a faster pace, required for smooth implementation of the scheme.
  
  
• The composition of the Governing Board is broad based with due representations from the Government, domain experts, etc. Besides, the States shall also be represented in the Governing Board on rotational basis.
  
  
• It is envisaged that the National Health Authority shall have full accountability, authority and mandate to implement PM-JAY through an efficient and transparent decision-making process.
  
  

About:

• Nomenclature: Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) draws its name from “monachus”, which means hooded (like a monk) in Latin.
  
  
• Features: It is a distinctly dark large bird, with a blacked-tipped pink beak.
  
  
• Distribution:
  • In winters, it migrates from the mountainous regions of Europe and Asia to warmer places, including India.
    
    
  • While earlier records revealed that the bird comes to northern parts of India up to Rajasthan, bird watchers were surprised to find it in Hazaribagh in Jharkhand.
    
    
  
  
  
• IUCN Red List Status: It is classified as Near Threatened under the IUCN.
  
  

About:

• Objective: It is a new conversation mission launched by ISRO to inspire students cutting across schools and colleges. Through the SwS initiative, ISRO aims to constantly engage youngsters across India to capture their scientific temperament.
  
  
• Highlights of first SwS: The first SwS event saw 40 wards and 10 teachers from select schools interact with ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan at the Anthariksh Bhavan (ISRO HQ) on a series of topics ranging from rockets, satellites, Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan and various space applications.
  
  

About:

• Location: Ultima Thule is a trans-Neptunian object located in the Kuiper belt.
  
  
• Features of the object:
  • It is a contact binary 31 km long, composed of two joined bodies 19 km and 14 km across that are nicknamed "Ultima" and "Thule", respectively.
    
    
  • With an orbital period of 298 years and a low inclination and eccentricity, it is classified as a classical Kuiper belt object.
    
    
  • It is believed to be the most primitive object in the Solar System, both bodies being planetesimal aggregates of much smaller building blocks.
    
    
  • Ultima Thule is a relic from the early days of the solar system and studying it could provide answers about the origins of other planets.
    
    
  
  
  
• Nomenclature:
  • Its scientific name is (486958) 2014 MU69.
    
    
  • It is nickname, Ultima Thule (a Greco-Latin term for a place beyond the known world) was chosen as part of a public competition in 2018.
    
    
  • The New Horizons team plans to submit a proper name to the International Astronomical Union when the nature of the object is better known.
    
    
  
  
  
• Discovery:
  • It was discovered in 2014 by astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope as part of a search for a Kuiper belt object for the New Horizons mission
    
    
  • With the New Horizons space probe's flyby on 1 January 2019, 2014 MU69 became the farthest object in the Solar System visited by a spacecraft.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Objective: The Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) has been established to develop the data of structures on the National Highways network in digital form so as to –
  • identify the number of bridges and other structures on National Highways,
    
    
  • carry out the condition survey and inventorization of bridges/structures,
    
    
  • identify the distressed bridges which need immediate attention and
    
    
  • sensitize the concerned implementation agency for taking corrective measures such as repair, rehabilitation reconstruction/ new construction etc.
    
    
  
  
  
• Present status: Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has inventorized 1,72,517 bridges/structures under IBMS. These structures comprise 1,34,229 culverts, 32,806 minor bridges, 3,647 major and 1,835 extra-long 
  
  

About:

• Objective: Reason for introducing this concept was to take a comprehensive look at a particular produce/product located in a contiguous area for the purpose of developing and sourcing the raw materials, their processing/packaging, leading to final exports.
  
  
• Timeline:
  
  

The concept of Agri Export Zone (AEZ) was introduced in 2001, through EXIM Policy 1997-2001.

• In all 60 Agri Export Zones (AEZ) were notified by the Government till 2004 - 05.
  
  
• In December 2004, an internal peer review conducted by Department of Commerce concluded that the notified AEZs had not been able to achieve the intended objectives.
  
  
• It was decided that there will be no creation of new AEZs. Thus, No new AEZs have been set up after 2004.
  
  
• All the notified AEZs have completed their intended span of 5 years and have been discontinued.
  
  

The standard procedure:

• Besides probing the donor’s medical history and current health, the standard procedure is to mandatorily screen for five diseases — HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria — before blood is collected.
  
  
• National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has an External Quality Assurance Scheme under which it conducts annual refresher programmes in tie-up with experts besides doing random sampling for laboratories and technicians.
  
  

About:

• Full name: UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
  
  
• Type of Body: It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).
  
  
• Objective:
  • It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
    
    
  • UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
    
    
  
  
  
• Established in: It is the successor of the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.
  
  
• Membership: As of January 2019, UNESCO has 193-member states and 11 associate members. The United States and Israel left UNESCO on 31 December 2018.
  
  
• HQ:
  
  
• Present Directors-General of UNESCO: Audrey Azoulay (France). She was appointed in 2017, thus becoming the second female leader of the organization.
  
  
• UNESCO is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
  
  

About:

• Timeline:
  • The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between India and Pakistan was signed in 1988 and came into force in 1991.
    
    
  • This is the 28^th consecutive exchange of such list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.
    
    
  
  
  
• Features of the agreement:
  • It prohibits the two countries from attacking each other’s atomic facilities.
    
    
  • The two countries will inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on January 1 of every calendar year.
    
    
  
  
  
• Comment: The two countries have adhered to the practice of exchanging the lists of nuclear installations despite recurring tensions.
  
  

About:

• Under the Agreement on consular access between the Government of Pakistan and India. 2008, the two countries to exchange “list of the nationals – Civilian prisoners and fishermen – of the other country under its arrest/detention” on January 1 and July 1 each year.
  
  
• Pakistan prisoners in India: 249 civilian prisoners and 98 fishermen.
  
  
• Indian prisoners in Pakistan: 54 civilian and 483 fishermen.
  
  
• However, Kulbhushan Jadhav, arguably the most famous prisoner, does not figure in the list. This is because Pakistan believes that he is neither within the category of “civilian prisoners” nor “fishermen” – the two types of jailed citizens for which the neighbours exchange lists.
  
  
• The exchange of lists comes despite continued military tension, which has, however, not dampened humanitarian moves by both sides.
  
  

About:

• AFSPA is imposed in areas declared as disturbed under section 2 of the act.
  
  
• Section 3 of the AFSPA Act empowers the ‘Governor’ of the state or Union territory to issue an official notification on The Gazette of India, following which the centre has the authority to send in armed forces for civilian aid. Once declared ‘disturbed’, the region has to maintain status quo for a minimum of three months.
  
  
• The ‘special powers’ of armed forces under Section 4 are:
  • ‘Power to use force, including open fire’ at an individual if he violates laws which prohibit (a) the assembly of five or more persons; or (b) carrying of weapons.
    
    
  • ‘power to arrest’ without a warrant; (Under section 5 the Armed Forces have to hand over the arrested person to the nearest Police Station “with the least possible delay”.
    
    
  • ‘power to seize and search’ without any warrant any premise.
    
    
  
  
  
• These armed forces are immune from prosecution unless Union Government provides sanction to the prosecuting agencies,
  
  

AFSPA in Nagaland:

• to govt. the recent decision has been taken as killings, loot and extortion have been going on in various parts of the State which necessitated the action.
  
  
• The AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland for several decades. It has not been withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed in August 2015, by the Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and government of India.
  
  

About:

• The Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic at NIMHANS has developed a Digital Detox app that has been effective in bringing about behavioural changes among users.
  
  
• The app, available on Google Play store as ‘Digital Detox by Shut Clinic’, requires user to register. After this, it tracks your pattern of mobile usage every week and offers self-help strategies.
  
  
• The app asks users to specify their addiction-related symptoms, such as sleep disturbance, eye strain, loneliness, boredom, or excess Facebook usage.
  
  
• The app developers have followed the principle that technology de-addition should be supportive, encouraging and fun.
  
  

About:

• Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has recently established an Export Promotion Council with an aim to create a sustainable ecosystem for entire MSME development.
  
  
• The benefits likely to accrue to the MSMEs are:
  • Evaluate readiness of MSMEs to export their products and services
    
    
  • Recognize areas where improvements are required in order to be able to export effectively and efficiently
    
    
  • Integration of MSME into global value chain.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Consultancy firm Quantum Advisors recently released a report in which it analysed the balance sheets of the central banks of 10 comparable economies.
  
  
• Key Findings on RBI Reserves:
  • The RBI's reserves as a percentage of its balance sheet is among the highest in the world.
    
    
  • The RBI’s reserves were about ₹10.5 lakh crore, forming 26.2% its balance sheet. Only two central banks — of South Africa and Russia — have a reserve ratio higher than this.
    
    
  • However, the bulk of these reserves are notional and thus their value can only be unlocked when the underlying assets are sold. This makes transferring the excess reserves to the government all the more difficult.
    
    
  
  
  
• Options before RBI: RBI has following options in front of it if the government does insist on the transfer of reserves.
  • The first is for the central bank to sell its foreign bonds or government bonds, depending on how much the Centre asks for. But selling foreign bonds comes with the risk of being viewed negatively by foreign investors.
    
    
  • The other option is RBI, could simply waive its rights over those bonds, thus reducing its asset holdings and reducing the government’s liabilities.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Timeline:
  • A new Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for the Middle-Income Group (CLSS for MIG) was announced by Prime Minister in 2016.
    
    
  • It was launched originally for 12 months till 31.12.2017.
    
    
  • In 2017, the scheme was extended upto 31.03.2019 and now it has been extended by another 12 months i.e. till 31.03.2020.
    
    
  
  
  
• Salient features of scheme:
  • The scheme was announced to meet the aspirations of young professionals and entrepreneurs of Middle-Class Segment.
    
    
  • The scheme covers Beneficiaries of MIG seeking housing loans for acquisition/ construction of houses (including re-purchase) from Banks, Housing Finance Companies and other such notified institutions.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Railway Board is the apex body of the Indian Railways which reports to the Parliament through the Ministry of Railways.
  
  
• Historical development:
  • 1905: A Railway Board was established under the Department of Commerce and Industries.
    
    
  • 1920: “Indian Railway Enquiry Committee (Sir William Acworth Committee) was appointed to look into Railway policy, financial and administrative.
    
    
  • 1922: Pursuant to Acworth committee, the Railway Board was reorganized.
    
    
  
  
  

Salient features of Bill:

• The Bill seeks to replace an ordinance issued in September 2018.
  
  
• The Bill superseded the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the powers of the council had been vested in a Board of Governors (BoG).
  
  
• The BoG will have all eminent personalities and include directors of AIIMS and PGI, Chandigarh. This board will continue to perform till a council is constituted.
  
  
• A separate Bill to replace the MCI with the National Medical Commission is pending in Parliament.
  
  

Central Information Commission (CIC):

• The CIC is the highest appeal body under the Right to Information Act. It is an independent body formed in 2005 for enforcing the provisions of the act.
  
  
• HQ:
  
  
• Composition: It consists of one Chief Information Commissioner and Maximum 10 Information Commissioners.
  
  
• Appointment process: They are appointed by President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of Prime minister as chairman, Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and Union cabinet minister nominated by PM.
  
  
• Tenure:
  • Chief Information Commissioner and IC shall hold office for term of 5 Years or until they age of 65 years, whichever is earlier
    
    
  • Chief Information Commissioner is not eligible for reappointment but IC is eligible for appointment as CIC.
    
    
  
  
  

Sudhir Bhargava:

• Sudhir Bhargava, a former Secretary to the Ministry of Social Justice, was sworn in by President Ram Nath Kovind as the new Chief Information Commissioner.
  
  
• He takes over as the ninth Chief Information Commissioner.
  
  
• Like all of his predecessors, he is a retired bureaucrat. The previous chiefs have all been from Central service — IAS, IPS and IIS — backgrounds.
  
  

About:

• The weather disturbance/storm locally named Usman struck the Philippines shortly after Christmas, with the number of fatalities expected to rise.
  
  
• While it did not have powerful winds, it brought heavy rains that caused floods and loosened the soil, triggering landslides in some areas.
  
  
• Many people failed to take necessary precautions because Usman was not strong enough to be rated as a typhoon under the government’s storm alert system.
  
  
• An average of 20 typhoons and storms lash the Philippines each year, killing hundreds of people and leaving millions in near-perpetual poverty. The most powerful was Super Typhoon Haiyan which left more than 7,360 people dead or missing across the central Philippines in 2013.
  
  

About:

• According to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, an “Ancient Monument means any structure, erection or monument, or any tumulus or place of interment, or any cave, rock-sculpture, inscription or monolith which is of historical, archaeological or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than 100 years."
  
  
• There are 3,693 centrally protected monuments/sites under the ASI in the country.
  
  
• Uttar Pradesh (745 monuments/sites), Karnataka (506) and Tamil Nadu (413) have the highest number of ASI-maintained sites.
  
  

List of Monuments Of National Importance declared in 2018:

Following six monuments were declared protected and of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2018 –

1. The 125-year-old Old High Court Building in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
   
   
2. Hathi Khana, a Mughal-era monument in Agra.
   
   
3. Haveli of Agha Khan, a Mughal-era monument in Agra
   
   
4. The ancient Neemrana Baori in Rajasthan's Alwar district.
   
   
5. The Group of Temples at Ranipur Jharail in Odisha's Bolangir district.
   
   
6. the Vishnu Temple in Kotali, Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand.