About: 

• Operation Bandar (monkey) was the code-name given by IAF to the air strikes conducted by its Mirage-2000 fighters against the major Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility at Balakot in Pakistan on February 26, in response to the Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of 40 security personnel.
  
  
• The idea behind the name 'Operation Bandar’ was to give a nondescript, mundane tag to the air strikes to maintain operational secrecy. It was chosen to make it sound like a routine, small-time affair.
  
  
• The Army, in turn, code-named its heightened operational alert and shoring up of defences along the border to thwart a possible Pakistan retaliation to the air strikes as “Operation Zafran" (saffron flowers used in cooking).
  
  
• The Navy, however, did not give any specific name to the deployment of its warships and submarines in the north Arabian Sea because they were already there as part of Tropex-2019 (theatre level operational readiness exercise) underway at that time. 
  
  

Kandi Road: 

• An unpaved stretch of the old Kandi road that once connected Haridwar and Ramnagar runs through Rajaji tiger reserve.
  
  
• Construction of a highway along the entire Laldhang-Kotdwar-Kalagarh alignment has been an emotive issue in Uttarakhand as this will cut travelling distances and also skip detours through Uttar Pradesh.
  
  
• In December 2018, Uttarakhand Forest Minister laid the foundation stone for the 11-km Laldhang-Chillarkhal stretch after forest land from Rajaji tiger reserve buffer was transferred to the state public works department without seeking statutory wildlife clearance.
  
  

Recent stay by Supreme Court:

• The stay comes two days after an interim report was submitted to the court on June 19 by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) that advises the apex court on forest matters.
  
  
• The CEC filed its interim report after obtaining the views of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
  
  
• According to NTCA, the Kandi road was within the tiger reserve and cut through a wildlife corridor between Rajaji and Corbett, and that “due process as per law. has been overlooked by the state concerned”.
  
  

Key decisions taken by the council during the meeting:

• The Council took a decision regarding location of the State and the Area Benches for the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) for various States and Union Territories with legislature. It has been decided to have a common State Bench for the States of Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
  
  
• The tenure of National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAPA) has been extended by 2 years. NAPA deals with complaints by consumers against companies for not passing on GST rate cut benefits. 
  
  
• Electronic invoicing system to be introduced in a phase-wise manner for B2B transactions. The Phase 1 is proposed to be voluntary and it shall be rolled out from January 2020.
  • E-invoicing would help taxpayers in backward integration and automation of tax relevant processes.
    
    
  • It would also help tax authorities in combating the menace of tax evasion.
    
    
  
  
  
• It has simplified rules for registration and Aadhaar will now be used by businesses for registration under GST.In the earlier system, people had to give various documents.
  
  

About: 

• The Indian Navy has launched Operation Sankalp in the Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman to re-assure Indian flagged vessels transiting through the area following the recent maritime incidents in the region.
  • INS Chennai and INS Sunayna have been deployed in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to undertake maritime security operations.
    
    
  • While the INS Chennai is a destroyer, the INS Sunayna is an offshore patrol vessel.
    
    
  
  
  
• The Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, which was inaugurated by the Navy in December 2018 at Gurgaon, was also monitoring the movement of ships in the Gulf region.
  
  
• The move was announced after US President Donald Trump declared that “Iran made a very big mistake” by shooting down a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Before that, the US blamed Iran for the attacks on the oil tankers, a charge denied by Tehran.
  
  
• India’s strategic and security interests are closely linked to the Indian Ocean Region. The country’s energy security is also linked to the safety and security of ships while operating and transiting in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
  
  

On continuation of Bills: 

• Vice President of India called for a debate on a Constitutional provision that provides for automatic lapsing of any Bill passed by Lok Sabha but remains pending in Rajya Sabha on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha as this will save Lok Sabha’s time. 
  
  
• Under Article 107 of the Constitution “a Bill which is pending in the House of the People, or which having been passed by the House of the People is pending in the Council of States, shall subject to the provisions of Article 108, lapse on a dissolution of the House of the People”.
  
  
• He pointed out that 22 Bills lapsed after the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha since these had been introduced in the Lower House first.
  
  

On automatic lapse of Bills:

• He also suggested that a Bill which is not taken up for consideration and passage within five years of introduction should automatically be treated as lapsed.
  
  
• Since Rajya Sabha is a permanent House, Bills introduced there do not lapse, and remain pending, sometimes for decades.
  
  

About: 

• Type: The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is claimed to be the world’s largest multi-stage and multi-purpose lift irrigation scheme.
  
  
• Names: KLIP was previously known as Pranahita-Chevella Lift Irrigation Project.
  
  
• Location: It is located at the confluence point of Pranhita River and Godavari River i.e, at Kaleshwaram village in Telangana. Pranahita river in itself is a confluence of various other smaller tributaries like Wardha, Penganga and Wainganga Rivers.
  
  
• Project Highlights:
  • It is meant to irrigate over 37 lakh acres of new and existing ayacuts and supply drinking water to Hyderabad and villages en route.
    
    
  • Under the scheme, 89 cumecs (cubic metres per second) of water will be lifted to a height of 106 metres from the Sripada Yellampalli reservoir to Medaram reservoir and will be used for irrigation and water supply in nearby drought-prone areas.
    
    
  
  
  
• Executing agency: The Central Public Sector undertaking Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
  
  

Key highlights of the report: 

• Total numbers: There are 25 million adults and children suffering from labour and sex trafficking all over the world.
  
  
• Domestic trafficking:
  • In 77% of the cases, victims are trafficked within their own countries of residence, rather than across borders.
    
    
  • Victims of sex trafficking were more likely to be trafficked across borders while victims of forced labour were typically exploited within their own countries.
    
    
  
  
  
• Palermo Protocol: While much has been done since the Palermo Protocol (an international framework to tackle trafficking) in terms of countries building legal frameworks, more needs to be done to tackle domestic trafficking.
  
  
• Categorisation of countries:
  • The report categorises countries into three groups based on the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), U.S. legislation enacted in 2000.
    
    
  • The categorisation is based not on the magnitude of a country’s trafficking problem but on efforts to meet minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.
    
    
  
  
  
• Indian scenario:
  • India was placed (i.e., remained) in Tier 2.
    
    
  • It recommended India to include amending the definition of trafficking in Section 370 of the Penal Code to “include forced labour trafficking and ensure that force, fraud, or coercion are not required to prove a child sex trafficking offence.”
    
    
  
  
  

Arguments by petitioners: 

• The decision of the State government is in violation of the relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  
  
• The Indian elephant is a Schedule-I animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Section 9 of the Act prohibits their capture from the wild.
  
  
• Capturing of wild elephants is permitted only under very limited circumstances as provided in Section 11 and 12 of the Act.
  
  
• The dispatch of the elephants in railway wagons in the prevailing heatwave conditions in north Indian States, would subject the animals to extreme stress, pain and cruelty.
  
  

Articles 86 and 87 of the Constitution deals with the Address by the President.

Article 86:

• Article 86 confers a right on the President to address either House of Parliament or both Houses assembled together, and for that purpose require the attendance of members.
  
  
• However, since the commencement of the Constitution, the President has not so far addressed a House or Houses together under this provision.
  
  

Article 87:

• Article 87 of the constitution provides two instances when the President of India specially addresses both Houses of Parliament (Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha).
  • The President addresses both the houses at beginning of the first session of each year.
    
    
  • The President also addresses both the houses at the beginning of the first Session after each general election when the reconstituted Lok Sabha meets for the first time.
    
    
  
  
  
• The President’s speech essentially highlights the government’s policy priorities and plans for the upcoming year. The address provides a broad framework of the government’s agenda and direction.
  
  

About:

• Bodies involved: The initiative comes from the Kerala State Water Transport Department (SWTD). It earlier launched Aditya, India’s first solar-powered ferry in 2016 in the Vaikom-Thavanakadavu route which has proved to be a success.
  
  
• Features:
  • The ₹3-crore cruise boat that can carry 100 passengers is under construction at a boatyard in Aroor.
    
    
  • The hybrid vessel will be powered by a motor that can source energy from solar panels, battery, and generator. Its battery will have 80 KWh (kilowatt hour) power backup, as compared to 50 KWh backup in Aditya.
    
    
  • The double-deck, double-engine catamaran-type vessel adheres to norms specified by the Indian Registry of Shipping (IRS).
    
    
  
  
  
• Application: The vessel will have an air-conditioned lower deck and pushback seats. The upper deck, which is non-air conditioned, can be used for dining and to get a better view of the backwaters.
  
  
• Benefits: Aditya incurs an energy expense of ₹200 a day, as compared to the approximately ₹8,000 needed for diesel-powered ferries. Solar vessels also do not create air and noise pollution.
  
  
• Way ahead: Considering the huge savings in energy expenses, the SWTD has also drawn up plans to introduce three sister vessels of Aditya by the end of the year.
  
  

About: 

• The SEBI has set up a working group to review the current framework of margins in the futures and options segment and submit its recommendations to the Secondary Market Advisory Committee.
  
  
• It is being setup based on the feedback that the existing margin requirements in the derivatives segment is pushing up cost of trading while not managing risk in the most efficient manner. 
  
  
• The working group will be headed by NSE Clearing Ltd. 
  
  

About:

• The AWaRe tool was developed by the WHO Essential Medicines List to contain rising resistance and make antibiotic use safer and more effective.
  
  
• It classifies antibiotics into three groups – Access, Watch and Reserve – and specifies
  • which antibiotics to use for the most common and serious infections,
    
    
  • which ones should be available at all times in the healthcare system, and
    
    
  • those that must be used sparingly or preserved and used only as a last resort.
    
    
  
  
  
• The new campaign aims to increase the proportion of global consumption of antibiotics in the Access group to at least 60%, and to reduce use of the antibiotics most at risk of resistance from the Watch and Reserve groups.
  
  
• Using Access antibiotics lowers the risk of resistance because they are ‘narrow-spectrum’ antibiotics (that target a specific microorganism rather than several). They are also less costly because they are available in generic formulations.
  
  

About: 

• Background: On the occasion of the 2nd International Day of Yoga celebrations at Chandigarh, the Prime Minister had announced the institution of awards for the promotion and development of Yoga. 
  
  
• Objective: The award is given for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of Yoga. 
  
  
• Cash prize: The winners will be felicitated with of a Trophy, Certificate and a Cash Award of 25 lakh rupees each. 
  
  
• Winners: Ayush Ministry in a release said, Swami Rajarshi Muni of Life Mission, Gujarat, Ms. Antonietta Rozzi of Italy, Bihar School of Yoga, Munger and Japan Yoga Niketan, Japan are the recipients of the Award. 
  
  

Guthis:

• Guthis are socio-economic institutions (trusts), both public and private, that fund their obligations from incomes from cultivated or leased land assets.
  
  
• Depending on their obligations, Guthis fulfil religious, public service or social roles and could either involve members from a common lineage, or several.
  
  

Guthi Bill:

• The Government of Nepal had tabled the Guthi Bill in National Assembly, the Upper House of Parliament in April to amend Guthi Act and nationalise both public and private Guthis or trusts and regulate all religious sites under a powerful commission.
  
  
• The ethnic Newar community members claim that the bill had provisions in favour of land mafias and could be a threat to the centuries-old culture and traditions of Nepal.
  
  
• Though the Guthi Bill was withdrawn by the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation recently, but protesters are demanding that it should be completely scrapped. 
  
  

About:

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said, introduction of manual checks in IGST refunds is aimed at preventing unscrupulous exporters from defrauding the exchequer.
  
  
• The CBIC's clarification came in view of media reports which highlighted a perceived setback to the automated process of refunds for exporters under GST on account of the introduction of manual checks in IGST refunds. It termed the reports as misleading. 
  
  

About:

• Full Name: Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT).
  
  
• Parent agency: AMRIT pharmacies operate under the aegis of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
  
  
• Features: These Pharmacies offer more than 5200 drugs, implants, surgical disposables and other consumables at average discounts up to 60% of the maximum retail price. In the previous year, 118.52 lakh people in country availed its services at a lesser price than its MRP.
  
  

About: 

• It is the second project being undertaken under the latest Strategic Partnership Model, with the first being the procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters. 
  
  
• the decision is a major initiative towards Make in India. it will provide a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India, in addition to bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project. 
  
  

About: 

• What are they? Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) are carbon-based nanomaterials whose size is less than 10 nm, or nanometre. 
  
  
• Application: They are used as diagnostic tools for bio-imaging, especially in detecting cancer cells, for chemical sensing and in opto-electronics. Scientists said CQDs are futuristic materials whose demand in India has been increasing leading to a considerable volume of import. 
  
  
• Global scenario: A few chemical companies in the U.S. and Japan have been manufacturing CQDs. 
  
  

Recent development:

• The team of scientists from CSIR-NEIST in Assam have developed a chemical method of producing CQDs from cheap, abundant, low-quality and high-sulphur coals.
  
  
• Benefits:
  • The CSIR-NEIST technology can produce approximately 1 litre of CQDs per day at one-twentieth the cost of imported CQDs to become an import substitute.
    
    
  • The CQDs that the CSIR-NEIST team developed emit a bluish colour with “high-stability, good-conductivity, low-toxicity, environmental friendliness, and good optical properties”.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• The ancient site at Sadikpur Sinauli is spread over 28 hectares in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district.
  
  
• The site was the “largest necropolis of the late Harappan period of the early 2nd millennium BCE”.
  
  
• At the site, the excavation and preservation work is still ongoing after being started in 2018 and was deemed to have national importance due to the finds uncovered.
  
  
• Among the treasures unearthed are three chariots, legged coffins, shields, swords and helmets – all which point towards a warrior class that must have existed around 2,000 BCE. 
  
  

About:

• What is it? Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) is a database of International Mobile Equipment Identities (IMEIs), the 15-digit numbers that uniquely identify each mobile device.
  
  
• Objective: It is being launched to curtail the rampant cloning and theft of mobile phones across the country.
  
  
• Objectives of India’s CEIR: Curtailment of counterfeit mobiles, blocking of lost or stolen mobiles across networks thus discouraging theft of mobile phones, maintaining a registry of all equipment identity to facilitate database of valid devices, and facilitate IMEI-based lawful interception.
  
  
• Lists: It will be a database of IMEI numbers that will consist of three lists – white, grey and black.
  • Mobile phones with IMEI numbers in the white list will be permitted for use.
    
    
  • Those in the blacklist will be the ones that are reported stolen or lost and will not be allowed to access the network.
    
    
  • Those in the greylist will be the ones that do not conform to standards but will be permitted to connect under supervision.
    
    
  
  
  
• Background:
  • In India, the plan to prepare the registry of mobile identification numbers was first conceived in the National Telecom Policy-2012.
    
    
  • In the interim budget for 2019-20, the government allocated Rs 15 crore to the DoT for the CEIR project.
    
    
  
  
  

About: 

• The note provides a clear rationale for India’s switch to an improved GDP estimation methodology in January 2015.
  
  
• The new methodology that uses 2011-12 as the base year includes two major improvements:
  • Incorporation of MCA21 database, and
    
    
  • Incorporation of the Recommendations of System of National Accounts (SNA), 2008.
    
    
  
  
  
• This change was in line with other countries that have changed their methodologies in line with SNA 2008 and revised their respective GDP figures. On average, real GDP estimates saw an increase of 0.7 per cent among OECD countries.
  
  
• The note also provides a point-to-point rebuttal to a recently published paper titled ‘India’s GDP Mis-estimation: Likelihood, Magnitudes, Mechanisms, and Implications’ by Dr.Arvind Subramanian.
  
  

About: 

• Composition: A three member DRC will be set up consisting of eminent persons of impeccable integrity. 
  • The upper age for the DRC members shall be 70 years. 
    
    
  • The Committee members of DRC shall be chosen from the eminent persons located in NCR of Delhi so as to avoid expenditure on Air Travel & accommodation. 
    
    
  
  
  
• Mandate: To consider the unforeseen disputes between solar/wind power developers and SECI/NTPC, beyond contractual agreement. 
  
  
• Coverage: The mechanism of DRC will be applicable for all solar/ wind Schemes/ Programmes/ Projects being implemented through/ by SECI/ NTPC. 
  
  
• The DRC will consider following kinds of cases: 
  • All cases of appeal against decisions given by SECI on Extension of Time requests based on terms of contract.
    
    
  • All requests of Extension of Time not covered under the terms of contract.
    
    
  
  
  
• The recommendations of the DRC along with Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) observations, will be placed before Minister (NRE) for final decision. 
  
  
• Significance: The move will give further fillip to the smooth implementation of solar/wind energy projects in India. 
  
  

About: 

• The three day National Yoga Olympiad of school children is being organized by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). 
  
  
• It was first started in the year 2016. 
  
  
• Yoga has found an important place in the school curriculum as a part of Health and Physical Education. Objective of this Olympiad is to create awareness about a scientific and holistic way of living. 
  
  
• This year 567 students from 33 States/UTs including CBSE, KVS and NVS and 4DMS of RIEs of NCERT are participating in the Olympiad. For the first time, the competition includes entries from CBSE, KVS and NVS.
  
  

About: 

• Background: It was setup in 2010 by Indian Government as an executive body. It replaced the High Level Coordination Committee on Financial Markets (HLCCFM).
  
  
• Objective: Its objectives are to strengthen and institutionalize the mechanism for maintaining financial stability and Enhancing inter-regulatory coordination.
  
  
• Composition: It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister of India. The other 12 members are
  • Governor, RBI,
    
    
  • Chairman, SEBI,
    
    
  • Chairman, IRDA,
    
    
  • Chairman, PFRDA,
    
    
  • Minister of state responsible for the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA),
    
    
  • Secretary of Department of Electronics and Information Technology’,
    
    
  • Revenue secretary,
    
    
  • Finance Secretary and/or Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs;
    
    
  • Secretary, Department of Financial Services;
    
    
  • Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs,
    
    
  • Chief Economic Adviser and
    
    
  • Chairperson of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
    
    
  
  
  
• Sub-committee of FSDC: A sub-committee of FSDC has also been set up under the chairmanship of Governor RBI. It discusses and decides on a range of issues relating to financial sector development and stability including substantive issues relating to inter-regulatory coordination.
  
  

About:

• Full name: The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
  
  
• What is it? ReCAAP is the first regional government-to-government agreement to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia.
  
  
• History: The ReCAAP Agreement was launched in 2006.
  
  
• Members: It has 20 Contracting Parties today, including Europe (Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom), Australia, and the United States.
  
  
• ReCAAP ISC: The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) was established in Singapore in 2006.
  
  

About: 

• Election of Speaker:
  • In the Lok Sabha both Presiding Officers—the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker- are elected from among its members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.
    
    
  • As such, no specific qualifications are prescribed for being elected the Speaker. The Constitution only requires that Speaker should be a member of the House.
    
    
  
  
  
• Term of Office:
  • The Speaker holds office from the date of his election till immediately before the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the dissolution of the one to which he was elected.
    
    
  • He is eligible for re-election.
    
    
  • On the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, although the Speaker ceases to be a member of the House, he does not vacate his office.
    
    
  • The Speaker may, at any time, resign from office by writing under his hand to the Deputy Speaker.
    
    
  • The Speaker can be removed from office only on a resolution of the House passed by a majority of all the then members of the House.
    
    
  
  
  

About: 

• Date of observance: This day is observed on the 20th of June every year.
  
  
• Objective of the day: To celebrate the stories and contributions of refugees.
  
  
• Theme this year: Step with Refugees - Take a Step on World Refugee Day.
  
  

Key statistics:

• According to the latest annual study released by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 70.8 million children, women and men were forcibly displaced at the end of last year. This is the highest number in the organization’s almost 70-year history.
  
  
• Wars, violence and persecution have driven record numbers of people from their homes worldwide.
  
  
• Almost two thirds of those uprooted from their homes are internally displaced people who have not left their homelands.
  
  
• About 80 percent of these refugees live in countries neighbouring their country of origin.
  
  

About:

• Published annually by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds, the QS list ranks the world’s top 1,000 universities.
  
  
• Besides overall global rankings, it also gives subject rankings in 48 different subjects and five composite faculty areas, as well as for graduate employability and various other aspects.
  
  

Key findings:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was placed on top of the global list for the eighth consecutive year.
  
  
• 23 Indian universities are in world top 1,000. There were 24 in last year’s rankings. Out of the 23, nine are in the top 500, including seven IITs.
  
  
• IIT Bombay was placed at number one in the list of Indian universities for the second consecutive year. It was globally ranked at 152.
  
  
• IISc has world’s second best score on research impact, but dropped in overall ranking. IISc is the first Indian institution to see its research cited more than 100,000 times in a five-year period.
  
  
• The Manipal Academy of Higher Education, which falls within the 701-750 ranking band, is the top private university in the country.
  
  

About:

• India has opened its first specialised hydrotherapy treatment for elephants suffering from arthritis, joint pain and foot ailments.
  
  
• It is situated on the banks of the Yamuna in Mathura near the Wildlife SOS’ Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC). It currently houses 20 rescued elephants and is run in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the NGO Wildlife SOS.
  
  
• The new hydrotherapy jumbo pool is 11-foot-deep and has 21 high pressure jet sprays that create water pressure that massage the elephants’ feet and body and help in increasing blood circulation.
  
  
• The hospital started in 2018 already offers state-of-the-art modern facilities including wireless digital X-ray, laser treatment, dental X-ray, thermal imaging and ultrasonography to treat injured, sick and geriatric elephants.
  
  

About: 

• What is Libra? Facebook says Libra is a “global currency and financial infrastructure”. It is a digital asset built by Facebook and powered by a new Facebook-created version of blockchain, the encrypted technology used by bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
  
  
• Why is Facebook launching a cryptocurrency? Facebook claims it wants to reach the 1.7 billion people around the world who do not have access to a bank account.
  
  
• Calibra: When the cryptocurrency launches, users can download Calibra, a digital wallet, that will allow them to send it to anyone with a smartphone. It will be available in Messenger, WhatsApp, and as a standalone app.
  
  
• Who is in charge of Libra?
  • The currency will be serviced by a collective of companies called the “Libra Association”, an independent, not-for-profit organisation based in Switzerland.
    
    
  • It functions as what is known as a “stablecoin”, pegged to existing assets like the dollar or euro, in the aim of making it less subject to the volatility that many cryptocurrencies experience.
    
    
  
  
  
• Way ahead: The currency will be launched in 2020. However, the company is likely to run into regulatory hurdles and antitrust concerns, especially at a time when many regulators want to break up Facebook. There are a number of privacy concerns regarding a financial app run by Facebook.
  
  

About:

• SEBI in a circular said, the stock exchanges, willing to start trading in futures on commodity indices, are required to take prior approval for launching such contracts.
  
  
• It has directed the stock exchanges to submit proposal with contract specifications and risk management framework for approval before launching any futures contract on an index.
  
  
• The recent decision is part of larger efforts to deepen the participation of institutions in the derivatives segment.
  
  
• The SEBI directives are in line with recommendations of Commodity Derivatives Advisory Committee.
  
  

About:

• It is characterized by a modification in the shape of the red blood cell from a smooth, donut-shape into a crescent or half-moon shape.
  
  
• These cells lack plasticity and can block small blood vessels, impairing blood flow. This condition leads to shortened red blood cell survival, and subsequent anaemia, often called sickle-cell anaemia.
  
  
• This leads to chronic acute pain syndromes, severe bacterial infections, and necrosis (tissue death).
  
  
• Regions where it more common:
  
  
• Treatment: it can be managed by simple procedures including:
  • high fluid intake
    
    
  • healthy diet
    
    
  • folic acid/Iron supplementation
    
    
  • pain medication
    
    
  • vaccination and antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of infections
    
    
  • a number of other therapeutic measures.
    
    
  
  
  

Background:

• The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be held in the hot and muggy Japanese summer where the ambient temperature is expected to be above 33 degrees Celsius.
  
  
• Because the human body temperature is usually around 37 degrees Celsius, a concern arises if it increases over 40 degrees Celsius. Dehydration, decreased performance and decreased brain function are the dangers when the core body temperature climbs too high.
  
  

Cooling Vest:

• The cooling vest is filled with ice packs and features a collar that can also cool the neck.
  
  
• The aim is to cool the athletes' upper-body skin which can decrease heart rate and temperature of their neck and skin.
  
  
• The research is not just applicable to athletes but to people that exercise in hot conditions.
  
  

Role of Ram Manohar Lohia in Goa Liberation: 

• Although Goa got its freedom on 19 December 1961 from Portuguese, the first blow for Goa’s liberation from the Portuguese in 1961 was struck on 18 June 1946 by Ram Manohar Lohia.
  
  
• In June 1946 he paid a friendly visit to the Goan academician and writer, Dr Juliao Menezes. When the Goans heard of his arrival, they rushed to Menezes’s residence to apprise Lohia of the plight of the Goans.
  
  
• On June 18, 1946, defying the ban on public meetings, Lohia launched the Civil Disobedience Movement to gain back the lost civil liberties of Goans.
  
  
• He gave a call to Goans to fight for the state's liberation from Portuguese rule during a speech at Margao in South Goa. The speech provided a fillip to the Goan liberation movement.
  
  
• While Lohia was arrested and the movement was quashed, it left a lasting impression on the minds of a number of young Goans and thus sowed the seeds of Goa’s liberation movement.
  
  
• A road in goa is named as 18 June Road, to mark the date when the agitation against colonial rule was launched by him.
  
  

Bt cotton: 

• Developed by: US giant Bayer-Monsanto. 
  
  
• Working: It involves insertion of two genes viz ‘Cry1Ab’ and ‘Cry2Bc’ from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into cotton seeds. This modification codes the plant to produce protein toxic to Heliothis bollworm (pink bollworm) thus making it resistant to their attack. 
  
  
• Release: 
  • Bt cotton remains the only GM crop allowed to be cultivated in the country. The commercial release of this hybrid was sanctioned by the government in 2002. 
    
    
  • Besides Bt cotton, the GEAC has cleared two other genetically modified crops — brinjal and mustard — but these have not received the consent of the Environment Minister. 
    
    
  
  
  

About: 

• Now all officers of the Armed Forces including those in peace stations will be getting ‘Ration in Kind’.
  
  
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had decided on July 1, 2017 that officers in peace postings would be given an allowance instead of free ration in kind, a practice that was being followed since 1983. The decision was based on a recommendation of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
  
  
• The decision to withdraw the facility was not taken well by the forces, who had not agreed to it.
  
  

Global scenario: 

• Since the turn of the century, 1.8 billion people have gained access to basic drinking water services, but vast inequalities in accessibility, availability and quality prevail. 
  
  
• Some 2.2 billion people around the world do not have safely-managed drinking water, while 4.2 billion go without safe sanitation services and three billion lack basic handwashing facilities. 
  
  

Indian scenario: 

• India is responsible for almost single-handedly dragging the world towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal of ending open defecation. India accounts for almost two thirds of the 650 million people globally who stopped practising open defecation between 2000 and 2017. 
  
  
• India has increased the percentage of its population with access to a protected drinking water source less than 30 minutes away, from 79% in 2000 to 93% in 2017. 
  
  
• However, the percentage of households getting piped water has remained stagnant at 44% over the 17-year period. 
  
  

About: 

• Scientific Name: Canis lupus pallipes.
  
  
• What is it? It is a subspecies of grey wolf.
  
  
• Description: It is intermediate in size between the Tibetan and Arabian wolf, and lacks the former's luxuriant winter coat due to it living in warmer conditions.
  
  
• Habitat: it inhabits semi-arid and arid areas.
  
  
• Distribution:
  • It has a wide distribution range that extends from the Indian subcontinent to Israel.
    
    
  • There are about 3,000 of the animals in India, some in captivity.
    
    
  • They disappeared from their habitat in north and northwest Bangladesh in the 1940s.
    
    
  
  
  
• Conservation status:
  • The IUCN Redlist considering the wide distribution range of the subspecies has listed it as a species of least concern.
    
    
  • However, the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 in view of the threats faced by the animal across its range in India places it in Schedule I Part I.
    
    
  
  
  

About: 

• Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary has the second largest stretch of mangrove forests in India with 24 tree species. 
  
  
• Now, the Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a seven-member committee for fulfilment of norms required for proposing the Godavari Mangroves (Mada forests), at Coringa, as World Heritage Site to the UNESCO. The committee will be headed by IFS officer Dr Shanti Priya Pandey. 
  
  
• Once the Coringa sanctuary gets the heritage site tag, UNESCO will help develop tourism and protect the wildlife in the mangroves. 
  
  
• The government has also sent a proposal to the Centre for identifying the mangroves as a Ramsar Site, a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. 
  
  
• The sanctuary also has an 18-km-long sand pit where olive ridley sea turtles nest from January to March every year.