April Prelim Compilation PDF

Prelim Booster News
Discussion
1-April-2019
GI Tags for Indian Coffee
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,
Why In
under Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recently awarded
News
Geographical Indication (GI) to five varieties of Indian coffee.
Coorg Arabica coffee
• It is grown specifically in the region of Kodagu

district in Karnataka.
Wayanaad Robusta coffee
• It is grown specifically in the region of Wayanad

district which is situated on the eastern portion of
Kerala.
GI Tags for Indian Coffee
3. Chikmagalur Arabica coffee
• It is grown specifically in the region of Chikmagalur district and it is situated

in the Deccan plateau, belongs to the Malnad region of Karnataka.
4. Araku Valley Arabica coffee
• It is coffee from the hilly tracks of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh

and Odisha region.
5. Bababudangiris Arabica coffee
• grown specifically in the birthplace of coffee in India and the region is

situated in the central portion of Chikmagalur district. This coffee is also
called high grown coffee which slowly ripens in the mild climate and thereby
the bean acquires a special taste and aroma.
World’s highest polling station
Why In • Tashigang, a small Himachal Pradesh village has got the

News distinction of the highest polling station in the world.
Tashigang is located at an altitude of

15,256 feet.
It is located in Lahaul-Spiti and forms

part of the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, the
second largest constituency in India.
Corporate equality Index
Why In • HRC Releases Annual Corporate Equality Index with

News 571 Top U.S. Companies Earning Perfect Scores
Human Rights Campaign Foundation

releases Corporate Equality Index (CEI)
annually.
It is the national benchmarking tool on

corporate policies and practices pertinent
to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
queer employees.
Corporate equality Index
CEI rating Non-discrimination policies across business

criteria entities;
have
three key Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their
pillars: families;
Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate

social responsibility.
RAMAPPA TEMPLE
Why In • Ramappa temple is in the waiting list to be recognized

News as a standalone UNESCO site, the first in Telangana.
Ramappa Temple is also known as the Ramalingeswara

temple. The temple is named after the sculptor Ramappa,
who built it, and is perhaps the only temple in India to be
named after a craftsman who built it, rather than the king
who commissioned it or its presiding deity.
Location: It lies in a valley at Palampet village, near
Warangal, Telangana.
History: An inscription in the temple dates it to the year

1213 AD, during the period of the Kakatiya Dynasty rule.
RAMAPPA TEMPLE
Features: The temple is a Shivalaya, where Lord Ramalingeswara is

worshipped.
It stands on a 6 ft high star-shaped platform.
The main structure is in a reddish sandstone.
The temple columns are made of black basalt and are carved
as mythical animals or female dancers or musicians, and are
the masterpieces of Kakatiya art, notable for their delicate
carving, sensuous postures and elongated bodies and heads.
SVEEP
• In a first of its kind initiative, 120 Community Radios attended SVEEP
Why In
Workshop of the Election Commission of India (ECI) so as to make
News them contribute their Best for Voter Education & Awareness.
Full name of SVEEP is Systematic Voters’ Education

and Electoral Participation program.
Bodies involved: It is the flagship program of the

Election Commission of India.
Programme Objective: Voter education, spreading

voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in India.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
2-April-2019
Slovakia : Map
• Anti-corruption candidate Zuzana Caputova has won
Why In
News
Slovakia's presidential election, making her Slovakia's first
female president.
The election of Zuzana Caputova, the 45-

year-old environmental lawyer, as Slovakia’s
first woman President was greeted as a vote
for change.
The recent election follows the murder of an

investigative journalist last year. The anti-
graft activist are hoping that it will provide a
check on a government tarnished after last
year’s murder of a journalist.
Slovakia : Map
Slovakia
Location: Slovakia is a landlocked
country in Central Europe. It is bordered
by Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria,
and the Czech Republic to the northwest.
Capital and largest city: Bratislava.
It is a member of the European Union

and Eurozone.
JERZEGO SUNILLIMAYE
• Jerzego sunillimaye, a new species of jumping spider has been
Why In
discovered at Aarey Milk Colony in Mumbai. The findings were
News
recently published in a peer-reviewed journal, Arthropod Selecta.
Jumping spider family

It is the most diverse spider family, consisting of
6,126 described species. In India, there are about
256 species of jumping spiders known till date.
They can be easily recognised by their lager

anterior median eyes. They are described as
diurnal hunters (hunting during the day) and
possess brilliant vision and swift reflexes.
JERZEGO SUNILLIMAYE
Jerzego Sunillimaye spider is only the second species under the genus
Jerzego from India.
This is the first species under the genus whose taxonomic details,
mating behaviour, and egg development have been documented.
SALT PAN
• In Mumbai, a group of enthusiasts participated in a salt pan
Why In
News
walk at Wadala organised by the Asiatic Society of Mumbai
to commemorate the Wadala satyagraha.
Also known as Salt flat.
They are Natural salt pans or salt flats are flat expanses
of ground covered with salt and other minerals.
They are found in deserts.
Examples> Large salt plains are common in the Sahara

Desert, the Kalahari Desert, the Rann of Kutch, the
western United States and the central deserts of
Australia.
SALT PAN
• How are they formed? These are natural formations which are formed by
evaporation of a water pool such as a lake or pond.
• This happens in climates where the rate of water evaporation exceeds the
rate of precipitation.
• If the water cannot drain into the ground, it remains on the surface until it
evaporates, leaving behind minerals precipitated from the salt ions
dissolved in the water.
• What is their appearance? Over thousands of years, the minerals (usually

salts) accumulate on the surface. These minerals reflect the sun's rays
(through radiation) and often appear as white areas.
• Ecological significance: Salt pans play a significant role in the ecology of the
neighbouring areas. Salt pans have different species of birds and insects
thriving on them. They have an enormous water-holding capacity that helps
in flood control.
Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary
Why In • ‘Alemba Yimchunger’ a forest guard at the Fakim Wildlife

News Sanctuary has been recognised with Earth Day Network Star.
Earth Day Network Star award

is awarded by a U.S.-based
international environmental
organisation that engages with
green groups in 195 countries.
Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary
The Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in

Kiphire district of Nagaland.
The sanctuary is considered to be an abode

for many wildlife animals such as leopards,
tigers, wild buffaloes, hoolock gibbons and
mithun.
Hornbill, the most popular bird in Nagaland is
also abundantly found in the Fakim Wildlife
Sanctuary.
BENZOIC ACID
• Using platinum nanocatalyst, a two-member team at the Indian
Why In
Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has successfully converted
News
petroleum waste-product toluene into benzoic acid.
Benzoic acid (or C6H5COOH), is a colourless

crystalline solid and a simple aromatic carboxylic
acid. Benzoic acid is used as a food preservative
and medicine for fungal/bacterial infection.
Toluene is converted into benzoic acid through
selective and controlled oxidation in the presence
of a catalyst — binaphthyl-stabilised platinum
nanoparticles (Pt-BNP).
BENZOIC ACID
Generally, organic reactions are carried out using organic solvents, which
makes it expensive and also generates toxic waste. So in a departure from
current practice, the team has used water as solvent to make it
environment-friendly.
Also, a green oxidant (70% aqueous tert-butyl hydroperoxide or TBHP) is
used for converting toluene into benzoic acid.
ERODE TURMERIC
Why In •Erode’s unique turmeric gets a GI tag for

News its distinctive fragrance and colour.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is, a perennial herbaceous

plant of the ginger family. The plant’s underground
stems or rhizomes have been used as spice, dye,
medicine and religious maker since antiquity.
The spice’s colour comes mainly from curcumin, a

bright yellow phenolic compound that has been in
the news for its ostensible potential to fight cancer.
As a result, the demand for turmeric with high
curcumin content has risen.
ERODE TURMERIC
India is the world’s largest producer of Turmeric. Tamil Nadu is the

third largest grower of turmeric in the country (behind Telangana
and Maharashtra), with 132.4 tonnes produced in 2015-16.
The Erode GI tag may be applied to any turmeric that’s grown in

the entire Erode district of Tamil Nadu, as well as to the crop grown
in Annur and Thondamuthur taluks of Coimbatore district and
Kangeyam taluk of Tirupur district.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
4-April-2019
AUSINDEX-19
• Third Edition of AUSINDEX-19, Bilateral Maritime
Why In
News Exercise between Royal Australian and Indian Navies
began at Visakhapatnam.
AUSINDEX is an acronym for Australia India Exercise.
Aim of the exercise is to strengthen and enhance

mutual cooperation and interoperability between the
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Indian Navy (IN).
Background: The maiden edition of the exercise was

held in 2015 at Visakhapatnam. Australia hosted the
second edition of the exercise off Freemantle in 2017.
Matiri Bridge
Why In • Indian Army built longest suspension bridge

News at Leh
The Indian Army has successfully built the
longest suspension bridge ‘Matiri Bridge’ over
the Indus River in the Leh-Ladakh region.
Suspension Bridge constructed over Indus River

by Combat Engineers ‘Fire & Fury Corps’.
The 260-feet long suspension bridge was built

in a record time of 40 days.
MH 60R Multi Mission Helicopters
• The United States Department of State has approved
Why In
News
the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to India
under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
The MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopter is

considered to be the world’s most advanced
maritime helicopter.
Built by Lockheed Martin, the helicopters are

designed to hunt down submarines, as well as
knock out ships and conduct search-and-rescue
operations at sea.
MH 60R Multi Mission Helicopters
• They will provide the Indian defence forces with the capability to
perform anti-surface and antisubmarine warfare missions along
with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical
replenishment, search and rescue and communications relay.
Danda Nata festival
Why In • It is a 21-day long seasonal folk dance

News festival that is celebrated in South Odisha.
It is celebrated in the month of 'Chaitra'.
Danda as the name implies, is self-inflicted pain, which

the danduas (people who participate in the festival)
undergo to pay their obeisance to the lord Kali. It is also
a form of worshipping the lord Shiva and his consort
Parvati.
The festival features midday summer dances in the dust
and that in the ponds in the evening, besides midnight
walk on fire by the ‘danduas’.
Danda Nata festival
• Households and localities also invite Danduas for performance in

their areas.
• The origin of the festival is generally traced to 8th and 9th AD after
the decadence of Buddhism in Orissa.
JOHN DIRKS CANADA GAIRDNER GLOBAL HEALTH AWARD
• Vikram Patel, a psychiatrist and professor of global health at
Why In
Harvard Medical School, has won the John Dirks Canada Gairdner
News
Global Health Award.
Objective: The Award recognizes the world’s top

scientists who have made outstanding achievements
in Global Health Research.
Instituted in 2011.
Instituted by The Gairdner Foundation, based in

Canada, was established in 1957 with the main goal of
recognizing and rewarding international excellence in
fundamental research that impacts human health.
JOHN DIRKS CANADA GAIRDNER GLOBAL HEALTH AWARD
Criteria: Nominees should be individuals who have made major

scientific advances with a significant impact on health outcomes in
the developing world. The award is science-focused, and is not
intended for those with primarily leadership and administrative
accomplishments.
Cash prize: $100,000.
Vikram Patel: He has led research generating knowledge on the

burden and determinants of mental health problems in low and
middle-income countries including India. He is the first Indian to be
awarded this prize.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
5-April-2019
CORALS OFF LORD HOWE ISLAND
• The corals off Lord Howe Island – the world’s southernmost coral reef –
Why In has been hit by bleaching this summer, as Australian scientists have
News warned that rising sea temperatures from climate change were affecting
even the most isolated ecosystems.
Lord Howe Island is an crescent-shaped

volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between
Australia and New Zealand.
Administration: The Lord Howe Island Group is
part of the state of New South Wales.
UNESCO records the Lord Howe Island Group

as a World Heritage Site of global natural
significance.
Corals: Along the west coast there is a sandy semi-enclosed sheltered

coral reef lagoon. The corals off Lord Howe Island are the world’s
southernmost coral reef.
Coral bleaching: The corals off Lord Howe Island — some 600 km
offshore from Sydney — were affected by elevated temperatures this
summer, despite escaping severe bleaching that damaged the Great
Barrier Reef in 2016 and 2017.
Corals Corals are animals which live in a symbiotic relationship with

microscopic algae called zooxanthellae (which live within the
coral tissue).
The zooxanthellae convert sunlight into food, providing corals

with up to 90 per cent of their energy needs. They also give
corals much of their colour.
Coral Bleaching occurs when stressful conditions, such as heat, cause

this relationship to break down, resulting in the corals expelling
bleaching their zooxanthellae. This leaves the coral tissue mostly
transparent, revealing the coral's bright white skeleton.
This loss of their symbiotic algae means bleached corals are
essentially starving.
Coral bleaching
Question
Which of the following conditions generally lead to coral bleaching?

1. Low sedimentation of ocean beds
2. Unusually warm ocean water
3. Acidification of oceans
Select the correct answer using the codes below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Question
Solution: d)
INDIA-AFRICA INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT (IAIARD)
• India has signed an agreement with a development
Why In
News bank, for setting up India-Africa Institute of
Agriculture and Rural Development (IAIARD).
Partner agencies: Indian Ministry of External Affairs

(MEA) has signed an MoU with NABARD Consultancy
Service (NABCONS) for setting it up.
Proposed Location of IAIARD is Malawi.
Objective of IAIARD will be a Pan-African Institute

wherein trainees from all African countries will receive
training to build their capacity.
Funding: The entire expenditure on faculty from India, the travel, logistics
and training course expenses for students from other African countries will
be borne by the Government of India for an initial period of three years.
Significance: The agreement is a part of India's efforts to enhance capacity

in the areas of agro-financing and entrepreneurship development for
African countries. This will further strengthen the bilateral relations with
Malawi and India’s relations with African Union.
About NABARD Consultancy Service (NABCONS)
Parent Body: NABARD Consultancy Services

(Nabcons) is a wholly owned subsidiary promoted
by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD).
Mandate: It is engaged in providing consultancy in
all spheres of agriculture, rural development and
allied areas.
Parent Act: The Company is registered under the

Company's Act, 1956.
COMCASA Agreement
Why In • India and the US have set up the first ever secure
News communication link between the naval headquarters.
India has signed the Communications Compatibility and

Security Agreement (COMCASA) agreement with the U.S.
The agreement will providing a legal basis for the U.S. to

transfer secure communication equipment to India,
increasing military equipment interoperability and real
time data sharing.
COMCASA is an India-specific version of the

Communication and Information on Security
Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA).
COMCASA Agreement
Few other agreements signed by India with US

are General Security of Military Information
Agreement (GSOMIA) and Logistics Exchange
Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in
2016.
India is yet to sign Basic Exchange and
Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial
Cooperation (BECA) with USA.
CENTRE FOR CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CCMB)
• Scientists at the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB)
Why In
have discovered a new enzyme which helps in breaking cell walls
News
of bacteria.
The findings have been published in the latest issue of

Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, USA.
Discovery: By blocking the ‘scissors enzyme’ inside bacteria
from functioning, new ways to target microbes could be found,
leading to a new wave of antibiotic drugs.
Significance of discovery: The new enzyme offers a potential

for a new drug delivery route to arrest the anti-bacterial
resistance through existing antibiotic drugs. It opens up fresh
ways to target microbes, leading to a new wave of antibiotic
drugs.
About Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)
• It is an Indian biotechnology research establishment.

• Established in 1977.
• Location: Hyderabad.
• Parent body: It operates under the aegis of the Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research.
• CCMB is a designated "Center of Excellence" by the
Global Molecular and Cell Biology Network, UNESCO.
• India's national biosafety level – 4 containment facility
for human infectious diseases is located on the campus
of CCMB.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
8-April-2019
ZAYED MEDAL
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has conferred the
Why In
News prestigious Zayed Medal on Prime Minister Narendra
Modi.
Awarded to: Zayed Medal, also known as the
Order of Zayed, is the highest decoration
awarded by UAE government to kings,
presidents and heads of states.
Previous recipients of the Order of Zayed

include Russian President Putin, Chinese
President Xi Jinping, British Queen Elizabeth
II, and former Pakistan President Musharraf.
ZAYED MEDAL
• PM Modi: The award comes in appreciation of Prime Minister

Modi’s role in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint
strategic cooperation between the two countries.
Global Cooling Coalition
• The first-ever global coalition on clean and efficient cooling was

Why In
launched at the First Global Conference on Synergies between the
News
2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Global Cool Coalition

The Global Cool Coalition is a unified front that
links action across the Kigali Amendment, Paris
Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.
It is expected to inspire ambition, identify

solutions and mobilise action to accelerate
progress towards clean and efficient cooling.
Global Cooling Coalition
Besides the UN, it is supported by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition,
the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program and Sustainable Energy for All
(SEforALL).
It includes government officials from Chile, Rwanda, Denmark as well as
leaders from civil society, research and academia.
Solidarity Human Chain
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with World
Why In
News
Health Organization (WHO) formed a Solidarity Human
Chain as part of the World Health Day celebrations.
It aims to reaffirm their commitment to bridging

gaps and working collaboratively towards
Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
April 7 of each year marks the celebration of
World Health Day.
This year’s World Health Day will focus on equity

and solidarity.
Solidarity Human Chain
From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking
effect in 1950, the celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific
health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the WHO.
Over the past 50 years this has brought to light important health issues
such as mental health, maternal and child care, and climate change.
STATE OF GLOBAL AIR REPORT 2019
• According to the State of Global Air Report 2019, over
Why In
News 1.2 million deaths In India in 2017 were from all air
pollution.
The annual study titled “State of Global Air

2019” is conducted by Boston-headquartered
Health Effects Institute (HEI).
The data used in the State of Global Air report

are developed as part of the Institute for
Health Metrics and Evaluation’s (IHME) annual
Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk
Factors (GBD) project.
Key Findings
Life expectancy of children born today will be shortened by 20 months on average,
growing up in current high levels of air pollution.
Overall long-term exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to nearly
5 million deaths across the world from stroke, diabetes, heart attack, lung cancer,
and chronic lung disease in 2017.
China and India together were responsible for over half of the total global
attributable deaths, with each country facing over 1.2 million deaths from all air
pollution in 2017.
In India, air pollution is the third-highest cause of death among all health risks.
The South Asian region — Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan — led the world as
the most polluted, with over 1.5 million air-pollution related deaths.
Global Report on Food Crises 2019
• The report is released jointly by the Food and Agriculture

Why In
News
Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) and the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
The two-thirds of the total number of people

facing acute food insecurity are in 8 countries
viz. Yemen, Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Syria,
Sudan, South Sudan and Northern Nigeria.
The report mentioned the short-term forecast

of food insecurity in the year 2019 also, stating
the above-mentioned countries, will remain
among the world’s most severe food crises.
Global Report on Food Crises 2019
Climate and natural disasters pushed another 29 million people into
acute food insecurity in 2018 and that number excludes 13 countries
including North Korea and Venezuela because of data gaps.
Food and Agriculture Organization
• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that

leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
• Its headquarters is in Rome, Italy
• The goal of FAO is to achieve food security for all
and make sure that people have regular access to
enough high-quality food to lead active healthy
lives.
Question
Consider the following statements about Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO).
1. It is an agency of the United Nations
2. It serves only developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
3. It created the Codex Alimentarius Commission to develop food
standards.
A. 2 and 3 only
B. 1 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 2 only
Question
• Correct Answer : C
• Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a

neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate
agreements and debate policy.
• FAO and the World Health Organization created the Codex
Alimentarius Commission in 1961 to develop food standards,
guidelines and texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/
WHO Food Standards Programme.
KONYAK DANCE
• Around 4,700 Konyak Naga women came together in
Why In
News an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the
“Largest Traditional Konyak Dance”.
Konyak is one of the 16 Naga tribes and

people of this community live mainly in the
Mon district of Nagaland.
They are easily distinguishable from other

Naga tribes by their pierced ears; and tattoos
which they have all over their faces, hands,
chests, arms, and calves.
KONYAK DANCE
Key Aoleng, a festival celebrated in the first week of

festivals: April to welcome the spring, is the biggest festival
of the Konyaks.
Another festival, 'Lao Ong Mo', is the traditional
harvest festival celebrated in the months of
August/September.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
9-April-2019
Neelakurinji
• Wildfres could have wiped out all seeds of the endemic fower of
Why In Neelakurinji.
News • Next season, the Neelakurinji blossoms may not carpet the hillocks on
the western side of the Western Ghats.
Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus) is a shrub

that is found in the shola forests of the Western
Ghats in South India.
The fowers of Neelakurinji are purple-blue in colour

and blooms once in 12 years.
It is because of these fowers, Nilgiri hills in the

southern tp of Western Ghats are called the Blue
Mountains.
Neelakurinji
This plant species is endemic to the Western Ghats.
It has been categorized as endangered species.
The Paliyan tribal people living in Tamil Nadu used it as a reference

to calculate their age.
Discoloraton of river Periyar
Why In • Recently discoloraton of water was notced in
News Periyar river due to Eutrophicaton.
The Periyar is the second largest river of

Kerala.
Periyar River originates from Sivagiri hills of
Western Ghats and fows through the Periyar
Natonal Park and reaches the Periyar Lake.
It is a perennial river and is used for supplying
drinking water. It is popularly called as the
Lifeline of Kerala.
Discoloraton of river Periyar
The main tributaries of Periyar are Muthirapuzha, Mullayar,

Cheruthoni, Perinjankut.
The largest Hydroelectricity project called as Idukki Hydro Electric
Project is commissioned on this river.
Eutrophicaton
• It is the enrichment of an ecosystem with chemical nutrients,

typically compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus.
• The two most acute symptoms of eutrophicaton are hypoxia
(or oxygen depleton) and harmful algal blooms which
deteriorate the quality of water.
BATTLE OF KANGLA TONGBI
• The Platnum Jubilee of the Batle of Kangla Tongbi War was
Why In
commemorated on 07 Apr 2019 by Army Ordnance Corps at
News
Kangla Tongbi War Memorial near Imphal.
Name: The Batle of Kanglatongbi also

known as Batle of Lion Box is considered
one of the fercest batles of World War
II.
Opponents: The batle was fought
between the Axis (Japanese) Force and
Allied Force on the night of 6/7 April
1944.
BATTLE OF KANGLA TONGBI
• Batle detail: During the Second World War (1942-1945) when the
Japanese forces were trying to open their line of communicaton to
Kohima, a detachment of the 221 Advance Ordnance Depot (AOD)
put a sti resistance stalling the advance of Japanese forces tll
reinforcement arrived and turned the tde against the Japanese.
SYDNEY BRENNER
• Sydney Brenner, a Nobel Prize-winning biologist who helped
Why In
decipher the genetc code and whose research on a roundworm
News sparked a new feld of human disease research, died at the age of 92.
Sydney Brenner (1927 – 2019) was a South African

biologist.
He made signifcant contributons to work on the genetc
code, and other areas of molecular biology while working
in the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of
Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England.
He established the roundworm "Caenorhabdits elegans"

as a model organism for the investgaton of
developmental biology.
SYDNEY BRENNER
• He shared the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Bob
Horvitz and John Sulston.
Caenorhabdits elegans
• It is a free-living, transparent nematode, about 1 mm in length,

that lives in temperate soil environments. It is the type species of
its genus.
• In 1974, Sydney Brenner began research into the molecular and
developmental biology of C. elegans, which has since been
extensively used as a model organism.
• It was the frst multcellular organism to have its whole genome
sequenced, and as of 2012, is the only organism to have its
connectome (neuronal "wiring diagram") completed
Rwanda : Map
Why In
News
• 25 Years of Rwandan Genocide
President of World Bank
• David Malpass has been appointed as the President of
Why In
News World Bank. He was nominated by the US president
Donald Trump.
David Malpass, the undersecretary of the Treasury for

internatonal aiairs, has served on the boards of the
Council of the Americas, Economic Club of New York,
and the Natonal Commitee on US-China Relatons.
He is controversial owing to his views on

multlateralism, multlateral organisatons including
the World Bank. He has been an advocate of a smaller,
more focused World Bank, arguing that countries can
raise capital in private markets.
About World Bank
• The World Bank is an internatonal fnancial insttuton that provides loans
to countries of the world for capital projects. The World Bank is a
component of the World Bank Group.
• HQ: Washington D.C.
• President:
• The President of the Bank is the president of the entre World Bank Group.
The president is responsible for chairing the meetngs of the Boards of
Directors and for overall management of the Bank.
• Traditonally, The U.S., which is the World Bank’s largest investor, normally
picks its president, with the Europeans picking the Internatonal Monetary
Fund head.
About World Bank
• World Bank Group: The World Bank Group consists of fve
organizatons –
1. The Internatonal Bank for Reconstructon and Development
(IBRD)
2. The Internatonal Development Associaton (IDA)
3. The Internatonal Finance Corporaton (IFC)
4. The Multlateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
5. The Internatonal Centre for Setlement of Investment Disputes
(ICSID)
• Together, IBRD and IDA make up the World Bank.
Queston
Which of these insttutons form part of the World Bank Group (WBG)?
1. Internatonal Finance Corporaton (IFC)
2. Internatonal Monetary Fund (IMF)
3. Multlateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
4. United Natons Social and Economic Council (UNECOSOC)
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2 and 4 only
Queston
Soluton: b)
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
10-April-2019
NIRF INDIA RANKINGS – 2019
• President Ramnath Kovind released the National
Why In
News Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF India Rankings
2019).
Instituted by: This is the 4th edition of NIRF

Rankings by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD).
Background: The first NIRF ranks were released in

the year 2016. The NIRF was approved by the
MHRD and launched by Minister of HRD in 2015.
The NIRF rankings are based on these parameters: Teaching,

Learning and Resources, Research and Professional Practices,
Graduation Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity, and Perception.
Categories covered: The NIRF rankings was released for a total of

9 categories - Overall, Universities, Engineering, Colleges,
Management, Pharmacy, Medical, Architecture, and Law.
• Best institute overall: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
• Best Engineering Institution: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
• Best University: Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
• Best College: Miranda House, Delhi.
• Best Architecture Institute: Indian Institute of Technology,
Kharagpur.
• Best Law Institute: National Law School of India University,
Bangalore.
• Best pharmacy institute: Jamia Hamdard.
• Best management institute: Indian Institute of Management
Bangalore (IIM Bangalore).
• Best medical science institute: AIIMS.
Question
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) as approved by the
Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) includes which of these
parameters for ranking?
1. Public Perception
2. Inclusivity
3. Graduation Outcomes
4. Research Output
a) 2 and 3 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Question
Solution: d)
ATAL RANKING OF INSTITUTIONS ON INNOVATION ACHIEVEMENTS
• IIT Madras also emerged as the 'Top innovative Institution' in the

Why In country in the maiden edition of the Atal Ranking of Institutions on
News Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) released by the President of India Ram
Nath Kovind.
Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation

Achievements (ARIIA) is an initiative of
innovation cell of Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD).
Objective: To rank all major higher educational

institutions and universities in India on indicators
related to “Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Development” amongst students and faculties.
ATAL RANKING OF INSTITUTIONS ON INNOVATION ACHIEVEMENTS
Major Budget, Expenses to Support & Revenue Generated (20 Marks)

Indicators for
consideration: Infrastructures & Facilities to Support Innovations and Start-ups (10
Assessment Marks)
will be based Awareness Activities for Promoting Idea Generation and Innovation (20
on Seven Marks)
parameters
Promotion and Supporting Entrepreneurship Development (20 Marks)
with certain
weightages
Intellectual Property (IP) Generation, Technology Transfer and
allocated as Commercialization (14 Marks)
below.
Innovative Learning Methods & Courses (10 Marks)
Innovations in Governance of the Institution (6 Marks)

One District One Product (ODOP) scheme
• Chittoor which the largest producer of tomatoes in the country
Why In and, houses Asia’s biggest tomato market facing adopted One
News District-One Product (ODOP) scheme for tomato facing problem
with cheap Chinese Pulp.
The scheme is implemented by the Union

Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
Under ODOP, tomato, potato and onion have
been identified in the country so far as
requiring financial and technological support.
Tomato is the only crop from Andhra Pradesh

who to qualified under this scheme.
One District One Product (ODOP) scheme
The ODOP (a) grappling with the vagaries of the market,

has including the extreme price fluctuations.
intended
to help the
farmers in (b) By providing them necessary forward and
backward linkages a
(c) By Promoting processing units on a

sustained basis.
Dhanush artillery guns
Why In • The Indian Army has received its first batch of

News Dhanush artillery guns.
The gun, which has a calibre of 155x45mm, is

the first ever indigenous artillery gun of this
calibre, is classified as ‘medium artillery’.
Dhanush has been designed and developed by

the Ordnance Factory Board at the Gun
Carriage Factory at Jabalpur based on the
Bofors drawings.
Yellow weather warning
Why In • Meteorological Department issues ‘Yellow’

News weather warning for Himachal Pradesh
The Meteorological Department issued a

yellow weather warning for rain in
Himachal Pradesh.
The IMD issues colour-coded warnings to
alert the public ahead of severe or
hazardous weather conditions that can
cause disruption or damage.
The Meteorological Department uses four colour codes to

indicate various categories of alerts.
These are
(a) Green
(b) Yellow
(c) Amber
(d) Red
It indicates “no It indicates “be It indicates “be It indicates

warning” and updated” i.e. prepared” i.e. it “Take action”
therefore no keeping a implies there is which demands
actions to be watch on the an increased necessary
Red colour
Amber colour
Green colour
Yellow colour
taken. No weather likelihood of actions to be
advisory is situation as it extremely bad taken by
issued in such may weather. different
cases. deteriorate. agencies.
Yellow is the
least dangerous
of the weather
warnings.
Bamboo rice
• The gates of Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in
Why In
News
Cuttack district (Odisha) have been opened for forest
dwellers to come and collect the Bamboo rice.
Bamboo rice is special rice that is grown out of a

dying bamboo shoot.
When the bamboo shoot breathes its last, it flowers

into a rare variety of rice seeds, which are known as
bamboo rice.
It is said that the bamboo rice harvesting is a major
source of income for the tribal communities living in
the interiors of Wayanad Sanctuary in Kerala.
Bamboo rice
The sanctuary makes a rich habitat to bamboo groves, where many

small tribal communities still bide.
How is it Different from Other Types of Rice?
• Bamboo rice has a striking resemblance to paddy rice and tastes more
like wheat.
• The difference lies in its texture when cooked, which is mostly moist
and sticky.
• It is believed that bamboo rice has a low glycemic index compared to
other varieties of rice, which is considered to be a healthier option for
diabetics.
• The rice has low or no fat and is rich in vitamin B.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
11-April-2019
Even Horizon Telescope
• The Event Horizon Telescope is an internatonal
Why In
News collaboraton aiming to capture the frst image of a
black hole by creatng a virtual Earth-sized telescope.
Instead of constructng a giant telescope EHT

links radio dishes across the globe to create an
Earth-sized interferometer to measure the size
of black holes.
The EHT project includes theoretcal and
simulaton studies that are framing questons
rooted at the black hole boundary.
Even Horizon Telescope
The following are two massive backhoes

photographed by EHT
Sagitarius A
• It is at the center of Milky Way galaxy which has four

million tmes the mass of sun.
Monster black hole
• It is in an elliptcal galaxy known as M87, and it is 1500

tmes more massive than Sag A*.
World Bank report on remitances
Why In • World Bank has released its Migraton and
News Development Brief.
Top 5 recipients of remitances: India ($79 billion),

followed by China ($67 billion), Mexico ($36 billion),
the Philippines ($34 billion), and Egypt ($29 billion).
Growth India: Over the last three years, India has

registered a signifcant fow of remitances from
$62.7 billion in 2016 to $65.3 billion 2017.
Remitances grew by more than 14 % in India,
where a fooding disaster in Kerala likely boosted
the fnancial help that migrants sent to families.
Remitances to low-and middle-income countries reached a record high
of $529 billion in 2018, an increase of 9.6 & over the previous record
high of $483 billion in 2017.
Global remitances, which include fows to high-income countries,
reached $689 billion in 2018, up from $633 billion in 2017.
Cost of Remitance
• According to the report, the global average cost of sending $200

remained high, at around 7 % in the frst quarter of 2019. The
high costs of money transfers reduce the benefts of migraton.
• Reducing remitance costs to 3 % by 2030 is a global target
under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10.7.
Bold Kurukshetra 2019’
• 12th editon of ‘Bold Kurukshetra 2019’, a India- Singapore
Why In
News joint military exercise, began at Babina Cantonment,
Jhansi, Utar Pradesh.
The Exercise is aimed at ataining

a high level of interoperability
between the armies of both the
natons through mutual
understanding and familiarisaton
with each other’s operatonal
procedures and equipment.
MEDIA AND ELECTIONS
• The Press Council of India (PCI) issued guidelines for the
Why In
News media to give objectve reports about the electon and
cautoned it against the phenomenon of paid news.
Do not indulge in unhealthy electon campaigns,

exaggerated reports about any candidate or party during
the electons.
Do not promote reports which tend to promote feelings or
enmity or hatred between people on the grounds of
region, religion, race, caste, community or language.
Refrain from publishing false or critcal statements in

regard to the personal character and conduct of any
candidate to prejudice the prospects of that candidate in
the electons.
MEDIA AND ELECTIONS
• Do not publish unverifed allegatons against any candidate or party.
About Press council of India (PCI)
The Press Council of India was frst set up in the year 1966
by the Parliament on the recommendatons of the First
Press Commission.
It is a statutory body functoning under the Press Council

Act, 1978.
Objectve: Preserving the freedom of the press and of

maintaining and improving the standards of press in India.
Functon: It is a quasi-judicial authority. It adjudicates the

complaints against and by the press for violaton of ethics
and for violaton of the freedom of the press respectvely.
About Press council of India (PCI)
Funding:
• The Council is funded by the revenue collected by it as fee levied on the

registered newspapers in the country on the basis of their circulaton. No fee
is levied on newspapers with circulaton less than 5000 copies.
• The defcit is made good by way of grant by the Central Government.
Structure:
• Chairman: The Press Council is headed by a Chairman, who has by

conventon, been a retred judge of the Supreme Court of India.
• Members: The Council consists of 28 other members of whom
• 20 represent the press and are nominated by the press organisatons/news
agencies,
• 5 members are nominated from the two Houses of Parliament and
• 3 represent cultural, literary and legal felds as nominees of the Sahitya
Academy, University Grants Commission and the Bar Council of India.
Queston
Consider the following about the Press Council of India.
1. It is a statutory quasi-judicial autonomous authority
2. The Chairman must be a former head of a public broadcastng unit.
3. University Grants Commission and Sahitya Akademi are given representaton in
the
council.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1 only
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
12-April-2019
Questioonaire fir Ceosus 2021
• A Dnatna Users’ Ciofereoce wnas held io New Delhi ti
Why Io
News delibernate io strnategy naod questioonaire fir Ceosus
2021.
Fir the frst tme io the 140 yenar liog Ceosus exercise
io Iodina, dnatna is pripised ti be cillected thriugh na
mibile napp.
Accirdiog ti Registrnar Geoernal if Iodina users will
fonalize the strnategy naod questioonaire fir the Ceosus
2021.
Ti serve this purpise dnatna user’s ciofereoce, the frst
firmnal ioternactio if the ceosus irgnaoiznatio with
vnariius stnakehilders wnas held io Delhi.
Questioonaire fir Ceosus 2021
The refereoce dnate fir dnatna cillectio is 1st Octiber 2020 fir Jnammu
& Knashmir naod soiw biuod narenas if Himnachnal Prnadesh &
Uttnarnakhnaod while fir the rest if ciuotry the refereoce dnate is 1st
Mnarch 2021.
Ceosus io Iodina
• It is cioducted io every 10 yenars.

• It stnarted io 1872.
• Ceosus 2011 dnatna wnas relenased io 31st Mnarch 2011 by Uoiio
Hime Secretnary naod RGCCI (Registrnar Geoernal naod Ceosus
Cimmissiioer if Iodina) if Iodina.
• Ceosus 2011 wnas the 15th ceosus if Iodina & 7th ceosus nafer
Iodepeodeoce.
Questio
Deceooinal Ceosus exercises io Iodina nare cioducted naod nadmioistered

uoder?
A. Mioistry if Plnaooiog
B. Mioistry if Stnatstcs naod Prigrnamme Implemeotnatio
C. Mioistry if Hime Afnairs
D. Mioistry if Sicinal Justce naod Empiwermeot
Questio
Cirrect Aoswer : C
First Trnaioiog Squnadrio
• Iodinao ships thnat pnartcipnated io First Trnaioiog
Why Io
News Squnadrio (1TS) held io Seychelles iocludes the
filliwiog
ICGS Snarnathi
• Pnatril Vessel if
INS Shnardul Iodinao Cinast
• Amphibiius Gunard.
INS Sujnatna wnarfnare vessel
• Pnatril vessel if if the Iodinao
INS Tnarnaogioi Iodinao Nnavy. Nnavy.
• Trnaioiog Ship if
Iodinao Nnavy.
Pnathnalgnadi Mivemeot
The Pnathnalgnadi mivemeot wnas stnarted by tribnal griups ti resist the
pluoderiog if tribnal rights by the stnate naod uoiio giveromeots.
Pnathnalgnadi pnartcipnaots plnaot na stioe irder io the tribnal villnages if

Jhnarkhnaod, which dismiss the nauthirity if the ceotrnal ir the stnate
giveromeots io their villnages.
Pnathnalgnadis hnave their preseoce io Jhnarkhnaod, Chhnatsgnarh, Odishna

naod pnarts if West Beognal naod Mnadhyna Prnadesh.
The Pnathnalgnadis cnall themselves the filliwers if Snat Pnat cult if

Gujnarnat, Snat refers ti mither naod Pnat ti fnather.
The cult clnaims thnat the tribnals were giveo rights iver rivers, firest
lnaod naod firest priduce by Queeo Victirina.
Cliud Hioeypits
Cliud Hioeypits
• Accirdiog ti na repirt by Siphis (nao IT security cimpnaoy)
Why Io
"Expised: Cyber nattnacks io Cliud Hioeypits", iver fve milliio
News
nattnacks were nattempted io the glibnal oetwirk if hioeypits.
Cybercrimionals nattempted nattnacks

io na Mumbnai Cliud server
hioeypit mire thnao 678,000
tmes io na mioth, which wnas
seciod ti Ohii io the US thnat
recirded mire thnao 950,000 ligio
nattempts.
Cliud Hioeypits
Whnat is na Hioeypit?
A hioeypit is na system desigoed ti mimic likely tnargets
if cyber-nattnackers, si thnat security resenarchers cnao
mioitir cybercrimional behnaviiur.
A liw-ioternactio hioeypit is na hioeypit thnat, ioce fiuod

by the hnacker, will oit be if much use ti them.
Types if
hioeypits:
A high-ioternactio hioeypit permits the nattnacker ti gi
further io irder ti gnather nadditional iofirmnatio nabiut their
ioteotios.
‘Veer Pnarivnar App’
• Presideot Rnam Nnath Kiviod receotly lnauoched ‘Veer
Why Io
News Pnarivnar App’, na mibile napplicnatio fir fnamilies if CRPF
persiooel killed io the lioe if duty.
The napplicnatio will nact nas nao ioterfnace betweeo the

Ceotrnal Reserve Pilice Firce (CRPF) nauthirites naod
the oext if kio if the slnaio persiooel.
It will reoder nall nassistnaoce ti the fnamilies if the

mnartyred CRPF persiooel with regnard ti issunaoce
if ex grnatna, peosiionary beoefts naod nall
iofirmnatio regnardiog the welfnare schemes
iotriduced fir them by the giveromeot.
‘Veer Pnarivnar App’
The nassistnaoce will be privided ti the fnamilies io na renal-tme bnasis.

The CRPF henadqunarters io Delhi naod vnariius griup ceotres nacriss the
ciuotry will respiod ti these issues.
The Aodriid-bnased napp will be iostnalled by the firce’s ifcinals
securely io the phioe if the fnamilies naod will oit be navnailnable iver
the napp stires.
New stnate if mnatter
• Scieotsts hnave fiuod na oew stnate if physicnal mnatter receotly. The
Why Io oew stnate is silid naod liquid nat the sname tme. Atims cnao exist nas
News bith silid naod liquid simultnaoeiusly.
• The stnate is koiwo nas the chnaio melted stnate.
Wheo napplyiog high pressures naod tempernatures ti

pitnassium, na simple metnal; it crenates na stnate io which
mist if the elemeot’s natims firm na silid lnatce
structure.
Hiwever, sime elemeots cnao, wheo subjected ti
extreme cioditios, tnake io the pripertes if bith
silid naod liquid stnates.
Resenarchers hnave shiwo thnat this uousunal but stnable
stnate is pnart silid naod pnart liquid.
New stnate if mnatter
Whnat cnauses this?

Applyiog pressure ti the natims lenads ti the firmnatio if twi ioterlioked
silid lnatce structures.
Chemicnal ioternactios betweeo natims io ioe lnatce nare striog, menaoiog

they stnay io na silid firm wheo the structure is henated, while the ither
natims melt ioti na liquid stnate.
Uoder the right cioditios, iver hnalf na dizeo elemeots, iocludiog sidium
naod bismuth nare thiught ti be cnapnable if existog io the oewly discivered
stnate.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
14-April-2019
Great Indian Hornbill
Why In • Recently the bird was documented probably for

News the first time within Coonoor town in the Nilgiris.
The great hornbill is one of the larger members of the

hornbill family, In India the bird is found in Western
Ghats and in North-east India.
The bird is state bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh.
The bird is known to populate the lower slopes of the

Nilgiris up to an elevation of around 1,200 meters
above mean sea level.
Great Indian Hornbill
It is an elusive species which tends to steer clear of major towns and

human habitations.
According to IUCN the Great Indian Horn bill is consider to be nearly
threatened.
Every year in the month of December great Indian hornbill festival is
celebrated in Nagaland.
Sudan : Map
• In Sudan, the Army removed President Omar al-Bashir from
Why In
power and detained him. Also, a three-month state of emergency
News
has been put in place.
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY (WSIS) AWARDS
• Two projects of West Bengal Government - “Utkarsh Bangla” and

Why In
“Sabooj Sathi” - have won the World Summit on the Information
News
Society (WSIS) awards under the aegis of the United Nations.
Utkarsh Bangla Sabooj Sathi
• It got the topmost award • It ranked in the first five

and emerged a winner in as a champion project
Capacity Building under ICT application: E-
category. Government category.
• It is a project for skill • Under it, Nearly 1 Crore
development training for bicycles have been
increasing employment provided to school going
opportunities for 6 lakh students in classes IX to
youth every year. XII.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum

represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for
development’ community. It is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO,
UNDP and UNCTAD.
In 2019, WSIS is celebrating its 10th anniversary of the

establishment of WSIS Forum from April 8 to 12, under the
theme “Information and Communication Technologies for
achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”.
WSIS Prizes is an international contest to recognise individuals,

governments and private bodies for implementing
development oriented strategies by leveraging the power of
ICTs. The contest was first held in 2012.
SARASWATI SAMMAN 2018
• Telugu poet K Siva Reddy has been selected for the prestigious
Why In
Saraswati Samman, 2018 for his collection of poetry titled
News
Pakkaki Ottigilite (Turning Aside While Lying Down).
Criteria: The award is annually given to an

outstanding work of an Indian citizen published
during the last 10 years in any of the languages
mentioned in Schedule 8 of the constitution.
Instituted by KK Birla Foundation.
Instituted in 1991.
Cash Prize: 15 lakh rupees.

New Human Ancestor Species Found
Why In • Scientists have identified a new human ancestor species

News previously unknown. It has been named as Homo luzonensis.
Homo luzonensis is classified as a separate species on

the basis of 13 bones and teeth from two adults and
one child found in a cave on the island of Luzon in the
Philippines.
Unlike Homo sapiens, whose premolar teeth generally
have a single root, Homo luzonensis' premolars had
two or three roots, similar to more primitive species
such as Homo erectus, which lived in Africa and Asia
between about 1.89 million and 143,000 years ago.
New Human Ancestor Species Found
The Homo luzonensis were around 3-4ft tall and lived on the island of
Luzon at least 50,000 to 67,000 years ago.
It is not a direct ancestor of modern day humans, but rather a distant
ancient relative.
Significance
• The fossils have an unexpected mix of both ancient and more advanced traits of
hominin (the group consisting of modern humans, extinct human species and all
our immediate ancestors).
• The teeth's small sizes and relatively simple shapes point to a more modern
species. Foot bone resembles those of the ancient australopithecines.
• The discovery also adds to a growing body of evidence that human evolution is
not as linear as was once thought.
BLUE (ROBOTICS)
• Scientists have developed Blue, a robot that uses
Why In
News artificial intelligence (AI) to master intricate human
tasks.
Blue is the human-friendly robot that can learn human

tasks while being safe enough for every home to have one.
Existing robots are too expensive, not safe around humans
and similarly not safe around themselves.
It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to master intricate human

tasks like folding laundry or make a cup of coffee at home.
It has been conceived and built by researchers at the

University of California, Berkeley in the US.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
15-April-2019
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT (GBBC) 2019
• Tamil Nadu’s Salem district submitted the largest number of
Why In
News
checklists, at 8,420, among all participating districts to the
global Great Backyard Bird Count 2019.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an event to create a

real-time snapshot of bird populations.
How is it done? Participants are asked to count birds for as
little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more
days of the four-day event and report their sightings online
at birdcount.org.
Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from
beginning bird watchers to experts. One can participate from
his/her backyard, or anywhere in the world.
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT (GBBC) 2019
Significance:
Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the
Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn
more about how birds are distributed across the country and how they
are affected by changes in habitat and weather.
India and GBBC:

Indian birders have participated in the GBBC since 2013.
In India, GBBC is coordinated by the Bird Count India (BCI) collective,

a coming-together of a number of groups and organisations that are
interested in birds, nature and conservation.
Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First
• The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has been
Why In
News
conferred with the “Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew
the First,” the highest civilian award of Russia.
The order was presented to the Prime Minister of India

for his distinguished contribution to the development of
a privileged strategic partnership between Russia and
India and friendly ties between the Russian and Indian
people.
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First is
awarded to prominent government and public figures,
prominent representatives of science, culture, art and
various sectors of the economy for “exceptional services
that contribute to the prosperity, greatness, and glory of
Russia”.
It was first awarded by former Russian Tsar ‘Peter the Great’ in 1698 and
subsequently discontinued. In 1998, former President Boris Yeltsin
reinstated the honor by a presidential decree.
Previous recipients include Chinese President Xi Jinping, and presidents
of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev
and author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
SPRING HARVEST FESTIVALS IN INDIA
• President Ram Nath Kovind greeted the nation on Vaisakhi, Vishu,
Why In Rongali Bihu, Naba Barsha, Vaisakhadi and Puthandu Pirappu. These
News harvest festivals, which celebrate the birth of a new year, are a
celebration of the hard work and efforts of farmers.
Rongali Bihu: Assam
• Assam celebrates Bihu thrice in a year but Rongali Bihu is the biggest and
most popular.
• Rongali or the Bohag (spring) Bihu starts on the last day of the Assamese
calendar month of Chot, which normally falls on April 13 or 14 annually.
• On the occasion, youngsters visit their elders and seek blessings.
‘Bihuwan’ (the traditional Assamese towel known as Gamocha) is
exchanged as a mark of respect.
Poila Boishakh: Bengal
• Poila Boishakh also known as Pahela Baishakh or Bangla Nababarsha is the first
day of Bengali Calendar.
• It is celebrated on 14 April as a national holiday in Bangladesh, and on 14 or 15
April in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and part of Assam by people of
Bengali heritage.
• Shubho Nabobarsho (Happy New Year) is how Bengalis usher in the New Year.
Prayers are said to Goddess Lakshmi (for wealth) and Lord Ganesha (for
wellbeing).
Mahabishuva Sankranti: Odisha
• On the same day, Odisha celebrates Mahabisuha Sankranti, better known as

Pana Sankranti.
• It is also time to prepare the popular local drink Bela Pana. It is made using
golden apple or bael (Aegle marmelos) in Hindi.
Puthandu: Tamil Nadu
• Puthandu marks the first day of the Tamil New Year.

• Puthandu Vazthukkal (New Year greetings) is how friends and relatives
greeted one another.
• The new year is celebrated on the first day of Tamil month Chithirai, which
normally falls on April 13 or 14 annually.
Bikhoti: Uttrakhand
• The Bikhoti Festival of Uttrakhand involves people taking a dip in holy

rivers.
• A popular custom involves beating symbolic stones representing demons
with sticks.
Jurshital: Bihar
• In the Mithal region of Bihar and Nepal, the new year is celebrated as
Jurshital.
• It is traditional to use lotus leaves to serve sattu to the family members.
Vishu: Kerala
• Vishu in Kerala marks the completion of the spring equinox. But unlike Onam,
the other harvest festival, Vishu is a quieter affair, with Lord Vishnu in his
Krishna avatar, the presiding deity of the festivities.
• Malayalis observe the ritual of ‘Vishukanni’, in which seasonal fruits,
vegetables, yellow flowers, rice, gold, clothes, coins and holy texts are
arranged on a platter in front of the deity and is the first sight of people when
they wake up.
Three-Person Baby
• A team of Greek and Spanish doctors has produced a baby
Why In
News
(in Greece) using genetic material from two women and a
man.
The technique used is called as ‘Maternal Spindle

transfer’ in which maternal DNA is put into the egg of a
donor woman, which is then fertilized using the father’s
sperm.
The procedure was developed to help existing IVF
treatments in which mothers have mitochondrial
diseases.
The technique is considered controversial by some

doctors.
Candida Auris Fungus
Candida auris is a multiple drug resistance fungus that

presents a serious global health threat to humans.
C. auris spread in hospitals, targeting people with

weakened immune systems. and it is difficult to
identify with standard lab methods.
Symptoms may not be noticeable, because patients
infected with C. auris are often patients in the
hospital with another serious illness or condition.
It can spread from one patient to another in
healthcare settings through contact with
contaminated environmental surfaces or equipment.
Astro Ecology
• Recently the concept which is used to study the
Why In
News luminosity of stars, was used to carry out detailed
monitoring of orangutan populations in Borneo.
Orangutans, like all great apes, build a sleeping nest in

trees, traditionally orangutan numbers are estimated
by counting these nests from the ground.
However, this method is costly and time consuming
due to the large areas that need to be surveyed.
Astro ecology has combined drone technology with

thermal-imaging cameras, which are mostly used by
astronomers.
Astro Ecology
This tech helps to spot and classify the animals by using their heat
signatures.
This innovative technology could potentially be used to understand and
monitor population numbers of Orangutans or other endangered primate
species.
Bornean orangutan
• A primate species
• Native to the island of Borneo
• Reason for decline : Deforestation, hunting and slow breeding
• IUCN status : Critically endangered
Borneo Map
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
16-April-2019
OIL EATING BACTERIA
• Scientists have discovered a unique oil eating bacteria in the
Why In
News
Mariana Trench, a finding that may pave way for sustainable
ways to clean up oils spills.
Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that

are made of only hydrogen and carbon
atoms, and they are found in many places,
including crude oil and natural gas.
Now, these hydrocarbon degrading bacteria
discovered essentially eat compounds similar
to those in oil and then use it for fuel.
OIL EATING BACTERIA
Similar microorganisms play a role in degrading oil spills in

natural disasters such as BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
However, the team found that the proportion of hydrocarbon
degrading bacteria in the Trench is the highest on Earth.
About Mariana Trench
It is located in the western Pacific Ocean
approximately 200 km east of the Mariana Islands
(The islands are part of the island arc that is
formed on an over-riding plate, called the Mariana
Plate, on the western side of the trench).
It has the deepest natural trench in the world. The

maximum known depth is 10,994 metres at the
southern end of a small slot-shaped valley in its
floor known as the Challenger Deep. By
comparison, Mount Everest is 8,848 metres high.
Features: It is a crescent-shaped trough in the

Earth's crust averaging about 2,550 km long and
69 km wide.
Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle
Why In • The last female of rare Yangtze Giant

News Softshell turtles died in China.
This was one of four Yangtze giant softshell turtles

known to be remaining in the world. The same zoo
also houses a male Yangtze giant softshell turtle. The
other two live in Vietnam, but their genders are
unknown.
The species is one of the most endangered turtle in
the world.
Loss of habitat and poaching are among the reasons

for the decline of the species’ population
SCALED COMPOSITES STRATOLAUNCH
• The world's largest aeroplane – Scaled Composites
Why In
News
Stratolaunch – made its first test flight over the Mojave
desert in California.
The aircraft being built for Stratolaunch

Systems by Scaled Composites.
Application: It is designed to carry into

space, and drop, a rocket that would, in
turn, ignite to deploy satellites.
• World’s largest airplane built by

the US-based Stratolaunch
Systems has made its first test
flight in the Mojave Desert in
California.
• The plane, made of carbon
composites, is named as Roc.
• It was financed by Paul Allen,
who co-founded Microsoft with
Bill Gates in 1975.
• The plane can be used to launch
satellites.
Features: The aircraft has two fuselages and six Boeing 747
engines.
The aircraft has the largest wingspan ever to fly,

superseding the Hughes H-4 Hercules. It’s wing span is
longer than a football field, or about 1.5 times that of an
Airbus A380.
It can carry a 550,000 lb (250 t) payload and has a
1,300,000 lb (590 t) maximum take-off weight.
Ambedkar Jayanti
Why In •On 14 April 2019, the birth anniversary

News
of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was celebrated.
He was the principal architect of the

Indian Constitution and independent
India’s first law minister.
Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer,

jurist, economist, author, polyglot
orator, a scholar of comparative
religions and thinker.
Some Important Fact : Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, Central Province (now
Madhya Pradesh).
• He founded Bahishkrit Hitkarni Sabha (1923).
• He led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 to challenge the regressive
customs of the Hindus.
• In 1932 he signed Poona pact with Mahatma Gandhi.
• He participated in all three round-table conferences.
• In 1936, he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a legislator
(MLA).
• In 1947, Dr. Ambedkar accepted PM Nehru's invitation to become Minister of
Law in the first Cabinet of independent India.
• On August 29, 1947, he was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee for
the new Constitution.
• He resigned from the cabinet in 1951, over differences on the Hindu Code Bill.
• In 1956, he converted to Buddhism.
Question
Consider the following about Dr. B R Ambedkar.
1. He was ‘elected’ as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of
the Constituent Assembly.
2. He founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha.
3. He resigned from the first Cabinet due to differences on the Hindu Code
Bill.
4. He got himself converted to Buddhism.
a) 2 and 3 only
b) 1 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Question
• Solution: d)
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
17-April-2019
Leucistic Squirrel
Why In • For the first time, leucistic five-striped palm

News squirrel has been reported from north India.
Funambulus pennanti is more frequently found in

the northern part of India including Punjab,
Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan and Bihar.
Colour abnormalities are very rare in wild

mammals, these abnormalities may be governed by
several factors like environmental pollution,
congenital infection, low nutrition food and genetic
causes.
Leucistic Squirrel
Leucism is a condition where there is partial loss of pigmentation in

animals on the skin, however, the loss of colour does not extend to the
eye.
On the other hand, in albinism, the affected individual is totally white,
with red eyes.
The survival rate of leucistic animals is comparatively lesser than non-
leucistic ones because of their distinctive features which easily gets
noticed by predators.
NIRBHAY
• DRDO successfully test fired sub-sonic cruise missile
Why In
News
“Nirbhay” from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur
Odisha.
Nirbhay is a Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile, which can

be deployed from multiple platforms.
it is capable of loitering and cruising at Mach 0.7 (sub-sonic)
at altitude as low as 100 meters. It can carry nuclear warhead.
It has been indigenously designed & developed by Defence

Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
Cruise vs ballistic missiles
Ballistic missiles
• They follow an arc-like trajectory and are launched from the land or sea.
• They usually carry a nuclear warhead and are very heavy.
• They rely on Earth’s gravity to fly down once launched.
• They have much larger range.
Cruise missiles
• They can also be launched from air and fly within Earth’s atmosphere.
• They have their own engines and wings to strike the target.
• They can be supersonic or sub-sonic and are highly accurate.
• They usually carry conventional warheads although some cruise missiles
can also be equipped with nuclear warheads.
Question
Consider the following about recently tested Nirbhay Missile.
1. It is a surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile.
2. It is nuclear-capable.
3. It has the ability to move horizontally like an aircraft.
4. It can be launched even from underwater vessels.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 4 only
Question
Solution: b)
Uighur Muslims
• China is using a secret system of advanced facial recognition technology
Why In to track and control the Uighurs Muslims. It is the first known example
News of a government intentionally using artificial intelligence for racial
profiling, which has drawn wide international condemnation.
The Uighurs are mostly Muslims, and

number about 11 million in western
China’s Xinjiang region.
They see themselves as culturally and
ethnically close to Central Asian nations,
and their language is similar to Turkish.
China’s Xinjiang region
Uighur Muslims
What’s the The tension and recent violence between the Uighurs
issue? and China is mainly caused by economic and cultural
factors.
There’s been a mass migration of Han Chinese (China’s

ethnic majority) to Xinjiang, and the Uighurs feel their
culture and livelihoods are under threat.
Uighurs also react vehemently to gradual curtailment of

their commercial and cultural activities, restrictions on
Islam, strict control over religious schools in the region
by China.
RESILIENT CITIES ASIA-PACIFIC (RCAP) 2019
Why In • Vice President of India inaugurated the 4th Resilient

News Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress 2019 in New Delhi.
Objective: Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific series provides

an Asia-Pacific platform for urban resilience and
climate change adaptation where dialogues are
conducted to forge partnerships to identify
implementable solutions and creating lasting impacts
for cities in the region.
Organized by: The International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) in association with
South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
RESILIENT CITIES ASIA-PACIFIC (RCAP) 2019
Venue: New Delhi.
Participants: The event witnessed the presence of more than 200 delegates
from around 30 countries.
Background: RCAP 2019 is the 4th in the series of Resilient Cities Asia Pacific
Congresses, the first three being held in Bangkok, Thailand (2015), Melaka,
Malaysia (2016) and Vietnam (2017).
DART Mission
DART Mission
Why In • SpaceX Wins NASA's DART Mission, To Launch
News Planetary Defense Test Satellite
Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is NASA’s first
mission to demonstrate kinetic impactor technique
which will strike the asteroid to shift its orbit to defend
against a potential future asteroid impact.
The target for DART is an asteroid that will have a
distant approach to Earth in October 2022, and then
again in 2024.
The asteroid is called Didymos, an asteroid binary
system that consists of two bodies: Didymos A, and
Didymos B.
DART Mission
• The kinetic impact technique works by changing the speed of a

threatening asteroid by a small fraction of its total velocity, which
would shift the asteroid’s path away from Earth.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
18-April-2019
Great Indian Bustards
Why In • There are 150 Great Indian Bustards (GIB) in Rajasthan’s

News Desert National Park (DNP), as per a survey.
The bird is a critically endangered species listed in the

International Union for conservation of Nature’s (IUCN)
Red List.
It is also found in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh.
The DNP, spread over Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer and

Bikaner districts, however remains its main habitat.
Great Indian Bustards
It is listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972 and in

the CMS Convention and in Appendix I of CITES.
It has also been identified as one of the species for the recovery
programme under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats of the
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
Project Great Indian Bustard — state of Rajasthan — identifying and
fencing off bustard breeding grounds in existing protected areas as well as
provide secure breeding enclosures in areas outside protected areas.
Protected areas: Desert National Park Sanctuary — Rajasthan, Rollapadu
Wildlife Sanctuary – Andhra Pradesh and Karera Wildlife Sanctuary–
Madhya Pradesh.
Question
Greatest attraction of the park is a bird called the great Indian

bustard, a critically endangered species found only in India.
Which of the following can be this national park?
a) Great Himalayan National Park
b) Kolleru National Park
c) Desert National Park
d) Agasythmalai National Park
Question
• Solution: c)
HOME EXPO INDIA 2019
• The 8thedition of HOME EXPO INDIA 2019 has been
Why In
News
organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts in
Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• It has been organized by the Export Promotion

Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts
• It is an apex body of handicrafts exporters for

promotion of exports of Handicrafts from the country.
• It is a non-profit organization which was established
under the Companies Act in the year 1986-87.
Exercise SEA VIGIL
SEA VIGIL is national level Coastal

Defense Exercise.
The exercise has witnessed the

simultaneous activation of the
coastal security apparatus across
the country involving maritime
stakeholders at the Centre and all
the 13 Coastal States and Union
Territories.
‘FIRST’ 3D PRINTED HEART
• Scientists in Israel unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human
Why In
News
tissue and vessels which is being hailed as a first and a
“major medical breakthrough”.
This 3D printed heart is about the size of a

cherry. It was achieved using human tissue
that includes vessels, collagen, and biological
molecules.
Working: To print the heart, the scientists
created a "personalized hydrogel" to form
"bioinks". The hydrogel originated from fatty
tissues extracted from human test subjects.
‘FIRST’ 3D PRINTED HEART
Significance: This is the first time anyone has successfully engineered

and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles
and chambers. People have managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart
in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels.
Application: This medical breakthrough advances the possibilities for

transplants.
Central Monitoring Committee on Pollution
• National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a Central Monitoring
Why In
Committee to prepare and enforce a national plan to make
News
over 350 river stretches across the country pollution free.
The Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board

(CPCB) will be the nodal authority for coordination.
The Chief Secretaries of the states will act as the

nodal agency at the state level.
The committee has been composed to monitor

pollution of rivers, as it has caused a serious threat
to the safety of water and environment.
Central Monitoring Committee on Pollution
• Besides checking river pollution, the central monitoring committee

will coordinate with the River Rejuvenation Committees of the
states and oversee the execution of the action plans.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
19-April-2019
Chenchus believe the fox ushers in fortune
Why In • Recently for the luck’s sake Chenchu tribal family

News domesticated fox near Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.
These are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal

Group who lives deep in the forest of
Nallamala (tropical dry deciduous scrub with
trees of axle wood, teak, Hardwicke) near
Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve.
They also live in Telangana, Karnataka and

Odisha.
Chenchus believe the fox ushers in fortune
They are inveterate forest dwellers, who have, over centuries,

steadfastly refused to move out of their woods regardless of the
perils of such life.
About the Fox
• The conservation of fox falls under the Indian Wildlife

Protection Act 1972, according to which hunting or
domesticating it is an offence and attracts punishment.
• The possession of fox by non-forest dwellers is also an
offence.”
THE FACE OF DISASTERS 2019
• According to the report, ‘The Face of Disasters 2019’,
Why In
News
released by the SEEDS, the “average” rainfall figures hide
extremes of floods and droughts across the country.
Key Findings: While the Indian Meteorological

Department has predicted a “normal” monsoon this
year, the “average” rainfall figures hide extremes of
floods and droughts across the country.
Example: During the June to September monsoon of

2018, Punjab experienced a “normal” monsoon.
However, that figure masked the fact that Ropar saw
71% excess rainfall while Ferozepur experienced a
74% shortage.
THE FACE OF DISASTERS 2019
The Sustainable Environment and Ecological

Development Society (SEEDS)
• A non-profit voluntary organization.
• Functions: It is involved in research activities in
Community Development, Disaster Management,
Environmental Planning and Urban & Regional Planning.
Activities are generally carried out on behalf of
government and international development agencies.
• Location: Delhi.
Exercise Varuna
Why In • India and France will be conducting joint Naval exercise

News “Varuna” off the coast of Goa from May 1, 2019.
Along with other naval ships Aircraft carriers of

two countries, INS Vikramaditya and FNS Charles
de Gaulle will be the part of Naval Exercise.
The two countries have also operationalized their

reciprocal military logistics support agreement,
which saw French anti-aircraft destroyer FNS
Cassard docking at the Mumbai naval port in
January.
Lakes are filled with liquid methane on Titan
• The latest findings, published in Nature Astronomy, confirmed
Why In
that the small liquid lakes in Titan's northern hemisphere are
News
surprisingly deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane.
Using data obtained by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft before

that mission ended in 2017 with a deliberate plunge into
Saturn, the scientists found that the small liquid lakes in
Titan's northern hemisphere are surprisingly deep and
filled with methane.
These are the first confirmation of just how deep some
of Titan's lakes are (more than 300 feet, or 100 meters)
and of their composition. They provide new information
about the way liquid methane rains on, evaporates from
and seeps into Titan.
The scientists also described “phantom lakes” that during wintertime

appeared to be wide but shallow ponds — perhaps only a few inches deep —
but evaporated or drained into the surface by springtime, a process taking
seven years on Titan.
About Titan
Titan orbits Saturn, which orbits the Sun at a distance of
about 886 million miles, about 10 times farther from the
Sun than Earth orbits.
The second largest moon in the solar system after Jupiter's

moon Ganymede. It is bigger than planet Mercury.
Surface composition: Titan is an icy moon with a surface of

rock-hard water ice, but Titan also likely has a liquid water
ocean beneath its surface.
Atmosphere: Titan is the only moon in the solar system
known to have a substantial atmosphere, which is mostly
nitrogen like Earth’s.
Orbiting Solo: Titan has no known moon, but it’s possible
for a moon to have moons.
Cassini–Huygens Mission
Commonly called Cassini was a collaboration
between NASA, the European Space Agency and the
Italian Space Agency.
The mission objective was to send a probe to study
the planet Saturn and its system, including its rings
and natural satellites.
Cassini-Huygens has been described by NASA's
Planetary Science Division Director as a "mission of
firsts".
The mission was ended in 2017 after it was de-
orbited to burn up in Saturn's upper atmosphere.
IN-VPN BILAT EX
Why In • Indian Navy-Vietnam Peoples’ Navy Bilateral

News Exercise was held recently in Vietnam.
The exercise was undertaken as a part of

the ongoing Overseas Deployment of
Eastern Fleet ships to South East Asian
countries.
The two countries have also signed an
agreement to exchange White Shipping
Information and have a running
‘Information Sharing’ programme.
About White Shipping Information
The white shipping information refers to the exchange of prior information

on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant
vessels.
India and the U.S had signed the White Shipping Agreement (WSA) as it
establishes an information network protocol that allows the navies of both
countries to exchange information about ships in their oceanic territories.
Ships would be classified into white (commercial ships), grey (military

vessels), and black (illegal vessels).
This gives information regarding the maritime traffic, Information

regarding the identity of the vessels is very important to tackle any
potential threat from sea routes.
About White Shipping Information
This will also help in the identification of those vessels which can be
illegal as this provides us with the prior information about the
destination of the vessel, the route which has been planned for it, etc.
The Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) at
Gurgaon would be the nodal centre for WSA.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
21-April-2019
World Press Freedom Index 2019
Why In • India drops down on World Press

News Freedom Index 2019
India has dropped two places on a

global press freedom index to be
ranked 140th out of 180 countries.
The index has been prepared by

"Reporters Without Borders".
Highlights
The report finds an increased sense of hostility towards journalists across the
world, with violent attacks in India leading to at least six Indian journalists being
killed in the line of their work in the year 2018.
South Asia in general features poorly on the index, with Pakistan dropping three
places to 142, and Bangladesh dropping four places to 150.
Norway is ranked first in the 2019 Index for the third year running while Finland
(up two places) has taken second place from the Netherlands (down one at 4th).
At the bottom of the Index, both Vietnam (176th) and China (177th) have fallen
one place and Turkmenistan (down two at 180th) is now last, replacing North
Korea (up one at 179th).
Reporters Without Borders (RWB) or Reporters

Sans Frontieres (RSF)
• It is a Paris based non-profit organisation that works to
document and combat attacks on journalists around the
world.
• It conducts political advocacy on issues relating to freedom
of information and freedom of the press.
KAKAPO
• According to New Zealand scientists, the world's fattest parrot,
Why In
the critically endangered kakapo, has enjoyed a record
News
breaking breeding season possibly due to climate change.
According to New Zealand scientists, kakapo, has

enjoyed a record breaking breeding season
possibly. 249 eggs laid as part of a breeding
programme have hatched.
This is because the Rimu trees have produced a
bumper crop this year, possibly due to climate
change and temperature fluctuations.
About KAKAPO
• Kakapo means ‘night parrot’ in Maori. It is also called owl parrot.
• Scientific name: Strigops habroptila.
• Features: It is flightless, nocturnal, the world's fattest parrot and the
world's only flightless parrot.
• Distribution: It is endemic to New Zealand. The surviving kakapo are kept
on four predator-free islands off the New Zealand coast.
• Mating: They mate only every 2-4 years when New Zealand's native Rimu
trees are full of fruit.
• Breeding behaviour: It is the only parrot to have a polygynous breeding
system. The females control the breeding process. After mating, they end
the relationship, shutting the male out of the incubation and rearing
processes.
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
International Fleet Review
Why In • Indian Navy warships INS Kolkata and INS

News Shakti will be participating in IFR 2109, China.
International Fleet Review (IFR) is a parade of naval

ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organized by
nations to promote goodwill, strengthen
cooperation and showcase their organizational
capabilities.
IFR also serves as an ideal platform for the world’s
navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous
ship designing and shipbuilding capabilities in a
global/ international arena.
Salt Tolerant Rice
• Researchers have developed a new salt-tolerant transgenic rice
Why In
plant by over-expressing a gene from wild rice called Porteresia
News
coarctata into the commonly used IR 64 indicia rice variety.
Porteresia coarctata is a native of India, Sri Lanka,

Bangladesh and Myanmar and is grown mainly in
saline estuaries.
The new crop can withstand salt concentration of

up to 200 micromoles per litre or about half as
saline as seawater without affecting normal growth
and grain yield under greenhouse conditions.
WORLD HERITAGE DAY
• To mark World Heritage Day, entry to all Centrally-protected
Why In
News
monuments in the country would be free of charge on April
18.
International Council on Monuments

and Sites (ICOMOS) announced April
18 as the World Heritage Day in 1982.
The theme of the World Heritage day

is "Rural Landscapes".
WORLD HERITAGE DAY
International Council on Monuments and Sites
• It is a professional association that works for the conservation

and protection of cultural heritage places around the world.
• Key Functions:
• It offers advice to UNESCO on World Heritage Sites.
• ICOMOS is a partner and founding member of the Blue Shield,
which works to protect the world's cultural heritage
threatened by wars and natural disasters.
• Established in 1965 (as a result of the Venice Charter of 1964).
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
22-April-2019
ASIAN TEA ALLIANCE (ATA)
Why In • The Asian Tea Alliance (ATA), a union of fie tea-growing and
News consuming countries, was launched in Guizhou in China.
Members of the alliance: Indian Tea Associaton,

China Tea Marketng Associaton, Indonesian Tea
Marketng Associaton, Sri Lanka Tea Board and
Japan Tea Associaton.
Mandate: Enhancing tea trade, cultural

exchanges, technology exchanges as well as
enhancing global consumpton of tea, while
creatng a sustainability agenda for the future of
Asian tea.
ASIAN TEA ALLIANCE (ATA)
Background: The forging of this alliance comes in the afermath of the

signing of a MoU in December 2018 between the Indian Tea Associaton
and China Tea Marketng Associaton to promote green and black tea
consumpton in major tea markets of Europe, the U.S., Russia and West
Asia, besides India and China.
Tea Board of India:
• It is a statutory body established in 1954 under the Tea Act in 1953.

• Objectie: To promote the cultiaton, processing, and domestc
trade as well as export of tea from India.
• Parent Ministry: Union Ministry of Commerce.
• HQ: Kolkata.
Renewable Energy Certfcates (RECs)
• Renewable Energy (RE) companies haie moied the Delhi
Why In
News
High Court, seeking an exempton for Renewable Energy
Certfcates (RECs) under the GST.
Renewable Energy Certfcates (RECs) or green

energy certfcates or tradable renewable
certfcates are proof that energy has been
generated from renewable sources such as solar or
wind power.
Each REC represents the eniironmental benefts of

1MWh of renewable energy generaton.
When you purchase RECs, renewable energy is

generated on your behalf.
Renewable Energy Certfcates (RECs)
It is a market-based mechanism which will help the states meet their

regulatory requirements (such as Renewable Purchase Obligatons
(RPOs)) by oiercoming the geographical constraints on the existng
renewable potental in diferent states.
In India, RECs are being charged GST, while bundled power (RECs plus
electricity, irrespectie of source) or eien just electricity are deioid of
the same.
INDEX OF CANCER PREPAREDNESS (ICP)
• India is ranked at 19 out of 28 countries in the Index of
Why In
News
Cancer Preparedness (ICP) released by the Economist
Intelligence Unit (EIU).
ICP has been introduced as part of the report

ttled “Cancer preparedness around the
world: Natonal readiness for a global
epidemic.”
Prepared by The Economist Intelligence Unit
(EIU).
Countries coiered: 28 countries.
INDEX OF CANCER PREPAREDNESS (ICP)
Objectie: To allow benchmarking of natonal eforts and identfy best practce

in addressing the cancer challenge.
Domains coiered: The ICP explores the issue of cancer preparedness through
three broad domains: 1) policy and planning; 2) care deliiery; and 3) health
systems and goiernance.
Four essentals of cancer preparedness: Iniestment (appropriate spending
and resources), roadmap (efectie planning), foundaton (functoning health
systems) and intelligence (aiailability and quality of cancer-related data).
Swiss Challenge Method
• Central Bank of India has recently put up its two non-
Why In
News
performing assets (NPAs) worth Rs 251 crore for sale through
the Swiss challenge method.
Swiss challenge method is a method of

bidding, ofen used in public projects, in
which an interested party initates a proposal
for a contract or the bid for a project.
The goiernment then puts the details of the
project out in the public and iniites proposals
from others interested in executng it.
Swiss Challenge Method
On the receipt of these bids, the original proposer gets an opportunity

to match the best bid.
In case, the original proposer fails to match the bid, the project is
awarded to the proposer of the best bid.
Zinc defciency rising in Indians’
• In a new study ttled ‘Inadequate zinc intake in India: past,
Why In
News
present and future’ by the Harvard found that rising carbon
dioxide levels can accelerate zinc defciency in crops.
The study states that inadequate zinc intake has

been rising in India for decades, causing tens of
millions of people to become newly defcient in it.
The highest rate of inadequate zinc intake was

concentrated in the southern and northeastern
States with rice-dominated diets: Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Zinc defciency
Zinc plays a role in many aspects of the body’s metabolism.

These include:
Immune
Protein Wound DNA
system
synthesis healing synthesis
functon
Zinc defciency rising in Indians’
Mineral defciency
Minerals are specifc kinds of nutrients that your body

needs in order to functon properly.
A mineral defciency occurs when your body doesn’t obtain

or absorb the required amount of a mineral.
There are fie main categories of mineral defciency:

calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
Zinc defciency
It’s also important for proper growth and deielopment during

pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
Zinc is found in animal products like oysters, red meat, and poultry.
Zinc defciency can cause loss of appette, taste, or smell.
Decreased functon of the immune system and slowed growth are

other symptoms.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
23-April-2019
Agent Orange
Why In • The US has launched a clean-up project at a

News former storage site for Agent Orange in Vietnam.
Agent Orange was a powerful herbicide used by

U.S. military forces (Operation Ranch Hand)
during the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
US forces sprayed millions of liter of Agent Orange

over South Vietnam between 1962 and 1971 in a
bid to flush out Viet Cong communist guerrillas by
depriving them of tree cover and food.
Agent Orange
• The active ingredients in Agent Orange are a combination of 2,4-

dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic
acid (2,4,5-T).
Garia Puja Festival
• The festival is held from the last day of the month of Chaitra
Why In
News
till the seventh day of the month of Vaishakha according to
Hindu calendar.
The Garia Puja is a major festival in Tripura.
This festival is celebrated as a harvest festival

by the ethnic tribes Tripuris and Reangs.
In the festival, a bamboo pole is worshipped

with flowers and garlands by the tribals which
symbolize the Lord Garia.
Garia Puja Festival
The ingredients used in the Puja are fowl chick, cotton

thread, rice, eggs, etc.
An important part of the Puja is sacrificing a fowl and
offering the blood to the deity. After the sacrifice, the Garia
dance is performed.
Indian bullfrogs
Why In • Indian bullfrogs take to invasive behaviour

News early in Andamans
Indian bullfrogs introduced in the Andaman

islands are invasive and eat native wildlife
including fish and lizards.
Now, experiments reveal that even in the

developmental stages, the large bullfrog tadpoles
eat other native frog tadpoles, finds a study.
Indian bullfrogs
It is a large species of frog found in mainland Myanmar,

Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal.
It has been introduced in Madagascar and India's the Andaman

Islands where it is now a widespread invasive species.
They prefer freshwater wetlands and aquatic habitats.
The IUNC status: Least Concern

Indian Navy launches Guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’
Why In • The Indian Navy has launched guided missile destroyer

News ‘Imphal’ at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai.
Imphal is the third ship to be launched under Project

15B. The warships built under the project are
propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speed in
excess of 30 knots. They have a length of 163 metres
and 17.4 metres at the beam and a displacement of
7.300 tonnes.
The first ship of Project 15B, a guided missile
destroyer christened ‘Visakhapatnam’, was launched
on April 20, 2015.
SAECK
• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has so far distributed
Why In
News
over 3,100 Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECK)
among the States and Union Territories.
Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECK) is

also known as ‘rape investigation kits’.
Function: Using these, police can collect blood

and semen samples, besides other evidence, to
carry out immediate medico-legal investigation
and aid in furnishing evidence in sexual assault
cases.
SAECK
The SAECKs were procured with financial support under the

central government's 'Nirbhaya Fund', which was named after
the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim.
Guidelines: The Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFSS), a wing of

the Home Ministry, has issued two guidelines –
- one for investigators and prosecutors for collection, storage and
transportation of forensic evidence in sexual assault cases;
- and the second for medical officers dealing with sexual assault
cases.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
24-April-2019
Aegean Sea : in News
• A team of Greek University students has successfully detected the location
Why In of litter in Aegean sea using the European union’s satellite system.
News • The purpose of the experiment was to see whether the satellites will be
able to detect the floating rafts of plastic in the sea.
Aegean Sea : in News
GLOBAL DEAL FOR NATURE (GDN)
• In a paper published in the journal Science Advances, the scientists
Why In have outlined a set of specific targets & milestones and guiding
News principles under the Global Deal for Nature (GDN) to avoid the sixth
mass extinction.
The Global Deal for Nature is a science-based plan to

protect the diversity abundance of life on Earth and
do it by 2030.
Objective of GDN is To tackle dangerous climate

change or climate breakdown and safeguard
biodiversity in order to avoid any worsening of the
sixth mass extinction that we have found ourselves
in.
GLOBAL DEAL FOR NATURE (GDN)
Bodies involved: The GDN campaign is being driven by One Earth, an initiative
of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation that aims to gather support from
international institutions, governments, and citizens of planet Earth to
support ambitious conservation goals.
Timeline: In 2017, an international team of scientists proposed the Global
Deal for Nature. Now, in a paper published in the journal Science Advances,
the scientists have laid out a set of specific targets and milestones under GDN.
Highlights of the GDN
Around 30 % of the planet is to be fully protected under the UN Convention on

Biological Diversity by 2030.
Another 20 % of the planet would be protected under the GDN as Climate

Stabilization Areas (CSAs). CSAs would meet the definition of “Other Effective
Area-based Conservation Measures” (OECMs) adopted by the Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity late last year.
Governments should adopt the GDN as a companion pact alongside the Paris Climate
Agreement approved by nearly 200 countries in 2015.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
It is a legally binding treaty, which came as an outcome of

Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered
into force on 29 December 1993.
It is commonly known as “Biodiversity Convention“.
India is signatories to the CBD.
India enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002 for giving

effect to the provisions of the CBD.
The governing body of CBD is the Conference of the Parties

(COP).
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The two protocols to CBD are:
Cartagena Protocol on Nagoya Protocol

Biosafety (Biodiversity Accord)
• It was adopted in 2000 • It was adopted in 2010

and legally binding and legally binding
protocol as part of CBD. protocol. It ends up
with a strategic plan
with 20 targets called
“Aichi Target”.
Mosquirix
• Mosquirix vaccine has been recommended by WHO for pilot
Why In
News
introduction in selected areas of 3 African countries- Ghana,
Kenya and Malawi.
Mosquirix is the world’s first vaccine against a

parasitic disease, Malaria.
Malaria is caused by the infectious Plasmodium

female Anopheles mosquitoes deposit parasite
sporozoites into the skin of a human host.
Each year there are 430,000 malaria-related deaths
worldwide according to the World Health
Organization (WHO).
Mosquirix
African Nation, Malawi will be undertaking large scale pilot tests for
this world’s most advanced experimental malaria vaccine in a bid to
prevent the disease.
AJIT
• Indian Institute of Technology at Bombay has indigenously-
Why In
News
produced microprocessor named AJIT, which will cost around
100 Indian Rupees.
AJIT is aimed at larger systems like robots,

automation systems, appliances, and in the
future perhaps even servers and
workstations.
AJIT will be used in India's satellites like
NAVIC or IRNNS (The Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System).
AJIT
• SAMEER (Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering &

Research), an independent lab under MeitY is also planning to use
AJIT in various satellite receivers.
Helium Hydride Ion
Why In • Scientists have detected that Helium hydride ion (HeH+)

News was the first molecule to be formed in the universe.
During big bang, ionized hydrogen and neutral

helium atoms reacted to form HeH+.
The molecule will emit its strongest spectral line

at a characteristic wavelength of 0.149 mm.
NASA’s high-flying observatory SOFIA detected

this molecule towards a planetary nebula.
Helium Hydride Ion
About SOFIA
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is an aircraft
with reflecting telescope, flying into the stratosphere at 38,000-45,000
feet.
SOFIA is put above Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing
astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not
possible with ground-based telescopes.
The observatory’s mobility allows researchers to observe from almost
anywhere in the world and enables studies of transient events that often
take place over oceans where there are no telescopes.
Zinc deficiency rising in Indians’
• In a new study titled ‘Inadequate zinc intake in India: past,
Why In
News
present and future’ by the Harvard found that rising carbon
dioxide levels can accelerate zinc deficiency in crops.
The study states that inadequate zinc intake has

been rising in India for decades, causing tens of
millions of people to become newly deficient in
it.
The highest rate of inadequate zinc intake was
concentrated in the southern and northeastern
States with rice-dominated diets: Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Zinc deficiency
Zinc plays a role in many aspects of the body’s metabolism.

These include:
Immune
Protein Wound DNA
system
synthesis healing synthesis
function
Zinc deficiency rising in Indians’
Mineral deficiency
Minerals are specific kinds of nutrients that your body

needs in order to function properly.
A mineral deficiency occurs when your body doesn’t obtain

or absorb the required amount of a mineral.
There are five main categories of mineral deficiency:

calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
Zinc deficiency
It’s also important for proper growth and development

during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
Zinc is found in animal products like oysters, red meat,

and poultry.
Zinc deficiency can cause loss of appetite, taste, or

smell.
Decreased function of the immune system and slowed

growth are other symptoms.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
25-April-2019
Arab League
• The Arab League this week pledged US$100 million per
Why In
News
month to Palestinian authorities in bid to alleviate political
and financial pressures from Israel.
Arab league is a regional organization of Arab

countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of
Africa and Arabia.
The Kingdom of Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, Jordan,
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria are the founding
members of the league.
Since 2011, Syria’s participation has been
suspended after the Syrian Civil War.
Arab League
Main goal is to “draw closer the

relations between member States and
co-ordinate collaboration between
them, to safeguard their independence
and sovereignty, and to consider in a
general way the affairs and interests of
the Arab countries“.
Question
The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North
Africa, the Horn of Africa and Arabia. Member countries of the Arab League are
1. Sudan
2. Iraq
3. Iran
4. Jordan
5. Libya
6. Somalia
Select the correct answer using the codes below
A. 2, 4 and 5 only
B. 1, 4 and 6 only
C. 3, 5 and 6 only
D. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 only
Question
Answer : D
IEPF AUTHORITY
• In a major success towards Investor Protection, the IEPF Authority has
Why In been able to enforce The Peerless General Finance and Investment
News Company Limited to transfer depositor’s money worth about Rs 1514
Crore to IEPF.
Set up under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs,

Government of India as a statutory body under
Companies Act 2013.
Mandate: To administer the Investor Education and
Protection Fund (IPEF) with the objective of promoting
Investor’s Education, Awareness and Protection.
Administration: Secretary Ministry of the Corporate

Affairs is the Chairperson of the Authority.
Shigellosis Vaccine
Why In • India has indigenously developed the first-ever

News vaccine for treatment for Shigellosis.
Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of

bacteria called Shigella.
Most who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhoea,

fever, and stomach cramps starting a day or two after
they are exposed to the bacteria.
It is a dead vaccine, that is, it a dead germ of the bacteria

causing disease would be introduced in the body so that
the immune system develops immunity against it.
Shigellosis Vaccine
The disease, at present, is largely treated through antibiotics,

but considering the fact that antibiotic resistance has become
a major concern, the vaccine was the need of the hour.
FINANCING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT (FSDR) 2019
• According to the Financing for Sustainable Development Report (FSDR)

Why In 2019, Mobilizing sufficient resources to achieve the goals of the 2030
News Agenda for Sustainable Development continues to be a central challenge
at a global level.
The 2019 FSDR is the fourth report on

implementing the Financing for
Development outcomes and the means of
implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals since the adoption of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and the Addis Ababa Action
Agenda.
The report is a joint product of the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for
Development, which is comprised of more than 60 United Nations
Agencies and international organizations.
The Task Force was mandated by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and is
coordinated by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs.
Highlights of
the report
Good news is that Investment has gained strength in some countries

and interest in sustainable investing is growing, with 75 % of individual
investors showing interest in how their investments affect the world.
And yet, greenhouse gas emissions grew 1.3 % in 2017; investment in

many countries is falling; and 30 developing countries are now at high
risk or already in debt distress.
PEATLANDS
• The recent United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi,
Why In
News
Kenya, has adopted its first ever resolution on peatlands,
giving an impetus to conservation and restoration efforts.
Peatlands are a type of wetlands. It refers to the

peat soil and the wetland habitat growing on its
surface.
How do they form? In some areas, year-round

waterlogged conditions slow the process of plant
decomposition to such an extent that dead plants
accumulate to form peat. Over millennia this
material builds up and becomes several metres
thick.
PEATLANDS
Distribution
Peatlands occur in almost every country on Earth,
currently covering 3% of the global land surface.
In 2017, the world’s largest tropical peatland was
discovered beneath the forests of the Congo Basin in 2017.
Importance of PEATLANDS
They are critical for preserving global biodiversity, provide safe drinking water,
minimise flood risk and help address climate change.
Peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store; the area covered by near
natural peatland worldwide (>3 million km2) sequesters 0.37 gigatonnes of carbon
dioxide (CO2) a year – storing more carbon than all other vegetation types in the
world combined.
Damaged peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, annually

releasing almost 6% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Peatland restoration
can therefore bring significant emissions reductions.
Prelim Booster News
Discussion
26-April-2019
Olive Ridley Turtles
• Recently, Olive ridley turtle eggs that were laid in
Why In
News March began hatching and thousands of baby olive
ridley turtles have entered the bay of Bengal.
According to officials, 4.5 lakh

turtles had arrived at beaches
under Gahirmatha Marine
Sanctuary to lay eggs in 2019. It is
expected that millions of baby
turtles would make their way into
the sea.
Olive Ridley Turtles
The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant
of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm waters
of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
They are best known for their unique mass nesting called
Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the
same beach to lay eggs.
The species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List,

Appendix 1 in CITES, and Schedule 1 in Wildlife Protection
Act, 1972.
Olive-ridleys face serious threats across their migratory

route, habitat and nesting beaches, due to human activities
such as unfriendly turtle fishing practices, development, and
exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, and tourist centers.
About Bhitarkanika National Park
Bhitarkanika National Park is one of Odisha’s finest

biodiversity hotspots and is famous for its mangroves,
migratory birds, turtles, estuarine crocodiles, and countless
creeks.
The Bhitarkanika is represented by 3 Protected Areas, the
Bhitarkanika National Park, the Bhitarkanika Wildlife
Sanctuary and the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Bhitarkanika is located in the estuary of Brahmani,

Baitarani, Dhamra, and Mahanadi river systems.
It is said to house 70% of the country’s estuarine or

saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started
way back in 1975.
Question
Olive Ridleys Turtles are naturally found in India in

1. Andhra Pradesh coast
2. Odisha coast
3. Maharashtra coast
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Question
Solution: d)
RBI divest its share in NABARD
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has divested its entire stake in Nabard and
Why In National Housing Bank (NHB). The move is part of ending the cross-holding
News in regulatory institutions and follows the recommendation of the second
Narasimham committee.
The Committee on Banking Sector Reforms

(Narasimham Committee II), inter-alia, observed that it
is inconsistent with the principles of effective
supervision that the regulator is also an owner of a bank
and this would require the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
to divest its holding in banks and financial institutions.
With this divestment, the government now holds a 100

% stake in both these financial institutions.
About NABARD
It was established on the recommendations of B.Sivaraman

Committee on 12 July 1982 to implement the National Bank
for Agriculture and Rural Development Act 1981.
It replaced the Agricultural Credit Department (ACD) and

Rural Planning and Credit Cell (RPCC) of Reserve Bank of India,
and Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation
(ARDC).
It is one of the premier agencies providing developmental
credit in rural areas.
NABARD is India's specialised bank for Agriculture and Rural

Development in India.
About NHB
It is an All India Financial Institution was set up

in 1988, under the National Housing Bank Act,
1987.
It is an apex agency established to operate as a

principal agency to promote housing finance
institutions.
RBI had 100% shareholding in NHB.

Question
Consider the following about National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD).
1. It was setup by an act of Parliament.
2. It took over the agricultural credit functions of RBI.
3. It provides refinance to lending institutions in rural areas.
4. It acts as a regulator for cooperative banks and Regional Rural Banks
(RRBs).
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Question
Solution: d)
Magic milk: fighting infections with a clue from the echidna
• Scientists at the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - Centre for

Why In Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) have isolated an anti-
News microbial protein found in the milk of an egg-laying mammal called
Echidna.
The protein promises to serve as an

alternative to antibiotics used on livestock.
The milk of the echidna has a protein that

can puncture the cell membranes of
multiple bacterial species, thus destroying
the source of infection.
About ECHIDNA
Also known as Spiny Anteaters.
The echidnas are named after Echidna, a creature from Greek

mythology who was half-woman, half-snake, as the animal was
perceived to have qualities of both mammals and reptiles.
Distribution: Echidnas are found only in Australia and New Guinea.
Habitat: Echidnas do not tolerate extreme temperatures. They are

found in forests and woodlands, hiding under vegetation or piles of
debris.
Description: Echidnas and the platypus are the only egg-laying

mammals, known as Monotremes. They are covered with coarse hair
and spines.
World Book Day
• World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day,
Why In or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by
News the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization(UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.
World Book Day was first celebrated on 23

April 1995, and continues to be recognized
on that day.
The city of Sharjah has been selected as

the World Book Capital for the year 2019.
About UNESCO
Full Name > United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization
Formed in 1945, it is a specialized agency of the United Nations

(UN) based in Paris.
Its declared purpose is to contribute to peace and security by

promoting international collaboration through educational,
scientific, and cultural reforms in order to increase universal
respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights along with
fundamental freedom proclaimed in the United Nations Charter.
As of January 2019, it has 193 member states.

C-441
• A new Coast Guard vessel is commissioned by Chief
Why In
News
Secretary, Government of Kerala at Vizhinjam harbour
under the aegis of Regional Commander Western Region.
C-441 is an Indian Coast Guard interceptor Vessel.
ICGS C-441 is the seventh interceptor vessel amongst

the series designed and built indigenously by L&T Ltd.,
Surat.
Features: The 27.8-metre-long vessel displaces 106

tonnes, has a maximum speed of 45 knots (83 km/hr)
and is equipped with twin diesel engines and water
jet propulsion.
C-441
• Functions: C-441 is capable to undertake various tasks such as close

coast surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and rendering
assistance to boats and crafts in distress at sea. It will enhance the
search and rescue capacity of Kerala seas.
CURRENT AFFAIRS-
THE HINDU
28-4-2019………
1>Two workers engaged in ‘manual scavenging’
die
• Two persons were asphyxiated in a contaminated
well here on Saturday. Gafoor Pasha, 40, and Aftab
Pasha, 38, died when they descended into the well
behind a tea stall at K.G. Halli.
• The police have booked three persons under the
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers
and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and on the charge
of culpable homicide.
Key points of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual
Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013:...
• 1>Prohibition of Insanitary and Employment or engagement as Manual Scavengers
It will be an offence to: Construct or maintain an insanitary latrine.
• Engage or employ a person to work as the Manual Scavenger..
• 2>penalty for violation>Offenses under the act are non-bailable.
• 3>Seeks to rehabilitate manual scavengers, and
• provide for their alternative employment
• Manual Scavengers will be issued Photo Identity card Government will provide
initial cash aid Children of the Manual Scavengers will be provided schol...
• 4>The District Magistrate and the local authority shall be the implementing
authorities.
• District level committees will be headed by District Magistrate...
State level committees will be headed by Chief Minister...
Question for mains……
• 1>comment on the success and failure of 2013

manual scavenging act.<10 marks>
• 2> how far do ou think india’s swacch bharat abhiyan

has been successful in removing manual
scavenging?<7 marks>
2>NGT and CPCB……
• The plea moved by the Social Action for Forest and
Environment contended that use of waste tyres by the
pyrolysis industries across the country “needs to be
banned to prevent environmental damage”. The plea had
said that as a result of the usage of waste tyres in the
industry, toxic pollutants are emitted that affect public
health adversely.
• PYROLYSIS>decomposition brought about by high
temperatures.
SAFE
• is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO),

established to serve the environment and society.
Based in Greater Noida (Delhi NCR), safe work in the
area of environmental conservation, rain water
harvesting system , legal consult on Environmental
issue , and also work to protected to River ,wetland
and other water resources
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• of India is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Mo.E.F.C). It was
established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of
pollution) Act, 1974.
• The CPCB is also entrusted with the powers and functions under
the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981of India is a
statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (Mo.E.F.C).
• It has responsibilities to conduct monitoring of water and air quality.
• The board is led by its Chairperson, who is generally a career civil
servant from the Indian Administrative ServicE
National Green Tribunal Act
• National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 is an Act of the Parliament of
India which enables creation of a special tribunal to handle the
expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental
issues.
• It draws inspiration from the India's constitutional provision
of Article 21, which assures the citizens of India the right to a
healthy environment.
• FUNCTION>effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to
environmental protection and conservation of forests and other
natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating
to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to
persons and property .
Members
• The tribunal shall consist of a full time
chairperson, judicial members and expert The Principal Bench of the
members. The minimum number of NGT has been established in
judicial and expert member prescribed is the National Capital – New
ten in each category and maximum Delhi, with regional benches
number is twenty in each category. in :
Pune (Western Zone
• Another important provision included in Bench),
the law is that the chairperson, if found Bhopal (Central Zone
necessary, may invite any person or more Bench),
person having specialized knowledge and Chennai (Southern
experience in a particular case before the Bench) and
tribunal to assist the same in that case. Kolkata (Eastern Bench).
Legal jurisdiction of NGT
• 1> The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
• 2. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977; (yes,
cess act)
• 3. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
• 4. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
• 5. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; (aka EPA)
• 6. The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991; (good option to confuse)
• 7. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• NOTE: The NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter
relating to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Indian Forest Act,
1927 and various laws enacted by States relating to forests, tree
preservation etc. Therefore, specific and substantial issues related to these
laws cannot be raised before the NGT.
QUESTION….
• The NGT is not bound by the procedure laid down

under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be
guided by principles of natural justice
• TRUE OR FALSE???
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights
Act, 2001
• The PPV&FR Act, 2001 was enacted to grant intellectual property rights to
plant breeders, researchers and farmers who have developed any new or
extant plant varieties.
• 1>The rights granted under this Act are exclusive right to produce, sell,
market, distribute, import and export the variety.
• ISSUE>>>>>The US multinational<PEPSICO> had sued nine farmers for

alleged “rights infringement” by “illegally” dealing with its registered
potato variety used in its Lays chips,
• This was done to protect our rights and safeguard the larger interest of
farmers that are engaged with us and who are using and benefitting from
seeds of our registered variety.
• 2>compulsory licence in case registered variety is not
made available to the public at reasonable price are
provided
• 3>Compensation is also provided for village or rural
communities if any registered variety has been
developed using any variety in whose evolution such
village or local community has contributed significantly.
• 4> Farmers are entitled to save, use, sow, re-sow,
exchange or sell their farm produce including seed of a
registered variety in an unbranded manner.
Data theft bid hits Ayushman Bharat
• Ayushman Bharat, the government run health insurance
programme, on Saturday confirmed that there had been
an attempted security breach.
• With more than 3 crore e-cards issued countrywide to
individuals covered under the scheme and over 21 lakh
hospital admissions, worth ₹2,820 crore, having been
approved, the scheme is one of the world’s largest state-
run health insurance programmes, according to the
government.
Ayushman Bharat:
• There are two flagship initiatives under Ayushman Bharat:
• 1>Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY):
– Under this scheme, 1.5 lakh health sub-centres are being converted
into health and wellness centres.
– It will bring the healthcare system closer to the people.
– The centres will provide comprehensive healthcare, including
treatment for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child
health services.
• 2>National Health Protection Scheme:The National Health Protection
Scheme will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families.
• It will provide coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family, per year for
secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
Question…
• 1>Ayushman bharat is under which ministry???????/
• 2>Eligibility criteria for this scheme is according to .
• Tendulakar committee
• Rangrajan committee
• Justice lodha committee
• Socio economic caste census
Chicory
• is a somewhat
woody, perennial herbaceous plant
• The roots are used as an additive,
especially in
the Mediterranean region (where
the plant is native). As a coffee
additive, it is also mixed in Indian
filter coffee
• Currently, coffee powders sold in
the country have 49% chicory. The
FSSAI’s proposal to bring down
chicory content in coffee to 30% is
pending clearance.
labour reforms IN Qatar
• Qatar has introduced a series of labour reforms since its selection
as the 2022 World Cup host, with the event setting in motion a huge
construction programme employing foreign workers.
• 1>In September 2018, Qatar approved legislation to scrap the
“kafala”, or sponsorship, system which required that foreign
workers obtain permission from their employers to leave the
country.
• 2>Qatar has also introduced a monthly minimum wage of 750 riyals
($206) and agreed to work closely with the ILO, which now has an
office in the capital.
• 3>Qatar is set to abolish its controversial exit visa system for all
foreign workers by the end of 2019.
Kafala system……….
• Kafala system (Sponsorship system) is the name of system which
regulates the status of migrant workers in Arab countries.
• The system used to monitor migrant labourers, working primarily in
the construction and domestic sectors.
• in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, and the UAE
• The system requires all unskilled labourers to have an in-country
sponsor usually their employer who is responsible for their visa and
legal status.
• The migrant workers’ visas are tied to the employers so that they
cannot change jobs without the consent of their employers.
WHY KAFALA SYSTEM IS BAD.
• In October 2014, Human Rights Watch estimated that there were
146,000 female migrant domestic workers in the UAE whose visa
was sponsored by employers in the UAE.
• In an interview with 99 female domestic workers, HRW listed
abuses claimed by their interviewees: most had their passports
confiscated by their employers; in many cases, wages were not fully
paid, overtime (up to 21 hours per day) was required, or food, living
conditions or medical treatment was insufficient.
• 24 had been physically or sexually abused
• The media have likened employment conditions
under kafala to “modern-day slavery.”
SAFE CITY PROJECT………..
• 1>Safe City projects in eight selected metropolitan cities, namely,
Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad,
Ahmedabad and Lucknow with a view to provide safety to women
in public places at a total cost of Rs. 2919.55 crore.
• 2>The cost of the projects is shared between the Central
Government and the concerned States in 60:40 ratiO.
• 3>major components of the Safe City project include
• Setting up Women Help Desks in all Police Stations with
Counsellors.
• Implementing Safety measures in buses, including Cameras.
• Improving Street Lighting in identified Hot Spot areas
1>Safe city programme is under which ministry.
• >ministry of urban development

• >Minstry of home
• >min of women and child development
• >min. of social justice
ICMR launches ‘MERA India’ to eliminate
malaria by 2030
• Malaria:>caused by a Plasmodium Parasites that is
transmitted from one human to another by the bite
of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Only the species Plasmodium falciparum, P vivax, P
malariae, and P ovale are usually infectious for
humans. Of these, P falciparum is the most
dangerous.
Malaria is caused by…..
• Bacteria
• Virus
• Protozoa
• aschelminthes
malarial symptoms or attacks occur WHEN??
• 1>LIVER CELL RUPTURE

• 2>release of sporozoite
• 3>rupture of RBCs
• 4>mosquito bite
ICMR launches ‘MERA India’ to eliminate
malaria by 2030
• The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched
the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA)
India’ – a conglomeration of partners working on malaria
control – in order to prioritise, plan and scale up
research to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.
• Over the past two decades, India has made impressive
progress in malaria control. The malaria burden has
declined by over 80 per cent, 2.03 million cases in 2000
to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90
per cent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018
Function of MERA……
• The alliance will facilitate trans-institutional
coordination and collaboration around a shared
research agenda which responds not only to
programmatic challenges and addresses gaps in available
tools, but also proactively contributes to targeted
research.
• It aims to harness and reinforce research in coordinated
and combinatorial ways in order to achieve a tangible
impact on malaria elimination.
World Malaria Report 2018
• Among the 11 nations with 70% of the world’s
burden of malaria, only India has managed to
reduce its disease burden, registering a 24%
decrease between 2016 and 2017,
• Odisha accounted for 40% of India’s malaria burden,
and its remote, heavily-forested regions with
scattered tribal populations were the most
vulnerable.
World malaria report is released by.
• Indian council of medical research

• Asian malarial research institute
• World health organisation
• United nation action agenda on malaria
SURESH MATHUR COMMITTEE
Context> The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has
set up a committee to review the regulatory framework on microinsurance and
recommend measures to increase the demand for such products.
1>Mandate: To review the regulatory framework on

microinsurance and recommend measures to increase the
demand for such products.
2>what id microinsurance?? Microinsurance products offer
coverage to low-income households or to individuals
who have little savings
• The IRDA Micro-insurance
Regulations, 2005 defines and
enables micro-insurance.>A general or
life insurance policy with a sum
assured of Rs 50,000 or less
• >Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority
• Statutory>1999 act
• Mandate>regulate and promote
insurance and re-insurance
• Hq>dehli
Ultrasensitive quantum
thermometer
Context> researcher at jamia millia islamia,N.D.
developed ultrasensitive thermometer
• 1>They used graphene quantum dots

<nanomaterial> to create this.which has
temperature sensing properties
• 2>it is sensitive temperature between
27’C TO -196’c
• 3>quick response to temperature
change.
Uses of ultrasensitive quantum thermometer
• Processes which require precise temperture

measurement and sensitivity to change in the
temperature
• Like cryogenic processes> fuel for

spacecraft,engineincubation of biological cell.
ISHAD MANGO
Context>A local mango variety called Ishad is facing the threat of becoming rare in its
homeland, Ankola of Uttara Kannada district, due to competition from hybrid varieties.
• 1>Growth Regions: Ishad is a local

mango variety from Ankola in Uttara
Kannada district, Karnataka.
• 2>Varieties: The mango has two variants
— Kari Ishad, which has thin skin, more
pulp and is sweeter, and Bili Ishad, which
has thick skin and has less pulp and
sweetness.
• 3>issue>shelf life short upto 2 days which
make its transport difficult
BCIM CORRIDOR
Context>India’s decision to skip the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) may have led to the
exclusion of the Bangladesh- China- India- Myanmar (BCIM) Economic corridor from the list of
projects covered by the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) umbrella.
• 1>After the Belt and Road Forum
(BRF) which recently concluded in
Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry
website has not listed the BCIM as a
project covered by the BRI.
• 2>Citing “sovereignty” concerns,
India, for the second time, has not
officially participated in the BRF, as
CPEC—a flagship of the BRI—passes
through Pakistan occupied Kashmir
(PoK)
Now, South Asia is being covered by three major
undertakings under BRI –
• 1>China-Myanmar Economic Corridor
(CMEC),
• 2>Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-

dimensional Connectivity Network,
including Nepal-China cross-border
railway, and
• 3>China Pakistan Economic Corridor

(CPEC)
SHOEBOX SATELLITE
CONTEXT> Engineers from a Chinese start-up called LinkSpace tested a reusable
rocket last week in a move towards launching shoebox satellites into space.
• WHAT IS IT?>shoebox is a type of

nano satellite
• What is nao satellite?>weight less
than 10kg.<1-10kg>
• Why important?1>inexpensive
• 2>more productive
• 3>high demand
CHICKPEA
Context>An international team led by the Hyderabad-based ICRISAT has identified in chickpea
four important genes for heat tolerance and three important genes for drought tolerance.
• >Chickpea: 1>Chickpea is a cool season crop. In

India, chickpea is generally sown in September-
October and harvested in January-February.
• 2>More than 90% of chickpea cultivation area is in

South Asia, including India.
• 3>Globally, more than 70% yield is lost due to

drought and increasing temperatures.
Recent study:
• The study was based on complete
genome sequencing of 429 chickpea
lines from 45 countries.
• In the study, scientists identified in

chickpea four important genes for heat
tolerance and three important genes for
drought tolerance.
• Application:>>Identification of these
climate-resistant genes will help in
developing newer chickpea varieties
which can tolerate temperatures up to
38°C.
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-
Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
• Status: An international non-profit organization.
• Established in: 1972.

• HQ: Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Mandate: Undertaking agricultural research for rural
development in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) region.
• It performs crop improvement research
GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE 2019
Context> Six people from around the world have been selected for the Goldman prize for
grassroots environmental activism.
• Objective: To honour those grassroots environmentalists who risk their lives to

protect the environment and empower those people who have the most to lose from
industrial projects.
• Selection procedure:
– The Prize honours grassroots environmental heroes from the world’s six inhabited
continental regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands & Island Nations, North America,
and South & Central America.
– Winners are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and

others.
Goldman environmental price
• Established in: 1989.
• Established by: Philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman.
• Awarded annually by: Goldman Environmental Foundation,

headquartered in San Francisco, California.
• The Goldman Environmental Foundation was established by
Richard & Rhoda Goldman in 1989 to honor and inspire grassroots
environmental activists around the world
ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE SHALLOW WATER CRAFTS (ASWSWCs)
Context> Ministry of Defence has awarded Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited
(GRSE) contract worth Rs. 6,000 crore to build eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water
Crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy.
• Function>1>coastal water
surveillance
• 2>anti submarine warfare
• 3>search and rescue
operations
• Under make in india initiative
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE)
• Location:> It is located in Kolkata on the bank of hoogly

river
• Establishment:> It was Founded in 1884 as a small
privately owned company. The company was nationalised
by the Government of India in 1960
• It is a government of India Undertaking under Ministry
of Defence.
• Miniratna status in 2006
• Function> is one of India's leading shipyards. It builds
and repairs commercial and naval vessels.
Nepal launches everest cleaning campaign
• 45 day campaign to bring back tonnes of trash left by

climbers.
• Starting date>14 april

• End date> 29 may
Context >indian army is in the process of procuring spike –LR missile
from israel and igla –s system from russia
• It is to be procured through a new set of financial

powers given to armed forces.<april 2019>
• Under this armed forces have been given free hand

in procurement upto 300 cr on priority basis.
Spike LR anti-tank missile
• Spike is an Israeli fire-

and-forget anti-tank
guided missile.
• Dev.> Israeli
company Rafael
Advanced Defense
Systems
Igla-s . air defence system
• Man potable-air-
defence system.
• Came into service>2004
• Range >6km
• Country >russia

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Prelim Booster News

Coorg Arabica coffee

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Wayanaad Robusta coffee

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• It is coffee from the hilly tracks of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh

5. Bababudangiris Arabica coffee

• grown specifically in the birthplace of coffee in India and the region is

Why In • Tashigang, a small Himachal Pradesh village has got the

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Why In • HRC Releases Annual Corporate Equality Index with

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CEI rating Non-discrimination policies across business

Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate

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Programme Objective: Voter education, spreading

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They can be easily recognised by their lager

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Why In • ‘Alemba Yimchunger’ a forest guard at the Fakim Wildlife

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Why In •Erode’s unique turmeric gets a GI tag for

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India is the world’s largest producer of Turmeric. Tamil Nadu is the

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AUSINDEX is an acronym for Australia India Exercise.

Aim of the exercise is to strengthen and enhance

Background: The maiden edition of the exercise was

Why In • Indian Army built longest suspension bridge

Suspension Bridge constructed over Indus River

The 260-feet long suspension bridge was built

The MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopter is

Built by Lockheed Martin, the helicopters are

Why In • It is a 21-day long seasonal folk dance

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Danda as the name implies, is self-inflicted pain, which

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